SAN ANTONIO, TX -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) brings new features and functionality to its popular Java 3D(TM) API graphics technology with the debut of Java 3D version 1.3. With this latest release, which follows the widespread adoption of this 3D graphics technology with nearly a half million downloads to date, Sun directly addresses the needs of its developer community, providing both configured universe and depth-sorted transparency capabilities, in addition to advanced texture mapping and performance improvements. The Java 3D API is a network-centric, scene graph-based API, which enables developers to easily incorporate high-quality, scalable, platform-independent 3D graphics into Java technology-based applications and applets. With the Java 3D API, version 1.3 developers now have the power to create applications that can run seamlessly in a variety of display environments, without code modification. Additionally, the new version helps users speed application development through faster application response and a reduction in memory consumption ranging from 10 to 60 percent. LION bioscience has also integrated Java 3D API, version 1.3 scene graph technology into the SRS 3D module of its SRS data integration platform for genomics research and development. "SRS 3D enables the biochemist or molecular biologist to quickly and easily visualize 3D biomacromolecules within SRS," stated Dr. Reinhard Schneider, CIO of LION bioscience. "The Java 3D API, version 1.3's rich graphical feature set helped greatly in building a product that is state-of-the-art, highly intuitive, highly interactive, and usable." Java 3D graphics technology not only benefits developers in scientific visualization, but also animation, Web site design, simulations, virtual world construction, training, games and design automation. Responding to these users' needs, Java 3D API 1.3 technology provides the following new features: • Configured Universe: Allows Java 3D programs to run in different display configurations easily. With this utility, an application can be configured to run across a broad range of viewing configurations and available input devices, without any changes to the source code, simply by editing a configuration file to describe the local viewing environment. • Depth-Sorted Transparency: Enables users to display objects and scenes with multi-dimensional detail that include transparency more realistically. Java 3D version 1.3 saves developers time by automatically sorting depth order geometry. • Advanced Texture Mapping: Enables developers to create more realistic and detailed graphics using Texture Cube Mapping; Extended Texture Environment Combiners; Texture Boundary; Anisotripic Texture Filtering; Texture LOD and Detail; Texture Data Update. In addition, Java 3D version 1.3 adds the ability to access native data via NIO buffers, as well as the ability to save and load the scene graph.