The four engineers that form the core of Apple Computer Inc’s QuickTime development group are about to up sticks and join Rocket Science Games Inc, a video game start-up company, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting one of the engineers and people familiar with Rocket Science’s plans. Apple said it didn’t know about the engineers’ plans and couldn’t comment. The Journal reckons the defection will be a blow to the QuickTime group, which pioneered the use of video and audio on desktop computers. QuickTime is a much-touted technology, but Apple isn’t a much-touted company right now, said a QuickTime engineer who is planning to leave. Rocket Science is a privately held company whose investors include venture capital firms and SuperMac Technology Inc. Based in Palo Alto, it will develop video games on CD-ROM disks according to Steven Blank, Rocket Science president. Meantime Apple said the first version of Newton would be launched on August 2 at MacWorld in Boston. The first Newton, called the Messagepad, will be available in three configurations, along with some new Quadra desktop Macintoshes, Macweek reports. The Messagepad is the Newton demonstrated at the Seybold Digital World conference, and the three models are a base one, one with a modem; and one with a modem and the Newton Connection Pro kit with software and cable for interchanging data between the Messagepad and a Macintosh or Windows personal computer. The paper reckons that street prices will be $700, $800 and $900, based on dealer prices with a 10% mark-up on top. Apple is expected to have the Newtons on sale for visitors to MacWorld.
