Apple Computer Announces QuickTime VR Tools for Computer Graphics and World
Wide Web, Developer Update

Free Beta-Level QuickTime VR Tools Enable Users of Computer Graphics
Programs to Create QuickTime VR Objects and Panoramas on Macintosh; New
QuickTime VR Info For Developers

CUPERTINO, California--April 4, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today announced
a significant advance in the creation of virtual reality environments with
the immediate availability of new, beta-level Apple Macintosh tools for
creating QuickTime VR objects and panoramas. With these tools, Make QTVR
Object and Make QTVR Panorama, Web site creators, computer graphics
program users, and photographers can more easily create fast, efficient
QuickTime VR virtual reality content for their Web sites, CD-ROM titles,
and other delivery vehicles such as kiosks. The tools are available today
on the QuickTime VR Web site at http://qtvr.quicktime.apple.com/.

"These tools integrate several steps in creating QuickTime VR content and
make it much easier for higher-level users to create both objects and
panoramas," said Michael Radu, CEO of Mind Expansion Technology, a
provider of QuickTime VR-related services.

Along with the new standalone tools, Apple is making available information
to help developers incorporate QuickTime VR functionality in computer
graphics and multimedia authoring applications. This information includes
the source code for the new tools and the file format for QuickTime VR 1.0
panoramas and objects. One example of how this information could be used
is to extend a computer graphics program to include menu items for one-
step creation of QuickTime VR panoramas and objects. This information is
available from the Apple developer Web site at
http://dev.info.apple.com/.

In addition to providing tools and information for QuickTime VR 1.0, Apple
is beginning the process of creating the next release of QuickTime VR.
Apple has shipped to key developers and partners the QuickTime VR 1.1 API
Specification for review and comment. Apple will gather feedback on this
specification and intends to announce the features of, and schedule for,
QuickTime VR Version 1.1 at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference in
May.

Software and content developers will continue to use the QuickTime VR
Authoring Tools Suite 1.0 for creating photographic panoramas from
multiple photographs ("stitching"), for adding clickable hot spots, and
for creating complete virtual reality experiences. The QuickTime VR
Authoring Tools Suite 1.0 is available from the Apple Catalog at
1-800-282-2732.

QuickTime VR Tools Benefit Photographers, Computer Graphics Users The new
beta-level QuickTime VR tools shipping today are Make QTVR Object and Make
QTVR Panorama. Make QTVR Object is used to create a QuickTime VR object
movie from photographs or computer-generated images of an object such as a
piece of jewelry, a human figure modeling clothing, or a car. It converts
a QuickTime movie with frames consisting of images of the object into a
single QuickTime VR object. The resulting QuickTime VR object can be
rotated by the user to see all sides of the object. Object files generated
from a single row of photographs around an object are typically about
500KB in size.

Make QTVR Panorama is used to create a QuickTime VR panorama from a
panoramic photograph or a computer-generated image of a scene. Make QTVR
Panorama converts a panoramic PICT file from a computer graphics program
or a scan of a panoramic photograph into a QuickTime VR panorama. The user
can pan and zoom within the resulting QuickTime VR panorama. Panoramas
generated from photographs can be as small as 150KB.

The new tools bring new capabilities to photographers and owners of
computer graphics applications. "We are very pleased with the expanded
capabilities the new Apple QuickTime VR tools bring to owners of our real
world 3D development application, Bryce 2," said John Wilczak, chairman
and CEO of MetaTools. "It is clear that Apple has now provided the Web
world with important new enabling technology for the creation and easy
integration of virtual reality scenes into Web sites."

Both of these tools create content that can be made part of a Web site, a
CD-ROM title, or other program such as a kiosk presentation. This content
can be used with the QuickTime VR Authoring Tools Suite or authoring
programs such as Apple Media Tool, Macromedia Director, or mFactory from
mTropolis.

QUICKTIME VR DEVELOPER INFORMATION AVAILABLE

Effective today, all Apple developers can access updated information about
QuickTime VR 1.0 on the Apple Developer Web site. This information
includes source code for the new tools, Make QTVR Object and Make QTVR
Panorama, and Apple Technotes explaining the QuickTime VR 1.0 Object and
Panorama Movie File Formats. Developers can use this information to add
QuickTime VR content creation functionality to their programs.

Developers who have signed a non-disclosure agreement with Apple can also
receive the QuickTime VR 1.1 API specification for the upcoming release of
QuickTime VR 1.1. For more information, registered Apple developers can
contact Developer Seeding at dss.software@applelink.apple.com. Please
provide your name, company name, mailing address and phone number. To
become a registered Apple developer, call the Apple Developer Hotline at
(408) 974-4897.

"We expect this combined tool and information release to have several
positive effects," said Bud Smith, Apple product marketing manager,
QuickTime VR. "We foresee an immediate increase in the amount of Web and
CD-ROM QuickTime VR content that people will see. We expect QuickTime VR
to be integrated into additional content creation and authoring
applications. And we expect many more developers to commit to longer-term
projects that integrate QuickTime VR with the upcoming availability of the
QuickTime VR 1.1 API."

Features and delivery dates for the next release of QuickTime VR are
expected to be announced during the Apple World Wide Developer Conference,
May 13-17, 1996 in San Jose, California. The announcement is expected to
include seeding and final delivery dates for the next release of QuickTime
VR along with its feature set and details of the seeding program.

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

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 1-800-263- 3394 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/
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@aol.com   --or--   rbakerpc@delphi.com
 =========================================================
