Apple introduces high-performance Macintosh products

Business Wire

March 19, 1990

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Macintosh personal computing reached higher levels of power, breadth and usability Monday as Apple Computer Inc. unveiled a collection of new, high-performance Macintosh products.

The announcements include the following: Macintosh IIfx, the fastest and most responsive Macintosh yet developed; A/UX 2.0, a ground-breaking version of Apple's implementation of the UNIX operating system; and a new family of powerful display cards that set new standards of image quality and performance.

``Today's announcements add power and accessibility to the Macintosh product family,'' said John Sculley, chairman and chief executive officer of Apple.

``Current Macintosh applications will become even more responsive, more brilliant, and more enabling. But, to us,'' Sculley added, ``the real power of these new products resides in how they will extend the boundaries of what people can do with Macintosh.

``We expect today's announcements to inspire new kinds of applications, attract new kinds of customers, and ultimately enable new ways of using personal computers in the coming decade.'' Macintosh IIfx

The Macintosh IIfx is the fastest Macintosh yet developed. It runs up to twice as fast as the 25MHz Macintosh IIci. This increase in performance derives from the careful integration of powerful new technologies, including the following:

A faster processor/memory subsystem: The Macintosh IIfx incorporates a 40 MHz 68030 processor/68882 coprocessor combination, a built-in, 32K Static RAM Cache and a new design called ``latched writes''
An intelligent input/output subsystem: The new system employs dedicated input/output processors and a Small Computer System Interface/Direct Memory Access Controller
Richer expansion capabilities: The Macintosh IIfx includes an expansion slot tied directly to the processor in addition to its six industry-standard NuBus slots.

Apple has incorporated this new technology in a balanced and integrated fashion, maximizing the performance capabilities of each component. The Macintosh IIfx comes in an improved Macintosh II product design. All Macintosh II and IIx users can upgrade to the Macintosh IIfx through a logic board upgrade, also announced today. A/UX2.0

A/UX 2.0 further extends the benefits of Macintosh to people who work with UNIX. A/UX 2.0 retains all the capabilities of previous A/UX releases and adds three major new features:

The Macintosh desktop: All the elements of the distinctive Macintosh interface -- point-and-click simplicity, menu bars and familiar icons -- have been incorporated into A/UX 2.0 even as it continues to support industry-standard UNIX.
UNIX, and X Window System and Macintosh applications: A/UX 2.0 users can run any number of UNIX, X Window System and Macintosh applications under A/UX 2.0 at the same time.
Macintosh & UNIX integration: A/UX 2.0 combines the full capabilities and benefits of both Macintosh and UNIX environments in one system.

Notably, the complete A/UX 2.0 package -- off-the-shelf Macintosh applications, Macintosh hardware, A/UX and support -- is available through A/UX-authorized Apple resellers worldwide.

Macintosh Display Cards

The Macintosh Display Card 4.8, the Macintosh Display Card 8.24, and the Macintosh Display Card 8.24 GC comprise Apple's new family of display cards for modular Macintosh systems. Collectively, they raise the standard of what people can do with graphics on a Macintosh.

The Macintosh Display Card 4.8 is a versatile video card that supports a wide range of monitors and graphics capabilities. The Macintosh Display Card 8.24 brings brilliant 24-bit color to all modular Macintosh users.

The Macintosh Display Card 8.24 GC incorporates all the standard features of the 8.24 card and greatly increases (up to 30 times faster) the responsiveness of all Macintosh applications -- especially graphics-intensive ones.

Taken together, this new family of display cards brings the following benefits to modular Macintosh users:

Easier access to high-resolution color: The new family of display cards brings the impact and possibilities of 24-bit color and true gray scale to all modular Macintosh users in thousands of applications.
Improved image quality and performance: The new family of cards enables modular Macintosh users to utilize photo-quality images, render complex designs and create altogether new uses for the Macintosh.
Greater graphics extensibility: All the new cards are self-configuring, work on all Macintosh monitors and utilize the same familiar Macintosh interface for all graphics applications.

The Macintosh IIfx and the new family of display cards will be available worldwide through all authorized Apple resellers. A/UX 2.0 will be available through all A/UX-authorized Apple resellers. The Macintosh IIfx and Macintosh Display Card 8.24 are available immediately. A/UX 2.0 and the Macintosh Display Cards 4.8 and 8.24 GC will be available this summer.

Macintosh IIfx

- 4MB/SuperDrive version, $8,969

- 4MB/80MB internal hard drive version, $9,869

- 4MB/160MB internal hard drive version, $10,969

A/UX 2.0 (Prices will be announced at a later date. Configurations may vary outside the United States.)

- A/UX 2.0 on Apple CD-ROM disk

- A/UX 2.0 on 800K floppy disks

- A/UX 2.0 on a 40MB Apple Tape Cartridge

- Preinstalled on Macintosh IIci 4MB/80MB internal hard drive version

- Preinstalled on Macintosh IIcx 4MB/80MB internal hard drive version

- Preinstalled on Macintosh IIfx, 4MB/80MB internal hard drive version

- Preinstalled on a Macintosh 80MB external hard drive Macintosh Display Cards

- Macintosh Display Card 4.8, $648

- Macintosh Display Card 8.24, $899

- Macintosh Display Card 8.24 GC, $1,999

Note to editors: Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh and A/UX are registered trademarks; SuperDrive is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc. NuBus is a trademark of Texas Instruments. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T. All prices are manufacturer's suggested U.S. retail price.

CONTACT: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, Calif. John Cook, 408/974-3145