Computer Chronicles Season 11, Episode 11: Comdex 1993

1

High Tech Israel

A visit to the Middle East to see the booming high-tech industry in Israel. Featured are Intel and Microsoft R&D centers plus many local Israeli companies doing work ranging from network communications to speech recognition and natural handwriting recognition. Also demonstrations of technology spinoffs from the Israeli military. Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/episode_1109

30 min

2

Baseball Software

A review of computer programs for baseball fans. Includes Intelliplay Baseball, APBA Presents Baseball for Windows, Baseball's Greatest Hits, Al Michaels Announces Hardball III, and Tony LaRussa Baseball II. Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/Baseball

30 min

3

PDAs

A look at the state of the art in personal digital assistants. Products demonstrated include the Apple Newton Message Pad, Casio's Zoomer, AT&T's EO 440 Personal Communicator, Sharp's PI-7000 Expert Pad, and the HP 100LX. Originally broadcast in 1993. https://archive.org/details/episode_1113

30 min

4

Pentium PCs

A look at the first generation of Pentium based personal computers. Included are demonstrations of new Pentium PCs from Gateway, Compaq, and ALR (Advanced Logic Research). Also a visit to Intel Labs to see how Pentium chips are made and a visit to PC Week Labs to see their evaluation process for new Pentium PCs. Guests include Ken Lowe of Dataquest and Jim Louderback of PC Week. Originally broadcast in 1993. Copyright 1993 Stewart Cheifet Productions. https://archive.org/details/episode_1114

30 min

5

DOS 6.2

The big news in 1993 was Microsoft's new version 6.2 of MS-DOS. Demonstrations include MS-DOS 6.0, MS-DOS 6.2, Stacker 3.1, Norton Utilities 7.0, and IBM's PenDOS. Featured are visits to Microsoft DOS labs in Redmond, Washington and the Ziff Davis test labs in Foster City, California. Originally broadcast in 1993. https://archive.org/details/episode_1149

30 min

6

ETRE Barcelona

Coverage of the annual European Technology Roundtable Exhibition from Barcelona, Spain. Guests include Bill Gates, Esther Dyson, Michael Rogers, Philippe Kahn, Mark Eppley, Alan Ashton, Peter Sprague, and Masayoshi Son. Product demonstrations include Windows NT and groupware applications. http://archive.org/details/episode_1106

30 min

7

The Internet

It was being called the Information Superhighway then. This program looks at the earliest stages of the Internet including Aladdin Systems SITComm, a Macintosh communications program for Internet access, and the WELL (Whole Earth Lectronic Link), an early online community. Also featured is a visit to the former Bell Labs in New Jersey (now Bellcore) for demonstrations of internet based teleconferencing, video on demand, ISDN, and optical network technology; a preview of the World Wide Web as used at NASA; a visit to where it all began, ARPA, the Advanced Research Projects Agency in Virgnia; and a look at the Internet Multicasting Service in Washington, the first Internet radio station. Guests include Brendan Kehoe, author of "Zen and the Art of the Internet", Howard Rheingold, author of "The Virtual Community", Dr. Robert Kahn, former found of ARPA, and Carl Malamud, author of "Exploring the Internet". Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/episode_1134

30 min

8

Windows NT

Microsoft's Windows OS grew up a little bit with the release of Windows NT in 1993. This program looks at the new operating system. Included are demonstrations of NT's application integration and SQL server. Also featured are a new NT based graphics program from Altsys called Virtuoso and a new NT CAD program from Bentley Systems called MicroStation. This program also includes a visit to the NT test and development lab in Redmond, Washington and a comparison between NT and Unix. Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/WindowsN

30 min

9

Consumer Buying Guide

Our annual look at the coolest new techie gadgets for the holiday season, as selected by Gina Smith, Tim Bajarin, Paul Schindler and Stewart Cheifet. Products reviewed include Creative Wrtier, SIM City 2000, Myst, CyberPuppy, Crystal Craze, Mozart CD-ROM, Stika, Rock Rap and Roll, The Tortoise and the Hare, Imagicard, Kid Cad, Twain's World, Memphis, NHL Hockey, CyberMan 3D, VideoShow Presenter, AXIS Game Cheater, and Morphman. http://archive.org/details/Consumer_3

30 min

10

Buying a New Computer

Consumer advice on how to buy a new computer. Features tips from Andrew Reinhardt of BYTE, Wendy Taylor of PC Computing, Rik Myslewski of MacUser, and Galen Gruman of MacWorld, Owen Linderholm of PC World, and Marty Jerome of PC Computing. Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/BuyingaN

30 min

11

Comdex 1993

Highlights from the 15th annual fall COMDEX trade show in Las Vegas. More than 75 products are reviewed in the categories of peripherals, portables, PDAs, PCMCIA cards, wireless, operating systems, business applications, CD-ROM software, communications, networking, and multimedia. http://archive.org/details/episode_1130

30 min

12

Digital Journalism

The digital revolution changed the practice of journalism. This program looks at how journalists are using computers and the Internet. Segments include CNN Newsroom Global View, the San Jose Mercury's Mercury Center on AOL, Prodigy's Journalist application, Newsweek Interactive, the JFK Assassinatin CD-ROM, a visit to the MIT Media Lab, and CNBC's Private Financial Network (PFN) online service. Guests include Michael Rogers of Newsweek. Originally broadcast in 1993. http://archive.org/details/DigitalJ

30 min

13

Color Printing

The availability of reasonably priced color printers changed the way people and businesses used computers. This program covers new color printers from Hewlett Packard, Tektronix, QMS, Canon, ColossalJet, and ProofPositive. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/ColorPri

30 min

14

Tax Software

For some people, tax preparation software was reason enough to buy their first personal computer. This program reviews several early tax preparation and personal accounting programs including Intuit's Quicken, Andrew Tobias' TaxCut, Kiplinger TaxCut, Parsons Personal Tax Edge, and ChipSoft's TurboTax. The program also visits the IRS to see their transition to electronic filing and the Washington offices of the accounting firm of Delloit Touche. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/TaxSoftw

30 min

15

Screen Savers and Wallpapers

New color monitors created a market for whimsical add-ons like screen savers and wallpaper. Covered in this program are Crystal Walls, Marvel Comics Screen Posters, the Snoopy Screen Saver Fun Pac, the Jurassic Park Screen Saver, Microsoft Scenes, Matinee (the first video screen saver), PFS Power Album for Windows from Spinnaker Software, Pixel Play, and Second Nature Software. Guests include Gina Smith. Originally broadcast in 1994. https://archive.org/details/ScreenSa

30 min

16

MacWorld San Francisco 1994

Highlights from the annual west coast MacWorld conference, shot on location in San Francisco. This was the tenth anniversary of MacWorld where the Power PC and Newton applications were introduced. Also featured clips from the famous 1984 Macintosh SuperBowl commercial. Guests include Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies, Rik Mislewski of MacUser, Jim Gable of Apple, Mark Zimmer of Fractal Design, and Paul Brainerd of Aldus. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/episode_1119

30 min

17

Small Business Software

The availability of low cost business applications for small businesses helped level the playing field for new budding entrepreneurs. This program looks at Business Plan Toolkit, CA Simply Accounting for Windows, MYOB for the Macintosh, ClarisWorks 2.0 for the Mac, Lotus SmartSuite, and ClienTrac. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/SmallBus

30 min

18

Software for Kids

One of the biggest drivers for selling new home computers was a parent's desire to get a computer for their kids. This program looks at several software programs aimed at children including Club KidSoft, Zurk's Learning Safari, Forever Growing Garden, Yearn 2 Learn Snoopy, World Discovery, Peter Pan: A Story Painting Adventure, Student Writing Center for Windows, and The Cruncher, a talking animated spreadsheet for children. Guests include Gina Smith. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/Software_3

30 min

19

Slots - Local Bus Video

As EISA, ISA, and IBM's MCA battled to become the industry standard for expansion cards, add-on vendors filled the market with new upgrade boards and new slot standards. This program looks at ISA bus systems versus the VL bus system, Intel's new Plug and Play PCI standard, the new PCMCIA format for portable computers, the Stealth 32 Video Card from Diamond, the new SCSI Sound Blaster card from Creative Labs, and the LeMans GT Graphics adapter for the NuBus slot on the Mac. Originally broadcast in 1994. https://archive.org/details/SlotsLoc

30 min

20

Consumer Electronics Show 1994

Highlights from the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Products covered include Accolade's Hockey, Activision's Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Atari's Jaguar, Advanced Gravis Virtual Reality, Simon Personal Communicator, Amiga CD32, Compaq Presario 425, Video Blaster FS2000, Cyberdreams' CyberRace, Forte VFX-1 3D Head Mount, General Magic, Heartbeat Personal Trainer, Logitech Cyberman 3D Controller, Star Wars Screen Saver, Maxtor MobileMax 1.8" Drive, Microsoft's Dinosaur, Nintendo's Project Reality, Philips Playboy Massage CD-I, City Streets for Windows, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spectrum Holobyte's Star Trek: The Next Generation, 3DO's Jurassic Park, Time Warner's Aegis, Ultratech's Mortal Combat, World Cup USA 94 Soccer, and Videonics' Digital Video Mixer. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/CC-CES1994-Episode1123

30 min

21

Green PCs

In 1992 the EPA launched the Energy Star Computer Program to encourage the production of environmentally friendly computers. This program looked at several approaches including PC Ener-G-saver, Green Explorer, the Macintosh LC 575, the LaserJet 4L, and the Compaq Presario 425. Also featured are visits to a computer recycling center in California, a computer recycling center in New Jersey, and Greendisk, a company in Seattle that recycles floppy disks. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/episode_1124

30 min

22

Email/Groupware

As business migrated from the standalone PC to the networked PC, a hot new application area became groupware, enabling collaboration within a company. This program reviews Network Scheduler 3 from Powercore, Lotus Notes, WordPerfect Office, The Meeting Room from Eden Systems, GroupSystems 5 from Ventana, ShowMe 2.0 from SunSolutions, and LiveBoard from Xerox. Guests include Scott McNealy. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/1125

30 min

23

Multimedia

The advent of faster processors and digital storage drove the new field called Multimedia. Examples demonstrated in this program include The San Diego Zoo from Software Toolworks, Macromedia Action!, XPLORA 1: Peter Gabriel's Secret World, TuneLand from 7th Level, Microsoft's Cinemania, Small Blue Planet from Now What Software, Wrath of the Gods from Luminaria, a new portable CD-ROM player from Media Vision, Quicktime 2.0, Adobe Premiere, and VideoFusion. Guests include Bud Colligan, CEO of Macromedia, and Gina Smith, Editor in Chief of Electronic Entertainment magazine. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/Multimed_2

30 min

24

CD-ROM Software

The advent of optical storage and CD-ROMs changed the rules for software applications and opened up a whole new generation of programs. Reviewed on this program are Encarta, the Association of Shareware Professionals CD-ROM collection, American Visions: 20th Century Art from the Neuberger Collection, Art Spiegelman's The Complete Maus from Voyager, Substance Digizine, and the new Broderbund game MYST. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/CDRom

30 min

25

Foreign Language Software

Markets are going global but schools are cutting back on foreign language instruction. The answer - foreign language software. This program reviews several new programs that teach or translate a foreign language. Incuded are Learn to Speak Spanish 4.0 from Hyperglot, German Assistant for Windows from Microtac, Power Japanese from Bayware, Video Linguist: Learn from French TV, Language Explorer from Nordic Software, and the Chinese Language Kit from Apple. Originally broadcast in 1994. http://archive.org/details/ForeignL

30 min

26

Computer Bowl VI: Part 1

The sixth annual Computer Bowl contest pitting East coast techies against West coast nerds to see who knows more about computer trivia. West coast team: Bill Gates, Bill Joy, Jeffery Kalb, David Liddle, Harry Saal. East coast team: Mitchell Kapor, Bob Frankston, Pamela McCorduck, David Nelson, Neil Colvin. Guest quesetioner: Andy Grove. Host: Stewart Cheifet. Originally broadcast in 1994. Copyright 1994 Stewart Cheifet Productions. https://archive.org/details/Computer_9

30 min

27

Computer Bowl VI: Part 2

The conclusion of the sixth annual Computer Bowl trivia game between high tech types from the east coast and the west coast. This was the All Star edition with MVPs selected from the first five Computer Bowl games. Contestants included Bill Gates, Bill Joy, Mitch Kapor, Bob Frankston, Neil Colvin, and Pamela McCorduck. The questioners were Andy Grove and Stewart Cheifet. Originally broadcast from San Jose in 1994. Copyright 1994 Stewart Cheifet Productions. https://archive.org/details/CC-ComputerBowl1994_2-Episode1152

30 min