IBM Announces Availability of OS/2 WARP With Windows Application Support Built-In

Upgrade for OS/2 2.1 Users Available in 13 Languages

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 22, 1995 .... IBM today announced OS/2* Warp with WIN-OS2*, an upgrade for customers running OS/2 2.0, OS/2 2.1 and OS/2 2.11.  OS/2 Warp with WIN-OS2, commonly referred to as "fullpack,"  gives the millions of users of previous versions of OS/2 the new OS/2 Warp operating system with integrated and optimized Windows** 3.1 application support.  The product is being released simultaneously in more than 13 languages.

The first edition of OS/2 Warp, announced on Oct. 11, 1994, is aimed at OS/2 for Windows users or those already  running DOS and Windows on their PCs.  It is designed to take advantage of Windows functionality already installed on a system and does not come with WIN-OS2 function built-in.

New to this release of OS/2 Warp

The WebExplorer, a native OS/2 application allowing users to navigate easily through the Internet's Worldwide Web, is now complete and included in the BonusPak for OS/2.  Current OS/2 Warp customers can receive the finished WebExplorer by simply clicking on the "Retrieve Software Updates" icon in the Internet Connection for OS/2 folder.  The Internet dialer, used to connect to an Internet provider other than The IBM Global Network, now includes Point to Point Protocol support.  OS/2 Warp now supports Ontrack Disk Manager used on Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) hard files greater than 528Mbs.  It includes support for Cannon Bubble Jet printers, an updated MediaVision ProAudio Spectrum 16 driver; more IDE CD ROM drives; additional PCMCIA support for late model IBM ThinkPads; support for diskette compression technology (DMF) used by Microsoft in their Office suite of products.

"With this release of OS/2 Warp, our existing customer base of more than seven million can benefit from the features and functions already enjoyed by the one million Windows users who have upgraded to OS/2 Warp," said Wally Casey, director of marketing, IBM Personal Software Products.  "Because it is available simultaneously in 13 languages, we can quickly and measurably increase our leadership position as the highest volume 32-bit IBM compatible operating system vendor in the industry."

The new OS/2 Warp boasts the same usability features, slimmed-down system requirements and BonusPak of popular applications delivered in the initial release of OS/2 Warp last October.  OS/2 Warp has the same multitasking and Crash-Protection that made OS/2 famous, and it runs Windows and OS/2 applications in as little as 4Mbs of memory.

The BonusPak, which ships with every copy of the operating system, lets OS/2 Warp users  experience the advantages of native OS/2 applications.  It offers more than a dozen popular applications, including easy access to the Internet with the IBM Internet Connection via the IBM Global Network; CompuServe; and IBM Works, an object-based suite of applications for word processing, database, charting, graphics, spreadsheet and personal information management.

Minimum hardware requirements for OS/2 Warp include a 386SX or higher processor with 4Mbs of memory.  OS/2 Warp will allow OS/2, Windows 3.1, and DOS applications to run on the same desktop.

With OS/2 Warp, customers receive 60 days of free service by telephone.  In addition, help is available though a variety of on-line services including Internet, TALKLink, Prodigy and CompuServe.  Support for the IBM Global Network is available 24 hours daily, seven days a week, at 1-800-727-2222.

Pricing and availability

OS/2 Warp will be available in the U.S. through IBM dealers, superstores and a variety of general retail outlets by Feb. 24, 1995 in the U.S.  The products carry suggested list prices of $129 for OS/2 Warp Version 3 without WIN-OS2 code and $199 for OS/2 Warp Version 3 with WIN-OS2 code.  For OS/2 2.1 and 2.11 customers, there is an upgrade available to OS/2 Warp with WIN-OS2 for $129.  Street prices will vary.

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Editors Note: WIN-OS2 is the trademarked name of the integrated and optimized Windows 3.1 environment within OS/2 Warp with WIN-OS2.

Trademarks:

*OS/2, Person to Person, BonusPak, Workplace Shell, and Ultimedia Video IN are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corp.

**Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.

CompuServe and CompuServe Information manager are trademarks ofthe CompuServe Corp.

HyperACCESS Lite is a trademark of Hilgraeve Corp.

FAXWorks is a trademark of SofNet Corp.

Photo CD is a trademark of the Eastman Kodak Co.