Geoworks Adds New Features and Partners

Geoworks has done something that seems almost impossible in today’s software industry: it has enhanced its flagship GEOS operating system by giving it new features and reducing the time between application switches, all while reducing its size to require half as much memory.

The new version, dubbed GEOS 2.1, offers the Stylus User Interface, a new option designed for second generation pen devices. Version 2.1 also includes improved support for PCMCIA cards, enabling developers to distribute font and preference modules with their applications.

Much of the performance and memory gains of the new OS are a result of having system objects execute in place in the ROM. This frees more of the device’s RAM to execute user applications. Aside from enabling more applications to run simultaneously, it also performs switches between applications faster.

Geoworks expects GEOS 2.1 to ship in products in 1995. Unfortunately, users of devices employing the current version of GEOS will not be able to upgrade to the new version.

Independent of the OS improvements, Geoworks announced that Brother International Corporation has select GEOS for use with a new family of devices. Geoworks also announced that it has entered a strategic relationship with the Japanese consumer giant Toshiba.

Geoworks and Toshiba are exploring the use of the GEOS operating system in a range of Toshiba products, with the first product from the partnership expected to be a version of GEOS supporting all Asian languages. The first instance of this is dubbed Geoworks 2.0J, a Japanese version of Ensemble 2.0 intended for the native market. ❑

Geoworks
Deborah Dawson
960 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 814-5750
[email protected]