EvangeList Digest Thursday, November 26 1998 Volume 01 : Number 1327
In this issue:
Tidbit - Positive Best Buy Experience PR - Anir Mouse For iMac Now Available In Germany Posting PR - MacSurfshop - Drink Different !! - Post, Ultima Online Petition For Mac Tidbit - Comdex In Perspective Tidbit - Submitted For Your Approval... Followup - Macs Run Cisco 675 DSL Modem Better Re: EvangeList Digest PR - SndSampler 3.7.1 Happy Thanksgiving!
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:48 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Tidbit - Positive Best Buy Experience
This tidbit is from:
<mailto: "cimbura" cimbura@mninter.net>
There have been plenty of negative articles about Best Buy, Here's an article about a positive experience at the Best Buy demo day on Sunday November 8, 1998.
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I worked the Best Buy demo day in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota this past Sunday and had a generally positive experience. The iMac was stationed on the main computer aisle end-cap with high visibility. When I arrived, the iMac was set up correctly and running the demo.
All day I gave demos of the iMac to a steady stream of customers. Many store personnel and a couple of reps working in the store from Intel and Cannon also got demos. The biggest concern from most people, was the lack of a floppy drive. I explained the options available and the reasoning behind leaving it out, but It would have been helpful to have a stack of Imation SuperDisk drives available. The drives had not yet arrived in the store. Better yet, Apple should offer it packaged with the iMac for $99.
I was amazed by the reaction of people to the design of the iMac. When you demonstrate the features of the iMac, it¼s obvious that a lot of thought went into the product. People love to touch the iMac and see how different it is from other computers. They are amazed that the entire computer fits into such a small package. I pointed out that the carrying handle makes the iMac easy to move the small footprint saves space on your desk.
Kids will sell the iMac to their parents. Many children walked by and said "I want THAT kind of computer!" (I assume it was because the iMac looks to cool.) This made the parents stop and ask for information. Apple should run some commercials targeted at Children during the Saturday morning cartoons...what a great Christmas gift! I found the Nanosaur game really gets attention and shows off the powerful 3D graphics capability of the iMac.
Many salespersons in the Best Buy store wanted to know more about the iMac. They wanted iMac giveaways, shirts to wear, and training. I see a great opportunity here for Apple.
On the negative side, there was still not very much Mac software available and it was difficult to identify products that worked with the iMac...joysticks, scanners, printers, etc. If the store-within-a-store idea is not possible at Best Buy, Apple should provide stickers for all the iMac compatible products or at least post a list of compatible products in the store near the iMac display. To its credit, this Best Buy store had the iMac/printer bundle ready to go near the cash register for interested purchasers.
All-in-all, it was a positive experience. Considering that this was the first weekend that the Mac is back in Best Buy, I think that things at this store got off to a good start. Hopefully, it will get even better.
- ---
Tim Cimbura is a computer consultant and developer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His web page is at <http://www.mninter.net/~cimbura>.
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:54 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: PR - Anir Mouse For iMac Now Available In Germany Posting
The Ergonomic Anir Mouse for the iMac can now be ordered in Germany online from <http://www.tastaturen.com>.
The award winning ergonomic mouse is the ideal companion for your iMac. Its translucent housing has been designed to look real cool next to your favorite new computer.
The integrated wrist rest keeps your hand in a relaxed working position. In contrast to ordinary mice, the movement is carried out by the arm rather than the wrist which can help to prevent repetitive strain injury. To match your hands size the mouse is available in Standard or Large.
A picture of the Anir Mouse for the iMac is available at the following URL:
Now available for sale at the MacSurfshop, the "I think, therefore I use a Mac" coffee mug! This high quality, 11 oz., black ceramic mug is ideal for the serious Mac User. It has the classic phrase (I think...) printed in two colors on one side, and the GET A MAC! logo printed in two colors on the other.
What a great gift idea too!
Only $9.95
<http://www.macsurfshop.com/store/index.html>
Lata' Dudez!
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:57 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: !! - Post, Ultima Online Petition For Mac
This action item is from:
<mailto: "Mark Anthony Collins" themacman@macsrule.com>
Ultima Online is a game that every Mac users HAS to have. Unfortunately, it is not available for Macintosh. Luckily, there is an online petition for a Ultima Online for Mac port, located at: <http://guestbooks.cgi-local.net/macuopet/>. The signature count as of this mailing is 1,850. When the count was at 500, the developers said that there was hope for a Mac version.
Without a doubt, this is a game that you MUST HAVE. No questions about it. This is simply the best RPG game EVER. It doesn't matter if you even like games, you will want at least one copy. We must support this kind of excellence by signing this petition and following through with a purchase once the port is complete.
As Guy or John usually says, only sign this petition if you actually intend or are interested in buying this product. However, after seeing the PC version in action for a week (my boss also has a PC), I must say that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU will want one. Period. This is a work of art. A masterpiece. Nothing else comes close.
So support Ultima Online, and support the Macintosh. Visit <http://guestbooks.cgi-local.net/macuopet/> today and sign the petition.
Thank you for your help. Our efforts will be rewarding.
Mark Anthony Collins "The MAC Man" <mailto:themacman@macsrule.com>
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:07:04 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Tidbit - Comdex In Perspective
This tidbit is from:
<mailto: "gwagner" gwagner@macconnect.com>
For those who were put off by Apple's no show at Comdex, they were no alone. Although it seems that Comdex could have used the iMac's appeal (not to mention what the new consumer portables might have done.)
The show has ``lost some of the glitter,'' added veteran Comdex attendee Ronald Harp. The president of Catalina Distributors Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla. has attended 18 shows in the spring and fall since 1990.
The dimmed enthusiasm hit some big exhibitors too. IBM Corp., Intel Corp. (Nasdaq:INTC - news) and Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq:DELL - news), among the show's largest participants in the past, withdrew this year after finding that jockeying for attention with roughly 2,400 other exhibitors in the sprawling show isn't a cost-effective way to reach potential customers. Exhibitors can spend several million dollars for the biggest displays.
George L. Wagner Jr. Computers, Support, & Consulting <gwagner@macconnect.com>
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:48 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Tidbit - Submitted For Your Approval...
Apple's Orchard's latest editorial has been written. "Phase 3 Complete: Now Let's Kick Some Consumer Butt!" is a column about Apple's upcoming Consumer Portable and the revolution it will spark. Please post it on your website.
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:50 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Followup - Macs Run Cisco 675 DSL Modem Better
<mailto: "robwest" robwest@aa.net>
"By the way, I want to mention that the US West Megabit Tech support guys were very helpful and knowledgeable about the Mac. They also didn't have an attitude when they found out that I was trying to connect their PC-centric equipment to a Mac."
Completely! I just hooked up our small design firm with DSL, in about 1/2 an hour - which is pretty impressive, given that you could store what I know about TCP/IP networking in a desktop clipping.
The folks at USWest were incredibly helpful, and, as you say, completely cool with the fact that I was using Macs. In fact, we ordered the Mac-centric self-install package, and it came with everything I needed. All the cables, all the serial cable adapters, an old-style Ethernet adapter, etc. I was really impressed that I didn't have to buy or find anything to make it work.
USWest disclaimed all knowledge of hooking the Cisco 675 up to a LAN, since they were officially supporting single-workstation configurations at the time, but the tech I spoke to was very helpful in his "hints" and his "off-the-record" suggestions. (Turns out, I had to turn off routing and switch to bridging to get it to work - don't know what I mean? Just get one of these things - they're great!) Now our 675 is happily it's own network peer, and all of our Macs (even the old Quadra 800s) are sharing the modem. DHCP worked like a charm.
I must say, overall, a highly satisfying experience with new technology.
I think we should gather up any positive feedback like this and send it to someone at USWest - they could use the praise and it would definitely help The Cause.... I'd be glad to coordinate this. Just send any such experiences (bad or good) to me:
Rob West <robwest@walshdesign.com>
I'll find out where they can be sent, and send them off!
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:06:51 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Re: EvangeList Digest
Just got back from the Eastern Anlytical Symposium (EAS) in Somerset New Jersey. EAS is a medium for Analytcial Chemistry Community to cummincate, express ideas, share recent success stories etc. Well, not make a long story short, saw a few G3 Macs there, in a world DOMINATED by WIn95/98/NT. I saw a G3 MT at the Perkin Elmer Sciex Booth (PE makes analytical instrumentation) and at another vendor Bodman. Perkin Elmer has acctually announced the availability of Spctroscopic/Chromatographic Software for Windows NT, and yes, MAC OS!!!!! A feather in our cap...need more to think different, such as PE.
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:07:02 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: PR - SndSampler 3.7.1
Power Productions announces the release of version 3.7.1 of the Mac-only sound tool SndSampler, chosen by David Pogue for inclusion in his best-selling Mac Secrets. Check it out at:
Read a review in the November issue of My Mac Online:
<http://www.mymac.com/>
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Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 10:06:08 -0800 From: John Halbig <john@garage.com> Subject: Happy Thanksgiving!
This tidbit is from:
The Digital Guy <mailto:evangelist@apple.com>
Hey y'all,
First, there will be no EvangeList postings this Thursday because of the Thanksgiving holiday. It's the first one in the new house, and it's gonna be busy...and there's going to be way too much food and things to be thankful for.
Have a good one people, and stay safe!
John J. Halbig (a.k.a the Digital Guy)
e-mail: evangelist@apple.com
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End of EvangeList Digest V1 #1327 *********************************
