-- S3d VRML 2.0 Plug-In -- Through its recently announced relationship with Intervista
Software, S3 will develop, distribute and market a RIO- compatible accelerated VRML 2.0
browser to provide end-users with increased acceleration when navigating VRML-based
worlds. The S3d Plug-In has been optimized for S3's 3D rendering technology with a
simplified user interface and powerful navigation tools, and will significantly increase the
performance and image quality of the plug-in when paired with S3's accelerators. Features
supported by the S3d VRML 2.0 Plug-In include hardware acceleration, bi-linear filtering,
S3's Streams Processor(TM), MIP-mapping, customizable front-end and up to 24-bit
textures. The browser supports Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3.0 and Netscape's Navigator
3.0. Microsoft also recently announced that Intervista's plug-in technology, Worldview, will
be bundled with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. Support for additional versions of these
products, as well as other browsers, will be ongoing.
-- S3 Internet Marketing and Developer Programs -- To evangelize support for RIO and
RIO-compatible products, S3 will aggressively support both developers and end-users
through comprehensive developer and marketing programs. The developer program will
include on-line technical developer support, Internet downloads and financial investments
and co-development of high-visibility Websites. Marketing efforts will emphasize consumer
demand, such as bundling agreements, and logo and advertising programs.
Industry Support for RIO
"It's widely accepted that the number-one growth area on the Internet is in
highly-interactive multimedia experiences," said Michael Howse, director of marketing for
S3. "RIO combines a dramatically enhanced visual and audio capability with S3's multimedia
software and hardware technology to provide end-users with an awesome Internet
experience."
RIO is VRML 2.0 compliant and will be initially supported by Internet 3D designers,
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, Netscape Navigator 3.0 and other browsers, authoring tools
and texture and model libraries such as those from Intervista, Axial, Paragraph, Construct,
Protozoa and Acuris, among others.
Distribution
S3 will bundle RIO texture and audio databases and the new S3d VRML 2.0 Plug-In with
future 3D accelerators. Existing S3d customers will be able to download RIO and the
Plug-In from S3's Website (www.s3.com) in Q2 1997. As S3 currently owns 66 percent of
the 3D market(1), the company anticipates that RIO will quickly become an industry
standard. Developers interested in further information can join S3's Internet Developer
Program by accessing the Developer Support Section of S3's Website. Additional
distribution channels will be added in the future. |
