NewTek's Emmy®-Winning 3D Application To Migrate to Apple's Xcode Development Environment

Roadmap for LightWave 3D® for Mac Platform Will Optimize Performance for OS X and G5 Processor

San Francisco, California -- January 6, 2004 -- NewTek, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading 3D animation and video products, today announced a development roadmap for LightWave 3D® for the Mac platform that will optimize performance for the Mac OS X operating system and for the new G5 processors. NewTek's LightWave 3D combines a state-of-the-art photo-realistic renderer with intuitive and powerful modeling and animation tools, and is used worldwide as a complete 3D production solution for broadcast graphics, games, print, web, and visual effects for film and television. The roadmap will migrate LightWave 3D to Apple's Xcode development environment and transition the application from Carbon to OS X native.

"We're very excited by the capabilities Apple offers developers in the Xcode environment and within OS X," said Andrew Cross, NewTek's Senior Vice President of Engineering. "We're more committed than ever to taking the best possible advantage of the outstanding capabilities of Apple's latest technogies for our LightWave users. Apple's Xcode, clearly designed to streamline the developer's workflow, will allow us to do that in a fast and flexible environment."

The performance gains possible with the migration to Xcode and becoming an OS X native application may be especially important for the host of new features and enhancements coming up in LightWave 3D version 8.0. Optimizations which have provided faster rendering and faster inverse and forward kinematics are expected to see some additional increase due to the changeover, for example. Calculation intensive features such as LightWave's new hardbody dynamics and extended softbody dynamics and particle systems will all benefit as well. Becoming an OS X native application will also allow NewTek to customize LightWave more specifically for the unique strengths of the Mac and achieve the best possible performance in speed and workflow while increasing the flexibility in the interface for the user.

"I enjoy the control and flexibility that LightWave offers, and I find that over time, LightWave has expanded my capabilities as an artist, and opened new venues for my work," said Joe Zeff, freelance illustrator whose work has appeared in Time and Newsweek, as well many other major publications. "NewTek's LightWave 3D was the first professional 3D application to come to OS X, and it's great to see NewTek continue their commitment to keeping LightWave's leadership position in 3D for Mac users with this migration to Xcode."

Of the top four 3D applications by marketshare, only LightWave 3D provides the Mac platform with the complete top-tier application. At the 2003 Emmy Awards, LightWave garnered NewTek's second Emmy award, in recognition of the impact of LightWave in the field of visual effects for television. NewTek is previewing LightWave 3D v. 8.0 for press and users at the MacWorld Expo, in a hospitality suite at the San Francisco Marriot, 55 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

LightWave 3D Overview:

• World-class rendering
• Fast, versatile Modeler
• Powerful scripting language
• Character Animation tools
• Particle Effects
• Expressions
• Numeric entry and expressions in input fields
• Unlimited points and polygons per object
• Unlimited images
• Unlimited surfaces
• Easy import of Illustrator® data
• Easy integration with other effects production tools.

LightWave 3D version 8.0 Includes:

• Improved workflow in Layout and Modeler
• Rigid Body Dynamics
• Improved Soft Body Dynamics
• Faster IK, FK
• Bone Dynamics
• More powerful and flexible character animation controls and tools
• Improved character setup workflow
• New Particle System Tools
• Animatable UV coordinates
• Improvements to LScript(TM) scripting language and to the API

Pricing and Availability
From now until LightWave 3D version 8.0 ships, Mac designers and graphic artists in the USA and Canada who own qualifying products may purchase LightWave 3D [7.5] for $795US, a savings of $800US off the MSRP of $1595US. This special offer is available at NewTek authorized resellers, Apple Stores, and Ingram resellers. Mac OS X platform with USB port required. For more information on this special offer, see http://www.newtek.com/print. Worldwide, LightWave 3D [7.5] for Mac and Windows platforms is available now at authorized NewTek resellers for a suggested retail price of $1595US. For more information on the items offered, to locate a reseller, and to purchase direct from NewTek, visit: http://www.newtek.com or call NewTek Sales at 1-800-368-5441, overseas callers dial +1-210-370-8000.

About NewTek
With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, animation and special effects tools including VT[3]TM, and LightWave 3D®, winner of the 2003 Primetime Emmy® Engineering Award. NewTek launched the desktop video revolution in 1990 with the release of the legendary Video Toaster®. The company's products are used worldwide on projects ranging from home video to feature film.

--End--

• VT[3], LightWave and LightWave 3D are registered trademarks of NewTek.
• All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.