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Jobs unveils speedy Macs
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March 17, 1998: 12:57 p.m. ET
Apple CEO says Power Macs with new chips far outstrip rival PCs
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Apple Computer Inc. Interim Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs on Tuesday unveiled two Power Macintosh computers boasting the company's newest, high-speed chips.
In a New York speech characterized by something of a rock concert atmosphere, Jobs demonstrated 300- and 400-MHz G3 computers to highlight the PowerPC G3 chip's superiority over Intel Corp.'s Pentium II.
Apple claims that its 400-MHz computer is about three times faster than a PC running on Intel's Pentium II 333-MHz chip.
"The G3 266-MHz (chip) is as fast as a 500-MHz Pentium, which doesn't even exist because they can't make them," Jobs said, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Jobs said the new 300-MHz G3 Power Mac is available immediately while the 400-MHz model will be out in early 1999.
Apple's resurrected chief also outlined several new publishing technologies the company is developing, including its QuickTime 3 digital video software which he called "a really big deal."
"We're in the era of digital video, and it's a mess," Jobs said. "We have standards coming out of our ears." QuickTime 3, he said, will unify all the various digital video formats.
Jobs also showed off Apple's new flat-display panel, the Apple Studio Display, which will be available in May for $1,999.
One product Jobs didn't want to discuss was the rumored "Columbus" project, which insiders say will be Apple's entry into the WebTV/digital set-top device market.
Bruce Gray, Seybold Seminars vice president and general manager, asked Jobs if Columbus was for real. Jobs, always the iconoclast, quipped, "Yes, it's an anti-gravity device."
Jobs gave his talk at the Seybold Seminars New York/Publishing 98 exhibition.
-- by staff writer John Frederick Moore
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