Akvis updates five products
Akvis has released updates for five photo editing programs. Bugs have been fixed and 64-bit support has been added to the plug-in versions of these programs.
Akvis has updated Enhancer 11.5, Noise Buster 7.5, Coloriage 7.5, ArtSuite 6.5, and Magnifier 3.5. All are now compatible with Photoshop CS4-CS5 64-bit on Mac and Windows systems. For more info go to http://www.akvis.com .
Apple to announce quarterly finances on July 20
Apple plans to announce the financial results of its third fiscal quarter on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific). The company will hold a live QuickTime stream of the event.
Analyst: Apple to enter the connected TV market in 2-3 years
In a report to clients, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says Apple is "well positioned" to enter the connected TV market in 2-4 years. According to "Fortune" (http://macosg.me/2/h0), he cites several reasons to believe Apple is working on such a project. Among them:
° The Apple TV set-top box, which Apple still calls a "hobby," hasn't had a hardware update since it was released more than three years ago. Munster thinks we may soon see an updated, low-cost Apple TV set-top-box with updated software and possibly an App Store,
° The release of the new Mac mini with a built-in HDMI output is a sign that the company is trying to simplify the process of making the Mac the center of a home theater. "We see this as a small, intermediate step towards a larger move into the living room with an all-in-one, connected TV," Munster writes.
Munster thinks Apple could create an all-in-one, connected TV that doesn't require an extra box. As for the lack of standards, Apple could get around that...
Another lawsuit filed over iPhone 4 antenna problems
Another lawsuit has been filed regarding the iPhone 4's antenna problems. According to a "Boston Globe" report (http://macosg.me/2/gy), the law firm of Carp Law Offices LLC, has filed suit against Apple and AT&T.
The firm, representing an iPhone owner, is seeking an injunction to halt production of the iPhone 4 until Apple fixes defective phones it has already sold. Similar suits have been filed in California, Maryland, and New Jersey.
Apple says it sold over 1.7 million iPhone 4's so far. However, some folks are complaining that the phone has a defective built-in antenna that can’t receive cellular signals when the user’s hand covers the phone’s bottom left corner.
Apple posts letter regarding the iPhone 4
Apple has posted a letter regarding the iPhone 4. Addressed to "Dear iPhone 4 Users," it reads:
"The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and users have told us that they love it. So we were surprised when we read reports of reception problems, and we immediately began investigating them. Here is what we have learned.
"To start with, gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce its reception by 1 or more bars. This is true of iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, as well as many Droid, Nokia and RIM phones. But some users have reported that iPhone 4 can drop 4 or 5 bars when tightly held in a way which covers the black strip in the lower left corner of the metal band. This is a far bigger drop than normal, and as a result some have accused the iPhone 4 of having a faulty antenna design.
"At the same time, we continue to read articles and receive hundreds of emails from...
macProVideo.com offers new Logic & Final Cut Studio tutorials
macProVideo.com, a leading supplier of online software tutorial-videos, has announced two new training titles focused on Apple's video and audio editing applications, Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio.
The first tutorial is called "Final Cut Pro 105: Sound Editing in Final Cut Studio." This title is produced by Michael Wohl (one of the original designers of Final Cut Pro) and it shows you how to record and edit audio for your video productions.
The second tutorial is called "Logic 304: TNT3 -- Reloaded." This release marks the beginning of Volume 3 of macProVIdeo.com's monthly Logic "Tips 'N Tricks" (TNT) tutorial series by start Logic Pro trainer Steve H. By joining the TNT series you will get up to 30 minutes of Logic Pro tips, tricks, and workflow techniques tutorials delivered to your computer, iPhone, or iPad every month for an entire year.
FileMaker classes coming to San Jose, California
FileMaker authors John Mark Osborne and Steven Blackwell are teaching the new FileMaker Training Series (FTS) and the Philosophy of Scripting for FileMaker Pro 11 in San Jose, California..
The FileMaker Training Series, which will be held Jan. 17-21, is the official training curriculum from FileMaker, Inc. It offers a series of 12 training modules that cover a set of topics designed to help you master the essentials of FileMaker solution development. This new series incorporates the many new features of the FileMaker 11 product line throughout the modules but stresses good programming skills for FileMaker 7, 8, 8.5, 9 and 10.
You can take the first three days or the last two days of the FileMaker Training Series. Or youcan take all five days and save US$500.
The Philosophy of Scripting, to be held Jan. 24-28, covers intermediate and advanced scripting and calculations over a five day period. Developed from the "Scriptology" book and CD ROM, these courses are aimed at in-house and...
J.P. Morgan ups Apple price target to $390
Apple has been added to J.P. Morgan's Analyst Focus List, and the price target for the "overweight" stock increased to $390 by December of 2011. According to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) Analyst Mark Moskowitz said it is the growth of the iPhone and iPad, "combined with untapped international opportunities for the Mac, that will send Apple's stock soaring to new heights."
The analyst is forecasting that:
° The iPhone 4 will finally push Apple past the 10-million-per-quarter threshold.
° Apple will sell 3.8 million iPads in the June quarter and 21.5 million in the company's 2011 fiscal year.
° Apple has great potential to grow the Mac market internationally.
China Mobile wants customized iPhone?
China Mobile, the country's largest telecom operator, is trying to convince Apple into making a customized version of the iPhone that would work on a network based on homegrown TD-SCDMA technology, reports "InformationWeek" (http://macosg.me/2/gx).
However, most observers aren't holding their breath since Apple hasn't even released a CDMA version of the iPhone, "though it is likely this will happen," the article adds. CDMA (for "code division multiple access") refers to any of several protocols used in second-gen and third gen wireless communications devices.
CDMA and GSM are the names of competing cellular phone standards. They're about equal in the U.S. in terms of users, but overseas there's only GSM other than a few places like Japan, India, and Korea. Out of the four national carriers in the U.S., two -- Sprint and Verizon -- use CDMA, the other two--AT&T and T-Mobile -- use GSM.
Rumor: Apple plans cloud capabilities for iTunes
"The Boy Genius Report" (http://macosg.me/2/gw) says that "one of our reliable Apple sources has just filled us in on some of the company’s iTunes plans, including cloud capability with capabilities broken down into three groups:
° Streaming music and movies from Apple’s servers to your computers, devices, etc.;
° Streaming music and movies from your home computers to your other computers, remote devices, etc.;
° Wireless iTunes syncing with devices.
If "Boy Genius" is right, this sounds like the much-rumored iTunes.com, aweb-based version of iTunes. The service -- if it is coming -- would likely be based on Apple's purchase of Lala six months ago. Lala -- which offered "the first and only free fully licensed service to instantly provide anywhere web access to an existing music library such as iTunes."
The goal is probably to allow Apple to implement a new iTunes feature that would allow users to stream their purchased media content remotely. In fact, rumors of such a service...
Filter Forge 2.0 released for Mac OS X, Windows
Filter Forge has released Filter Forge 2.0, an update of the plug-in for Adobe Photoshop allowing computer artists to build their own filters: textures, visual effects, distortions, patterns, backgrounds, frames and more.
With the second version of the software. Filter Forge 2.0 features full support for unlimited HDR colors, shadows via ambient occlusion, point and area lights, and dozens of new components to create filters from. Filter Forge is a Photoshop plug-in that lets users create a variety of realistic and abstract textures and effects.
Users can take instant advantage of over 7,100 free community-created filters in the online filter library at http://www.filterforge.com/filters/ or create their own filters in the visual filter editor by assembling them from components such as blurs, gradients, color adjustments, noises, distortions, or blends.
Flter Forge is available for Mac OS X and Windows platforms. It can be used as a stand-alone application or as a plugin for Adobe...
Opera Software introduces Opera 10.60 browser
Opera Software (http://www.opera.com/browser/next/) has released Opera 10.60, a new version of its web browser that's purportedly more than 50% faster than its predecessor on selected JavaScript tests.
In addition, it incorporates new web-standard features, such as Geolocation and WebM support for HTML5 video, as well as a polished and easy-to-use user interface. Opera 10.60 also sports HTML5 Appcache and Web Worker. Appcache lets you use different applications, such as word processor, image editor, spreadsheets and much more, in your web browser even when offline. Web developers can now also use HTML5 Web Workers for doing heavy calculations without making the browsing slower for the user.
Opera 10.60 makes search more efficient, introducing search suggestions for selected partners in the Speed Dial and search box, according to says Chief Development Officer Christen Krogh. You can test this in the beta with Wikipedia search.
Krogh says that the interface in now more intuitive, as...
HoudahSpot for Mac OS X gets full set of tagging tools
Houdah Software (http://www.houdah.com/) has updated HoudahSpot, their Spotlight front end for Mac OS X, to version 3.0. The new version adds a full set of tools for tagging files as well as for finding tagged files.
Tags are non-hierarchical keywords assigned to files. They serve a similar purpose than folders. The crucial difference being that a file may be assigned several tags and be located by any of them.
HoudahSpot's tagging feature is based upon the OpenMeta technology, so is compatible with a growing number of third party tagging applications. The HoudahSpot Tray lists favorite tags as well as tags recently used by HoudahSpot or another OpenMeta tagging solution. Drag a file to a tag to assign it that tag. Drag a file to the file well to be presented with a window to enter any number of tags. Select tags and double-click to start a search. Hold down the option key while double-clicking to match any of the selected tags.
HoudahSpot is a Spotlight front-end for Mac OS X 10.5...
1Password for Mac OS X updated to version 3.2.5
Agile Web Solutions has updated 1Password (http://1password.com), a password manager for Mac OS X, to version 3.2.5. The upgrade includes multiple bug fixes and important improvements.
These include a change to the auto-submit feature -- which fills and submits login forms automatically -- to prevent the form from being instantly submitted if it contains a text field, as found in the comment areas of blogs such as The Unofficial Apple Weblog and others. This has been an issue for blog commenters in the past.
1Password 3.2.5 also brings usability and interface enhancements, including a new dialog with instructions for updating the browser plugins when it encounters an unknown version of a browser, such as the recent release of Safari 5. Among other fixes and changes, support for additional HTML5 form fields (url and number) is included, as well as fixes for display issues when re-typing an unlock password over a failed attempt.
1Password 3.2.5 is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6...
Calcine for Mac OS X gets user interface improvements
Tension Software has updated Calcine (http://pomola.com/products_calcline/calcline.html), a modern version of the desktop calculator, to version 2.1. The upgrade offers user interface improvements and adds menu commands.
Calcline starts as a small window utility. Insert a mathematical expression to evaluate, and the software will do the work.
Calcline costs US$20, and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later. Version 2.2 is a free update for registered users of version 2.x. For new users the cost is US$20. Calcline is an Universal Binary product, so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
Knox for Mac OS X gets 'leaner and meaner'
Knox for Mac (http://agilewebsolutions.com/knox), an encryption and backup solution for Mac OS X 10.3 and Mac OS 10.4, has been updated to version 2.0.3, which adds full disk encryption for non-boot volumes. According to the folks at Agile Web Solutions, it's a "leaner, meaner version" with several changes and fixes.
Knox 2.0.3 brings a 50% reduction in the size of the application, as well as fixes to cut launch time in half and improve operation when running as a menubar application. Support for beta builds has also been added to Knox, allowing users to opt-in to the beta program. Version 2.0.3 also fixes an issue that caused users to be unable to turn off the auto-update feature, as well as minor text inconsistencies in the About Knox and Preferences > Version windows.
With Knox for Mac you can store your files in encrypted “vaults” and back them up to other Macs, servers or iPods. You can open and close vaults directly from the Vaults menu on your Mac. Knox’s encryption is...
Compartments for Mac OS X gets WarrantyGuard feature
LittleFin Software has updated Compartments (http://www.littlefin.com/compartments.html) for Mac OS X (10.5 and higher), to version 1.2. The new WarrantyGuard feature keeps track of all warranties and their expiration dates.
Compartments allows household items to be entered, searched and sorted by location, type, value or any custom tag. Drag and drop photos and other info can be added to each item listing.
The first step in using Compartments is to set up Locations, which are the places in which the user's items are stored. A Location can be a room, a house, a piece of furniture, a briefcase, or a safety deposit box -- any place that contains things to be cataloged. Next, the user creates an Item for each one of their possessions.
The Add Item dialogue box permits one or more of the following entries: item photo, item name and type, location, date acquired, estimated value, make and model, serial number, notes, and tags. Items can be an object, document, or computer file, and all...
New chips could mean a six-core iMac (but as for Blu-ray...)
Intel plans to launch several new desktop processors in the third quarter of 2010 to replace some previous models, according to "DigiTime" report (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100701PD209.html). The chips could conceivably find their way into new quad-core iMacs -- or perhaps a high-end, six-core version.
The report says later this month Intel will launch three processors including: the six-core Core i7-970, priced at US$885; quad-core Core i5-760 with core frequencies of 2.8GHz and priced at $205; and quad-core Core i5-870S for small form factor computers and priced at $351.
"DigiTimes" says Intel will launch the Pentium E5700 for $75 in early August and Core i3-560, Pentium E6800 and Celeron E3500 at the end of the month with prices of $138, US$86 and US$53, respectively.
However, things aren't looking good for Blu-ray on the Mac, even as an option. "MacRumors" (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/30/steve-jobs-suggests-blu-ray-not-comi...) says that reader "Siva" emailed Apple...
Apple posts iOS 4 Exchange Server sync fix
Apple has posted an iOS 4 Exchange Server sync fix (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3398). Immediately after updating to iOS 4, some users may notice that Exchange ActiveSync Mail, Contacts, or Calendars don't sync, or sync very slowly. In addition, some Exchange Server administrators may notice their servers running slowly.
Apple says To work around this issue, users should install a configuration profile from Apple that increases the amount of time the iOS 4 device will wait for the Exchange Server to respond to its sync requests. For best results, the profile should be installed on as many iOS 4 devices at your company or home as possible.
Apple posts updated HP, Epson printer drivers
Apple has posted updated Hewlett-Packard and Epson printer drivers. HP Printer Drivers v.2.4.1 for Mac OS X v10.6 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL907) includes the latest HP printing and scanning software for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"_ It's a 387.47MB download.
Epson Printer Drivers v2.4 for Mac OS X v10.6 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL900) installs the latest software for your Epson printer or scanner. It also requires Snow Leopard and is a 737.48MB download.
Logitech introduces two new headsets
Logitech (http://www.logitech.com) has announced two new headsets. The Logitech USB Headset H530 and the Logitech Laptop Headset H555 feature support for super wideband audio.
The lightweight Laptop Headset H555 folds flat and fits into the included case. The USB Headset H530 offers laser-tuned drivers. Both headsets are compatible with Logitech Vid HD, Skype 4.0 for Window® or later, and Skype 2.8 for Mac or later.
The Logitech Laptop Headset H555 is expected to be available later this month for US$59.99. The Logitech USB Headset H530 is also expected to be available in July for $49.99.
Apple sued over iPhone 4 antenna problems
Another day, another lawsuit. Apple is being sued over the antenna problems of the iPhone 4. The widely publicized problem is that some users see a degradation in the cell signal when they cover the lower left corner of the iPhone 4 with their left hand.
As reported by "All Things D" (http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100701/apple-att-sued-over-iphone-4...), the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Maryland Wednesday on behalf of a pair of Maryland residents who purchased two iPhone 4s each "only to find they suffered significantly reduced reception and performance when handled the way any reasonable person would handle a cell phone." The class action accuses Apple and AT&T (T) of knowingly selling phones with a defective antenna design.
"Plaintiffs were sold defective iPhone 4 units, which drops calls and data service when held in a manner consistent with normal wireless phone use,” the complaint reads. “Plaintiffs have experienced numerous dropped calls, and as a result,...
School district implements Mac terminal services thin client lab
Aqua Connect (http://www.AquaConnect.net), provider of an enterprise grade Mac terminal server, and 10ZiG Technology (http://www.10zig.com), which specializes in the development of thin clients and network appliances, have collaborated with Campbell Union School District in San Jose, California, to create new energy efficient Mac terminal services thin client labs.
Campbell Union School District's goal was to deliver green desktops for the Mac platform. To accomplish this, a central lab was implemented in the library for students to use throughout the day. The lab consisted of 10ZiG RBT thin clients that were deployed Mac OS X desktops through the Aqua Connect Terminal Server.
Previously, the students had been using legacy Macs in the library that had been in production for years. The student reaction to the new thin clients was so positive that the school district decided to put additional 10ZiG clients with Aqua Connect Terminal Server across the school in various classrooms.
"This...
QuickerTek releases carry handles for the MacBook, MacBook Pro
QuickerTek is shipping carry handles (http://www.quickertek.com/products/macbook_air_carry_handle.php) for all models of the Apple Unibody MacBook (aluminum and white) and MacBook Pro Unibody 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch laptops.
The carry handles are made from non-flex aircraft quality aluminum for strength and are priced at US$79.95. The handle is built with captive screws and attaches with a bracket mount that uses the existing screw holes on the back of the computer.
The design lays the handle out and the bracket elevates the MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air to allow better airflow underneath the laptop.
AdMob says Android catching up to the iPhone
According to a new report from AdMob -- which stores and analyzes handset and operator data from every ad request in its network of more than 15,000 mobile web sites and applications -- Apple's iOS (the operating system formerly known as iPhone OS) fell to 40%, while Google's Android is headed towards 30%.
The latest analytics reports done by the company show that Android continues to draw market share from the iOS. A year ago, the iPhone owned almost 50% of the smartphone market by web traffic while Android had only 5%, notes "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/06/30/admob-android-continues-to-take-m...).
By the way, AdMob is now a subsidiary of Google, which makes the Android operating system for mobile devices. I'm just sayin', is all.
-- Dennis Sellers
IDAPT i4 now compatible with the iPad, iPhone 4
IDAPT has released the new IDAPT i4, which charges up to four different mobile electronics simultaneously which helps eliminate cord clutter. It's compatible with the iPad and iPhone 4 as well as 4,000 different mobile electronic devices including BlackBerry, Nintendo DS, PSP, digital cameras, GPS systems, and Bluetooth products.
The IDAPT i4 has three charging ports and an additional USB charging port. It features an interchangeable tip system making it completely customizable. The “quick release” button allows for safe and easy ejection of the interchangeable tips, according to Jeremy Patay of IDAPT. Additional features include an LED display light indicating charge status and an on/off switch allowing users to economize energy use.
The IDAPT i4 is available in black, white or silver at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$59.99. The packaging includes these tips: miniUSB, microUSB, iPod/iPhone, Samsung 4, Nokia 2, and Sony Ericsson 2. Additional tips can be purchased at...
VinylStudio for the Mac spins to version 7.5
AlpineSoft has updated their vinyl-and-tape-to-CD-and-MP3 software, VinylStudio for the Mac, to version 7.5. The latest version can handle a much wider range of file formats including AIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless, CAF, AAC, WAV, MP3, OGG and WMA.
It also includes many detailed user interface improvements, including the ability to import album cover art directly from a web browser via drag and drop and a number of new features (such as playing at reduced speed to pin down those hard-to-find clicks) requested by users.
VinylStudio is a software solution for digitizing vinyl LPs and tapes. It records your records and tapes, splits those recordings into tracks, removes scratches, tape hiss and more and burns both audio and MP3 CDs and DVDs. You can also play your recordings on your computer. VinylStudio can look up track listings over the Internet and copy tracks to your iPod or MP3 player.
VinylStudio comes with audio cleanup filters to remove clicks, crackles, tape hiss and more. All...
Winter Wolves releases Vera Blanc: Full Moon game for the Mac
Winter Wolves (http://www.winterwolves.com) has released Vera Blanc: Full Moon, the first installment in the Vera Blanc game series. It costs US$19.99 and is available for Mac, Windows and Linux systems. A demo is available for download.
Here's how the game is described: "Take on the role of Vera Blanc, a young and beautiful woman with an extraordinary power: the ability to read other people's minds! Daughter of Emmanuel Blanc, one of the richest people on Earth, she left her life of luxury to use her powers to work alongside paranormal detective Brandon Mackey. In this first episode, our heroine travels to a mysterious town in Germany deep in the Black Forest. A serial killer is on the loose, and all leads point to a werewolf as the culprit!
"The game plays like an adventure game or visual novel, but you'll have to make frequent choices and play several minigames that will influence the course of the story. The minigames range from the classic 'spot the difference,' to the more...
AccountEdge 2010 for the Mac released in Canada
Acclivity (http://accountedge.com/mac/) has released AccountEdge 2010, the latest version of their small business accounting software for the Mac, and AccountEdge Network Edition in Canada. Among the new features are integration with Sofa's web store Enstore, more detailed tracking of item information, profitability of a sale analysis, and bank deposit slip printing.
"AccountEdge 2010 comes with several considerable updates this year," says Tom Nash, Acclivity Managing Partner. "One of the new additions that we're excited to talk about is the integration with EnStore, the new web store developed by our Checkout partners, Sofa. This feature is appealing for anyone that wants to offer their customers a simple, elegant online shopping experience."
EnStore is a pay-as-you-go web store that integrates with AccountEdge. Products, images, pricing and other details are managed in AccountEdge and synced up to EnStore. AccountEdge pulls down new orders, customers, payments and taxes.
EnStore...
ToonIt! updated for Photoshop CS5
Digital Anarchy has announced a free update to their ToonIt! Photo cartooning plug-in (http://www.digitalanarchy.com/toonPS/main.html). Version 2.6 adds compatibility for Adobe Photoshop CS5 and 64-bit operation on Mac systems.
The update also adds many behind-the-scenes improvements, like background rendering, to make ToonIt faster and more responsive. ToonIt! Photo is used by photographers and digital artists to create a variety of cartoon styles, painted effects, and illustrated looks.
ToonIt! Photo for Photoshop is regularly priced at US$159, but is on sale for $89 until July 15. The plug-in works in Adobe Photoshop CS–CS5 and Photoshop Elements 6.0–9.0 and runs on Mac OS X10.3.9–10.6, Windows XP–7.0 and Vista systems.
A separate version for use in Apple’s Aperture is on sale for $79 (normally it's $129_. ToonIt! Aperture is also updated to version 2.6 for the render improvements. Current owners of ToonIt! Photo and ToonIt! Aperture should contact Digital Anarchy for free update...
FileMyFiles for Mac OS X adds uninstall/remove app features
Pubblog has updated FileMyFiles (http://filemyfiles.com), a file organizing utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.3. The upgrade adds the capability to uninstall and remove applications, along with all of their associated files and folders.
According to the folks at Pubblog, with one click, FileMyFiles will: clean up your Desktop; copy your important files and folders to your laptop when you go on the road; and copy them back to your desktop computer when you return. You can even schedule FileMyFiles to automatically organize all the files in a list of all of your important folders.
You can schedule FileMyFiles to automatically organize all the files in a list of all of your important folders. All of your files are put away according to the type of the file. Files are sorted and put into folders according to eight categories of file types: Words, Images, Audio, Compressed, Data, Layout, Video, and Web.
FileMyFiles is fully customizable. The names of the destination folders can be changed...
QNAP releases version 3.3 of NAS Management Software
QNAP Systems has announced an update to the NAS management software embedded in their Turbo NAS products as firmware. Version 3.3 update provides new features and enhancements for consumer and business users of both current and legacy Turbo NAS server models.
Support for the QMobile app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users allows music, photos, and videos stored on QNAP Turbo NAS servers to be remotely streamed and played directly on the Apple devices anywhere there is access to a WiFi or 3G network, eliminating the need to store the content physically on the device. Also, a new Firmware Live Update feature allows QNAP Turbo NAS servers to automatically check for and download new NAS management software updates.
Version 3.3 has other new features and enhancements, as well. The firmware is available for download free of charge at http://www.qnap.com .
Chronos announces iClipboard 3.0 for Mac OS X
Chronos LC (http://www.chronosnet.com) has released iClipboard 2.0, an update of the clipboard manager for Mac OS X. According to Jerry Halls, vice president of Sales at Chronos, there's a new Paste Blaster that fundamentally changes the way users can paste clippings from their history.
It works just like the application switcher built into Mac OS X where you press Command-Tab to switch applications. Instead of selecting an application, the Paste Blaster lets you select the clipping you want to paste. iClipboard 3.0 also lets you copy clippings to projects, in addition to moving them. You can now turn the Shelf on and off.
iClipboard 3.0 is immediately available for US$29.99. Registered iClipboard 1.x and 3.x users can upgrade to version 3.0 for $14.99. A 30-day demo is available for download. iClipboard requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later.
SecretBox for Mac OS X adds Import Assistant
app4mac has released SecretBox 2.1 (http://www.app4mac.com/secretbox.html) for Mac OS X, an update of the app that allows you to keep your secrets in a safe place and uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data.
Version 2.1 offers a new Import Assistant. Now you can import data from the 1Password Interchange format. There's also an improved user interface and enhanced search function.
SecretBox for the Mac requires Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") or Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). It costs US$35, though version 2.1 is a free update for registered users of version 2.0. SecretBox for the Mac can also sync with the $4.99 iPhone/iPad version.
'iFixIt' offers teardown of iPhone 4 gyroscope
The "iFixIt" site has torn down the iPhone 4's gyroscope. You can see it at http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone-4-Gyroscope-Teardown/3156/1 .
Apple first announced the iPhone 4's gyroscope at WWDC 2010, but it was largely overshadowed by other big players inside the phone -- the A4 processor, Retina display, and external antennas. A lot of technology gets stuffed into vibrational gyroscopes (the type found in the iPhone 4), yet a casual observer may barely notice the chip itself, let alone the phenomenal contents within it. "iFixit" and Chipworks have partnered to show you exactly what's inside these little gems.
"Vibrational gyroscopes have a ton of practical uses, including automotive yaw sensors, game controllers, and image stabilization in cameras," says the "iFixIt" gang. "Now, iPhone 4 applications and games can also benefit from their superb accuracy. The teardown covers not only the iPhone 4's gyroscope, but vibrational gyroscopes in general. We tried our best to explain how...
Apple looking for iPhone/iPad antenna engineers
Apple is looking to hire iPhone and iPod antenna engineers, according to an "Engadget" report (http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/apple-hiring-iphone-antenna-engineers...). This is almost certainly in regard to an antenna issue causing poor reception and dropped calls."
Apple has gotten mounting complaints that holding the new iPhone in a certain way can impede signal strength, making it difficult or even impossible to make and maintain calls. The problems seems to be more prone to left-handed iPhone owners.
There are three Apple job postings for iPhone/iPad antenna engineers to "define and implement antenna system architecture to optimize the radiation performance for wireless portable devices." All three were posted on June 23.
Verizon iPhone rumors resurface
They're bacccck. Rumors of an impending Verizon iPhone. "Bloomberg Business" (http://macosg.me/2/gg) quotes "two people familiar with the plans" as saying Verizon Wireless will start carrying the iPhone in January.
Carrying the iPhone will give Verizon a boost in its competition for smartphone customers, UBS AG analyst John Hodulik told "Bloomberg Businessweek." Verizon customers, who numbered 92.8 million at the end of the first quarter, may buy three million iPhones a quarter, he estimates.
"Apple is going to dramatically increase the number of devices it sells in the U.S. when exclusivity at AT&T ends," says Hodulik. "It’s hard to ignore the quality issues that AT&T has faced."
If it happens, Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner told clients -- as reported by "Barron's" (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/06/30/apple-verizon-iphone...) this would result in the sale of at least 12 million additional phones in the U.S. market which would mean more than $7 billion in...
Worldwide mobile subscriptions to reach five billion by fourth...
ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) forecasts over five billion mobile subscriptions by the end of 2010, with an approximate 4.8 billion connections having been reached by the end of the year’s first quarter. Much of this growth will be registered in developing markets in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
Africa remains the fastest growing mobile market with a year-over-year growth of over 22%. Mobile penetration in Asia-Pacific will rise significantly to 65% by the end of 2010.
"This unprecedented growth is driven by India and Indonesia, which have together added over 150 million subscriptions in the past four quarters," says ABI Research analyst Bhavya Khanna. "Falling monthly tariffs and ultra-low-cost mobile handsets have democratised the reach and use of the mobile phone, and aggressive rollouts by mobile operators in these countries will see the current rate of subscriber addition maintained for some time to come."
At the other end of the spectrum, developed countries...
ArchiOffice 2010 released for Mac, Windows systems
BQE Software (http://www.bqe.com), a provider of business management software, has released ArchiOffice 2010 for both Macs and PCs. The upgrade sports over 150 new and enhanced features designed to help architects and engineers better manage their businesses.
Among the new features are customizable dashboards, put-it-anywhere document management, intelligent folder synching, and enhanced integration with Microsoft Outlook, Entourage, Apple Mail, Address Book and iCal. ArchiOffice 2010 also added the ability for users to customize reports and invoices and drill-down into projects and costs.
Other enhancements include 128-bit SSL encryption and the option for a business to use its own SSL certificate. ArchiOffice utilizes Java Web Start technology to deliver capabilities with a small memory footprint, according to Steven Burns, FAIA, director of Product Strategy and Innovations at BQE Software.
This new technology in ArchiOffice eliminates manual software installation, replacing this...
iRecord Pro now ready for the iPad, iPhone 4, iOS 4
Streaming Networks (http://www.iRecord.com) has announced a new version of the iRecord Pro (PMR-200) with integrated support for the iPad, iPhone 4, and iOS 4. Movies and music can be installed on these devices simply by pressing a single button.
The new iRecord Pro (US$269.99) is also backward compatible with all members of the iPod and iPhone family including the fifth gen iPod nano. Existing iRecord Pro customers can have this same functionality with a software upgrade. (For current owners, the latest firmware is downloadable for $9.99.)
To use iRecord Pro, connect it via standard audio/video (AV) connectors to any TV, set-top-box (STB), DVR, camcorder, VCR, DVD, cassette and LP players, computer or just about any audio and video source. With one touch, iRecord Pro records directly to your choice of portable media player, offering an alternative to drag and drop and iTunes procedures.
In the absence of a portable media player, iRecord Pro can also record to any USB mass storage...
International versions of Poser 8 available
Smith Micro Software (http://www.smithmicro.com) has announced the international availability of Poser 8, the next generation of the 3D figure design and animation solution.
Poser 8 is now available in French and German language versions. The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Mac or PC version is US$249.99 with upgrades from previous versions priced at $129.99. An upgrade to Poser 8 will be offered to users with a valid serial number from Poser 4 or higher.
Aero case for the iPad available in blue, pink
weight protective case for the iPad case. Its skin-tight, zero-flex polyurethane material enhances your grip when carrying and handling, and provides excellent impact protection from bumps and drops, according to the folks at RadTech.
The Aero is made from thermoplastic polyurethane. It features windowed access to display, buttons, switches, speakers and dock connector. The design also enhances the grip when carrying or handling the iPad.
The Aero is available in blue and pink. It's fully washable and autoclavable
Virtual Programming ships new native version of X3: Reunion
Virtual Programming has gone back to the well and reissued the Mac OS X version of the best-selling intergalactic adventure game X3:Reunion in a version that eschews the translation layer technology known as Cider.
The latest version of the game, which is a free update for all players, is a Mac OS X native port. It is also cheaper than the original version.
"We weren't happy with X3: Reunion's performance when using Cider, and it turned out many of our customers weren't either," says Virtual Programming CEO Mark Hinton. "As a gesture of goodwill, we reengineered the game as a native port that's a free update for existing customers. Starting today, new X3: Reunion customers will receive the updated version of the game."
Here's how the game is described: "X3: Reunion takes place in a far-flung future where humans have long since lost contact with Earth, which is now considered nothing more than a myth. Players slip on the spacesuit of Julian Brennan, who travels the 161 sectors of the...
Craft Animations has announced the discounted availability of...
Craft Animations has announced the discounted availability of the complete Craft Director Studio (CDS) tool suite. From now through Sept. 30, 2010, all artists utilizing 3ds Max 2011 or Softimage 2011 can visit http://www.craftanimations.com to take advantage of a nearly 40% CDS discount.
The complete CDS suite includes nine specialized virtual cameras and seven vehicle tools that increase interactive control and simulation, and provides the ability to enhance cinematics through a modular, configurable system that replicates a specific rig's animation within a given project. 3D artists may literally "drive" a vehicle, or "direct" a camera within the creative environment, garnering a more realistic effect in less time.
The promotional CDS tools included on the Installation DVDs shipped with 3ds Max 2011, 3ds Max Design 2011 and Softimage 2011 software includes the Craft SoftMotionCam, Craft ObserverCam, Craft MultiStateCam, Craft HumanizerCam, as well as four Craft Pre-rigged Models....
Keith McMillen Instruments releases computer platform for...
Keith McMillen Instruments (http://www.keithmcmilleninstruments.com) has released Stringport, which it says is the first computer platform for guitars. It's a Mac compartible hardware device that processes, converts and conveys to the computer the polyphonic audio from hexaphonic pickups (such as GK, Graph Tek, Zeta and RMC models) through USB 2.
The software suite includes 24 applications including Analysis (for converting every little performance nuance into control data), Polyphonic FX Processing (Wave Guide, PolyFuzz, Phase Vocoder, SMACK), a VST FX Wall (for integrating third party VST plug-ins), Synthesis (Classic FM and direct support for the Synful synthesizer), a Notation application (to capture data for output to music notation software), and MIDI Out (to integrate StringPort into an existing MIDI set-up).
The StringPort is being introduced at special discounted price of US$795; the regular price is $995), plus free software updates for one year. It requires Mac OS X 10.6...
Analyst: iPhone 4 shortages hurting the Apple brand
AT&T started selling the iPhone 4 to walk-in customers, but they didn't last long. Some stores have already exhausted their supply of iPhone 4s -- and that's bad for the Apple brand, according to one analyst.
"What is happening now certainly has done some damage to the Apple brand," said Tina Teng, an analyst at iSuppli, in a statement to "Computerworld" (http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178673/Update_AT_T_now_selling_i...). "Consumers, questioning Apple's supply chain management capability, have started looking for alternative devices. In particular, consumers are not satisfied with Apple's response to the antenna issue causing poor reception and dropped calls."
Teng was referring to mounting complaints that holding the new iPhone can impede signal strength, making it difficult or even impossible to make and maintain calls.
DropDMG for Mac OS X updated to version 3.0
DropDMG 3.0 (http://c-command.com/dropdmg/) -- a new version of the tool for creating Mac OS X disk images -- is now available. The user interface and disk imaging engine have been almost completely redesigned and rewritten.
A Layouts feature gives developers a WYSIWYG editor to set the background picture, view options, and icon positions. Configurations are now editable, and the Configurations window has been merged into the Preferences window.
In DropDMG 3.0, the "New Blank Disk Image..." command lets you protect select folders using the same encryption technology as FileVault but without its drawbacks.
The new version adds support for the ".sparsebundle," ".sparseimage," and hybrid (".iso") disk image formats.
The DropDMG window in DropDMG 3.0 now has a customizable toolbar for quick access to commonly used commands. The Activity window consolidates progress information into a single window, rather than having separate windows for each operation. Additionally, DropDMG now has...
WireTap Studio for Mac OS X updated to version 1.1.1
Ambrosia Software has released WireTap Studio 1.1.1 (http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/utilities/wiretap/), an update of the audio recording software for Mac OS X. A free upgrade for registered users, the new version fixes iPhone ringtone issues being experienced with iTunes 9.2.
It also improves the functionality of Silence Removal, offers faster variable bit rate encoding of your MP3s and addresses a crash while editing a file as waveform was loading. Additionally, there are other fixes and enhancements.
With WireTap Studio, you can record the discrete audio output of any application, as well as all system audio, or even record audio input from any microphone, line-in, or audio input hardware. Once you've recorded audio, WireTap Studio's audio editor allows you to edit your recorded audio without any loss of quality or content, according to the folks at Ambrosia. You can even take a file you mistakenly recorded at a lower quality and increase the quality at any time, without the need to re-...
Craft Animations offers suite upgrade for sample tools
Craft Animations has announced the discounted availability of the complete Craft Director Studio (CDS) tool suite. From now through Sept. 30, 2010, all artists utilizing 3ds Max 2011 or Softimage 2011 can visit http://www.craftanimations.com to take advantage of a nearly 40% CDS discount.
The complete CDS suite includes nine specialized virtual cameras and seven vehicle tools that increase interactive control and simulation, and provides the ability to enhance cinematics through a modular, configurable system that replicates a specific rig's animation within a given project. 3D artists may literally "drive" a vehicle, or "direct" a camera within the creative environment, garnering a more realistic effect in less time.
The promotional CDS tools included on the Installation DVDs shipped with 3ds Max 2011, 3ds Max Design 2011 and Softimage 2011 software includes the Craft SoftMotionCam, Craft ObserverCam, Craft MultiStateCam, Craft HumanizerCam, as well as four Craft Pre-rigged Models....
Hulu Plus to be iPad compatible
Hulu has announced Hulu Plus (http://www.hulu.com/plus), an US$9.99 monthly subscription service that's compatible with a variety of devices including the iPad, the PlayStation 3 and, of course, TV sets.
Hulu Plus will offer current and past seasons from many ABC, Fox and NBC shows -- and in HD at that. However, it's currently in an invitation-only testing period. No date hasn't been given as to when the "final" version will be ready to go.
