Path: network.ucsd.edu!ogicse!netnews.nwnet.net!news.clark.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: werner@cs.utexas.edu (Werner Uhrig) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.announce Subject: LC 550/575 and PowerPC Upgrades for LC/Performas Announced Message-ID: Date: 3 Feb 94 20:50:34 GMT Article-I.D.: rascal.CMM.0.90.2.760351358.werner Sender: daemon@cs.utexas.edu Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.hardware Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 129 Approved: werner@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (Comp.sys.mac.announce Moderator) NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu Apple Unveils its Most Powerful, All-in-one Low-Cost Computer Yet The Macintosh LC 575 Continues to Raise the Standard for Affordable, Easy-to-Use, All-in-one Desktop Computing CUPERTINO, California--February 2, 1994--Apple Computer, Inc. today has added the new Macintosh LC 575 to its LC product line. The LC 575 makes it easy for people to integrate a multimedia and communications solution for a range of worldwide users in school, home and business environments. With a 33-megahertz Motorola 68040 microprocessor, the Macintosh LC 575 offers performance comparable to the Macintosh Quadra 800, or three times that of today's popular Macintosh LC 520. It also has an internal double-speed tray-loading CD-ROM drive, built-in Trinitron color display and stereo speakers. Apple also announced it plans to provide PowerPC processor upgrades for all the Macintosh LC/Performa 500 series of computers, including the Macintosh LC 575, 550, 520 and Performa 550. In addition, Apple plans to make upgrades available for the Macintosh LC 475. It comes complete with many built-in features such as enhanced color support, double-speed CD-ROM, networking, one expansion slot, one communications slot, a SCSI interface, microphoneand stereo sound. The 575 has an integrated high-quality 14-inch Sony Trinitron color display that delivers a screen resolution of 640 pixels x480 pixels using more than 32,000 colors (16-bit). In addition to its built-in stereo speakers and microphone, the Macintosh LC 575 includes a new internal tray-loading double-speed CD-ROM drive, The AppleCD 300i Plus. This drive also supports multi session Kodak PhotoCDs and provides 16-bit sound out from audio CD The Macintosh LC 575 also comes standard with a minimum of 4 megabytes of RAM and a hard disk as large as 320 megabytes. The computer can support up to 36 megabytes of RAM, allowing users to work with powerful multimedia applications and use multiple applications simultaneously. It also comes standard with a built-in, 1.4-megabyte Apple SuperDrive floppy-disk drive that reads, writes and formats Macintosh, MS-DOS, OS/2 and Windows disks. Built-In Communications Flexibility and Expansion The Macintosh LC 575 features a new enhanced, flexible communications slot. The communications slot can easily be configured by the user to accept any one of three Ethernet cards (Twisted Pair, Thin Coax or Apple's AAUI) or a high-speed 14400 fax/modem card based on the PowerBook Express Modem. These small (pocket-comb size) low-cost cards offer users the latest in high-speed networking and telecommunications capabilities. They can be easily removed and replaced if a user's needs change. The dedicated communication slot enables the Macintosh LC 575 to easily fit into any computing environment, because the computer's other slot, the Macintosh LC processor direct slot (LC-PDS), remains open to support other future user needs. The LC-PDS will allow users to immediately take advantage of all expansion cards available for the Macintosh LC line such as NTSC video-out, video capture, and Apple IIe emulation cards. The Macintosh LC 575 is also equipped with all the "traditional" Macintosh features such as built-in AppleTalk networking, as well as serial and high-speed SCSI ports, which enable users to connect to a variety of peripheral devices like scanners, cameras and modems. In addition, the computer includes an Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) port, which supports a keyboard or other input device. Pre-Installed System Software The Macintosh LC 575 comes pre-configured with Apple's System 7.1 operating system. System 7.1 includes multitasking and file-sharing capabilities, as well as CloseView, Easy Access and visible-beep software solutions for users with disabilities. Compliant with EPA Energy Star Program Like the Macintosh LC 520, the Macintosh LC 575 continues to demonstrate Apple's commitment to the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program. The Macintosh LC 575 automatically reduces power consumption to less than 30 watts when idle, a feature that could cut the electricity used by the system by more than 50 percent. Through an on-screen control panel, users simply define the period of time the computer can be inactive before the power-down feature starts. Availability and Pricing Available immediately, the Macintosh LC 575's distribution, pricing and configurations will vary. U.S. Configuration U.S. Price Macintosh LC 575/160MB HD, $1,699 / U.S. Education Channel Internal tray-loading CD-ROM 5MB RAM/1MB VRAM with Keyboard II Macintosh LC 550 4MB RAM/ $1,199 160MB hard drive, 512/1MB VRAM with Keyboard II Apple Ethernet LC Cards: $84.00 Twisted Pair AAUI Thin Coax Apple IIe Emulation Card $123.30 Apple also announced today the Macintosh LC 550. The LC 550 shares the same integrated design and multimedia features of the 575, but is based on 33 megahertz 68030 microprocessor technology. The U.S. Education Channel price will be $1,199, making the Macintosh LC 550 Apple's lowest-cost all-in-one design available. This new computer offers a single configuration and can be upgraded to Apple's new tray-loading CD-ROM drive. Outside the United States, the Macintosh LC 575 and 550 models are targeted at all of Apple's market segments: education, home and business. Within the United States, they will initially be sold into the K-12 and higher education markets only. If you are interested in receiving Apple releases via fax, call 800 AAPL FAX and enter I.D.number 6172 .