LASTEST REVISION //GS
By Andrew Roughan
Copyright (c) 1990 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
The indication that the new //GS will be a winner is proven by the fact that Apple Computer staff do not as yet have one on their desks to "play with". Frank Revill, Marketing Manager of Apple Computer Australia, remarked at a the December AUG meeting that demand for the new GS was so high that he hadn't had a chance to evaluate it for himself.
A huge educational order for the new GS was placed late last year and hopes that stock would arrive before the end of the year were in vain. Most deliveries wont be finalised before well into the start of the new school term.
So, what is creating all the fuss?
The new Apple //GS has only a few improvements over the older model and an upgrade is not expected because it is just not feasible. What makes it a relative bargain, though, is the price. The new GS has been introduced at the same price as the old revision, in line with Apple's marketing strategy.
The improvements: The new GS now comes with the standard 128k //e memory, the standard 128k GS memory and now an extra 1MB on board. This makes the total memory available on the new system 1.25MB and aleviates the need for the memory card in a standard system. However the memory card can still be used to take the memory total to 2MB or 8MB using a third-party card.
The new 256k version 03 ROM now contains most of the system tools, unlike the older 128k ROM version 01 which needed tools loaded into RAM taking valuable memory space.
The headphone jack on the rear of the new GS is now a stereo jack, however the output is still mono. This means that output will be the same in both channels. This is an improvement over the older model where the jack was mono only.
The battery now comes in a holder to allow easy battery replacement.
For the machine language buffs, STEP and TRACE commands are now included in the ROM. This adds easier memory perusal and bug finding capabilities.
For those of you who have heard rumours about new machines and have been waiting until they appeared, this is it.
The recommended price of the //GS is $3555 for the standard colour system comprising of the Apple //GS 1MB motherboard, keyboard, mouse, monitor, 3.5" drive and latest system software. An order can be placed with any authorised Apple reseller.
I ordered mine just before Christmas. How about you?

THIS CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2007, APPLE MACINTOSH USERS' GROUP, SYDNEY
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THIS PAGE COPYRIGHT © 2007, ANDREW ROUGHAN