IBM Personal Computer Co now has a Micro Channel version of the WindSurfer Communications Adaptor, and has increased the maximum modem speed on it to 14,400bps – a facility also available as a free software upgrade – which also includes a new games facility – for the existing AT bus version. The WindSurfer Micro Channel Adaptor board takes one slot and offers a 14,400bps/9,600bps data and facsimile modem, a speech messaging and telephone answering system, and Multimedia PC CD-quality audio and music synthesis. It is designed for use with Microsoft Corp’s Windows 3.1, and IBM conjures up the disconcerting vision of a typical interactive on-line session, in which users will be able to send or receive stuff via the modem as they calculate a large spreadsheet, all while listening to a favourite CD. WindSurfer can also be used with most Sound Blaster games and supports IBM’s internal IDE CD-ROM player. To enhance the Musical Instrument Digital Interface capabilities of both WindSurfer and WindSurfer Micro Channel, IBM also added the WindSurfer MIDI Pac at $80. The WindSurfer Micro Channel board is $430, now.
