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COCOON - Newsletter: 1999 - Third Quarter:
Contents
General Information:
- NiCOMM Photographic:
- HarTALK Version 1.3 available from 15 September 1999
- Elecspec revised and published
- SoftTALK 2000 announcement
- F5 support beta tests for SoftTALK 2000 currently underway
- F100 support scheduled for SoftTALK 2000
- Mac cable and VirtualPC tests
- New Products:
- Events:
There are many around who sell electronics and software for the sake of, well, just that - selling.
COCOON is different, because the things that were marketed off this website for the past 2-3 years (and that now have become very popular products, like HarTALK and SoftTALK), were, three years ago, born out of the sheer frustration of not having the level of functionality that we needed from a serious photographer's perspective.
That is exactly what makes our products unique...
COCOON Creations was initially created as a specialist company in audiovisual presentations, though our requirement for advanced electronic support systems have prompted the research, development, production and marketing of the systems that we sell today.
We, therefore, had to create the advanced level of functionality that we really would have loved to have bought off the shelf, and shared that with you as a suite of products that are cost-effective, robust, advanced and worthy of plugging into a camera as great as the Nikon.
Now, not only the equipment that we produce, but also the content of our intellectual and audio-visual world is finally starting to emerge. Mind of the Super-Achiever is one of the first products to emerge as an information-type product. It represents a cumulation of our creativity, our technical expertise in photography (including the sub-systems needed to do it well), digital image processing, combined with the specialised knowledge of qualified experts from various fields.
You will also find that all the products on this site have a future planned for them. Expect most of them to grow, expand and provide more functionality in future. And most of the products here have had spinoffs into other fields and applications. The intelligence of HarTALK now also empowers very expensive industrial control systems in mission critical environments. And this has not only been a one way relationship. HarTALK, the camera interface, also benefits from advances in our industrial technology research and development.
We like to think that we empower people to become better at what they do and, in the process, become better at what we do...
COCOON's has just launched this new web site.
As you are probably well aware by now, the new site boasts framed layouts, updated information, updated images, the introduction of new products that were all spinoffs from the work we have done on the photographic level and a more product and information-oriented approach.
Full e-commerce facilities, including secure transactions, will be coming on-line soon.
Those that have specific pages of the older site still bookmarked are recommended to visit the n can be.
But we did make some changes in the circuit and connector design of HarTALK over the years, all of which were to improve the complex methodologies involved in its production.
We are therefore proud to say that since HarTALK Version 1.0, the functionality profile of this nifty little interface never needed to change - the hallmark of good design. We did however optimise its circuitry and assembly a few times in order to improve its production process (and looks). The version numbers of HarTALK therefore indicates its circuit and external connector design.
Version 1.3 of HarTALK has been available since 15 September 1999. You can order yours now.
Elecspec revised and published:
An updated version of Elecspec has now been published on the new web site of COCOON.
Elecspec is the technical specification sheet on how to interface with HarTALK. If you are building electronics to interface with HarTALK and your Nikon camera, this is where you will find all the goodies.
SoftTALK 98 currently provides full support for the F90, N90, F90X and N90s camera models. The number of camera models that SoftTALK 98 currently fully support will not be extended beyond these specified bodies.
SoftTALK 2000 will extend the scope of supported bodies to include full F5 and F100 support. We are also building full standardised database interconnectivity into SoftTALK 2000.
SoftTALK 2000 will cost more than the current SoftTALK 98, because of the large amount of new development that is currently pushed into it.
Frequently asked questions on SoftTALK 2000:
- Should I wait for SoftTALK 2000, or could I buy SoftTALK 98 now and update to the new version later?
Certainly: You can buy SoftTALK 98 now and upgrade to the new SoftTALK 2000 when it becomes available. registered SoftTALK 98 users will qualify for a significant discount on SoftTALK 2000. Pricing will be published on this web site later. - What will the price of SoftTALK 2000 be?
Since the product is still under development, we do not know what the price will be at this moment, but you can rest assured that it would be just as cost effective as its predecessor: SoftTALK 98! - When do you expect the release of SoftTALK 2000?
Our current expectation is, as the name "SoftTALK 2000" indicates, during the first to second quarter of 2000.
F5 support beta tests for SoftTALK 2000 currently underway:
A Beta testing phase has started in July 1999.
More Beta Testers are now invited to join the program. Contact COCOON for requirements.
F100 support scheduled for SoftTALK 2000:
We plan to fully support the F100 in the release of SoftTALK 2000.
Mac cable and VirtualPC tests:
This is a reminder that MAC cable is now available on site for orders. Please view the new HarTALK page for details.
A new publication by COCOON Creations cc wherein we combine photographic creativity, research in digital image manipulation and archaeological research with the wisdom of an expert in the field of business management.
The result is "Mind of the Super-Achiever." A publication that probes the phenomenon of those special individuals that seem to be able to change the course of history and reshape the world for the better, while rising head and shoulders above the rest. The person under the spotlight is none other than Ramesses the Great: An Egyptian pharaoh that lived more than 3000 years ago. His methods, however, w built a series of tools that facilitate control of proprietary electrical power protection systems over standard TCP/IP networks. That is another proof of the power of HarTALK and how well it has been designed. If it is good enough to control Very expensive power protection units, it will definitely be good enough for you!
Resident Eclipse chaser displays his stuff
One thing that all COCOON partners have in common is their love for photography and for the tools that make good photography possible. One of our key partners, and resident eclipse chaser, is publishing a few of his photographs on site...