Sun Microsystems’ Inexpensive New 64-Bit Workstation

Sun Microsystems’ new Sun Blade 100 workstation is being packaged with Electric Image's new Universe 3D animation software as a animation promotional package. This low cost offering is targeted at users in industrial design such as MCAD and MCAE, and in film, broadcast, game development. The 3D animation promotion coincides with the announcements of the Sun Blade 100 workstation -- the first 64-bit workstation priced under $1,000 – and the Sun Expert3D-Lite graphics accelerator, a sub-$1,000 professional-level 3D graphics board. Featuring Sun's scalable Solaris Operating Environment and the new highly integrated UltraSPARC IIe processor, the Sun Blade 100 workstation has 512 MB memory, USB, IEEE 1394 port, DVD ROM drive, and a 15 GB hard drive. Electric Image's Universe 3D is an upgrade to the company's Electric Image Animation System (EIAS) visual effects software. The animation package is based on a new framework that offers sophisticated modeling capabilities and the ability to create complex objects more efficiently with its hybrid surface/solids modeler. It enables artists to resolution independent shapes with solids, NURBS surfaces or UBER-NURBS (subdivision surface modeling). Its animation system has also been enhanced with deeper character animation tools, a new Inverse Kinematics system, and advanced camera projection mapping with real-time image previews. This combined hardware and software promotional package will be available for $2,995 beginning in April 2001.