Brentwood, Essex-based Amstrad Plc is now shipping the Amstrad Indexphone IX1000, an integrated hands free speaker phone, telephone storage and auto-dial unit. On the top of the unit is an LCD display and under a flap at the bottom front is a keyboard for entering data, which is entered into the memory and stored in alphabetical order automatically. The directory stores up to 400 records of telephone numbers with contact names, additional details of company name and address and two further alternative contact numbers. To make a call the large button on the top is turned until the desired person or company and their number is displayed, or the name can be keyed in for an automatic search. Pressing the auto-dial button will then dial the number. The phone features a serial port for downloading from a personal computer. The new Index Link product, also released, means that the information in the Indexphone can be downloaded to any other unit. Records can be both added and deleted via a personal computer or the keyboard. The Indexphone is PABX- and Mercury- compatible and costs UKP150, the Index Link is UKP30. For the PenPad PDA600, Amstrad is now bundling the Eden Organiser for Windows Connectivity Kit, at no extra charge, which serves to replicate a precise display of the PenPad screen on a personal computer screen so the user can exchange or update information through either interface within a few seconds using the serial cable supplied. Other software now available for the PenPad includes the Apple Connectivity Kit which transfers files to an Macintosh running ClarisWorks; the PenCalc icon driven spreadsheet which has a graphics capability: the Pen Mail communications software which enables the user to compose documents on the PenPad and the fax them, and the Pen Plotter drawing and plan creation package for making scaled drawings. The multimedia variant of the PC9000 series has been shipping since the end of last month. It comes with a double speed multi-session internal CD-ROM drive, 16-bit stereo sound board and 4W external speakers, priced from UKP1,065. Announced last year, the PC9486 series of personal computers is available and is upgradable to grow with future technologies. It has 80486SX or DX2 CPUs with 66MHz, 60MHz or 25MHz processor speeds, 340Mb, 214Mb or 130Mb hard drive, 4Mb system RAM and 1Mb video RAM and is ready for Pentium Overdrive. It has five 16-bit slots and 128Kb and 256Kb user-upgradeable cache and memory expandable to 64Mb; prices from UKP850 to UKP1,300.
