Thousands of products and technologies are announced each year, but few manage to fulfill the potential of their spec sheets. Yet every year, a select group of hardware and software delivers innovations that reset our expectations by allowing us to work in new ways.
Each year, we honor those top-tier products with the BYTE Editors' Choice Awards. Awards of Excellence showcase technical innovation that sets a new standard for a product class. Awards of Distinction single out products that are important from a
technical, features, or price standpoint. Awards of Merit go to products worth noting for an interesting feature or price.
Our award winners represent a breadth of tec
hnologies, yet all the honorees have something in common: They all continue to make computing exciting.
Awards of Distinction
Adobe
Photoshop 4.0
Image manipulation has never been easier thanks to more sophisticated layering capabilities. Adobe Systems, MountainView, CA; (415) 961-4400;
http://www.adobe.com
.
Apple PowerMac 9500MP
The first PowerMac to finally bring multiprocessing to high-end applications. Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA; (408) 996-1010;
http://www.apple.com
.
Apple PowerBook 1400
Multimedia on the road doesn't get much better than this, thanks to the 1400's large display, CD-ROM drive, and easy expansion capabilities. Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA; (408) 996-1010;
http://www.apple.com
.
BeBox
Inexpensive hardware plus a multithreaded operating system provide a great platform for multimedia development. Be, Inc., Menlo Park, CA; (415) 462-4141;
http://www.be.com
.
Compaq Armada 4130T
Highly configurable Pentium notebook means we can finally build the portable we want to satisfy our individual needs. Compaq Computer, Houston, TX; (713) 514-0484;
http://www.compaq.com
.
Compaq
ProLiant 5000
Best performance, best diagnostics among the first quad 200-MHz Pentium Pro systems we tested. Compaq Computer, Houston, TX; (713) 514-0484;
http://www.compaq.com
.
Digital Equipment FX!32
Brings
fast Win32 emulation to NT-based Alpha machines. Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA; (508) 493-5111;
http://www.pc.digital.com
.
Digital Equipment Corp. AltaVista Search Intranet Private Extension
Personal version of AltaVista engine for searching your PC or network files. Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA; (508) 493-5111;
http://www.pc.digital.com
.
Digital Equipment Corp. and Advanced RISC Machines StrongArm processor
An innovative processor that gives PDAs the horsepower they need for handwriting recognition and other
essential tasks. Digital Equipment, Maynard, MA; (508) 493-5111;
http://www.pc.digital.com
.
Digital Harbor WAV
A $49 word processor for PowerMacs uses OpenDoc components to let you create sophisticated publications with embedded images, diagrams, and charts. Digital Harbor, Lindon, UT; (801) 796-8213;
http://www.dharbor.com
.
IBM OpenDoc toolkit for Windows
A key piece in the puzzle to let independent applets interact across LANs and WANs. IBM, Armonk, NY; (914) 765-1900;
http://www.ibm.com
.
IBM ThinkPad 760 CD
A pioneer with a 12.1-inch color displays includes a fast Pentium processor, quad-speed CD-ROM drive, and MPEG-2 video playback. IBM, Armonk, NY; (914) 765-1900;
http://www.ibm.com
.
IBM
ThinkPad 560
This easy-to-carry 4.1-pound package packs a riveting 12.1-inch color display. IBM, Armonk, NY; (914) 765-1900;
http://www.ibm.com
.
IBM OS/2 Warp 4.0
Combines an impressive mix of voice recognition, Java, and network management capabilities. IBM, Armonk, NY; (914) 765-1900;
http://www.ibm.com
.
Lotus Notes 4.0
New visual programming tools and Internet connections make this groupware leader a Web powerhouse. Lotus Development, Cambridge, MA; (617) 577-8500;
http://www.lotus.com
.
Lotus Domino
Helps Notes developers create dynamic Web sites. Lotus De
velopment, Cambridge, MA; (617) 577-8500;
http://www.lotus.com
.
MarketScape WebCD 1.0
The easy way to create a Web site image on a CD-ROM for data dissemination and presentations. MarketScape, Colorado Springs, CO; (719) 593-9890;
http://www.marketscape.com
.
Microsoft's File and Print Services for NetWare
Makes NT servers work like NetWare 3.12 file and print servers. Microsoft, Redmond, WA; (206) 882-8080;
http://www.microsoft.com
.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
The first Microsoft browser with envelope-pushing technology. Microsoft, Redmond, WA; (206) 882-8080;
http://www.microsoft.com
.
Microsoft
Office 97
Shared code, suite-wide Visual Basic for Applications, and a new collaborative information manager keep this suite ahead of the pack. Microsoft, Redmond, WA; (206) 882-8080;
http://www.mi
crosoft.com
.
Microsoft SQL Server 6.5
Faster than version 6.0 with better administration tools than its closest competitors in our last roundup. Microsoft, Redmond, WA; (206) 882-8080;
http://www.micro-soft.com
.
NEC Versa 6030H
One fast notebook, and one of the easiest to use. NEC Technologies, Itasca, IL; (630) 775-7900.
Netscape Navigator 3.0
One browser feature short of the kitchen sink. Netscape Communications, Mountain View, CA; (415) 254-1900;
http://home.netscape.com
.
Next WebObjects Pro
Powerful cross-platform middleware for Web applications.Next Software, Redwood City, CA; (415) 366-0900;
http://www.next.com
.
Novell NetWare 4.11
The "Green River" upgrade delivers IntraNetWare. Novell, Orem, UT; (801) 222-6000;
http://www.novell.com
.
Power Computing PowerTower 180
When this first PowerMac clone shipped, it included a faster 604 CPU than any Macs Apple was selling a
t the time. We consider it a multimedia author's dream machine. Power Computing, Round Rock, TX; (512) 388-6868;
http://www.powercc.com
.
Powersoft Optima++
RAD for Windows 95 and NT that's a drag-and-drop dream for developers of client/server applications. Powersoft, Concord, MA; (508) 287-1500;
http://www.powersoft.com
.
Quarterdeck WebCompass
A metasearch tool for scouring multiple indices. Quarterdeck, Marina del Rey, CA; (310) 309-3700;
http://www.quarterdeck.com
.
Ross
SPARCplug
Small SPARC workstation that fits in two half-height drive bays of a host PC and communicates with the host via X Window over fast Ethernet. Ross Technology, Austin, TX; (512) 349-3108;
http://www.ross.com
.
Toshiba Satellite Pro 410CDT
A fast, full-featured portable with a pin-point sharp color active-matrix screen. Toshiba International, Houston, TX; (713) 466-0277;
http://www.toshiba.com
.
Vinca StandbyServer 32
An adapter card for inexpensively ($2599) mirroring NetWare servers.Vinca, Orem, UT; (801) 223-3100;
http://www.vinca.com
.
photo_link (47 Kbytes)
photo_link (33 Kbytes)
photo_link (37 Kbytes)
screen_link (125 Kbytes)
screen_link (97 Kbytes)
1997 Editors' Choice Awards: Awards of Distinction
