COLE'S NEWSWIRE, Oct. 16, 1996

Oct. 16, 1996
Vol. 2, No. 44

WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?
Cole's Newswire has been off the air since Sept. 25 and for that we apologize.

We have been through was we're now calling "technology hell," with the loss of Internet connectivity for more than four days, which was immediately followed by the crash of our mail server. The hard drive failed and though we keep backups, it turned out they too were corrupted. Today we finally received the necessary files to resurrect our listserv and we're now back.

We produced COLE'S NEWSWIRE issues both on Oct. 2 and 9; they are available on our web site at http://colegroup.com/NW/. Should you not have web access, please send e-mail to info@colegroup.com with the words NEWSWIRE OCT 2 AND 9 in the subject and we'll forward you the missing issues.

It's good to be back and, again, we're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. As the drive resurrection company says, "It's not a question of if your drive will fail, it's just a question of when." Maintain good backups.

AGFA
The Agfa Division of Bayer Corp., based in Wilmington, Mass., has introduced the AgfaType Collection CD-ROM version 7.0 for Mac and Windows. The CD contains 4300 typefaces and four type libraries. Included in the Creative Alliance Library are a range of Arts Parts EPS illustrations as well as the Cornerstone Collection -- more than 500 classic AgfaType fonts.

Agfa may be visited on the World-Wide Web at http://agfatype.com.

GRAPHIC ENTERPRISES OF OHIO INC.
GEI, a software supplier based in North Canton, Ohio, has introduced GEI Image Express 2.5, an OPI server software package designed for small and medium-sized newspapers and commercial printers. The Windows NT-based product features automatic image compression, which shrinks PostScript Level 2 files before they are sent to an output device, a key advantage for remote-printing facilities.

Version 2.5 also adds remote administration for Mac, Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT users; a user notification system to alert users to the status of their jobs in the printing process, and easy integration into such image replacement systems as ColorCentral, Adobe OPI, Scitex APR and Quark DCS.

GEI may be visited on the World-Wide Web at http://www.geiohio.inter.net/.

LINOTYPE-HELL CO. Linotype-Hell, an imaging device manufacturer based in Hauppauge, N.Y., has introduced the LinoColor JADE flatbed scanner. Windows- and Mac-compatible, the $895 device can complete a scan of 8.5-by-11-inches at 300 dpi in less than 40 seconds. One-pass scanning of reflective or transparency originals at 600 x 1200 dpi in a density range of 2.8 can yield output of 3600 interpolated dpi.

Bundled with JADE are LinoColor VisuaLab EZ software, Photoshop Plug-In, LinoColor CaptureProfiler, Adobe Photoshop LE and TextBridge OCR software.

Linotype-Hell may be visited on the World-Wide Web at http://www.linotype-hell.com.

MEDIA TECH CENTERS
The multi-supplier-supported Media Tech Centers have announced the re-launch of its technology learning centers first introduced in 1995. The two centers, in Brisbane, Calif., and Orlando, Fla., are state-of-the-art digital production facilities supported by Adobe Systems Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.: the Agfa Division of Bayer Corp. of Wilmington, Mass.; Encad Inc., and Pantone Inc.

Their goal is to train end users in the techniques of print production using advanced technology provided by the sponsoring companies. For more information about course offerings, call 888-MTC-PREP.

PANTHEON
Seattle-based Pantheon has introduced Pantheon Builder 2.0, an upgrade to its software package that helps newspapers publish on-line. Builder is used to convert stories into HTML (HyperText Markup Language) files, create indexes of those files and manage the content and appearance of a World-Wide Web site.

New features in Builder 2.0 include the ability to link multimedia files to a story with "point-and-click" techniques. Also new is multi-level archiving, which allows a newspaper to track and update stories on a web site by setting up a series of date-specific indexes in a particular category or section of the newspaper. Each of these indexes retains a story for a given number of days before "bumping" it to an older index.

Builder 2.0 includes an Application Program Interface (API), which allows anyone proficient in the C programming language to develop custom tools and features for Builder. Pricing starts at $10,000 for newspapers that want to offer 10 categories with an unlimited number of files, depending on interface requirements.

Pantheon may be visited on the World-Wide Web at http://www.pantheoninc.com.

PAKON INC.
The Impak Division of Pakon, based in Minnetonka, Minn., has introduced the Impak high-speed linear array color scanner. The Windows-based system can scan in less than one minute one 36-exposure roll of film at 300 dpi, providing a digitized proof sheet for rapid image selection. Impak comes bundled with Adobe Photoshop to enable image processing and cropping.

SOFTAD INC.
SoftAd, an advertising software supplier based in Mill Valley, Calif., has announced an alliance with Bruce Bell & Associates of Canon City, Colo., to unite SoftAd's Media SalesExcelerator and BB&A's Surview. The Windows-based programs will enable sales reps to generate point-of-sale presentations.

Media SalesExcelerator is a sales automation system featuring order processing, ratings and special contract sales. Surview is a research tool for delving into databases containing such items as proprietary research, advertiser or circulation surveys, or Gallup syndicated research.

SoftAd may be visited on the World-Wide Web at http://www.softadgroup.com.

ZIP2
Zip2, an on-line advertising software supplier based in Palo Alto, Calif., and Miami-based Knight-Ridder Inc. have announced an alliance that will bring the Zip2 technology platform to Knight-Ridder's 26 on-line services.

The companies will introduce interactive Yellow Pages, real estate listings, automobile listings, and movie and event guides based on Zip2's platform. Each newspaper will handle promotion to end-users and local ad sales. Zip2's on-line Yellow Pages service -- http://www.zip2.com -- will show Knight-Ridder logos as appropriate. Zip2's Internet-to-fax gateway will enable users to make restaurant reservations on-line, or check movie availability at a video store.

Beginning in October, Zip2 will be introduced at these Knight-Ridder services: Mercury Center (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS), Philadelphia Online (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER and DAILY NEWS), HeraldLink (MIAMI HERALD), charlotte.com (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER), Pioneer Planet (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS), and News-Sentinel (FORT WAYNE NEWS-SENTINEL).

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COLE'S NEWSWIRE is compiled by Pete Wetmore and distributed by The Cole Group, publishers of THE COLE PAPERS, COLE'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING SYSTEMS and consultants to newspapers and magazines worldwide. To receive more information about The Cole Group, send e-mail to: info@colegroup.com.

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