__________ ____ ____ __ ___ / ____/ __ \ / __ \/ __ \/ |/ / / / / / / /_____/ /_/ / / / / /|_/ / / /___/ /_/ /_____/ _, _/ /_/ / / / / \____/_____/ /_/ |_|\____/_/ /_/__On-line! Your Multimedia PC Resource! * WELCOME TO CD-ROM On-line! * """""""In This Issue:""""""""" * From The Editor ............ Windows 95 -- I like it! *Reviews: Travel & Leisure ............ Warren Miller's Ski World Wines Of The World * Reviews: Reference ............ Dreams Of Flight Ideas That Changed The World * Reviews: Education ............ Adventures With OSLO Tools And Gadgets * Reviews: Bundles ............ 5-Ft 10-Pak Collector's Edit * Best Seller List ............ Top Twenty CD-ROM Titles. * Log Off ............ Let us hear from you! .................................................................... CD-ROM Online * A Nexus Multimedia Publication * Vol. 1, Issue 7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Publisher.............................................Nexus Systems Senior Editor........................................Dennis Kelly Editor........................................Scott R. Garrigus Contributing Writer...............................Rose Atiyeh Contributing Writer..........................Peter McCarthy From The Editor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Windows 95 is here. Well, actually it's been here for a few months now and has since become the top selling product of the year. It has also garnered some top awards at last month's Comdex show. Yes, I must admit it is a great improvement over Windows 3.1 and everyone may not own a copy yet, they most probably will within a year. One thing I especially like about the operating system is the way it has taken the burden out of installing new CD-ROM products. Just pop in the disc and like magic, Win95 recognizes whether it is CD-ROM or CD-Audio and acts appropriately. This is particularly nice in the case of entertainment software. No more fussing with DOS parameters, tweaking your system so that the 'cool game of the month' will run correctly. Of course, this only holds true for Win95 native titles that we will begin covering in this issue. The first of these is Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure. Oh, you're gonna like this one ... and there will be plenty more in issues to come. Please feel free to drop us some e-mail and let us know what you'd like to see covered and don't forget to stop by our web site! Till we meet again, Scott R. Garrigus === REVIEWS === TRAVEL AND LEISURE: ------------------- [Warren Miller's Ski World, Multicom] (Mac, Windows) -Street Price:$29 >>>Also available with Ski The Rockies Book for $50 by Peter McCarthy Traversing the world's great white hilltops is not exactly one of my life's ambitions; but if I did want to learn about the fine art of skiing, I would consider this disc a good place to start. Warren Miller's Ski World takes you to the top international ski areas with world class skiers performing at their best. There is something here for people of all levels; advanced, intermediate, and beginner. You can explore the history of skiing from The Beginning to the time America Reigns. There are instructional videos ranging from Stepping Uphill to the advanced practice of Skiing Powder. There is also a Record Book with a listing of Olympic World Records; a Resort Database showcasing the top 50 resorts in alphabetical, as well as geographical order; and trail maps that allow you to zoom in to get a better look. With its excellent interface and good quality videos, this disc is a joy to use. Filled with plenty of useful information, it'll give you a good head start on your way to the slopes. +++++++++++ [Wines Of The World, Multicom] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $16 >>>Also available in a Deluxe Edition for $29 by Peter McCarthy I've always enjoyed a good glass of wine with my meal, but with so many different vintages making a choice is sometimes difficult. With Wines Of The World, that choice has gotten a bit easier. This disc contains a comprehensive database of more than 28,000 wines through which you can search by Country, Vintage, Rating, Price, etc. It covers 18 different regions of the world from Australia to The Mid-East. There are four main topics including Wine Regions, Wine Browser, Wine Quality, and Wine Appreciation. Under Wine Quality you can learn about Growing Wine, The Grape and Making Wine. Wine Appreciation takes you on a video wine-tasting tour with sommelier Fred Dame as well as Dame's Wine Tasting Lesson, which is the highlight of this disc. Barring the fact that only around 5,000 of the 28,000 included wines have a taste description listed, this disc is a very nice beverage resource. =-=-=-=-=-= REFERENCE: ---------- [Smithsonian's Dreams Of Flight, Creative Multimedia] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $30 by Scott R. Garrigus We, as people, have always been fascinated with the wonders of flight. Ever since the days of the Wright Brothers, we have been trying to harness the ability that birds accomplish so easily. Smithsonian's Dreams Of Flight chronicles this history by bringing to life the archives of The Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space. With this disc you can preview hundreds of photos, paintings and illustrations; relive aviation's greatest moments with nearly 50 minutes of historical film footage; reminisce with over 40 eyewitness accounts of aviation history; and review some 65 different illustrations of history-making aircraft, which can also be used as clipart. The subjects covered include Milestones, Pioneers, Culture, and Flying Machines. Although the Milestone section could have been organized a bit better, most of the subjects are covered quite well. There could have been more textual information but the abundance of multimedia makes up for it. An actual visit to the Museum will provide much more than is available here, but this disc is the next best thing. +++++++++++ [Ideas That Changed The World, Cambrix Publishing] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $30 by Scott R. Garrigus Many different discoveries and inventions have helped to shape what our world is today. This disc lets us explore what some of those are. Ideas That Changed The World is an adaptation of a Canadian encyclopedia written by Philip Wilkinson and illustrated by renowned artist Robert Ingpen. Within this multimedia book you can explore the many wonderful influential developments that have been made; from the discovery of fire to the rocket engines of today. Thousands of illustrations, animations, and photos are provided to greatly enhance the accompanying text. Over 25 videos along with an original music score, narration, and sound effects help to bring this title to life. The interface is clean and clear-cut. Very similar to that of a real book so you'll be up and exploring in no time. Filled with a lot of important and educational information, this disc is a must for anyone who would like to learn more about how we've managed to get so far in so little time. =-=-=-=-=-= EDUCATION: ---------- [Adventures With OSLO Tools And Gadgets, Science for Kids] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $28 by Scott R. Garrigus Another fun and educating disc for kids, Adventures With OSLO Tools And Gadgets aims at the 5 through 14 age range. It offers a wide variety of activities that successfully traverse the entertainment/education gap. Featured are an Animated Storybook called Dolly's Dilemma; a Discovery Database with graphical explanations of simple machines; an Adventure Game for the quest of the Valley of Machines; a Coloring Gallery with over thirty different screen templates; a Maze Arcade with five complete mazes; and six random screen savers for unexpected surprise. All these wonderful activities are explained and hosted by OSLO the Robotron. OSLO is very entertaining in an of himself and your kids will love him. Adventures With OSLO Tools And Gadgets is sure to become a favorite. +++++++++++ BUNDLES: -------- [5-Ft. 10-Pak Collector's Edition, Sirius Publishing] (DOS, Win3.1, Win95) -- Street Price: $29 by Scott R. Garrigus Earlier this year Sirius released their 5-Ft. 10-Pak Special Edition. It is an excellent collection of top-notch titles and something no CD-ROM collection should be without. Now, in an attempt to outdo the last edition, Sirius has released the 5-Ft. 10-Pak Collector's Edition. This is also a must have. Based on the same premise as their earlier Paks, the Collector's Edition includes ten full-version CD-ROMs for less than the price of one. It contains a broad representation of multimedia titles; reference, edutainment, personal productivity, and games. Provided in this Edition are: * Exploring Windows '95 -- a great way to learn Windows '95. This disc is filled with video presentations, on-line help and word definitions. * SiriusNet - The SiriusNet CD includes everything needed to surf the Internet. It includes Mosaic, E-mail, UseNet, Telnet, FTP and a direct connection to the SiriusNet network. * Webster's Concise Encyclopedia -- another good reference title, this disc contains over 34,000 articles covering all the encyclopedic bases. * Dragon's Lair -- one of my most favorite arcade games that is now a classic. This PC edition definitely does the original justice. * The Journeyman Project Turbo -- a 'souped-up' version of the original, this is an excellent action/adventure. * Dr. Ruth's Encyclopedia -- What better way to become more comfortable with the subject of human sexuality than with the guru herself? You explore over 250 topics while Dr. Ruth provides answers to your questions. * Prince Interactive -- an interactive journey into the world of Prince. Whether you like his music or not, you'll have fun with this musical adventure. * Introduction to Classical Music - Explore the background and life of classical composers and listen to their music. Features 45 composers and over 4 hours of music. * Mad Dog McCree -- one of the highest-rated arcade games, this disc plays just like the original. A very fun and addictive diversion. * Sing-Along Kids, Vol. 3 -- the third release in their very successful Sing- Along series, Sirius provides a fun way for kids to learn reading and comprehension skills. There is no better way to buy CD-ROM titles. I can't wait to see what Sirius has up their sleeves for the next Edition. >>>Other Paks available from Sirius: 3-Ft. 6-Pak for Kids, Vol. 1 - Street Price: $19 5-Ft. 10-Pak, Special Edition - Street Price: $29 ___ ___ ___ ------------------ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >Best Seller List: Top Twenty CD-ROM Titles/September 1995< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < 1> Mechwarrior 2 (DOS) < 2> Full Throttle (DOS, Mac) < 3> Windows '95 on CD-ROM < 4> Bookshelf '95 (Windows, Mac) < 5> Encarta `96 (Windows, Mac) < 6> Fury by Microsoft (Windows, Win '95) < 7> Astronomica (Windows, Mac) < 8> New Grolier's Encyclopedia (Windows, Mac) < 9> Phantasmagoria (DOS, Mac) <10> MYST (Windows, Mac) <11> Virtual Pool (DOS) <12> Star Trek Omnipedia (Windows, Mac) <13> Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2 (Windows, Mac) <14> Information Underground (Windows) <15> Primal Rage (DOS, Mac) <16> The Lion King Animated Story Book Windows, Mac) <17> Gus Goes to Cybertown (Windows) <18> Jewels of the Oracle (Windows. Mac) <19> Dark Forces (DOS) <20> Spanish Now (Mac, Windows) ___ ___ ___ ----------------- ----- Log Off ----- ------- CD-ROM On-line brings you the latest information from the CD-ROM cyberfront for FREE! You might ask "Why do we do it?" Well, to be perfectly honest, we want your business. All we ask is that when you purchase CD-ROMs, give us a call. Our order lines can be reached toll-free at (800) 996-3987 within the United States & Canada, and at (516) 847-0191 for International Callers. The hours are Monday through Friday from 10AM to 6PM EST. Orders may also be faxed to (516) 847-0308. Please be sure to include your telephone number for verification. Nexus Multimedia carries over 2000 CD-ROM titles. Their catalog can be found at the CD-ROM Online Web Page. If you don't have web access you can e-mail to Catalog@nsimedia.com with the words "send catalog" in the text of your message to receive our electronic catalog. +++++++++++ CD-ROM On-line is a free publication. If you have received CD-ROM On-line from someone who is a subscriber and you wish to subscribe yourself, send e-mail to CDRMag@nsimedia.com with the word "subscribe" as the text of your message. To remove your name from our mailing list, e-mail to CDRMag@nsimedia.com with the word "unsubscribe." While you're at your computer, why don't you come and visit our new Web Page at http://www.li.net/~nsi/cdrom? It contains back issues, subscription information and lots of other cool stuff. We put it up for you, so come and take a look! If you know someone who might be interested in CD-ROM On-line, feel free to forward it in its entirety, as per the copyright notice below. Permission to quote excerpts from this issue of CD-ROM On-line may be obtained by sending e- mail to Editor@nsimedia.com. This document is provided for informational purposes only. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain the CD-ROM On-line copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. Copyright (c) 1995 Nexus Multimedia. All rights reserved. þ