DssW has released Battery Report for Mac OS X 10.5 or later. The US$8.99 app creates detailed reports about a user's computer and power sources. Battery Report focuses on providing users with a clear report about their computer, the computer's internal battery, and connected external power sources. Supported external power sources include most power adapters connected to the mains, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Users can easily share their reports with Mac support staff using the "Send to E-mail" menu item, or by saving the report as a PDF, says Graham Miln, director, DssW. For more info, or to download a demo version of Battery Report, go to http://www.dssw.co.uk/batteryreport/ .

At this week's Mobile World Congress, Adobe (http://www.adobe.com) that developers and content publishers can now deploy Adobe AIR applications to more than 84 million smartphones and tablets running iOS and Android. By the end of 2011, Adobe expects more than 200 million smartphones and tablets to support Adobe AIR applications. For examples of popular AIR applications for Android and iOS, visit m.flash.com . In addition, Adobe announced that more than 20 million smartphones were shipped or upgraded with Adobe Flash Player 10.1 software on over 35 certified devices in the first six months following the launch. But don't count iOS devices among them, as Apple -- or at least CEO Steve Jobs -- isn't a Flash fan. For 2011, the company expects Flash Player to be supported on more than 132 million units worldwide, says David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Creative and Interactive Solutions Business Unit, Adobe. Adobe is also showcasing the latest release of Flash Player -- Flash Player...

Today at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), , ooVoo (http://www.oovoo.com), a cloud-based video communication service that delivers video across every platform, will demonstrate its multi-point video chat on Apple iOS mobile devices. “We’re thrilled to deliver our best-in-class video communication service across every platform,” says Philippe Schwartz, CEO of ooVoo. “One reason we’re the fastest growing communication app on the Internet1 is because we’ve broken down the platform barrier connecting video calls across smartphones, tablets, PCs, Macs and now iOS mobile devices.” ooVoo Mobile is already available today from the Android market. ooVoo’s free over-the-top application will be available in the AppleApp store starting in April. In December, ooVoo launched a first 4G mobile video chat service that allows 6-way video chat. The service works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G to simultaneously connect smartphone, Mac and PC users. To experience high quality mobile video chat, download the ooVoo...

Boingo Wireless (http://www.boingo.com) has launched a new all-you-can-eat Internet access plan for laptops that's tailored to customers connecting primarily in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Boingo Europe Plus gives laptop users unlimited access at more than 90,000 hotspots in Europe, Middle East and Africa for €27.95 per month. Usage outside the designated region is billed at €0.10 to €0.15 per minute and includes almost 170,000 additional hotspots across Asia Pacific and the Americas. Users can also sign up for the plan in British Pounds Sterling (£22.95 per month and £0.09 to £0.13 per minute for use outside EMEA). “The new Boingo Europe Plus plan is part of our ongoing initiative to provide more flexibility to customers whose Internet access needs are concentrated in specific geographic regions,” says Dawn Callahan, vice president of consumer marketing, Boingo Wireless. “This provides an affordable option with expansive Wi-Fi coverage in EMEA, while also providing a pay-as-...

NimbleHost (http://nimblehost.com) has announced Mobilize 1.1, a plug-in for RapidWeaver that adds mobile device detection to the Mac OS X web site design application. In version 1.1, Mobilize enables you to detect when cellphone and smartphone users are visiting your web site, and will redirect them to the web site of your choosing. Support for a wide variety of cellphones, smartphones, and other mobile devices are included. Until now RapidWeaver users had no way to easily detect and redirect visitors using cellphones, smartphones, and other mobile devices, according to NimbleHost CEO Jonathan Head. Mobilize gives you full control over this aspect of web design, enabling you to target a number of mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, as well as android devices, Blackberry devices, palm and webOS devices, Windows Mobile/Phone, and generic cellphones. Mobilize requires Mac OS X 10.5.2 or higher and RapidWeaver 4.1 or later. It's Universal Binary so runs natively...

NXP Software (http://www.software.nxp.com) is demonstrating an upgrade of QuickPlayer at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011 in cooperation with Envivio. This new version allows Android-based devices to play content encoded for Apple’s adaptive HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol. Fully compatible with major video service providers, it lets Android users access the extensive content available within the Apple ecosystem, says Peter Van de Berg, marketing director, NXP Software. The software also ensures high-quality viewing, he adds. It supports up to standard definition resolution content. LifeVibes QuickPlayer allows consumers to watch online videos, and access live and on-demand content. The software is available to service providers as a software development kit (SDK) for a downloadable application. The SDK includes a reference application ready to deploy and can also be integrated with a third-party application user interface layer.

Apple’s iPad is leading an almost five-fold surge in NAND flash memory use this year as consumers buy tablets such as the iPad in increasing numbers, according to a report released Friday by HIS iSuppli -- as reported by "Computerworld' (http://macte.ch/OZJSC). The consumption of NAND flash memory chips, which are used to build solid-state drives (SSDs) used in mobile devices, is expected to soar to 2.3 billion gigabytes (2.3 exabytes) this year, up a 382.4% from 476.8 million gigabytes (or 476.8 petabytes) in 2010, the article adds. According to iSuppli, shipments of NAND for tablets shows no sign of slowing down, eventually hitting 12.3 exabytes of capacity shipped by 2014. When measured against the total supply of NAND flash, memory in tablets will represent 11.8% of the supply this year, up from a 4.3% in 2010, says iSuppli. By 2014, tablet memory will represent 16% of all NAND flash.

Apple is working on a new notification system for iOS and will be buying a small company to build its technology into the operating system, reports "Cult of Mac" (http://macte.ch/8bmCg), quoting unnamed sources. The name of the company is unknown, but it's reportedly one that already has an app in the Apple App Store. "Apple’s pop-up notification system for new text messages, voicemails and the like has often been criticized as one of the weakest parts of the iOS," says "Cult of Mac." "Notifications are intrusive, modal and often cryptic. It’s a mess ... There were rumors last year that the iPhone’s notification system would be fixed after the chief architect of Palm’s system, Rich Dellinger, returned to work at Apple. However, the system still hasn’t been fixed, and according to our source, Apple is now trying to buy a small app developer to fix it."

Sony may pull its artists from Apple's iTunes Store, as well as withhold its games from the iPhone, in what could spark an "all-out war" between the two companies, reports Yahoo News (http://macte.ch/qv7oI). Sony purportedly plans to launch a rival online music store to iTunes in Australia called Music Unlimited. The company may also be planning to launch a gaming service that would enable mobile phone users to play first generation Playstation games on their handsets -- a service Sony says is unlikely to be available through iTunes. "Yahoo News" says Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Michael Ephraim has told reporters that Sony’s music streaming is a "new technology" that gave consumers greater freedom to play their music on a variety of devices. "If we do (get mass acceptance) then does Sony Music need to provide content to iTunes?" he is quoted as saying. "Currently we have to provide it to iTunes as that's the format right now. Publishers are being held to ransom by Apple and they...

The "Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/YMMRR), quoting "people familiar with the matter," reports that, three weeks into a medical leave, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, 55, is staying closely involved in the company's strategic decisions and product development,. Jobs, whose ailment hasn't been disclosed, has been taking business meetings at home and on the phone, the article says. The CEO has also reportedly been spotted on Apple's Cupertino, California, campus and in public in Palo Alto, California. The "WSJ" says that, among products Jobs is continuing to work on are the next version of the iPad, expected out in the next couple of months, and a new iPhone, expected to be released this summer. As on Jobs' previous medical leaves, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook is overseeing the day-to-day operations at Apple.

The 2011 Photoshop World Expo, the world’s largest exhibition of digital photography and Photoshop-related products and services, will be held March 30-April 1 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photoshop World is produced by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) in partnership with Adobe. The industry expo features product launches, interactive demonstrations, exclusive offers, and promotions and giveaways from more than 40 exhibitors, including Adobe, Adorama, Epson America, Manfrotto, Mpix, Nik Software, onOne Software, Peachpit, Wacom Technology and Xerox Corporation. Throughout the course of this year’s expo, photographers of all skill levels will have the opportunity to put their shooting and lighting skills to the test at a special interactive booth located right on the show floor. Sponsored by F.J. Westcott, which specializes in professional photography and video lighting equipment, the booth will feature several live model and...

Softmatic has released Barcode Maker 4.0 (http://www.softmatic.com) and is offering it as a Mac App Store exclusive. It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and is found in the Graphics & Design category. The price for an individual license has been reduced from US$99 to $29.99. The barcode software creates all common linear and 2D barcode symbologies for use in DTP, Office and graphics applications. A three-step process lets you create standards compliant barcodes for package design, coupons, labels, book and magazine covers. Also featured is support for all GS1 code symbologies including Code 128 GS1. The generated bar codes can be exported in a variety of vector and raster formats (EPS, PNG, TIFF) for use in all common DTP, design, illustration, and graphics applications. To meet commercial requirements for barcodes, the software also features support for bar width reduction to compensate for ink spread and dot gain, light zone sentinels and bounding box markers. Typical...

Noteboom Productions (http://www.noteboomproductions.com/) says Tutor for iMovie '11 1.0, their latest video tutorial, is now available at the Mac App Store. You can find it in the Photography category for US$4.99. In Tutor for iMovie '11, the user watches videos to learn how to use iMovie '11, part of iLife '11 for the Mac. The video tutorial consists of 37 video chapters on various subjects including and overview of the interface to importing your movies to using precision editing to assigning keywords to sharing with Facebook.

Charlie's Games has announced Irukandji 1.5, an update of its Irukandji game on the Mac App Store. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher, costs US$0.99 and can be found in the games category. Irukandji is a score attack shoot-em-up game set in an abstract underwater trench. You fly your ship against the flow of hundreds of animated sea monsters. unlock a variety of different ships, each with its own unique weaponry and play style, which offers a different way to play the game. There are 10 achievements to attempt, and online high score tables for every ship. A demo of Irukandji can be downloaded from the Charlie's Games web site (http://www.charliesgames.com/wordpress/?page_id=11).

Berbie Software says TrailRunner mini 1.1.9 (http://trailrunnerx.com/trailrunnermini.php) is now available in the Mac App Store. It costs US$19.99, requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 and can be found in the Sports category. TrailRunner mini is a route planning app for runners, bikers and hikers. Based on the openStreetMap project, it lets you create, layout and modify routes using the route planner. Users can automatically download elevation data, view mile markers along a routes course, select and inspect parts of a route to learn about its profile and much more. You can import GPX or KML files from your iPhone, GPS device or a community portal. TrailRunner mini also lets you: view mile markers along a routes course; automatically download elevation data; select and inspect parts of a route to learn about its profile; name, rate, flag, comment and colorize collected routes; and export routes as GPX files to share and follow

Xinfinite has released iXiu 2.0 (http://www.xinfinite.nl/ixiu.html) in the Mac App Store. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later, costs US$4.99 and can be found in the Productivity category. A visualized pasteboard application, iXiu is a tool to paste any thing at any time within any application on a translucent panel sticked below the menubar. In addition, iXiu can send your clipboard to another local iXiu user. With a right-click on the panel or one of its icons, it will show a contextual menu with several options. Or simply double-click on an icon to open your browser or another application associated with the data. When iXiu is started, it will create a new panel below the menubar on the right side of your screen. This panel will appear when the mousepointer is moving above its tab. On this panel you can drop or paste anything you want.

I'd take this one with a grain of salt, but "Bloomberg Businessweek" (http://macte.ch/mo0eX) says Apple Inc. is working on new versions of the iPhone that are aimed at slowing the advance of competing handsets based on Google's Android software, Quoting "people who have been briefed on the plans," the article says one of the iPhones would be cheaper and smaller than the most recent iPhone. Apple also is developing technology that makes it easier to use the iPhone on multiple wireless networks, "Bloomberg Businessweek" says.

 The article adds that Apple has considered selling the new iPhone for about $200, without obligating users to sign a two-year service contract. Android phones for a range of prices at AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and other carriers, and typically are sold with agreements that include a fee for broken contracts, notes "Bloomberg Businessweek."

Apple’s iAds are hitting a rough spot, Erik Schonfeld writes for "TechCrunch" (http://macte.ch/RRGTB). He says that, across the board, several developers he's spoken to confirm that “fill rates” for iAds dropped drastically after the New Year and have yet to recover. The fill rate -- what percentage of the ad inventory is actually filled with an ad -- for two separate developers plummeted from 18% to 6%, Schonfeld writes. And in a few instances for some newer apps, none of the ad slots were getting filled, compared to nearly complete fill rates from other mobile ad networks, he adds. Others report better fill rates but as one developer says, “They have definitely come down.” One reason for the dip could be just seasonal. The fill rates and advertising budgets across all ad networks in general take a hit after the holiday, Schonfeld notes. But there seems to be something else going on here as well, he thinks. “The general consensus among the advertising community is that it is a...

Richard Kerris, a former Apple exec, is joining HP as vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations to help with webOS. At Apple he helped lead projects like Final Cut Pro, Logic, and iLife. He also served as the senior senior director for Apple’s Worldwide Developer Relations group. Additionally, Kerris spent three years as chief technical officer of Lucasfilm. According to "MobileCrunch" (http://macte.ch/DvBNm), at HP, Kerris will help promote and develop webOS, HP's operating system (acquired from Palm) that's based on Linux. HP says it's going to ship WebOS not only in phones, tablets and printers, but in PC’s as well. In doing so, the world's largest PC supplier hints they'll be shipping PC’s without Windows. (Photo courtesy of 'MobileCrunch')

Verizon Wireless, which will begin offering the iPhone today, may sell two million or more of the devices this quarter and draw subscribers. The company started sales at 7 a.m. (Eastern) today. However, while online sales to existing Verizon users Feb. 3 ended within hours as the company exhausted its stock, there were few lines at stores that began selling the device today, reports "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/Q9xhx). The carrier gaining the iPhone will intensify competition in the U.S. smartphone market and curb customer growth at AT&T, Craig Moffett, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., told the publication. The threat of losing users may encourage AT&T to increase subsidies on its devices, which would force other carriers to match the lower prices, benefiting consumers, he added Verizon may sell two million iPhones this quarter, according to Rick Franklin, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co., Jennifer Fritzsche at Wells Fargo Securities LLC and Ashok Kumar at...

A couple of interesting rumors say that games could be coming to the Apple TV this year and that we'll see not only the iPad 2 in 2011, but the iPad 3, as well. "Engadget" (http://macte.ch/EGHKL) says bits of code found in the latest beta version of iOS 4.3 released to developers hints that gaming, multiplayer functionality, leader boards such as the iOS Game Center and gaming controllers may be coming to Apple's set-top box. The article says that several references have been found pertaining to "ATVGames" and "ATVThunder" that point to a controller of some sort, leaderboards (think Game Center), a way to schedule games (multiplayer?), and a store front. "Apple TV's minimum storage capacity (about 8GB) suggests the company might look to streaming not entirely unlike how OnLive works; as our tipster speculates, the OpenGL is mature and thoroughly implemented enough that streaming low bandwidth data and computing locally could happen, but that's just theoretical with nothing in the...

Nulana LTD (http://nulana.com) says NuKit, Launcher, and Shortcuts, their lightweight productivity applications, are all available on the Mac App Store for half price. NuKit is a bundle of everyday tools to increase productivity and save time. Launcher is an utility that provides instant access to apps, search engines, scripts, Dictionary, and more. Shortcuts is a program that allows users to make their own keyboard shortcuts for everyday apps, frequent actions, files, and web sites. All require an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. NuKit (US$9.99), Launcher ($4.99) and Shortcuts ($4.99) are available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category.

Bayhoff Software (http://www.bayhoff.com/) has released a demo of BayCard, a HyperCard clone. It's fully functional, but will expire after 30 days. Also, a stack may contain a maximum of eight cards. BayCard was designed to allow non-programmers to bring their own visions to life without the need to learn how to write code. It was heavily influenced by Apple’s HyperCard. Like HyperCard, a BayCard document can be thought of as a stack of index cards. As a result, BayCard documents are usually referred to as stacks. Each stack contains a background that appears below all cards.  Unlike HyperCard, BayCard doesn't feature a scripting language. In place of a scripting language, it features over 25 interface widgets including, but not limited to, tables, lists, web pages, date pickers, and iTunes-style star ratings. The full version of BayCard is available on the Mac App Store for US$19.99.

Raskin Software (http://raskinformac.com/) has updated its self-titled Raskin application – a zoomable single surface Finder alternative for the Mac -- to version 1.2.2. The upgrade adds a Services contextual menu giving access to all file and folder-related Services provided by Mac OS X, as well as custom Services installed or created by the user. This can be an Automator Action to rotate or scale the currently viewed picture directly on the Raskin Surface or a file renaming action. Raskin is designed to simplify interaction with your computer files. It costs US$49.95 for a single-user license and requires Mac OS X 10.6.3 or higher. A 30-day demo is available for download.