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• Office 2000 Is A Top Seller Even Before It Ships
  Time: 15:19 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft's curious ability to sell huge stacks of software seems to have been tuned up a notch or two. Now it can apparently make something a best-seller and have it rated the most popular product before it even ships.

  With over a week to go before Office 2000's UK launch we were more than a little surprised to see the advertisement run for the "product" in the weekend papers. "Some children get more of a head-start than others," it says here. "Not only is [Microsoft Office 2000] the world's best-selling office suite. It's the leading choice for schools and a proven aid in boosting a child's learning ability."

   

• Site News
  Time: 14:55 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We should have a few more people starting on news updates this week (Possibly from today). This will mean far more updates across the whole of the site. New readers: Don't forget to sign up for our HTML mailing list.

• Byron's Homepage Redesign
  Time: 16:28 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  It's a Sunday, It's raining and I've had nothing else to do today so I've redesigned my homepage. I know a lot of you have checked it out before and e-mailed me your comments, but this time I have added a whole load of information about what I like and also designed it with a look that I think is the best I have ever done.

   

• Mozilla M6 Released
  Time: 14:45 GMT Source: Betanews Posted By: Byron

  Several visitors commented that M6 of Mozilla is out for Windows and Linux. Mozilla is known for being the engine for the popular Netscape. Read the M6 Plan. Not only does it look cool - It's CSS is already far better (In most places) than IE5 (Gulp) and hover CSS works in it at last too.

   

• Could Open-Source Windows Help Microsoft
  Time: 14:40 GMT Source: Netigen Web Posted By: Byron

  What if the open-source advocates are right and the rest of the world is heading their way? Early evidence suggests that may very well be the case. It's not hard to see how the combination of an expected loss in round one of the antitrust case and demands from programmers and large corporate customers could lead Microsoft to try the open-source model on some of its products -- particularly its flagship Windows OS

   

• Site News
  Time: 14:34 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Yesterday was a head achingly boring day for Windows related news so we decided to work on other things.

  Updated the About Us page

   

• NetMeeting 3.01 Review
  Time: 12:07 GMT Source: Windows 98 Central Posted By: Byron

  Windows 98 Central have posted a review of the new NetMeeting 3.01. Here is a little snippet:

  "Want to have a meeting? Need to update files with your product team? Maybe you just want to talk to someone, see what’s happening? Well if you want to do some of these things, but can’t leave your office. I recommend Microsoft Windows NetMeeting..."

• John Carpenter's Vampires: DVD - Review
  Time: 12:40 GMT Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Byron

  I have posted my review of John Carpenter's latest but certainly not greatest movie, Vampires. Here is a short snippet:

  John Carpenter is one of my all time favorite directors (The Thing being my favorite movie) but unfortunately he hasn't made a really good movie for some time now. Vampires doesn't really make me feel any different, it's nothing spectacular but certainly isn't a bad movie. It offers very few frights for a horror movie, but it does manage a couple of scary moments later in the film.

• Dell Adds Windows 98 SE
  Time: 16:13 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  Dell began offering the newest version of Windows 98 to its small business customers.

  The Texas computer maker said that it has begun shipping Microsoft's Windows 98 Second Edition update CD-ROMs with Dimension desktop and Inspiron notebook computers, aimed at the small business market. Previously these computers could be configured with Windows 98, but Dell will soon offer only the later version.

   
• MS Dropping Wholesale Distribution For Consumer Products
  Time: 16:09 GMT Source: Reuters Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT) plans to phase out its use of wholesale distributors for most products in its new home and retail division that includes computer games, the popular Encarta encyclopedia and the Works productivity suite, a Microsoft official told Reuters.

   
• Microsoft.Com Unleashed
  Time: 16:07 GMT Source: ICQ Posted By: Byron

  Windows 98 Central has posted an article talking all about Microsoft's very own website and just what is available on there (A whole lot). Check it out.

   

• New Intel Price Cuts Threaten AMD
  Time: 16:00 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  In wrestling terms, it's known as "the reversal." While PC chip giant Intel Corp. continues to pressure rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. -- Intel will cut Celeron prices next month -- AMD is looking to escape at the end of the June, when it releases its next-generation K7 processor.

   

• Site News
  Time: 16:00 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We have started work on our Windows 98 SE and Office 2000 Tips sections and they will both launch the day the two products hit the stores (June 10th For Both). On another point - everyone should buy the new Travis album in the UK.

• DirectX 7 Info
  Time: 19:48 GMT Source: Voodoo Extreme Posted By: Byron

  Voodoo Extreme has posted a few bits of info on Microsoft's upcoming DirectX 7 that has just gone into beta. Check out the article by clicking on the link above.

   
• New Microsoft USB Keyboards On The Way
  Time: 15:41 GMT Source: USB Workshop/PC Watch Posted By: Byron

  USB Workshop have spotted two new Microsoft Internet keyboards over at PC Watch (a Japanese site).  I don't know Japanese.  I assume two new MS USB keyboards are announced in the Hardware Preview Conference in Japan.  The new series of keyboard is called the Internet Keyboard.  As you can see, these two keyboards share some similarities of their predecessors, Natural Keyboard and Natural Keyboard Elite.

   
• Intel Wants To Put You On Easy Street
  Time: 15:28 GMT Source: IDG Posted By: Byron

  USB 2.0, due for release by mid-2000. The new version is an order of magnitude faster, performing at 120 to 240 megabits per s. Market research firm Dataquest predicts that 500 million USB peripherals will be sold in 2003.

  Currently, seven out of ten top-selling scanners are USB, including the top four best-sellers. "USB is the best add-on experience the PC has ever had, bar none," Pappas proclaimed.

   

• Site News
  Time: 15:20 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Sorry about earlier in the day, the server was full up and we couldn't do anything about it, thus there was only a very small piece of this page showing up.

   

• Java VM (Build 3181) Released
  Time: 10:08 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Virtual Machine for X86 platforms (Build 3181, released 5/26/99) http://www.microsoft.com/java/download/32updates.htm

  This download is the latest version of the Microsoft VM. It contains fixes to VM Build 3167 (released with SDK 3.2). This list can be viewed in the 3181 update notes.

• BT Axes Call Charges For The Internet
  Time: 12:50 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  The Register can exclusively reveal that BT is to offer toll-free access to the Internet.

  Starting Saturday 5 June, anyone with a BTInternet account will not have to pay a penny during the weekend for Internet access.

  An operator at BT's Internet Services help desk told The Register today: "Weekend calls for BTInternet customers will be free from 5 June.

  "Each weekend it will start at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning and run until midnight Sunday night/Monday morning. We were just told yesterday about it."

   
• Site News
  Time: 12:32 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We are currently on the look out for news writers for both ActiveWindows and ActiveDVD if you are interested in either one, get in touch and make sure you tell us which one you are interested in. Knowledge of HTML helps, but users of FrontPage 2000 are also fine by us.

   

• Windows 2000 RC1 Due June 30th
  Time: 12:31 GMT Source: Wugnet/Netigen Posted By: Byron

  According to a report in PC Week -- Microsoft will ship its first release candidate for Windows 2000 on June 30 which places the milestone within the release guidelines previously revealed by Microsoft. The first release candidate will only include bug fixes since Beta 3 was posted

• Microsoft Shows Off Next Exchange Release
  Time: 20:09 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  Corporate data never dies, it just grows and gets more complicated.

  To combat that growing paperless blob, which can make the right piece of information difficult to find, Microsoft is building so-called knowledge management features into the next version of its Exchange groupware server, a Microsoft executive announced here today.

  At its Tech Ed conference this morning, Microsoft senior vice president Bob Muglia showed off new technology to be included in the next release of Exchange, code-named Platinum, intended to let users store a wider array of information within Exchange, and access it from a variety of devices.

   
• MS Sees Smooth Sailing For Windows 2000
  Time: 20:06 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp . is getting good feedback from people testing its new Windows 2000 computer operating system and sees no reason to worry about being able to release the software on schedule with its current timetable, a company executive said Monday.

  Paul Maritz, group vice president in the software giant's developer division, told reporters there was nothing to worry the company in the initial response to the final beta testing version of Windows 2000, released on April 29.

   
• The Waterboy: DVD - Review
  Time: 14:24 GMT Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Byron

  I have posted my review of Touchstone Pictures, The Waterboy. Here is a short snippet from the review:

  The Waterboy turns out to be an excellent comedy. Written by Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer). The standouts in the movie are both Kathy Bates who plays Bobby's overprotective mama and the spaced out Coach Klein played by Henry Winkler.

   

• MS Plans Stakes In Ten Key Euro Companies
  Time: 10:40 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has a target list of ten European communications companies it wants to put money into, according to company European Internet director Georges Nahon. The list's existence, together with some clues about who the companies might be, was revealed in an interview published yesterday by Dow Jones Newswires.

  Market size, location and reasonable numbers of existing subscribers are apparently important, so presumably this means Microsoft wants to pick off large cable TV operations in the larger countries first. It's done a pretty thorough job in the UK already, and is currently in a huddle with Bertelsmann and Deutsche Telekom in Germany. French and Italian operators should therefore prepare to receive emissaries.

• Macromedia Debuts Flash 4 For Distinctive, Full Screen Web Experiences
  Time: 19:54 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  San Francisco, Calif.-Macromedia International User Conference '99 - May 24, 1999 - Macromedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: MACR) today unveiled a new version of its popular Flash(TM) authoring software. First introduced in 1996, Flash has become the standard for creating high-impact vector based Web sites that deliver sound, interactivity, graphics and animations and perform flawlessly across multiple browsers and platforms. Many leading companies, including Citibank, PepsiCola, DaimlerChrysler, and Nestle are using Flash to create beautiful Web sites that effectively communicate their brands.

   

• Microsoft's Maritz Paints Vision for Internet's Third Generation
  Time: 14:57 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Paul Maritz, group vice president of Microsoft Corp.'s Developer Group, keynoting Tech·Ed 99, Microsoft's seventh annual conference for software developers, painted a picture of the next generation of the Internet in which the promise of truly distributed computing will be delivered. Addressing the 10,000 attendees, Maritz said that Microsoft was preparing them for the next generation of the Internet by investing in the tools, infrastructure, interoperability and support to ensure success.

   
• Microsoft Announces Inclusion of Small Business Tools in Office 2000
  Time: 14:55 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the inclusion of Microsoft^® Small Business Tools in Office 2000, designed to make it easier for small businesses to communicate with customers, make better business decisions, and operate more efficiently. The Small Business Tools are Small Business Customer Manager, Business Planner, Direct Mail Manager and Small Business Financial Manager. These tools take advantage of the power of core Office 2000 applications and leading third-party applications to provide out-of-the-box solutions to everyday business tasks such as tracking customer information, writing a business plan, conducting a direct mail campaign, and managing finances.

   

• Intel Says Webpad "Just An Idea"
  Time: 14:51 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Any idea that Intel might introduce a $500 so-called "Web Pad" later in the year are more than slightly exaggerated, a spokesman said today.

  That follows a report in AP of a Portland housewife who tested a slim device which allowed her and her family to move around the house accessing PCs and the like.

  The Intel representative said that the device was a "useability design" from Intel Architecture Labs, which is based in Portland.

  This division of Intel comes up with all sorts of more or less wacky ideas including a PC fridge and Miramar software. The representative said: "The Web Pad is not a product". ®

• WindowBlinds 0.90 Review
  Time: 20:31 GMT Source: Netigen Posted By: Byron

  Netigen has posted a review of the recently released Stardock WindowBlinds 0.90. Check out their seven page review.

  http://www.netigen.com/reviews/wblinds/wblindp1.html

   
• BT To Offer Free Local Internet Access
  Time: 20:31 GMT Source: Reuters Posted By: Byron

  British Telecommunications Plc was poised to offer free access to the Internet with no call charges, the Sunday Telegraph said. The paper said BT was in talks with OFTEL, the British telecoms watchdog, about the plan. Scores of companies, including Dixons Group Plc's Freeserve, offer no monthly fees for customers to access the Internet from their computers. But Web surfers still pay local call charges when connecting to the Internet.

  Under the plan, BT would offer a free phone number with only a marginal increase in monthly rental charges, the paper said. A BT spokesman declined to confirm the report, but said BT was considering how customers could access the Internet. ``It is no secret that we are looking at different ways of paying for access to the Internet,'' the spokesman said.

  Freeserve, launched last September, has quickly become Britain's largest Internet service provider by offering no monthly fees. It has more than one million users. Other companies, such as America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) -- Britain's second-largest Internet service provider -- charge a monthly fee for access, on top of any local call charges.

  However, there has been speculation that AOL was harboring plans to offer Internet access through a free phone number.

   

• Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer Review
  Time: 20:29 GMT Source: GameOver Posted By: Byron

  GameOver has posted a Star Wars: Episode I Racer review. Here is a snippet:

  Star Wars Episode I: Racer is beyond a shadow of a doubt (or an empire for that matter) the most faithful reproduction of the sport of Pod Racing ever created. The amazing thing about it is that while its the most realistic simulation ever made, it is also the most cartoony. Cynical gamers will most likely point out that this is largely due to the fact that it is the only pod racer ever made. My response to these naysayers is that it shouldn't be held against LucasArts if they are the only developers with the courage and sheer chutzpah to do what others would say is impossible: release a Star Wars racing game. (At this point the aforementioned cynics will once again pipe in to point out that other companies would only consider this impossible because of licensing issues, but these people bore me.)

  For anyone that prefers the soothing comforts of a padded cell to the outside world this game is based on a scene from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The basic premise is that Pod Racing (a thinly veiled space age version of chariot racing) is one of the fastest and deadliest sports in the galaxy, and young Anakin Skywalker is the only human with fast enough reflexes to do it. Basically LucasArts had three things to accomplish with this game. Making it feel like players were in the Star Wars universe, making it fun, and giving that overwhelming sense of speed and danger that the movie so eloquently presented. It partially succeeds on all of these counts, but also has a few gaping flaws.

• Microsoft Team Stalks Linux
  Time: 22:27 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Byron

  There’s a new job description at Microsoft Corp.: Linux stalker. In what amounts to a case of “The Empire Strikes Back,” the software giant in recent weeks has deployed a team of engineers and marketers to keep tabs on Linux, the fast-growing, free operating system that is making waves in the computer world.

   
• Site News
  Time: 22:19 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We are still moving over some of our tips to the new layout, this shouldn't take much longer now. Also yet another reminder about our daily HTML mailing list. Here is a list of upcoming reviews:

  Applications: Office 2000
  DVD's: Pleasantville, Vampires, You've Got Mail, American History X and The Waterboy
  Games: Reah (DVD), Championship Manager 3 and Alien Vs Predator.

   
• Microsoft Accused Of Dumping Software
  Time: 22:15 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  A rival to Microsoft accused the world's largest software maker of dumping Korean-language software into the South Korean market for as little as 10 percent of its fair price.

  Hangul and Computer, which controls 60 percent of the word-processing software market in Korea--the only nation in the world where Microsoft isn't dominant--filed the complaint with the nation's Fair Trade Commission.

  It accused Microsoft of selling Korean-language Windows 98 and three other products in a package to educational institutions and other bulk buyers for as low as 10 percent of their fair price.

   
• Office 2000 To Debut June 8th
  Time: 21:59 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  The Great Stan of Software's latest Office offering, Office 2000, is set to launch worldwide in two week’s time, according to occasionally reliable sources in the UK.

  Last week, Paul Otellini, senior VP at Intel US, confessed he did not not know when the software would eventually come out.

  With a bit of luck, the full story will follow on ZDNet UK.

   
• iMac Sales Slow In April
  Time: 10:36 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  Apple's computer drops out of the top-five best selling computers in retail last month as customers continue to flock to low-priced machines.

   
• Voodoo3 3000 Review
  Time: 10:33 GMT Source: Extreme Hardware Posted By: Byron

  Extreme Hardware has posted up a whopping great 18-page Voodoo3 3000 review. Check it out if you are still undecided whether to go for it or not.

   
• Windows 98 Second Edition Release Date
  Time: 10:31 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We are getting a number of e-mails from readers asking when Windows 98 Second Edition is to be released into stores, although we can't be certain we think it is June 10th, don't quote us on that one.

   

• IBM Helps "Cluster" Windows NT
  Time: 10:29 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  IBM and Microsoft tomorrow will demonstrate technology that quadruples the number of powerful Windows NT servers which can be "clustered" together to improve the configuration and reliability of computer services.

  With the current Microsoft Cluster Services (MSCS), only two servers can be linked together in a configuration that allows one to take over when the other fails. But with IBM's clustering technology, code-named Cornhusker, as many as eight servers can be connected, said Brian Sanders, Netfinity marketing software manager at IBM.

• Competition Heats Up In Office Suites
  Time: 20:29 GMT Source: Techweb Posted By: Byron

  As several state attorneys general continue a separate antitrust investigation into Microsoft's Office business, competitor Corel Corp. is making headway executing WordPerfect suite bundling deals with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

  Lotus Development Corp., another Microsoft Office competitor, also has made gains in its SmartSuite OEM business since the antitrust suit began last year, officials there confirmed.

   
• DirectX 7 Hits Beta
  Time: 16:12 GMT Source: Windows 98 Central Posted By: Byron

  Beta 1 of DirectX 7.0 has been released to manufacturing. Here are some of the key features:

  - Visual Basic type library for DirectX
  - Visual Basic DirectX samples
  - DirectDraw support for stereo display devices
  - Direct3D support for hardware transform and lighting engines and cubic environment mapping
  - DirectSound support for hardware voice management and selectable 3D algorithms
  - DirectMusic support for DLS-2 hardware
  - DirectMusic Producer support for hybrid notation and editing of sequence tracks in segments
  - DirectInput support for WDM drivers on Windows 98
  - Enhanced game controllers control panel
  - DirectPlay performance enhancements
  - New sample applications that illustrate the use of the new features
  - Improved documentation, including dynamic filtering for language-specific information

  As you see there are many new features to this release. So be sure to send in your bug reports, so Beta 2 will come out soon!

   

• NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 Hot Fix
  Time: 16:11 GMT Source: WinInfo Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has posted the first hot-fix for Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 (SP5), which apparently fixes a problem with WinHelp, though there is no online documentation as of yet. You can pick up the hot-fix via the Microsoft FTP.

• Intel Confirms Pentium II Is Dead
  Time: 20:06 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  We have been predicting the demise of the Pentium II for some time now, as Intel shifts its customer base to the Pentium III and introduces Coppermine technology.

  But now it is official. Intel has confirmed that the Pentium II will die in six months time, according to wire Asia Pulse.

  The news service quotes Intel India director Atul Vijaykar, who said that Pentium II shipments will cease by the end of the year.

  Last week, we reported that Paul Otellini, a senior VP at Intel US, said the transition from the Pentium II to the Pentium III was the company's fastest microprocessor transition.  

   
• Microsoft International Football 2000 Preview
  Time: 20:01 GMT Source: CGO Posted By: Byron

  Computer Games Online has posted a preview of the new upcoming Microsoft football (Soccer) game International Football 2000. Here is a short snippet:

  "International Football 2000 is not a FIFA killer. It's just a fun game that happens to be in the toughest sports market," says John Rodman, Sports Product Manager at Microsoft. "The FIFA series is arguably the best sports series in existence. This is just an alternative and we think soccer fans have room for more than one game on their hard drive."

   
• New Bugs & Fixes
  Time: 11:28 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  1: WAOL caused an invalid page fault in module kernel32.dll
  2: Sound Blaster PCI (Ensoniq) card may hang machine or be skipped by ASD
  3: Scanreg /Restore fails to restore registry
  4: Backup will not span multiple CD's

   
• Savage 4 Drivers
  Time: 11:15 GMT Source: VE3D Posted By: Byron

  S3 has released new drivers for the Savage4 powered cards . The versions are 8.02.11 for Win9x and 8.12.02 for WinNT. Here are the download links:

  Savage4 Win9x drivers [5/18/99]
  Savage4 WinNT drivers [5/18/99]

   

• New Star Wars Game Suck?
  Time: 10:52 GMT Source: IGN Posted By: Byron

  With the new movie hitting US cinemas today, IGNPC has gotten hold of the new set of Star Wars games. they haven't jumped straight into a review, but they're early thoughts were definitely disappointed. Here is a snippet:

  The best of the three games that we played was Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. The Phantom Menace is a quick and dirty top-down action/adventure that takes you through the plot of the movie as an active participant. There's lots of swinging light-sabers and firing blasters along the way. While the game looks and plays pretty well, it is by no means a title to start writing home about. So far, the title seems to lack any real depth of play.

  Okay, that's it for now. We haven't made our minds up completely on these titles, but for right now it looks as if they all may be a touch disappointing.

• IE Report Rains On New Communicator
  Time: 20:18 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft's Internet Explorer takes a commanding lead, surpassing Netscape's Navigator as the primary browser in use in large corporations, according to a study.

   
• Microsoft Says Win2000 Will Run Fine On Celerons
  Time: 20:14 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft said today that Windows 2000 will run "fine" on Intel Celeron processors. A Danish computer magazine had alerted us to the fact that Win2K will only run on processors with 256K level two cache or more, following advice from Microsoft in Denmark.

  But Frances Fawcett, Windows 2000 product manager at Microsoft UK, said: "Windows 2000 will run on a Celeron microprocessor. What I will take from this is that I will tell my colleagues in Europe to change the information on its Web site."

  According to Jan Wiberg, a journalist at ComputerDK, the conflicting information is posted on Microsoft sites.

  While the Microsoft English language site says that Windows 2000 will work on Celerons, the Danish site says it won't.

   
• New Communicator: Speed And Smarts
  Time: 19:55 GMT Source: PC World Posted By: Byron

  The first update of Netscape Communicator to come from America Online instead of Netscape (now an AOL division) hit the Internet this week, and the proud new parent boasts that its entry is the smartest and fastest browser on the block.

  Using Netscape's SmartBrowsing technology, the new Communicator 4.6 lets you quickly and easily find Netcenter listings and services such as local dining, movies, weather, and sports. For example, simply enter keywords such as "Chicago Movies" into the Navigator browser location bar and you'll get Digital City listings of movies playing in the Chicago area.

   
• Windows 98 Hacks
  Time: 19:51 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  C/Net has posted a bunch of tips and registry hacks for Windows 98 in a special section they have setup - Windows 98 Hacks.

   
• DirectPlay 6.1a Released
  Time: 11:55 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  DirectPlay 6.1a has been released. This release supports ripple launchers through the use of command line parameters, provides improved stability across TCP/IP and serial modems, along with a host of other fixes.You can download it directly from the Microsoft DirectX Website.

  On another note DirectX 6.1a isn't far away.

   
• Will MS Win 2000 Run On Celerons?
  Time: 11:52 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  A Danish computer magazine has alerted us to the fact that Win2K will only run on processors with 256K level two cache or more.

  That means big problems for people upgrading. According to Jan Wiberg, a journalist at ComputerDK, the information is posted on Microsoft sites. However, while the Microsoft English language site says that Windows 2000 will work on Celerons, the Danish site says it won't.

   

• MS Office Virus Could Infect You Without Opening Attachment
  Time: 11:52 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Israeli security outfit Finjan Software has warned of how a potentially serious Excel-related virus could spread and inflict damage without the recipient opening an email attachment. Finjan says that "All 3.x and 4.x versions of the Microsoft Internet Explorer Browsers and Netscape Navigator browsers 3.x and 4.x (except Navigator 4.5) are vulnerable, as well as all HTML-aware email applications such as Outlook 98."

• Microsoft Press Announces Complete Line of Learning and Reference Solutions for Microsoft Office 2000
  Time: 19:09 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of more than 50 learning solutions to help users maximize desktop and Web productivity, collaborate more effectively, manage deployments and develop custom solutions with Microsoft's newest productivity suite ¾ Microsoft^® Office 2000.

   

• MS, Xerox To Port Windows To Photocopiers
  Time: 12:52 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft and Xerox spin doctors have tipped off The Wall Street Journal early to the two companies' technology alliance to be announced tomorrow.

  According to the paper, the two Satan -- one of Software, the other of Photocopiers -- will sign a diabolic pact to ensure Xerox's digital copiers can more easily be connected to Windows NT/2000-based networks.

  The agreement will see Xerox base its digital copier equipment, which combines printer, fax and scanner facilities in a single unit, on Windows NT, presumably the embedded version Microsoft has been working on for the last six months or so (see Microsoft readies embedded version of NT).

   

• Windows 98 SE Review
  Time: 12:48 GMT Source: The Sanctum Posted By: Byron

  The Sanctum has posted a review of Windows 98 Second Edition (SE). Here is a short snippet:

  When we first got a peak at Windows98 we didn't notice a huge difference from Win95. Some graphical features here and there but it looked identical. The largest changes made were for newer hardware like AGP and USB. Although USB support was broken in the gold release. Most of the changes made from 95 were bug fixes and extra driver support. We used this OS instead of 95 because most of the hardware we used were newer and needed 98's support. While older computers might benefit from keeping with Win95.

• PC Makers Add Office 2000
  Time: 10:48 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron

  The first computers pre-loaded with Microsoft's Office 2000 have begun shipping for those champing at the bit to be the first on their block with a copy of the software suite.

  Major PC manufacturers such as Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, Gateway and Micron today began shipping computers with Office 2000 pre-loaded, although retail stores will not offer shrink-wrapped versions of the software until June 10, Microsoft confirmed.

• I Still Know What You Did Last Summer: DVD - Review
  Time: 23:59 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  I have just posted a review of the recently released DVD - I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. Here is a snippet:

  I am a big fan of horror movies as many of our regular readers already know. Unfortunately I Still Know What You Did Last Summer left me feeling a little flat. Kevin Williamson wrote an witty scripts with many good plot twists when he wrote I Know What You Did Last Summer. In this sequel you are left with characters that you end up wishing would die sooner rather than later as you don't tend to care for like the first movie. The dialogue and directing are also very poor.

   

• Voodoo 3000 Review
  Time: 21:23 GMT Source: The Weslovian Gazette Posted By: Byron

  The weslovian gazette finally have our verdict on the Voodoo3 3000, a month after receiving the card. You may can find the review at:

  http://www.weslow.net/bytethis/reviews/voodoo3/v3-3k-pg1.html

  They also have new information about the LX chipset/Voodoo3 problem.

   
• Generic 4 Port USB Hub Review
  Time: 20:22 GMT Source: Hardware One Posted By: Byron

  HardwareOne has posted a Generic 4 Port USB Hub review. Here is a snippet:

  With direct support of USB in Windows 98 as well as the presence of USB controllers and supported BIOS in today’s machines, the pains are indeed minimal. My own short experience has been a pleasant one. In fact, I love this new method of connection so much I’ve quickly outgrown the 2 USB connections ports found on my Asus P2B motherboard. This brings me to the generic 4 Port USB hub I purchased to support my devices.

  Considering the growing number of USB peripherals suggests that most users will soon end up, like me, with more devices than USB ports on their PCs. Therefore, getting a USB hub would be a necessity sooner or later.

   
• Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition FAQ Added
  Time: 12:07 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  I have added a new revision of the Windows 98 FAQ. This new version has started to include Windows 98 Second Edition FAQ's in its own section.

   
• MS Fixes IE Tunneling Bug
  Time: 11:54 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has quietly released a new version of Internet Explorer 5 which fixes the problem with a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) BugNet first reported in March.

   
• More Big Time Firms Embrace Linux
  Time: 11:54 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Byron

  Several more big technology companies are stepping up their commitments to use Linux, the free operating system that has become a cult favorite in the computer industry.

   
• Episode 1: The Phantom Menace Screensavers, Themes etc
  Time: 11:51 GMT Source: PC World Posted By: Byron

  PC World has posted a whole bunch of downloads for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode 1 movie to be released Wednesday. They include Screensavers, Themes and new bootup screens.

   
• Mailing List Back Up
  Time: 11:46 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Just a note that our mailing list is back up and running perfectly (fingers crossed) and working across a number of e-mail clients although it is best viewed in either Outlook or Outlook Express. You can sign up right here.

   
• 550MHz Pentium III PC's On The Way
  Time: 11:41 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Intel Corp. will turn the performance crank again next week when it ships a new 550MHz Pentium III processor for desktop PCs.

  The processor, which Intel originally announced Feb. 17, will form the heart of a multitude of new PCs from Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp., Gateway Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM, Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., NEC Computer Systems Division and others, ranging in price from about $1,800 to about $2,500.

   
• NetMeeting 3.01 On The Way Already
  Time: 01:15 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Strange one this, but Microsoft are already planning to release NetMeeting 3.01 the day that Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition hits the stores. So the version of NetMeeting in SE will almost certainly be obsolete almost straight away.

   

• Windows 98 Second Edition Review
  Time: 00:24 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Here it is, one of the first reviews of Microsoft's new Windows 98 Second Edition. Here is a short snippet:

  Let me get one thing clear straight away, Windows 98 Second Edition is really just a whole load of bug fixes and code enhancements. If you are thinking of buying Windows 98 SE believing that you will get a number of new features not seen in plain old Windows 98 then you will clearly be disappointed.

• NetMeeting 3.0 Beta Refresh Released (May 12th)
  Time: 23:33 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Only just noticed that Microsoft has posted a new version of NetMeeting 3.0 beta onto their website. I'll include a short review of the "Final Version" with my review of Windows 98 Second Edition

   
• New MS Hardware Pictures
  Time: 19:33 GMT Source: AGN Posted By: Byron

  AGN have posted new pictures of the upcoming Microsoft Hardware gaming devices and the new Intellimouse. Here are the pictures direct from E3.

  Intellimouse Explorer

  

  GamePad Pro

  

  DualStrike

  

   

   
• Site News 2
  Time: 19:33 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Apologies for the lack of news so far today, but my e-mail has been down all day. If anyone e-mailed me in-between 5am and 7pm GMT then I have lost your e-mails and you will have to send them on again. Sorry for the inconvience.

   
• Lucasarts Unveil Another Star Wars Title
  Time: 19:26 GMT Source: CRW Posted By: Byron

  Despite lots of advanced information that leaked out about the Star Wars: Episode I games, most of the media didn't pick up on the ace LucasArts was quietly holding in its hand. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo today, the company announced another Star Wars: Episode I title featuring the character Obi-Wan Kenobi. Mary Birh, LucasArts director of sales and marketing, said the title will be a combination action/adventure that starts with Obi-Wan as a young Jedi. It will ship in "early winter" for the PC platform.

  Assuming the role of the ancient warrior, players must learn to master the force as they progress through the levels. The game, called Episode I: Obi-Wan, will bring "advanced artificial intelligence and motion capture" to give the graphics a more cinematic look, Bihr said. Additional information about the title will be released this summer.

  Episode I: Obi-Wan, will join a line of several other Episode I titles slated to start shipping when the hugely-anticipated movie opens six days from now. Among those are Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace for PC and PlayStation, Star Wars: Episode I Racer for the Nintendo 64 and PC, shipping this month. Also scheduled to ship in the summer is Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide, a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, for the PC and Mac.

   

• Site News
  Time: 14:33 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  We should how our review of Windows 98 Second Edition Final later on today. If not then it will be early tomorrow morning, but it is almost complete.

• Action Outline Preview
  Time: 20:14 GMT Source: Beta Bites Posted By: Byron

  Tass of Beta Bites has previewed Action Outline. This nifty utility is a to-do list, an organizer, a notepad and more with lots of very useful features. If you have too much to do, and not enough time to do it, this might just help! :-)

   
• Nintendo Announce DVD Compatible Console In The Form Of "Dolphin"
  Time: 20:09 GMT Source: E3 Posted By: Byron

  While Nintendo's focus clearly remains fixed on the N64--We happen to believe that it has many more years of profitable life, both for our retail partners and for our company--I want to take this opportunity to share with you some of Nintendo's plans for the future.

   
• Windows 2000 Pro Looks Good
  Time: 19:43 GMT Source: PC World Posted By: Byron

  It may not ship until October, or even next year, but if the latest pre-release version is an indication, Windows 2000 Professional will be a welcome upgrade on many a desktop. The Microsoft operating system, tentatively scheduled to ship this fall, is the first that combines the strengths of Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, and Internet Explorer 5.0. If you're using Windows 98, Windows 2000 Professional will be a fairly easy upgrade. If you're using Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, you'll find Windows 2000's hardware support and well-organized interface to be welcome improvements. Dying to test it out yourself? Micron and Dell are preloading Windows 2000 Professional Beta 3 on some new PCs, or you can order it directly from Microsoft for $60.

   
• Links Updated
  Time: 15:16 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Updated our links page. If you have/know of any sites that you feel should be included, drop us a line via the address on that page. Please make sure the sites you recommend are of the highest quality.

   
• Sega Dreamcast Ready To Rock At Retail
  Time: 13:48 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Sega® of America today announced the kick-off of its official pre-order campaign for Sega Dreamcast(TM) -- ``the ultimate gaming machine.''

   
• Creative Redefines The Entertainment Experience For Sound Blaster Live! Users With Live!Ware 2.0
  Time: 13:44 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Creative have now put out an official press release for their newly released (See yesterdays news) Live!Ware 2.0 applications and drivers. Now all Creative need to do is to get some much needed mirrors for the files.

   
• Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT Family Of Products To Support Legacy 'GLIDE(TM) Only' Games
  Time: 13:42 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Creative Technology, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF - news), the renowned innovator of market-leading multimedia solutions for personal entertainment, today announced a beta version of Unified(TM), a new technology for use in conjunction with its award-winning line of Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT graphics accelerators. This new technology allows the limited number of remaining ``GLIDE only'' legacy games to run on Creative's Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT line of products. Subsequent releases of Unified are expected to support the entire line of Creative's upcoming graphics cards.

   
• Eidos Interactive Announces 'Thief II: The Metal Age'
  Time: 13:39 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Eidos Interactive, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment, Thursday announced an agreement with Looking Glass Studios Inc. which will bring four new titles based on the popular Thief franchise to market, including ``Thief II: The Metal Age(tm),'' ``Thief Gold(tm),'' plus two other as yet unnamed products based on the Thief franchise.

   
• Site News
  Time: 13:36 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  As of today, we are going to be posting various gaming news items, this is to get our site ready for the opening of the ActiveGames section. We certainly won't be going over the top on it as this is mainly a Windows news and information site, but it does seem a logical step forward for us.

   
• X-Wing: Alliance Patch Released
  Time: 11:59 GMT Source: Lucasarts Posted By: Byron

  Lucasarts has released a patch to fix various problems in X-Wing: Alliance, the patch brings the version of the game up to 2.01. Check out our review while you are at it.

   

• We're At E3
  Time: 11:51 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  We just thought we would mention that we are going to be at the E3 show in L.A over the next few days. When we're back, we will be posting as much news from the show as possible including info on new games, DVD titles and much, much more. Oh and we will still be posting our normal news too ;o)

• Creative Liveware 2.0 Released
  Time: 21:41 GMT Source: Creative Posted By: Byron

  Creative has released a whole bunch of new files and downloads for their SoundBlaster Live! set of cards. They include new drivers and applications. Visit the SoundBlaster Live! Website or go directly to the Download site.

   
• Onstream 30G Digital Drive Review
  Time: 20:24 GMT Source: CoolInfo Posted By: Byron

  Tech-Review has posted a review of the Onstream 30G Digital Drive. Here is a snippet:

  It's amazing how time has passed and how technology has advanced. By the end of 1999, 30 GB hard drives will be common place, and here we already have a 30GB removable tape drive. Onstream drives come in few flavors, the main being the choice of either a 30 GB or 50 GB drive. The 30 GB drive comes in three flavors, those being internal IDE, external IDE, and internal SCSI. The 50 GB drive comes in a SCSI only version.

  Here we take a look at the internal 30 GB IDE version of the Onstream drive because that is what most people are interested in, and because it's the least expensive. The main purpose of the drive is for backup or file storage, which it can be used for either way. Let's take a look at the specifications of these huge storage/backup solutions.

   
• Microsoft and Konami Agree to Deliver Great Games to the Masses
  Time: 20:01 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. and Konami Company Ltd., a leading developer of electronic entertainment for the video game segment, today announced they have formed a cross-licensing arrangement that will bring each company's respective console and PC games to new platforms. The global relationship will expand the distribution of game properties for both Konami and Microsoft.

   
• Momentum Builds for Smart Card for Windows
  Time: 19:58 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that, six months after its initial announcement, Smart Card for Windows^® is receiving strong support from the smart card industry at the CardTech/SecurTech (CTST) conference being held in Chicago May 11-14. Citing initial customer pilot programs and the increasing number of card manufacturers, systems integrators and software developers that are supporting the platform, Philippe Goetschel, director of Smart Card for Windows, summarized the progress to date as "meeting and even exceeding our own expectations."

   
• Early Pilot Projects Demonstrate Performance of Smart Card for Windows
  Time: 19:56 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Since the initial announcement of Microsoft^® Smart Card for Windows^® in October, a broad range of technology solutions providers have been working with Microsoft Corp. on several pilot projects to demonstrate the potential of Smart Card for Windows as a platform for next-generation smart cards. Several of these projects, in a range of corporate and government applications, were unveiled today during a keynote address by Philippe Goetschel, general manager of Smart Card for Windows at Microsoft, at the CardTech/SecurTech '99 (CTST) conference being held in Chicago May 11-14.

   
• Microsoft Targets Atmel's Smart Card ICS For First Release of Smart Card for Windows
  Time: 19:54 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Atmel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today announced at the CardTech/SecurTech Conference that Microsoft will be developing its upcoming Smart Card for Windows® smart card operating system for Atmel's AT90SCXXXX family of crypto controller ICs. Smart Card for Windows is expected to become the popular smart card choice because it is based on the PC/SC interface standard, is ISO 7816-compatible, and is very tightly integrated with the Microsoft® Windows NT®, Windows CE and Windows 2000 operating systems and Microsoft Internet Explorer browser software.

   
• DirectX Future Outlined
  Time: 14:18 GMT Source: CRW Posted By: Byron

  What will consumers think about Microsoft's new versions of DirectX technology? Actually, Microsoft hopes they won't think about it at all. DirectX 7 is scheduled for release later this fall, while DirectX 8 is due out next year. Both promise to significantly improve the look and sound of 3-D games. However, Microsoft officials would like retail customers to equate their refined gaming experiences with a more robust Windows operating system and the better design skills of game developers rather than focus on the technology of DirectX.

   
• Microsoft Excel 2000 Review
  Time: 13:27 GMT Source: Netigen Web Posted By: Byron

  Netigen Web's has continued its ongoing Office 2000 review. Part 3 focuses on Excel 2000, Microsoft's premier spreadsheet application. The first part of the review focused on Word 2000 and the second on Outlook 2000. We will also have a full review of Office 2000 Premium later this month.

   

• Warzone 2100 Review
  Time: 10:49 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Chad has posted his review of the Playstation version of Eidos's Warzone 2100. Here is a snippet:

  The graphics are quite superb for this type of game and there is no slow down during the busy parts in the game when there is a lot going on. The music is also pretty good, but the sound effects let the game down, as I thought that they could have been a little bit better at times.

• Microsoft and Compaq Announce Integrated Streaming Media Solution For Training Corporate IT Professionals
  Time: 20:38 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT") and Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE "CPQ") today announced the Windows Media™ Training Server, the first completely integrated, low-cost corporate training solution preconfigured with approximately 100 of the most popular Microsoft^® product training seminars. This solution is based on the Compaq ProLiant, the server the world depends on most. Windows Media Training Server includes all the components IT managers need to quickly and easily implement a flexible training solution that uses streaming media to deliver information over a corporate network.

   

• Microsoft BackOffice Server 4.5 Now Available
  Time: 20:36 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today at NetWorld+Interop announced the availability of Microsoft^® BackOffice^® Server 4.5, the complete, integrated server suite that simplifies the development, deployment and management of powerful solutions for branch offices, departments and midsize organizations. The company also announced the Team Productivity Update for BackOffice Server 4.5, which extends Microsoft Office 2000 to help teams create a centralized location for team information. The Team Productivity Update helps end users, with IT control, quickly create a secure, structured Team Workspace where all team members can share and collaborate on documents, view team calendars and contacts, and analyze line-of-business data. This new feature of BackOffice Server, currently under development, is scheduled to be available to customers in the third quarter of 1999.

   

• Microsoft and Allaire Announce Enterprise Technology Integration Agreement
  Time: 20:32 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. and Allaire Corp. today announced an agreement to enhance the integration between the Microsoft^® Windows^® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture technologies and the Allaire™ ColdFusion^® Web application server. The resulting integration will enable customers to more quickly and easily deliver enterprise and e-commerce applications that take advantage of the complementary strengths of ColdFusion and Windows DNA.

   
• Microsoft and Bluestone Software Announce Sapphire/Web Support for Windows DNA
  Time: 20:32 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. and Bluestone^® Software Inc., a performance leader in enterprise interaction management, today announced that Bluestone's Web Application Server framework, Sapphire/Web^®, supports the Microsoft^® Windows^® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture. In addition, Bluestone announced its intention to deliver a Windows 2000-ready version of Sapphire/Web.

   
• CuteFTP 3.0.15 Beta Released
  Time: 16:58 GMT Source: ActiveComputing Posted By: Byron

  GlobalScape has released the first public beta of their upcoming v3.0 to interested users. The beta includes some great new features like a MP3/file search engine, persistent file downloading, RAS (auto reconnect), and shell integration. Download the release...

   
• Screens Delay Windows CE Handhelds
  Time: 12:19 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron/Alex

  Shipments of some new Windows CE handhelds have been delayed, Microsoft has confirmed, with sources pointing to shortages of the devices' color displays as the reason.

  Microsoft and partners Philips, Casio, Compaq Computer, Hewlett-Packard, and Everex announced next generation palm-size PCs back in March. However, to date, few have released products, and observers say it could be a while before all announced manufacturers are shipping.

   
• Gates Gives $50 Million To Health Program
  Time: 12:18 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Byron/Alex

  Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who has said he plans to give away most of his vast fortune before he dies, awarded $50 million today to a health program aimed at preventing maternal death and disability.

  The gift to Columbia University's Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health by Gates and his wife Melinda will support government programs as well as non-governmental organizations and women's groups at home and abroad, the university said.

   
• Don't Delete Files, Even If Microsoft Ask You To
  Time: 12:15 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron/Alex

  Those lucky enough to be acting as unpaid bug finders for Microsoft’s latest (or is that just late?) piece of bloatware, Office 2000, would be well advised to avoid trying to reduce the size of its massive footprint by deleting files to recover space. Even the most innocuous little text files seem to have some strange and arcane purpose in Bill’s Great Scheme Of Things.

  One plucky tester who asked to remain nameless informs us that there is a tiny text file containing nothing but the words ‘placeholder’.

  “It’s called DELME.TXT, he wailed to a Register staffer, “So I did.

  “Then I got on the train to do some work on the way to the office and discovered that when I tried to start Word 2000 it kept starting the installer and asking for the Office CD, which, of course, was at home.”

   

• Quake 3 Test For Win32 Released
  Time: 12:13 GMT Source: AGN 3D Posted By: Byron/Alex

  The official Quake 3 Test build for Win32 Pc's has been released by ID Software. You can download it from the following places:
  
  

  • ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/idgames/idstuff/quake3/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • http://www.3dgamers.com/3daction/Games/quake3arena/q3test-win32.html

  • ftp://209.1.115.11/idsoftware/q3arena/q3test_1_05.exe

  • http://www.bluesnews.com/files/idstuff/quake3/win32/q3test_1_05.shtml

  • http://www.planetquake.com/dl/dl.asp?quake3/q3test_1_05.exe

  • http://download.ign.com/pc/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://ftp.stomped.com/pub/redwood/q3a/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://qftp1.heat.net/pub/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://ftp.golsyd.net.au/golsyd-public-ftp/quake3/win32/client/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://ftp.barrysworld.com/quake3/test/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://neville2.barrysworld.com/quake3/test/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://chips.barrysworld.com/quake3/test/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://216.81.151.27/quake3/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://ftp.stomped.com/pub/redwood/q3a/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • http://www.quake3planet.de/files/q3test/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

  • ftp://ftp.q3arena.com/pub/q3arena/q3test/win32/q3test_1_05.exe

• 3Dfx Debuts Ultimate Desktop Entertainment System With New Voodoo3 3500 TV
  Time: 22:19 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  3dfx Interactive® Inc. today debuted the ultimate system for PC-based entertainment: the Voodoo3(TM) 3500 TV. Based on the acclaimed Voodoo3 graphics accelerator technology, the Voodoo3 3500 TV combines the industry's most powerful 3D and 2D graphics with complete TV tuner and multimedia functionality in a single AGP or PCI board. Featuring support for MPEG 2, DVD, FM stereo with dbx(TM), and high-resolution displays, the new board includes the most feature-filled entertainment card for hard-core game enthusiasts and cutting-edge multimedia entertainment consumers.

   
• Microsoft Lock Up Naked Surfers In Hotel Room For A Week
  Time: 22:16 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  The naked truth about the Internet will be revealed this week thanks to four loony volunteers who are locking themselves away in a hotel room with only a PC, a bathrobe and credit card to keep them company.

  The near-naked participants are part of an experiment to find out whether it is possible to survive by Internet alone. Their task will be to feed, clothe, communicate and perform everyday tasks like finding a job using only the Net. Organised by Microsoft's MSN the project will be overseen by Dr Helen Petrie of the University of Hertfordshire

  The volunteers -- who responded to an advertisement in the national press -- include a retired fireman from Dunstable as well as an American writer.

  The cyber survivalists will be locked away in separate rooms at a location on the Euston road at 10.30am today and will emerge on Friday afternoon after five days of isolation. One of the participants -- Glyn Thomas, a freelance book editor form Middlesex -- is looking forward to "planning his holiday and playing chess online".

   
• Creative Announce New 32MB TNT2 Card
  Time: 22:14 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Creative Technology , today announced the addition of a new 32MB graphics card to its 3D Blaster line of graphics accelerators. The 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 Ultra is based on NVIDIA's RIVA TNT2 processor and features the combination of 128-bit architectures and a TwiN-Texel dual-pipeline 3D rendering engine.

  The 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 Ultra also supports high resolutions and refresh rates with 32MB of Synchronous Memory and a 300 MHz DAC , According to Creative.

  Creative's 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 Ultra will be available in May Nationwide at an estimated street price of $229.99.

   
• ActiveIE Redesign Up
  Time: 15:41 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  The redesign for ActiveIE has just been posted, as mentioned a day or so ago, all of our sites will become interlinked this week via the new navigation we have designed, both ActiveIE and ActiveDVD have been completed (Bar one image change) ActiveWindows will hopefully be complete before the week is out.

   
• Site Font Notes
  Time: 13:06 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Just a note that we are making some major CSS and Font changes on the site over the next few days, so if you notice some large font sizes on certain OLD news pages, there is no need to worry, as it is just me testing out the new no frames layout for release later in the week.

   

• X-Wing: Alliance - Review
  Time: 11:54 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  I have finally posted my review of Lucasarts X-Wing: Alliance. It has taken a while because of our downtime, but here is a small snippet from the review:

  Missions are varied and mission objectives can change through the game whist you are flying. Every so often you will get the chance to fly with Wingmen who actually seemed to know what they were doing. Throughout each mission you are in radio contact with a number of other pilots, these dialogue parts help keep you up to date with what is going on in the mission, and they can sometimes save your life when an enemy Tie Fighter is on your tail.

• Intel In Desperate Cash Bid To Save Merced?
  Time: 15:01 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  An Intel representative would not tell us Friday what tomorrow’s teleconference about IA-64 is about. We will listen to it, when the time comes.

  But our rivals, news.com, are saying Intel will plunge over $200 million into a scheme tomorrow in a bid to revive interest in the platform.

  If true, the news represents a tactical move by Intel, which has seen its closest partners, Compaq and Hewlett Packard, edge away from their commitment to Merced.

  But the PC vendors may be persuaded to put money into the venture, intended to attracts ISVs and IHVs to support Merced and its successors, including McKinley.

   
• Site News & Changes
  Time: 14:57 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Over the next week or so you will start to notice a number of design changes on the site, this is because we are switching to a new no-frames layout. If you check out ActiveDVD you will get a brief idea of the new layout design which we have been working on. We won't switch ActiveWindows to this new design until we are sure everything is working fine and nothing looks really bad.

   
• Intel Coppermine Chip Preview
  Time: 13:59 GMT Source: GuruTech Posted By: Cliff

  Gurutech has posted a preview of Intel's forthcoming Coppermine chipset. This one looks pretty juicy, here's a snippet:

  Intel's Coppermine is set to hit shelves in September, and be one of the last remaining chips based around it's P6 generation architecture. It is planned to include a 256k on-die L2 cache, and two 36k on-die L1 cache units. It will run on a 133MHz front-side bus, and is predicted to enter the market running at a clock speed of 600MHz, with a cost of around $730.

  One of the most decieving aspects of the Coppermine is it's name, Coppermine. Contrary to what you'd believe, the Coppermine does not utilize copper technology. Now, whether or not Intel named the chip the Coppermine so as to trick the media into believing they were to be using Copper, especially after IBM and Motorolla announced they would be using the technology, I couldn't tell you.

   
• 3dfx Releases Quake3 Compliant Drivers
  Time: 13:43 GMT Source: Voodoo Extreme Posted By: Cliff

  It may seem odd to release new drivers for a game, but hey, this is Quake 3 Arena we're talking about! In anticipation of the forthcoming release of the Quake 3 Arena test, 3dfx has released new drivers for all of their chipsets(except the Banshee), including the Voodoo Graphics, Voodoo Rush, Voodoo2, and Voodoo3. These drivers not only include the newest versions of the Glide and DirectX6 drivers, but also include a FULL OpenGL ICD! This should make many of you who've wanted full OpenGL support from 3dfx very happy.

  Click below to download the drivers for your appropriate card(compatiblity issues can be verified here.

  Voodoo Graphics Drivers
  Voodoo Rush Drivers
  Voodoo 2 Drivers
  Voodoo 3 Drivers
  

  Now all we have to do is install these drivers and wait....

• Intel's 550MHz PIII Comes In A Week's Time
  Time: 23:24 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  As predicted here earlier on this year, Intel will debut a 550MHz Pentium III at $744 on May 16, while other members of the PIII family experience price reductions.

  The 550MHz part will arrive on platform Pentium III, unless there are overheating problems that Intel has not yet fixed. (Story: 550MHz Pentium III has overheating problems)

  The 500MHz PIII will fall from $637 to $482, and the 450MHz Pentium III from $411 to $268.

   
• The X-Files Movie: DVD - Review
  Time: 11:46 GMT Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Byron

  I have posted my review of Fox's The X-Files: Fight The Future DVD. Here is a snippet from the review.

  Now on to the really, really bad point. The transfer of The X-Files movie on to DVD is pretty bad, it's grainy and far too dark and has artifacting problems...with all of the delays Fox has had with this DVD they could have at least put on a anamorphic widescreen transfer, but no, we are just left with a very poor picture.

   
• Microsoft Confidential Updated
  Time: 10:48 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has updated their "Confidential" website, this month it contains information on Windows 98 Second Edition and next months release of Office 2000.

   
• New IE5 Tips
  Time: 10:18 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We have added a new tip for Internet Explorer 5 users, we will be adding more and more over the coming weeks especially with Windows 98 SE so close to released.

   

• New ATI Rage Pro Beta Drivers
  Time: 06:24 GMT Source: 3Dfiles Posted By: Cliff

  ATI has released new beta drivers for their Rage Pro family of products. The new release contains drivers not only for Win95/98(build number 5.38.6b06a), but for NT 4.0(build number 5.38.6b1). The Win9x driver download weighs in at 6.2MB, while the NT version comes in quite a bit lighter at a slim 0.7MB.

  All of ATI's beta drivers can be found here, including beta drivers for their newly released Rage128 chipset.

• Microsoft Delivers End-to-End XML Support For Developing Web Applications
  Time: 20:02 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of the Microsoft® XML Parser for incorporation by third-party developers into their applications. The Microsoft XML Parser, which is freely redistributable and compliant with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 specification, allows developers to easily support XML in any or all of the presentation, business logic or storage elements of an application. Leading independent software vendors (ISVs), including Allaire Corp., Novell Inc. and Object Design Inc., today announced their intent to use the Microsoft XML Parser to build XML support into next-generation products. The parser is available for download at http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/ at no charge (connect-time charges may apply).

   
• Site News
  Time: 19:54 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We have been working hard over the past week or so to make sure that the website is just as functional as it was before our downtime. We have decided to remove the frame layout for the time being as less and less people have been using it to navigate the site as the best method seems to be the navigation menus at the bottom of each page.

  In the next few weeks we will be adding new tips that are specifically aimed at Windows 98 Second Edition so keep an eye out for those.

  It has been a long while since we last posted any site news or info so here goes. In the next week or so we will be reviewing the following products

  Applications: Microsoft Office 2000, Windows 98 SE
  DVD's: Vampires, The X-Files, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, American History X, The Waterboy, Pleasantville and You've Got Mail
  Hardware: Previews for a number of new gaming and mouse devices.
  Games: Reah (DVD Version), Warzone 2100, X-Wing Alliance and Championship Manager 3

  Update 5/8/99 2:12 GMT - Posted by: Cliff
    After quite a few negative comments about the removal of the side frame, we have decided to reinstate it as it was. Thanks for all the comments, keep them coming!

   
• Windows 2000 Delays Help Rivals
  Time: 10:48 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Byron

  THIS WEEK, MICROSOFT BEGAN shipping what is expected to be the final test version of Windows 2000, an operating system that is the company’s most ambitious attempt yet to take on high-end corporate computing chores. Up to now, those kinds of jobs have been dominated by rivals, notably the widely used Unix system.

  Yet where the Redmond, Wash., company was once expected to dominate corporate data centers as thoroughly as it does desktop computers, Microsoft now faces a drastically altered landscape.

   
• W3C Issues Web Handicap Guidelines
  Time: 10:46 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  The World Wide Web Consortium on Wednesday released the first-ever set of technical guidelines for developing Web sites that are accessible to the handicapped.

  The W3C guidelines, which officials said are suggestions for developers, not mandatory steps, consist of 14 points of accessible Web design.

   

• MS Plays Musical Service Packs With NT 4.0
  Time: 10:43 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  How many service packs do you need anyway? And how many times do you need them? Windows site Windows 98 Central reports on a dizzying dance Microsoft is performing by posting and pulling the NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 over and over again.

  First of all the service pack got posted "by accident" and then pulled. Shortly afterwards it got posted officially. And then the 128-bit version got pulled.

  It's not entirely clear what, if anything, is wrong with this version. WinCentral reports "complications," but also says that it's OK if you downloaded it before it got pulled, because it's perfectly stable. Microsoft apparently intends to put it back on May 19th, having fixed whatever it is that isn't broken. As we recall though, security issues were one major reason for SP 5 existing in the first place, so it may be that MS discovered it didn't get this quite right after all.

• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition Released to Manufacturing
  Time: 20:20 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that development of the Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system Second Edition is complete and the product has been released to manufacturing. Windows 98 Second Edition is an update to Windows 98 that enhances the leading consumer operating system with the latest Internet, home-networking and hardware technologies. Windows 98 Second Edition will be available preinstalled with new personal computers for consumers and is scheduled to replace Windows 98 on retail shelves this summer. Existing users of Windows 98 will be able to update their system to the Second Edition technologies in the summer via a CD that can be ordered from the Microsoft Windows 98 Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/).

   
• Microsoft Extends Year 2000 Customer Support With New Programs, Tools and Information Resources
  Time: 20:18 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today unveiled new information resources and tools to address customers' requirements as they continue to prepare their computing environments for the year 2000 (Y2K). Customers will benefit from the new Y2K consumer Web site, which offers easy-to-understand information and prescriptive advice on Y2K, and from additions to the Y2K Resource CD, which enables quick assessment and simple updates. Companies will benefit from the 120-day version of Systems Management Server 2.0, which Microsoft is offering to the more than 18,500 Microsoft® Certified Solution Providers (MCSPs) worldwide. These partners will receive the products and training they need to help businesses prepare for the year 2000. These new deliverables will help customers of all sizes save time, resources and overall costs as they continue to prepare for Y2K.

   
• Ok, Win 2000 Still Needs Polish
  Time: 20:16 GMT Source: Info World Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Senior Vice President Jim Allchin, who is heading up the development of Windows 2000, acknowledged on Wednesday that the just-released Beta 3, although feature-complete, needs plenty of work before it can be considered a finished product.

   

• Intel Invests In Chip Equipment Maker
  Time: 20:11 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  Intel has invested $15 million in a leading chip equipment maker as it eyes future generations of super-fast processors.

  Intel and Silicon Valley Group (SVG) announced today that Intel has made a $15 million equity investment in the supplier of equipment for processing wafers. The wafer is a basic building block of a microprocessor: The circuit components of a chip are etched on the wafer.

Read more of the past months news in our News Archive for April.

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