Director, FreeHand to hit Asia by end May

Specifically, the software--expected to hit retail stores in the US this week--will be headed to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.

The Nasdaq-listed company's latest FreeHand software is said to support both Windows and Macintosh OS X. The Director 8.5 package, meanwhile, includes Director 8.5, a Multi User Server 3 application, Fireworks 4, Shockwave Player 8.5 as well as a sound editor.

With the Multi User Sever 3 application, developers can utilize the application's multi-server-side scripting function to allow up to 2,000 users to simultaneously play online games or chat.

The two software packages are manufactured in Singapore for the Asian and US markets while Amsterdam produces for the European market, said Macromedia senior director for Products Marketing Peter Ryce this morning.

In Asia, FreeHand 10 will have a price tag of approximately S$730. Upgrades from all previous FreeHand versions will be priced at about S$236. The Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio suite will be priced at roughly S$2,200, or between S$365 and S$800 for upgrades (version 5 to 8).

Customers who purchase these software packages before the end of June in Singapore, Malaysia, India and the Philippines will get a free Wacom Graphire Pen Tablet valued at between US$100 and US$120.