Author: A.P.P.L.E.

Stories in this month’s blog: Ongoing Offers for User Group Members: AgileBits 1Password 8: 25% Discount Too many passwords to remember? 1Password 8 for Mac is a password manager that goes beyond simple password storage by integrating directly with your web browser to automatically log you into websites, enter credit card information, fill registration forms, and easily generate strong passwords. As an Apple user group member, you are entitled to get the new 1Password service at 25% below the normal $3.99(US)/mo. retail price. This subscription also gets…

PunyJam #4 has kicked off, providing a platform for text adventure enthusiasts to showcase their creativity. Hosted by Space Hobo, fredrikr, and johanberntsson, this jam challenges participants to craft engaging text adventures using PunyInform, a powerful and easy to use library built on the foundation of Inform 6. Key Details The Theme: Unraveling the Unknown In line with the spirit of interactive storytelling, participants are tasked with incorporating a particular theme into their games. At the beginning of each game…

A new alpha release of the Total Replay II gaming platform for the Apple II series computers is now available.  This release addresses an issue with Formula 1 Racer demo which was crashing on the Apple IIgs.  A2_4am, the developer for the Total Replay and Total Replay II platforms announced the release this morning on his Mastodon account. This is volume 2 of Total Replay, with a focus on sports and board games. This release features 47 Apple II games,…

In the latest update to ProDOS Drivers, version 1.6 has been released, introducing significant enhancements to the FujiNet Clock Driver and the addition of a new “jumbo” clock driver, amalgamating various functionalities. This update, marked as a significant milestone, is a testament to the ongoing efforts of Joshua Bell to further the enhancements of the Apple II series computers in the software realm. Download ProDOS Drivers v1.6 FujiNet Clock Driver Refinements: One of the key improvements in this update is…

A2_4am has announced through his Mastodon account that the Apple II gaming platform, Total Replay II: Instant Replay v1.0-alpha.2 has been released.  This platform presents a rich collection of 47 Apple II games, all conveniently accessible from a single bootable 32MB hard disk image.  This release officially marks the arrival of volume 2 of Total Replay, with a particular emphasis on sports and board games. Download Total Replay II v1.0-alpha.2 The release, available for exploration and download on Archive.org, is…

A2_4am just announced some exciting news for Apple II gaming enthusiast! According to his posting on Mastodon, Total Replay v5.0.1 has just been released.  This latest release of the Total Replay platform brings a staggering collection of 484 Apple II games to the platform, including 182 new additions since the previous version. The entire collection is conveniently playable from a single bootable 32MB hard disk image. Download Total Replay v5.0.1 The release, available for exploration and download on Archive.org, is…

Cupertino, CA – The original Apple Computer, Inc. company building sign, bearing the iconic rainbow logo, faced an unexpected outcome at the Bonhams auction, failing to secure a buyer despite its historical significance and ties to the early days of Apple. The exterior office sign, crafted from stiff foam and adorned with six vinyl-applied colors, stood at approximately 46 x 49 x 1 ½ inches, with a separate stem piece. Showing signs of wear, including slight peeling at some color…

CiderPress II, a specialized software tool tailored for managing disk images and file archives related to vintage Apple computers such as the Apple II series and early Macintoshes, is now available in its v0.3.0-dev1 iteration. This application is designed to run seamlessly on contemporary desktop and embedded systems. Key Functionalities: CiderPress II empowers users with a comprehensive suite of file operations for disk images and file archives, including but not limited to: listing, adding, extracting, importing, exporting, copying, renaming, moving,…

The wait is finally over for the latest issue of Call-A.P.P.L.E. Magazine. Packed with all of the usual good stuff from the Retro Apple world, this latest issue will be a fun read for all Apple II and Retro Macintosh fans. Just a few of the items included in the October 2023 issue include the following: A.P.P.L.E. Members will need to log in to access the magazine in its full 84 page glory. For non-members, Call-A.P.P.L.E. Magazine is available as…

Apple II enthusiasts now have the opportunity to relive the thrill of old school high-speed racing with the port of the Commodore 64 classic, Stunt Car Racer. This technical feat, executed by Patai Gergely, brings the adrenaline-pumping action of the original game to the Apple II platform. The machine requirement is any Apple II computer with at least 48K of RAM. Streamlined for Performance Adapting Stunt Car Racer for the Apple II required strategic choices to fit within the hardware…

A new version of KEGS, the Apple IIgs emulator, has been presented to the Apple II world by Kent Dickey, the curator and developer behind KEGS. He has released KEGS version 1.31 with a number of fixes and enhancements that will make your Apple IIgs computing experience even more streamlined and problem free. For those unfamiliar with KEGS, it is one of the best Apple IIgs emulators, originally created for Windows.  The latest versions of the KEGS emulator will run…

The Apple and Macintosh centric Ample emulator interface has been updated. Kelvin Sherlock, creator and curator of the Ample project announced the availability of Ample 0.260 or Release 51 as it is also known. This release brings the Ample emulator interface in line with the current version of the MAME project. Included in the update are the following changes: Note that this version of Ample included the MAME 0.260 emulator and also requires a minimum of Mac OS 10.13 or…

For Apple II enthusiasts, one of the essential tools in their arsenal just got even better. The Card Cat project, known for its dedication to preserving and recognizing the vast array of Apple II family cards, has released Card Cat version 1.4, bringing a host of improvements and enhancements. Card Cat, which is both free and community-supported Apple II software, continues to pursue the ultimate goal of identifying all Apple II cards for those seeking to identify and understand the…

Tom Harte, the brains behind the Clock Signal multi-platform emulator for MacOS, has released an update that brings a number of enhancements and improvements to his versatile emulation software platform. The latest release, dated October 29, 2023, delivers a more refined experience, fixing issues and optimizing performance. What’s New in This Release The 10-29-2023 release of Clock Signal includes several notable updates and fixes. These enhancements are thanks to the contributions of @ryandesign and the dedicated developer community behind Clock…

Fans and users of classic Apple IIe emulation and Linux computing now have a reason to rejoice as the emulation realm just became a lot more exciting with the official announcement of the MII Apple //e Emulator. This modern take on a retro classic brings the beloved Apple IIe back to life in a way that’s both authentic and forward-thinking. Developed by Michel Pollet for the Linux operating system, the MII Apple //e Emulator is more than just a trip…

Kay Koba has announced the official release of the SPIISD Smartport storage device for the Apple II series computers. SPIISD MINI has been released on my store. The first batch is completely handmade. After this, we will begin full-scale production. Stay tuned! SPIISD MINI store page: https://en.infinityproducts.co.jp/product-page/spiisd-mini-for-iic-iicplus-iigs The DIY version is open source. The functionality is the same, but it has been improved to make it easier for enthusiasts to create. DIY ver. Project page: https://github.com/kerokero5150/SP2SD_DIY_KIT Store page for DIY…

Colin Leroy-Mira has announced the immediate availability of the latest version of his Apple II series Mastodon client package. The client software will run on any Apple II series computer or compatible Apple II series emulation system with at least 64k of memory. The Apple II series Mastodon client features include the following: Installation instructions and the download of the latest version of the Apple II series Mastodon client are available from the website at:https://www.colino.net/wordpress/en/mastodon-for-apple-ii/

Stories in this month’s blog: https://appleusergroupresources.com Ongoing Offers for User Group Members: Member deals are available to A.P.P.L.E. members. You must be logged in to access the link and password for the deals. If you are not already an A.P.P.L.E. member, you can join by selecting the level of service and clicking join in the side panel of this page. Don’t miss out! Thanks to Elsa Travisano, who provides member offers and codes on one easy-to-cut-and-paste page for newsletter editors….

from our friends over at @BlueSCSI: BlueSCSI Transfer Util is a new 68k Macintosh app (OS6-9) that allows you to pull & put files directly from an SD card, no emulator required to get OregonTrail on your Mac Plus HD image! Give the Beta a try – let me know if you run into any issues: https://github.com/erichelgeson/BlueSCSI-Toolbox#bluescsi-transfer-utility

Fabrizio Caruso, author of the CROSS-LIB game library, has released a new multi-platform game for a number of 8-bit computers including the Apple II. Stinger is a Tank attack type game in which the tanks advance down the screen shooting at the player. The player must repel the tanks by shooting them and eventually eliminating them. Avoid the shots, the bombs and collect the crosses and the first aid packs. This is a fast paced game with exciting potential and…