APPLE COMPUTER: FireWire goes prime time at Macworld Expo
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M2 PRESSWIRE-6 January 1999-APPLE COMPUTER: FireWire goes prime time at Macworld Expo
(C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-- Apple integrates FireWire in every new Power Macintosh G3 system
-- Over 20 new FireWire products debut
MACWORLD EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO -- FireWire(R), the high-performance connection standard for
personal computers and consumer electronics, arrived as a mainstream computer technology today as
Apple introduced a new line of Power Macintosh G3 systems that integrate FireWire on all product
configurations. In addition, over 20 new FireWire products were debuted for the Macintosh(R) platform,
including hard drives, printer, scanners, analog to digital video converters and digital audio mixers, as well
as large-capacity archival storage devices, such as magneto optical, CD-R and tape drives.
"The volume and breadth of products being announced at Macworld demonstrate that FireWire has
arrived," said Steve Jobs, Apple?s interim CEO. "Integrating FireWire as standard multiplies the
expansion capabilities of our stunning new Power Macintosh G3s, bringing new solutions, like
professional-quality video editing within reach of millions of Macintosh customers."
FireWire was invented by Apple in the early 1990s and was adopted by the IEEE as a standard (IEEE
1394) in 1995. With close to four million FireWire-enabled digital video cameras sold over the last two
years, FireWire is revolutionising desktop digital video by allowing near broadcast-quality video authoring
at low consumer price points, with new digital video camcorders selling for as little as U.S. $850. The
addition of FireWire ports on every new Power Macintosh(R) G3 will accelerate this trend, making them
fully-capable A/V machines.
Companies with new FireWire products debuting at Macworld include: Castlewood (orb drive), Dicomed
(digital camera), Epson (printer interface card), Fujifilm Microdevices (photo scanner), Indigita (tape drive),
Kodak (digital cameras), La Cie (CD recorder and hard drive), MacTell (CD recorder, hard drive and hub),
Newer Technologies (A/V converter), PhaseOne (high-end scanner, digital camera), VST (hard disk and
magnetic optical drives), Yamaha (digital audio mixer) and Yano (hard disk and magnetic optical drive).
These devices join the more than 50 FireWire digital video camcorders, decks and still cameras already
shipping from Canon, JVC, Kodak, Panasonic (Matsushita), Sharp and Sony.
In addition to cross-platform adoption by Microsoft and Intel, the FireWire standard is being chosen for an
ever-increasing array of consumer multimedia devices like set-top boxes, digital VCRs, DVD players and
even upcoming digital TVs. The technology supplies data transmission rates of up to 400 megabits per
second and up to 63 devices can be attached to a single bus. FireWire devices can be "hot plugged" to a
personal computer and multiple computers can attach to the same FireWire bus and share peripherals in
a small workgroup setting.
Apple Computer, Inc. ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and
reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is now recommitted to its
original mission - to bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators,
designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.
The Apple logo is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Apple, Macintosh, Mac, QuickTime,
ColorSync, AppleScript, iMac and Apple Store are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged. |
