NEWS

NEW COMPUTER?

Acorn was quick to react to the story about the new Archimedes 205 that was carried in last month's RISC User. Acorn confirmed that there will be a new machine, although it will not be a cut-down version of the 310. Indeed, one source has said that the new machine, codenamed the "XXXX", will not be marketed under the Archimedes name. Acorn neither confirmed nor denied the price of £599 that we suggested, although they did confirm that the machine would be launched in the summer.

It is also believed that Acorn is planning some changes to the existing Archimedes series. These will most probably be announced to coincide with the RISC OS release in April or May.

ANIMATE YOUR IMAGES

Film-Maker from Silicon Vision is an animation system for use with the company's SolidCAD and Real-time Solids Modeller systems. It allows individual frames to be linked into an animated sequence, and various effects applied to the images. For example, the camera angle can be altered to produce a variety of effects. Film-Maker costs £79.95 inc. VAT. Further details can be obtained from Silicon Vision, Signal House, Lyon Road, Harrow HA1 2AG, tel. 01-861 2173.

Not to be deterred, Ace Computing who produce Euclid, a rival to Silicon Vision's SolidCAD, has released its own animator, called Mogul. This offers similar features to Film-Maker, and costs £20 inc. VAT to registered Euclid users. Further details from Ace Computing, 27 Victoria Road, Cambridge CB4 3BW, tel. (0223) 322559.

ARC FAX

Computer Concepts has said that its Archimedes Fax podule will be available in the near future. The system has now passed the main hurdles involved in obtaining BABT approval, and it only remains for the approval to be officially registered. Computer Concepts has also finally announced the price for the Fax system. The actual Fax podule, which is little more than a fast modem with error correction and all the necessary software, will cost £573.85 inc. VAT. However, this will only enable you to send on-screen images. To enable written documents to be sent, you will also need a scanner, and this pushes the price up to £918.85. More details can be obtained from Computer Concepts, Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 6EX, tel. (0442) 63933.

ETHERNET FOR THE ARCHIMEDES

Acorn has announced an Ethernet interface podule for the Archimedes. This will allow machines to be networked using the very high speed local area network developed by Rank Xerox. It will also mean that companies and establishments that already have an Ethernet system can use the Archimedes as a low-cost intelligent terminal.

The Ethernet podule will come in two forms, one for standard Ethernet systems, and the other for the lower-cost thin cable Ethernet. The actual hardware is the same as used in the new Acorn Unix machine, but because of software development time, the Archimedes Ethernet interface will not be available until September, and no price has been announced yet.

MORE ART

Atelier, from Minerva, is the latest Archimedes art package to be released. The program works in 256 colours, and offers all the features that people have come to expect of Archimedes art packages, including the ability to distort an image into a particular shape. Also included is an independent sprite designer that can be used to define sprites for use in your own programs. Atelier costs £99.95 inc. VAT, and more details can be obtained from Minerva Software, 69 Sidwell Street, Exeter, EX4 6PH, tel. (0392) 437756.

CONGRATULATIONS

At a recent meeting of Acorn's Premier Dealer League, consisting of the top 25 Acorn dealers, BEEBUG was one of three companies which were presented with awards for their support of the Archimedes range. The other awards went to Watford Electronics and Twyford based MAV Ltd.