proDAD has brought its Mercalli SAL video stabilizer to the Mac after years of being Windows only. Mercalli SAL Mac is a new, full-featured, stand-alone macOS native application.

It uses the Mercalli V4 stabilization engine to correct shaky, bent, and warped videos. It’s a native 64-bit macOS app loaded with professional features that include two levels of CMOS distortion correction and fisheye warp removal. Automated batch video analysis speeds your workflow and you can preview, trim, and split clips then export rendered video in a wide range of formats including ProRes 4444 and all flavors of ProRes 422.

Mercalli SAL Mac provides intelligent stabilization profiles (presets) that eliminate the need for manual fine-tune adjustment (though you can also tweak the settings if you wish) . Why is Mercalli SAL Mac a stand-alone application and not a Final Cut Pro X plug-in?

“We've discovered that editors prefer the simplicity of not being forced to use an NLE...

FxFactory has released a new Final Cut Pro X plugin called XEffects 3D Video Walls (http://tinyurl.com/y99hdrum). Developed by partner Idustrial Revolution, it allows the user to add moving video or still images to striking video walls in 3D space.

A choice of pre-programmed moves are included. The plugin allows the user to choose the individual panel shape, the number and layout of panels along with the choice of material, position in 3D space and depth of field.

A video editor can use a single panel positioned in 3D space with reflections and depth of field or put together a tumbling panel of 15 cells in three rows. 3D Video walls is launched at a discounted price of $49 for a month.

AKVIS (www.akvis.com) has released AKVIS Watercolor 2.0, an update of the Mac compatible software for imitating different watercolor techniques. Version 2.0 adds an Abstract Art tab and new built-in presets.

On the Mac platform, AKVIS Watercolor requires macOS 10.7 or higher. The product is available as a standalone application and as a plugin to photo editors such as AliveColors by AKVIS, Adobe Photoshop, and others. The Home sells for $49, the Deluxe for $69, and the Business for $89.

One license key allows activating and using the software on two computers. The upgrade is free for all registered users of the program. A demo is available for download.

Apple has announced that Isabel Ge Mahe, vice president of Wireless Technologies, has been named vice president and managing director of Greater China, reporting to CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams. In this newly created role, Isabel will provide leadership and coordination across Apple’s China-based team.

“Apple is strongly committed to invest and grow in China, and we are thrilled that Isabel will be bringing her experience and leadership to our China team,” Cook says in a press release. “She has dedicated a great deal of her time in recent years to delivering innovation for the benefit of Apple customers in China, and we look forward to making even greater contributions under her leadership.”

Ge Mahe has led Apple’s wireless technologies software engineering teams for nine years, focusing on development of cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, location and motion technologies for nearly every Apple product. She has also overseen the engineering teams developing Apple...

Apple has updated Logic Pro X — its macOS software for professional songwriting, editing, and mixing — to version 10.3.2.

Version 10.3.2 adds three Drummers who play percussion in the styles of pop, songwriter and Latin. New Drummer loops can be added to your song, then customized with performance controls. The pitch of an audio region can now be transposed or fine tuned.

Logic Pro X 10.3. improves responsiveness of the graphical user interface. New additive effects in Alchemy expand the options for filtering and modulating sound . The length of individual steps in the Arpeggiator plug-in are now adjustable. And volume automation resets as expected when a cycle returns to the beginning.

Logic Pro 10.3.2 is a free upgrade for registered users. For new users the cost is $199.99.

DigiDNA has introduced iMazing Mini, a free macOS utility designed to automatically backup iOS devices over any local Wi-Fi network.

The app provides the ability to backup your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch whenever the device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. Backups can be encrypted for security, and the incremental nature of the backups allows restoring a specific version of the backup.

iMazing Mini requires macOS 10.8 or higher and is available exclusively through the iMazing website (https://imazing.com/mini). A Windows version is in the works.

The $34.99 ClimateCase has been launched to provide protection for smartphones from overheating and freezing. Its multi-layered neoprene insulation provides thermal protection for smartphones.

The patented pending technology will prevent any smartphone from overheating in extremely hot conditions and from freezing in extremely cold conditions, sayks ClimateCase’s CEO Lisa Lambert. Simply place the cell phone inside a refrigerator-cooled or microwave-warmed ClimateCase before encountering extremely hot or cold weather.  Or if a phone suddenly stops working, ClimateCase can quickly restore it to its optimal temperature in less than 60 seconds, says Lambert.

ClimateCase also protects smartphones against accidental drops. It’s machine washable and fits most cell phone brands and models and is available in charcoal, pink, orange, camouflage and floral.

In celebration of World Emoji Day, Apple is sharing (http://tinyurl.com/y8ksmjux) some of the new emoji coming to iOS, macOS and watchOS later this year.

With thousands of emoji available on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, there are many ways to add personality to every message. New emoji include Woman with Headscarf, Bearded Person and Breastfeeding, and food items such as Sandwich and Coconut. More animals and mythical creatures like T-Rex, Zebra, Zombie and Elf are a fun way to describe situations and new Star-Struck and Exploding Head smiley faces make any message more fun.

Also in celebration of World Emoji Day, the App Store will be highlighting apps to create or do fun things with emoji, and iTunes Movies is featuring emoji in place of select movie titles.

illumineX (https://illuminex.com) has released EyeSpy 2.0.1 for macOS (10.12 or higher) on the Mac App Store in the Lifestsyle category. The free app is a new spin on the classic toy in which cartoon eyes watch your mouse cursor as you work.

EyeSpy includes free original cartoon characters developed in cooperation with professional artists as well as new characters available as an in-app purchase. Collections of new characters known as ArtPaX are also available. All characters can be shared with others via Messages, Twitter, Facebook or any sharing platform supported by macOS.