Apple Ships QuickDraw 3D Graphics Software

Powerful Advanced Graphics Solutions for Macintosh Personal Computers

SIGGRAPH, LOS ANGELES, California--August 7, 1995--Apple Computer, Inc.
today announced that its QuickDraw 3D graphics software is now available
to customers. This new system software, which makes real-time 3D graphics
as easy to use as text and 2D graphics, is included with the new Apple
Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500 personal computers. QuickDraw 3D is also
available to other Apple Macintosh users from online services and the
World Wide Web, and through software applications that have the new
software built in, such as Strata Inc's new version of StudioPro Blitz, a
professional-level modeling, rendering and animation package for the
Macintosh.

Immediately QuickDraw 3D becomes the highest volume shipping RISC-based 3D
technology, which, coupled with aggresive developer adoption means
powerful and innovative new solutions for PowerMac users. QuickDraw 3D
takes advantage of the computing performance of the Power Mac computer's
PowerPC processor, delivering 3D-graphics capabilities and performance
that previously were available only on advanced graphics workstations.
With QuickDraw 3D on a Power Macintosh, users can easily create and
manipulate 3D graphics, and drag and drop those graphics into documents
and presentations.

"With QuickDraw 3D on the Power Macintosh, Apple is applying its innovation
to the complex world of 3D graphics", said David Nagel, Apple senior vice
president of worldwide research and development. "We are now able to
provide a foundation for delivering the visual richness of 3D to
mainstream personal computer users at dramatically lower price points."

"With QuickDraw 3D, developers of both software applications and new media
titles can more easily incorporate 3D into their products," said Satjiv
Chahil, vice president of Apple's entertainment and new media division.
"QuickDraw 3D allows Apple to extend its lead as the premier authoring
environment for new media. We also expect QuickDraw 3D to enable
next-generation tools for high-end animation and special effects for both
film and video."

"By building 3D support into its Power Macintosh system software, Apple is
facilitating the growth of the 3D market," said John Kunze, Adobe's vice
president of graphics, Application Products Division.

"It also ensures that hardware innovations, such as 3D acceleration cards,
can be integrated more quickly into software applications that use Apple's
new technology."

According to Rand Miller, president of Cyan, Inc., creator of the popular
Myst computer game, "Cyan developed Myst using only Macintosh computers.
For the sequel, we were hungry for modeling and rendering speed so we
jumped to Silicon Graphics workstations. We naively assumed that
integration and ease of use would come with it as well. Everyone at Cyan
has been anxiously awaiting QuickDraw 3D so we can get our development
efforts back on the Mac, and from what we've seen so far of QuickDraw 3D
software with the new PowerMac hardware, our wait may be over."

"Apple's QuickDraw 3D will have a significant impact on the graphics and
multimedia markets," said Miles Walsh, vice president of worldwide
marketing for Macromedia, a leading vendor of multimedia authoring
software. "Macromedia expects to support QuickDraw 3D in future versions
of our key products, such as our new 3D software."

"Radius is excited about the opportunity to bring 3D graphics and
performance to the desktop" said Kevin Macgillivray, general manager and
vice president of Radius' Color Publishing Division. "Apple's QuickDraw 3D
is a major enabling software technology that, when boosted with 3D
hardware, will revolutionize the creation of content. Soon, customers in
color publishing and broadcast design will be able to produce 3D
illustrations, product designs and animation with the quality and speed
they require, on their platform of choice."

QuickDraw 3D supports a new cross-platform file format--3DMF--that makes it
possible for 3D graphics to be moved from application to application,
preserving geometric information, as well as information about textures,
lighting and shading. "Because visual interaction breaks down
communication barriers, 3D will be integral to how we work, learn and
play," said John Wright, president and CEO of Viewpoint Labs, a worldwide
leader in 3-D modeling and 3-D data distribution. "We believe QuickDraw 3D
and the Apple 3DMF format represent a significant step toward broadening
the market by putting the power of 3D at the fingertips of desktop users."
By supporting 3DMF, Viewpoint's users can move and share 3D geometric and
appearance information among applications and through an entire production
process, the same way they share PICT images today."

System Requirements

QuickDraw 3D requires a Power Macintosh computer running Macintosh System
7, Version 7.1.2 or later, a hard disk drive and 16 MB of memory.

Availability

QuickDraw 3D is included with Apple Power Macintosh 7500 and 8500
computers. It is available to other Macintosh users from online services
such as eWorld, and on the Internet through Apple's home page at
http://www.info.apple.com or directly through the QuickDraw 3D home page
at http://www.info.apple.com/qd3d.

Developers interested in licensing QuickDraw 3D should call 512-919-2645 or
send an email to sw.license@applelink.apple.com. The licensing fee for
redistribution of QuickDraw 3D with applications is U.S. $250. A QuickDraw
3D Software Developers Kit is available as part of the Mac OS Software
Developers Kit #4, for U.S. $299, through APDA, Apple's source for
developer tools. With the Mac OS SDK, developers will receive the
pertinent QuickDraw 3D tools as well as a collection of powerful
technologies and related programming information which helps developers
add support for many Mac OS system extensions. Each quarter, Mac OS SDK
subscribers automatically receive a CD-ROM disk with the most recent
version of these system software extensions, programming interfaces and
libraries, sample code and technical documentation. To reach APDA inside
the U.S. developers should call 800-282-2732. From Canada, APDA can be
reached at 800-637-0029, and from other countries, at 716-871-6555. In
addition, the book "3D Graphics Programming with QuickDraw 3D" published
by Addison Wesley will be available in bookstores this month. This book
includes a CD ROM with the QuickDraw 3D software and complete searchable
reference documentation.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized pioneer and innovator in the information
industry, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal
computers, servers, peripherals, software, on-line services, and personal
digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino California, Apple
(NASDAQ:AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets products,
technologies and services for the business, education, consumer,
scientific & engineering and`government markets in over 140 countries.

Customer Information Contact: If you are considering the purchase of an
Apple product and would like to have product information faxed to you,
please call 1-800-462-4396 in the U.S. or (415) 598-4329 in Canada. If you
do not have a fax machine or would like to locate an Apple authorized
reseller near you, please call 1-800-538-9696. Customers outside the U.S.
should contact their local Apple representatives for information.

Apple's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.apple.com/

Apple Computer Inc
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-996-1010
 
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