Britannica CD-ROM offers a vast world in high-brow style

Article Abstract:

Encyclopaedia Britannica has targeted its Britannica CD 98 electronic encyclopedia CD-ROM version to educated and literate adults. Users can overcome some problems to quickly locate unmatched in-depth information on a range of subjects. The new software boasts 72,000 articles and about 10,000 still images, including 1,200 maps. Britannica CD 98 also contains previous articles authored by Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and others. By comparison, competitors such as Encarta and World Book are designing their thinner and simpler products more for schoolchildren. Britannica CD 98's most appealing feature consists of a full-text search mechanism that supplies effective lists of Britannica articles to a user's naturally worded questions. Operating Britannica CD 98 independently, or only with Microsoft Word, can avoid CD-ROM crashing or causing problems for other software such as America Online. Britannica 98 costs about $79, after a $20 publisher's rebate.

On-Line Information Services, Information retrieval services, Database Vendors NEC, Database industry, Software single product review, Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., E-books, Electronic reference books, Electronic reference, Britannica CD 98 (Electronic reference)

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Two new laptops vie for the hearts of road warriors

Article Abstract:

Micron Electronics's GoBook and IBM's ThinkPad 600, laptop computers designed for travelers, are evaluated. GoBook's room for a large extra battery increases battery life to an advertised 11 hours, but tests show a nine-hour performance. Not only does the extra battery raise GoBook's weight to about seven pounds, the standard battery design requires users to plug the machine into the wall or the extra battery to use internal CD-ROM or floppy drives. ThinkPad 600's four models range from 4.6 pounds to 5.4 pounds, depending on screen size, and its small battery can operate for nearly four hours. GoBook costs $2,599 with a competent 233-MHz Pentium, plus $399 for a battery and $149 for a basic modem. ThinkPad 600 costs only $2,799 with a 233MHz Pentium and an active-matrix 12.1-inch screen, or $3,283 when including a CD-ROM or modem. A better option consists of a ThinkPad 600 that costs $2,999 for a CD-ROM, modem and 13.1-inch passive-matrix screen.

Electronic computers, International Business Machines Corp., IBM, Interland Inc., Hardware multiproduct review, X86 processors, Laptop/portable computer, Laptop computers, Portable computers, Notebook computers, Pentium II-based notebook, Pentium II based notebooks, Micron Electronics GoBook (Pentium-based notebook), IBM ThinkPad 600 (Pentium II-based notebook)

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