Despite the postponements (CI 3,166), Microsoft Corp has now released DirectX version 5.0, its set of graphics, sound and device application programming interfaces for Windows 95, NT and the Internet Explorer Web browser. New features include API support for Intel Corp’s’ Accelerated Graphics Port, new low- resolution modes and MMX multimedia extension support; DirectSound3D support for three dimensional audio hardware acceleration and enhanced support for Talisman, the proposed Microsoft architecture for implementing graphics subsystems more efficiently. Aimed at games developers and interactive content developers, the company claims the APIs will enable higher performance of screen graphics and sound and will also allow developers to access specialized hardware features, like those on games consoles, without having to write specific code. DirectX 5.0 for Windows 95 is available now on CD-ROM and at Microsoft’s Web site at www.microsoft.com/directx/.
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