News from Abacus |
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Stay Focused - guide to great pictures from your digital SLR - coming soon
Look around and you'll be amazed at the number of shooters using digital SLRs. These cameras are loaded with features capable of recording great photos. Our new Stay Focused Guides are for those of you who are not yet getting the great result that you know are possible. We'll show you how to turn mere snapshots into gallery quality photos. We'll explain your way out those vexing problems that come up as you learn to use the many features that set your advanced digital SLR apart from the point-and-shoot variety cameras. We won't confuse the explanations with high tech jargon. Instead we'll illustrate the answers with before and after pictures so that you can instantly visualize the solution and capture those perfect moments. We're preparing 4-color guides for the following digital SLRs:
If photography is in your blood, please visit our Stay Focused Press site. |
eCard Animator - send entertaining messages across the Internet
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Our new eCard Animator lets you quickly send animated, musical eCards instantly by email. With a huge library with hundreds of pre-made templates, you're ready to personalize your message with words, photos, music and animation in just seconds. Alternatively, you can design your own greetings from scratch with exacting graphics, animation and text. Use eCard Animator to make humorous, heartwarming, clever and friendly greetings that stand out from the crowd. For more information, please click here. |
Fighter Pilot 2 - Available Now
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Fighter Pilot 2 is an all-new package that draws it heritage from our previous best selling add-on. Flying fighters epitomizes the extraordinary piloting skill needed to master these powerful aircraft. We've assembled some of the mightiest US fighters into this new add-on for FSX and FS2004:
We've now released this exciting package. For more info about the Fighter Pilot 2 , please click here.
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"Fly Before You Buy" - New Aircraft - Premier Collection has more than 50 planes
  
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We've expanded our already huge selection of aircraft in our Premier Collection fleet. These are all "fly before you buy" for only $10 each. Here's a few:
They're all ready for you to test fly. To browse our huge selection click here. |
Bigfoot Hunter - Free download for FSX users
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To show off our new Mission Collection Series, creative developer Ron Jeffers put together this new Bigfoot Hunter which he's making available at no charge to all FSX flyers. You'll be on the hunt for the hairy monster in the Northern bushes. If you enjoy the excitement of the hunt, you should also consider two other members of our Mission Collection Series - Battle for Zeebrugge and Day of the Zeppelins, click here. To get your FREE copy of Bigfoot Hunter , please click here. |
Mission: WWI Dogfight - Available Now
Few would argue that one of the top features of FSX is the addition of missions. Early on, we cut our teeth by introducing the well-known add-ons Mission: Blackhawk and Mission: Combat Force in which ace developer Ron Jeffers demonstrated his mastery of mission scripting, audio production, special effects and scenery inclusion. Aircraft makers Daniel Dunn and David Chester have recreated these legendary planes from early 1900's and teamed up with Ron to produce our newest title Mission: WWI Dogfight.
Available now. For more info about the Mission: WWI Dogfight, please check here. These gorgeous aircraft are for both FSX and FS2004 and FSX. Mission are for FSX only. |
Mission Collection - New Series of Downloadable Missions
Missions are perhaps the most compelling new feature of Flight Simulator X. Top notch missions can turn a sleepy flight into an adventure filled with suspense, challenge and excitement. Since the release of FSX, we've been diligently turning out complete full-length missions. Starting with wholesome prime grade aircraft, we add a liberal amount of creative juices, inject some robust imagination, sprinkle in some technical genius, layer in some humorous narrative and top it off with lots of value. Thus far we've released several complete mission add-on packages including Mission: Blackhawk, Mission: Combat Force and Mission: WWI Dogfight. Now we're launching a new Mission Collection. Each title in the series includes a top-notch aircraft and adventurous script at a value price. The first two titles are Battle for Zeebrugge and Day of the Zeppelins. For more info about the Battle for Zebbrugge, please check here. For more info about the Day of the Zeppelins, please check here. Coming soon in the Mission Collection are the new Bush Pilot Mission and Train Busters Mission. |
Price Reduction - World & USA Extreme Landscapes Bundle - 4 DVDs provides worldwide coverage
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We've lowered the price on our World & USA Extreme Landscapes Bundle. It transforms Flight Simulator X's scenery into spectacular views. Standard FSX scenery uses elevation data where the points are separated by 610 meters but Extreme Landscapes boosts the accuracy to 78 meters (in some locations to 38.2, 19.1 and 9.6 meters) to achieve an increase in detail of 16 times. We've combined two bestselling add-ons into a single BUNDLED World & USA Extreme Landscape's at one low price. The package now features 4 DVDs of ultra-accurate data. Your jaw will drop in amazement as you fly through the majestic Grand Tetons, the South American Andes, the highlands of Keyna, the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the jungles of Indonesia, and elsewhere around the globe. To enjoy the new terrain, you'll fly the included "flightseeing trips" in a new Liberty XL2 and Socata TB21 Trinidad aircraft. They'll take you to places you have only dreamed about. This new package is brought to you by Justin Tyme and FS Genesis. For more info, click here . |
Air Force One - President Bush visits Las Vegas KLAS
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January 30 , 2008 President Bush stopped in Las Vegas for a few hours for two meetings. For security, the local police closed the aircraft viewing area on Sunset making it difficult to get an unobstructed siting. To take these photos, we stopped at a gas station on Sunset and used a long telephoto lens. |
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Commuter Xpress 2 - fly the short hops in 6 regional airlines - Available Now
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The airline industry is fiercely competitive. In this landscape, commuter airlines are playing a vital part in the quest for profits. Using the hub city approach, airlines are building a route system in which the commuters fly passengers from smaller towns to hub cities where they board larger aircraft for longer flights to distant cities. Commuter Xpress 2 has you flying six smaller aircraft on some of these smaller routes. We challenge you to keep profitable with these airliners:
For more information, please click here. |
Platinum Collection - superior aircraft "fly before you buy" - Available now
We pioneered "fly before you buy" aircraft many years ago when we introduced the Premier Collection. We offer more than 50 aircraft that you can test fly free for 7 Days. If you decide to keep it, you can order a registration key to unlock the free trail. Two years ago, we started a new series called the Platinum Collection. These are superior aircraft - but also offered with a free 7 Day trial. Our newest aircraft in the Platinum Collection is the famous PBY-5A Catalina and it is a beauty. Why not take the Cat up for a free test flight. For more information, please click here. To download any of our Platinum Collection or Premier Collection aircraft, click here. |
Carrier Strike Force - three new carriers, three new aircraft - Available now
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Because it appeals to those who are challenged by aircraft carrier-flight, our top selling Flight Deck 5 is has become one of our flagship products over the years. In fact, the Flight Deck series has more than 100,000 flyers. Carrier Strike Force is a great new follow-on. You'll fly from the deck of three new carriers: USS Bonhomme Richard, the British HMS Illustrious and the French Charles de Gaulle. At your command are the futuristic F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter, the workhorse AV-8B II Harrier and the sleek Rafale M. With features that take advantage of FSX's mission system, this is a must-have add-on. Ron Jeffers has again applied his great skills and has teamed up with Rhys Eddy and Robert James to produce this exciting package. For more information, please click here.
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Flight Deck 5 - now a bestseller in USA
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For many years, we've been wowing users worldwide with our Flight Deck Series of add-ons. With Flight Deck, we've introduced the thrill of aircraft carrier operations to hundreds of thousands of Flight Simulator users. Newly introduced in October, Flight Deck 5 is already a bestseller in chain and computers stores throughout the USA. With great new features especially optimized for FSX's mission system, it's another must-have add-on. Creative developer Ron Jeffers has again applied his great skills and has teamed up with Rhys Eddy and Robert James to produce this exciting package. For more information, please click here.
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First Commercial Flight for A380 - Jumbo Lands in Sydney
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October 25, 2007 Our latest article in FS Free Press documents the arrival of Singapore Airlines Flight 380 in Sydney. The flight represents the completion of the first commercial flight of this brand new double-deck super jumbo that now replaces the famed Boeing 747 as the largest passenger jet. As configured by Singapore Airlines, this aircraft features 12 first class suites, 60 business class seats and 399 economy class seats. All tickets for the inaugural flight were sold by auction on eBay and raised more than $1.4 million to be donated to two Australia children's hospitals. To read the article about the arrival, please go to FS Free Press. |
"Our Partnership with the Civil Air Patrol " - Computer Giveaway
 Standing in the Abacus offices are (L to R) Adam Howe, Paul Lee, Sharon Wandrey and Scott Slaughter overlooking the new gaming computer that's now on its way to CAP Squadron 902 and Kevin Weaver. Congratulations.
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As part of our ongoing partnership with the Civil Air Patrol, we jointly developed the CAP Search & Rescue add-on. This package provides cadets and pilots with realistic training using Microsoft Flight Simulator saving both time and aviation fuel. This year, in conjunction with the CAP's National Conference in Atlanta, we held a contest to award a high performance gaming computer to one of hundreds of CAP squadrons. We're happy to announce the winner of this computer: A big thanks to CAP's Marie Neese for helping coordinate the contest. For more information about the Civil Air Patrol Search & Rescue add-on, click here. |
CAP Search & Rescue - BONUS Edition - now with 7 aircraft for FSX & FS2004
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We've just added five new planes to the original CAP Search & Rescue package making a total of seven CAP aircraft in this special BONUS Edition.
Do you know that tens of thousands of Civil Air Patrol volunteers fly more than 100,000 hours each year performing lifesaving tasks? After last year's devestating hurricanes, CAP members flew 1000 missions and 2000 hours flying survivor search, aerial photography and official transport missions on half of state and federal governments and 50,000 volunteer hours. You might say that they are among America's 'Everyday Heroes'. For detailed information, about the CAP, please see the CAP's Annual Report to Congress Search & Rescue BONUS Edition is now available via download or on CD-ROM. For more information, click here. |
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FS Free Press - New articles in our e-magazine for Flight Simulator - they're all FREE
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FS Free Press is our well-known e-zine for users of Flight Simulator. Thousands regularly read these imformative, insightful articles about flying easier and better. Our goal is to keep your flight sim sessions maxed out. In his latest article, Scott Slaughter describes many of the techniques that are used by airplanes and helicopters to combat wildfires that destroy natural resources, property and lives. Best of all, this article and many others are delivered to you instantly and as its name suggests - they're FREE. Visit FS Free Press now to subscribe. |
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FS Design Studio - New Version 3.5 - Now Shipping
 Make Aircraft & Animated 3D Scenery |
Before Louis Sinclair invented FS Design Studio more than five years ago, there was no practical way to design aircraft and scenery to take advantage of the features in then-new FS2000. The launch of FSDS with its easy-to-use "what you see is what you get" look convinced a large number of users to take up design. Since then, tens of thousands of hobbyists have used FS Design Studio to create a phenomenal number of aircraft and scenery objects for subsequent releases of Flight Simulator. Never content with today's features, users asked for even more so they can push the design envelope even farther. Louis has now completed Version 3.5 of this remarkable software. With new and improved tools for cutting and shaping, cloning and animating for FSX and FS2004. FS Design Studio V3.5 is ready to take on the most challenging design tasks for FSX and beyond. Start your own aircraft factory with FS Design Studio V3.5. For more information about FSDS V3.5 click here. |
Mission: Combat Force - Second title in our new Mission Series for FSX - Available Now
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Our bestselling Mission Series uses the exciting features that are part of Flight Simulator X's new Mission Building Kit. This is the second add-on in the Mission Series. This time, you'll be piloting the famed A-10 Warthog in some very unconventional and very challenging adventures. These full-length missions were developed by the team of Ron Jeffers and Phil Castellanos. The A-10 aircraft and cockpits were designed and implemented by Dave Eckert, Frank King and Adam Howe. Mission: Combat Force is available now for convenient download delivery or on CD-ROM. The retail channel has already placed orders for thousands of this add-on. It will soon be available nationwide. For more information or to hear some of the missions, please click here. |
FS Repaint - Version 2 Available Now - Repaint you FSX & FS2004 aircraft
 Developed by Jorge Santoro and Marco Paulo da Silva |
For years, FS Repaint has been the tool of choice for users wanting to repaint their FS aircraft. This new version brings you more features and for both FSX and FS2004. You'll marvel at the ease with which you can immediately view the aircraft in 3D from any direction as you make your changes on screen. Using FS Repaint you no longer have to start and stop Flight Simulator to see how your new liveries will appear. You can even view your changes by spinning the aircraft in animate mode. Brand new to Version 2 is the "tatoo" capability where you can import an image and add it to your existing aircraft textures to easily create custom liveries with specialized logos, photographic tails, more. Users of FS Repaint V1 are eligible for discounted upgrade. For more information, click here. |
New FSX Book - get it now - available now by download or hardcopy printed book
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"Tips, Tricks & Trips" is filled with top notch chapters written by two experts with years of FS experience. Both Adam Howe & Scott Slaughter have years of experience writing in an understandable, non-technical way.You can read this 264-page book as "hardcopy" or if you're in a hurry, you can order the download version of the book for fast delivery. Don't confuse this book with others. This is not another book about "the basics of using FSX". Instead, we'll take you on rides, show you techniques and present info that you won't find anywhere else. For more info about "Tips, Tricks & Trips" for FSX, please click here. |
3D Model Trains -Tabletop Railroading - Simple and Fun - Now Available
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Starting with a clean slate, you can drag and drop your way to a simple, advanced or complex tabletop model railroading with our new standalone package. 3D Model Trains is a blast to use with hundreds of actual scale model track sets and train sets from well-known hobby manufactuers: Arnold, Bemo, Fleischmann, Hubner, LGB, Marklin, Peco, Pilz, Roco and more. Includes many 3D scenery objects including stations, buildings of all types, people, tunnels and more which you'll add to your layouts in minutes flat. You can even adjust the terrain to make hills for your tunnels. Very capable 3D layout features with fully repositionable camera and light sources. You can also record videos as your trains ride around the tracks. For more information, please click here. |
CoPilot Pro - for FSX & FS2004 - Now Available
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CoPilot is one of the most widely sold add-ons in Flight Simulator history. With more than 65,000 copies sold, you owe it to yourself to find out why so many users consider this software a proven Flight Simulator "must-have".
This all-around add-on is now available. For more info click here. |
Premier Collection / Platinum Collection - all FSX titles updated for SP1
Patch for
for FSX Service Pack 1 |
With the release of the Service Pack 1 for Flight Simulator X some users have encountered a problem with our Platinum Collection and Premier Collection aircraft. To fix the problem, we have updated all of our "fly before you buy" titles for FSX. If you are having a problem with the FSX versions of our Platinum and/or Premier Collection aircraft, please do one of the following:
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10 Add-ons for Microsoft Train Simulator - from our U.K. Partner
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Contact Simulations in the U.K. has been our partner for more than five years now. In addition to their Flight Simulation activities, they are also the top publisher of add-ons for Microsoft Train Simulator. We've just agreed to make some of their bestselling add-ons available for download from our site. The new titles include:
All titles are available now . For more information, please click here. |
