January 8, 2002
AEC Software to Preview Mac OS X Version of FastTrack Schedule 8
— Native version of project manager to be unveiled at Macworld Expo —
STERLING, VA-January 8, 2002-AEC Software will be offering previews of the
forthcoming native Mac OS X version of their award-winning project manager
FastTrack Schedule, to attendees of the 2002 Macworld Expo, to be held
January 8-11th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The application, now
in its 8th version, is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2002 and
includes a newly refined interface, as well as formatting and productivity
features that streamline the process of organizing, tracking, and managing
project details.
“We’re excited to bring our award-winning project manager to Mac OS X,” says
Dennis Bilowus, CEO of AEC Software. “FastTrack Schedule 8 makes the most of
both the increased performance and enhanced interface in Mac OS X. Our
customers will be delighted with an application that is truly ‘Macintosh’
through and through.”
FastTrack Schedule 8 is a fully native Mac OS X version built to be tightly
integrated with Apple’s newest operating system. The application takes full
advantage of the performance enhancements in Mac OS X as well as the elegant
Aqua interface. FastTrack Schedule 8 will also feature an increased number
of graphic formats through built-in QuickTime support. In addition, user
controls throughout the application give it an exclusively Aqua look and
feel. Version 8 also includes continued support for AppleScript.
FastTrack Schedule 8 will boast an elegant new interface. Customer feedback
has resulted in the design of the most streamlined, intuitive interface yet
to be experienced in FastTrack Schedule. The re-design extends to the
application’s menus, toolbars, and dialogs, each of which will be easier to
use and navigate in addition to being more visually appealing. A powerful
new feature is the ability to auto-format activity rows in accordance with
their respective outline levels. This includes the formatting of text as
well as row backgrounds. Customizing schedules with the use of color will
also be more flexible with FastTrack Schedule 8. The new version takes
advantage of the System Color Picker within Mac OS X to offer users an
infinite number of color choices for elements such as rows, text, and bar
styles.
Further enhancements to the application include Work Breakdown Structure
(WBS), auto-outlining of tasks, and the ability to continuously display
summary bars. FastTrack Schedule 8 will also ship with features to help
users jump-start their projects, such as new example files, an increased
number of bar styles, more FastSteps and templates-even the ability to save
current files as templates.
In addition to the desktop version, AEC Software will also release a
compatible handheld version for Palm OS. FastTrack Schedule 8 for Palm OS
enables users to view multiple schedules, add or edit project information,
beam schedules to other Palm devices, and sync schedules directly with the
desktop version of FastTrack Schedule. The new version will support the new
Mac OS X Palm Desktop and HotSync Manager.
Pricing and Availability
FastTrack Schedule 8 will be available for an estimated retail price of US
$299. Until February 15th, 2002, users of FastTrack Schedule 7 can upgrade
for prices starting at $99, a $30 savings from the regular upgrade price.
Between January 1st and February 15th, customers who purchase FastTrack
Schedule 7 will be eligible for a free upgrade to FastTrack Schedule 8. For
details, customers can call (800) 346-9413 or visit
www.fasttrackschedule8.com. Network Server Versions in 5, 10, 25-user and
custom configurations will also be available upon release.
About AEC Software
Headquartered in Sterling, VA, AEC Software, Inc. develops and publishes
business productivity software for Macintosh, Windows, and Palm. Fortune 500
companies and industry leaders use AEC Software’s products to schedule
activities, manage project information, and achieve project goals. For more
information about AEC Software and FastTrack Schedule, visit www.aecsoft.com.