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

Brendan Belina has been busy with his new bits of hypercard stacks and other goodies just in time for the pre-Kansasfest festivities or Christmas in July. According to his posting, : Recent releases posted on my Silverwand Software Apple II Forever page include updated versions of the HyperCard IIGS stacks Word Fu (a Wordle for English and French speakers), HyperTuneMaker (create tunes using a piano style keyboard), Xmas Display ’23 (songs and graphics displays for the Christmas season), and the…

Joshua Bell has announced the release of Version 1.3 of the community curated Apple II Desktop project. Apple II Desktop, originally known as Mouse Desk, is a fully graphical user interface for the Apple II series computers. The program is available in eight languages and includes support for a number of peripherals in the Apple II as well as Integer and Applesoft BASIC. You can download the latest version of the Apple II Desktop from the Release page at:https://github.com/a2stuff/a2d/releases/tag/v1.3 You…

Don Lancaster, a highly-revered figure in the microcomputer industry for the past six decades, peacefully passed away at age 83 on June 7, 2023, in Mesa, Arizona. Don’s contributions to the world of microcomputers were exceptional by any measure.  Probably his most notable early achievement was the creation of the “TV Typewriter,” a revolutionary device that utilized transistor-transistor logic (TTL) to display text on a TV screen. The TV Typewriter first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Radio Electronics.  This…

Gerard Putter, the developer behind the widely popular MAC OS based Virtual II emulator, has unveiled the latest version of the application, Virtual II Version 11.4. This new update introduces exciting features and improvements that enhance the user experience for Apple II enthusiasts.  Virtual II is a full featured shareware Apple II emulator that includes a number of capabilities not found in other emulators. One of the significant additions in Virtual II Version 11.4 is the emulation of the Applied…

From the Kansasfest Committee: Apple /// luminaries Wendell Sander and Dave Ottalini will join us at KansasFest. They will present at the virtual event on July 29-30 with question/answer time. Registration is open now for this rare gathering of expertise on early Apple computers. Individuals attending in Kansas City receive complimentary registration for the virtual event. Dr. Sander was an electrical engineer and scientist at Apple Computer. Sander met Jobs in 1976 while demonstrating a game for the Apple I. As…

Kent Dickey has announced the latest version of the KEGS Apple IIGS Emulator. KEGS is an emulator which runs on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. Some. of the items changed or fixed in version 1.27 include the following items: You can download the latest version of the KEGS Apple IIGS Emulator from:http://kegs.sourceforge.net/

Joshua bell has announced the availability of the 7th alpha of the version 1.3 release of the Apple II Desktop graphical operating system, This latest version includes a slew of changes including the following: General DeskTop Disk Copy Desk Accessories He has also announce that there may be a potential Beta of the program next week sometime but for now the Alpha 7 release is available for free download from the Apple II Desktop Github page at:https://github.com/a2stuff/a2d/releases/tag/v1.3-alpha7 The entire source…

UPDATE: Now has 5 levels plus a challenge level with faster enemies! 25 May 2023: The Facebook Apple II Software Enthusiasts Group is buzzing with excitement as a new program takes center stage. Developed by programmer and group member Raphael Rezende, Space Intruder marks its grand entrance into the Apple II gaming world. This game promises an exhilarating arcade style space adventure that will put players’ skills and endurance to the ultimate test. Space Intruder’s initial release introduces players to…

Enhancements in TCP/IP and VT100, and Improved Performance Brian J. Bernstein, one of the developers behind the Apple II A2osX project, has just announced the release of A2osX Build 2600, packed with exciting updates and improvements. This latest version brings significant modifications to the TCP/IP and VT100 functionality, delivering enhanced performance and a smoother user experience. One of the standout features in A2osX Build 2600 is the notable performance improvement in TCP/IP, achieved through a clever workaround called “delayed ACK.”…

Henry Lowe has announce the release of CardCat Version 1.0b6, an exciting new community project aimed at creating a comprehensive catalog of peripheral cards for the Apple II family of computers. Developed by Henry Lowe, this program written in Apple II Pascal and 6502 Assembly offers Apple II enthusiasts a powerful tool to identify and catalog the various peripheral cards installed in their systems. Card Cat boasts a user-friendly interface, allowing Apple II owners to effortlessly navigate through the program….

Ample, the MAME Emulator Apple centric interface, has just received a significant update with version 0.255, bringing forth a slew of exciting features and enhancements. The most notable addition is the long-awaited support for the Atari ST system, expanding the emulator’s capabilities and offering users the opportunity to delve into the rich library of Atari ST games and applications. It’s important to note that the Atari ST compatibility in Ample is still a work in progress. As MAME itself cautions…

Brutal Deluxe Software, the group renowned for their Apple IIGS software, has announced the immediate release of their latest creation, the NinjaTrackerPlus FinderExtension. This new extension is specifically designed for the Apple IIgs System 6.x and provides users with the ability to play NTP (NinjaTrackerPlus) songs directly from the Finder. The NinjaTrackerPlus FinderExtension is a FinderExtras extension that enhances the functionality of the Finder by allowing users to double-click on NTP song icons to play them instantly. This streamlined approach…

Kent Dickey, the creator of the KEGS Apple IIgs emulator, has released a new version of the software. KEGS v1.23 features changes that are designed to improve the emulator’s performance and stability. One of the most significant changes in KEGS v1.23 is the way the emulator tracks time. Previously, KEGS used a double to track time, but the latest version uses an unsigned long long, which enables higher speeds. This change should make the emulator run more smoothly on modern…

Over the past several months, Kelvin Sherlock has been pushing out alpha releases of a Gopher client for the Apple IIgs. While still in Alpha state, the current version of the GS-Gopher client is not only robust but also quite useable. Some of the updates included in the Alpha 5 release of the GS-Gopher Client include: Using the GS-Gopher requires an Apple IIgs, an Internet card such as the Uthernet II, The Uthernet LinkLayer for Marinetti, the Marinetti TCP/IP Protocol…

Pitch Dark, the popular frontend for exploring and playing Infocom text adventures on the 8-bit Apple II, has just released Revision 5. Developed by famed Apple II hackers, 4am and qkumba, this latest update brings a host of new features and improvements, enhancing the gaming experience for Apple II enthusiasts. Pitch Dark serves as a user-friendly interface, specifically designed to navigate and play Infocom text adventures on the Apple II.  Some of the changes included in Pitch Dark Revision 5…

The highly anticipated expansion pack for Nox Archaist, titled “Lord of Storms,” has finally arrived, bringing a wave of excitement among Apple II gaming enthusiasts. Developed by 6502 Workshop, this expansion marks a significant milestone as the first-ever expansion for an Apple II RPG released by the original developers. Available for purchase through one of the online stores, such as the Nox Archaist Shopify page, Steam, or GOG, this DLC offers an immersive gaming experience for both owners of physical…

Joshua Bell has released the latest version of the Apple II Desktop graphical interface for the Apple II series computer. Apple II Desktop is available in eight languages and runs on Apple II series computers with at least 128K of memory as well as emulators and clones. Apple II Desktop version 1.3 Alpha 6 includes a number of changes including the following: General DeskTop Desk Accessories The latest version of the Apple II Desktop is available for download from the…

Ted Thompson has announced the port of the TI-99/4a version of the lunar lander game, Planet Fall, to the Apple II series computer. According to his Planet Fall Github page:     Planet Fall is a lunar lander genre game that was originally published for the TI-99/4a in the book “TI-99/4A: 24 BASIC Program” (SAMS presents #22247, ISBN 0-672-22247-7) by Carol Ann Casciato and Donald J. Horsfall.     It is a largely typical example of the ‘Lunar Lander’ genre, but with a few…

The Apple-Dayton User Group Disk of the Month Software Library, a valuable resource for Apple II enthusiasts, has recently received an update with the addition of a number of new disks. Thanks to the contributions from James Littlejohn and John Burchett, the library has expanded its collection of software. The Apple-Dayton User Group Software Library is known for its comprehensive collection of Apple II software, providing users with a wide range of programs, utilities, games, and educational tools. With the…

A new graphics mode for the Apple IIgs has been developed by programmer Dagen Brock, called HDGR. This new mode uses two Double-Lores images to create images at 80×96 with 16 colors. While this is currently a proof-of-concept and only IIgs compatible code is included, it may be possible to make it portable to the 8-bit Apple II with 128k with more effort given to timing and synchronization code. Although software-based mixed modes have been done for years, this is…