Howard Katz has posted the May issue of A2N, the freely-distributable newsletter for Apple II users..

The organizers of this year’s KansasFest Apple II event in Kansas City have added a third floor of dorm space due to the overwhelming demand for rooms this year. The two floors that had previously been reserved are full, so a third has been reserved to allow for more registrations. So if you’ve been stalling on signing up because you’re worried about not having a room, sign up now! This is literally the biggest KansasFest we’ve seen in a long time. Hang out with Apple II luminaries including Steve Wozniak, Ryan Suenaga, Tony Diaz, and Eric Shepherd, as well as this year’s roastee, Geoff Weiss..

The Apple PugetSound Program Library Exchange has released the May, 2003 issue of Call-A.P.P.L.E. magazine, the reincarnation of the classic magazine, now distributed in PDF form to A.P.P.L.E. members. Members can download their copy, and non-members can join up, by visiting www.callapple.org..

Sarah Shepherd’s GS ROM Grabber utility for grabbing a copy of an Apple IIGS ROM and saving it to disk for use in emulators is now available for purchase either online or on diskette through Syndicomm’s online store. The software is $5 shareware, but the store lets you pay using credit card online, or receive a disk in the mail for the added cost of shipping if your Apple IIGS isn’t online..

DiskMaker, Eric Shepherd’s utility for decoding disk images into usable disks on the Apple IIGS, has been updated to version 1.1. The new version fixes some minor bugs and adds new features, including the ability to prevent you from writing images to the wrong size of disk if you prefer caution to freedom, playing of the “Beginning Long Operation” and “Operation Complete” sounds as appropriate, and more intelligent scanning of disks and confirmation of blank disks. The shareware fee is $5 and can be paid through Syndicomm’s online store. A version is available on floppy disk for $5 plus shipping and handling..

The new version of KEGS-OSX, based on the KEGS 0.64 release, is now available for download. The new version has internal changes for PowerPC G4 code and Quartz Extreme optimization for faster screen rendering. Also fixes the disk eject bug, supports full-screen mode, and is compatible with the game Pirates! and the Apple Sales Demo..

Lyle Syverson has released the May issue of the popular newsletter The Lamp!, which summarizes the goings-on in the Syndicomm Online Apple II forum. Included this month is part two of Apple II historian Steve Weyhrich’s overview of Apple II history, taking us up to the year 1994..

May 15 is the last day to get the discounted $265 early registration rate to attend KansasFest 2003. After tomorrow, the rate goes up to $335. Don’t miss this great deal. This year’s KFest is looking to be a huge event!.

Microsparc, the publishers of the popular Nibble magazine of the 1980s and early 1990s, announced today the release of four new products:

• A compilation of all four of the Disassembly Lines books by Dr. Sandy Mossberg will be available on CD-ROM. These articles disassemble both DOS 3.3 and large portions of ProDOS 8 and BASIC.SYSTEM, and are a must have for the Apple II programmer. The CD costs $24.95.

• Rudy Guy’s three books One Minute Apple Programs, Two Minute Apple Programs, and Three Minute Apple Programs are now each available on CD-ROM for $14.95 each or $34.95 for all three.

These four products are available as of May 16, 2003. For more information, or to order, visit the Microsparc web site..

A Palm Zire 71, a $299 PDA with 16 MB of memory, ARM microprocessor, secure digital (SD) slot, 320×320 color screen, and built-in digital camera, will be provided by Syndicomm as a prize at KansasFest. The specific event for which it will be used has not been determined yet, but only KFest attendees are eligible to win this critically-acclaimed handheld!.