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August 2000 News:
 
08-30-00
 
Mac Radeon ETA of Sept. 2!
I just preordered my Radeon card from CDW this morning. The guy on the phone said they are scheduled to receive 30 of these cards on Sept. 2! I was informed that they had 13 on order already (14 including me). Their retail price is $248 +shipping. They are based out of a state that doesn't charge tax (good for me!). If you want to get in on this first shipment of Mac Radeon cards then you should stop by their site today! Sept. 2 is the earliest ETA I've seen anywhere.
 
If the Mac Radeon performs even remotely close to the PC version then it will be the best Mac graphics card to date! This thing even beats out the GeForce 2 in some benchmarks (the 64MB AGP version)! Granted, the Mac version has no official benchmarks... yet. I will let you all know how this card stacks up when I get it.
Note: This is the AGP version of the Radeon. If you want the PCI version then go to Outpost.com where they are taking orders for that one.
CDW
Mac Radeon Page (AGP)
Outpost.com
ATI
 
Mac OS X Beta due on Sept. 13!
At Seybold Jobs just announced that OS X Beta would be available on Sept. 13! I will be getting a second internal hard drive just for OS X. I will bring you the latest info on OS X as I play around with it. Stay tuned!
Apple Computer
Mac OS X
 
08-24-00
 
Mac 4x4 Evolution Clan:
I was recently sent news of a new Mac 4x4 Evolution Clan. 4x4 Evolution is a driving sim coming to the Mac very soon. Here is the announcement I was sent:
 
I recently opened up a Mac 4x4 Evolution Clan for all you mac fans of 4x4 Evolution. The clan is currently accepting members so come on and join it. For more information about the clan, or if you have any questions, visit the clan web site."
- Mac 4x4 Evolution Clan
 
Clans always make games more fun. If you're a driving sim fan and you plan on getting this game for the Mac then you may want to check out this clan.
Mac 4x4 Evolution Clan
 
08-23-00
 
PC Diablo 2 is now hybrid:
CompUSA stores have begun to receive hybrid (Mac and PC) copies of Diablo 2. While the Mac version of Diablo 2 (marked by a modified box design) has always been hybrid, the PC copies are now hybrid as well. New hybrid copies of Diablo 2 have exact SKU matches to their older, Windows only counterparts. The original Mac Diablo 2 SKU has always been different from the PC version. There was originally speculation that Blizzard would keep the PC version Windows only so they could accurately track Mac sales. This is obviously not the case. If you plan on picking up a copy of Diablo 2 for your Mac feel free to look in the PC games section for it. However, be sure to check the box for Mac system requirements; there are still older copies out there that are PC only.
CompUSA
Blizzard Entertainment
 
New Mac game reviews site:
I was just sent news of a new Mac game reviews site. This site's content is contributed by its visitors. People who visit the site submit their reviews of various Mac games so that others may determine whether or not they want to get that game. It's a cool idea that has already attracted many visitors to the site. Stop by if you want to give your own review or read what others think about a particular game.
Macgamersreview.com
 
08-18-00
 
XtremMac™ Details:
I recently contacted Xtrem Inc to inquire about their new XtremMac™. For those that don't know, the XtremMac™ is a project Xtrem Inc is working on which will essentially supercool an existing G4 computer making it safe to overclock. The plan is to overclock a G4 to 1200MHz (1.2GHz). The information I received wasn't as informative as I would have liked it to be. Here's a summary of the info they sent me:
 
-Ship date: Early 2001 (estimated)
-The XtremMac™ is not a clone, it will be based on Apple's propietary hardware.
-Apple is in no way involved in this product.
-Exact specs on the XtremMac™ are not finalized as of yet.
-The active cooling system used is similar to Kryotech. However, Xtrem's cooling method is improved. They could give me no specifics on the cooling system for obvious business reasons. They did say that their improved cooling system would cool not only the processor, but also parts like the motherboard, memory and cache to further increase performance.
 
This is more of an FAQ than a list of details. Soon after they sent me this info they updated their website with much more detailed specs on the unit (link below). There is no doubt that if this system ships it will be the ultimate Mac gaming machine. One of the big issues when it comes to performance is heat. By implementing their active cooling system they will be able to effectively eliminate this concern and increase performance significantly. Kryotech is a cooling system that uses freon vapors to disipate heat. Kryotech is already one of the best active cooling systems out there. I'm curious as to how exactly they have improved upon this system. I'll bring you more details as they become available.
Xtrem Inc.
Detailed Specs
Kryotech