SmileOnMyMac (http://www.smileonmymac.com) has updated TextExpander, a macOS utility that lets users define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, to version 6.1.3. The upgrade adds support for the new MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar as well as improving VoiceOver support in the snippet editor. TextExpander 6.1.3 requires macOS 10.10 or higher. It costs as little as $3.33 per month for individuals on the Life Hacker plan. Current TextExpander users receive a 50% lifetime discount. TextExpander is $7.96 per user per month for the Team plan, which offers more robust snippet and user management and statistics.

Apple has seeded the third betas of upcoming macOS Sierra 10.12.3 and iOS 10.2.1 updates to developers. It can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the iPhone’s debut. At the 2007 Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, then-CEO Steve Jobs introduced the world to Apple’s smartphone as three products in one — “a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device.” In the 10 years since, Apple has sold over a billion iPhones. “iPhone is an essential part of our customers' lives, and today more than ever it is redefining the way we communicate, entertain, work and live,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release “iPhone set the standard for mobile computing in its first decade and we are just getting started. The best is yet to come.” Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, added: “It is amazing that from the very first iPhone through to today's newest iPhone 7 Plus, it has remained the gold standard by which all other smartphones are judged. For many of us, iPhone has become the most...

Koogeek (http://www.koogeek.com/) unveiled a range of new Apple HomeKit compatible products at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. HomeKit is a framework that allows control of compatible home automation devices through iOS and Siri. Koogeek is one of China’s earliest adopters of the platform. It’s HomeKit compatible products include an US$59.99 Smart Health Scale, $34.99 Wi-Fi Enabled Smart Plug, and $50.99- Wi-Fi Enabled Smart Socket. All products are available now.

Henge Docks (www.hengedocks.com) debuted a suite of new products at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, including Horizontal and Vertical Docks for the new MacBook Pro, as well as the introduction of an all-new product line with the first-ever Tethered Dock.   In addition to launching new products, Henge Docks announced a partnership with Apple as part of Apple’s Authorized Business Solution Provider (ABSP) program. Henge Docks customers can now purchase Apple MacBooks and accessories bundled with their docking stations. Bundles will range from a Clique purchased with Apple Magic Trackpad 2 and Apple Magic Keyboard, to a new MacBook Pro paired with a Horizontal Docking Station. Purchasing these value-add bundles can save the customer up to $150 on their new MacBook and dock, says Matthew Vroom, Henge Docks CEO.   The Tethered Docking Station is designed to act as a natural extension of your MacBook, matching the aesthetic and adding functionality. Every detail...

Apple says its App Store welcomed 2017 with its busiest single day ever on New Year’s Day, capping a record-breaking holiday season. There were nearly US$240 million in purchases. In 2016 alone, developers earned over $20 billion, up over 40% from 2015. Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned over $60 billion, creating “amazing” app experiences for App Store customers across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Mac, according to Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. Customers broke all-time records this holiday season with purchases from the App Store topping $3 billion in December. In the same month, Nintendo’s Super Mario Run made history with more than 40 million downloads in just four days after its release, and was the most downloaded app globally on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Super Mario Run is also among last year’s top 10 most downloaded apps worldwide, with Pokémon Go taking the top spot. Schiller says Prisma,...

Capparsa (http://www.capparsa.com/) has released TimeTag 5.0, an update to the syncing-enabled time tracking solution for macOS. It’s designed for freelancers and achievers. TimeTag features a simple interface, including the "Big Green Button" to help you start and stop timers with ease. Version 5.0 has a new, smaller design that takes up even less screen real estate. TimeTag is available to download for free and available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category. TimeTag Pro is a recurring subscription priced at US$3.99 monthly or $39.99 annually.

Robo (www.robo3d.com) is introducing an iOS app for 3D printing with its new smart Wi-Fi enabled, 3D printers. The app lets you connect and print right from your iPhone or iPad, monitor the progress of every print in real time, manage multiple prints and printers at once, connect to cloud libraries and access thousands of 3D models, make in-app purchases (filaments, accessories, print kits and more) and get access to 24/7 support and helpful tutorials. From the Robo C2's compact size, to Robo R2's high-performance, both printers feature built-in Wi-Fi, fast print speed, substantial print sizes, large color touch screens, automatic self-leveling print beds, integrated model slicing and filament run-out detection. The US$699.99 Robo C2 is engineered to fit any space with its small footprint, while still delivering a product that can scale nearly any project with the utmost detail and efficiency. The successor to the Robo R1+PLUS, the $1,299.99 Robo R2 sports a larger print size, heated...

OWC has announced the OWC DEC (https://www.owcdigital.com/DEC/), the first-ever expansion solution designed specifically for the 2016 Apple MacBook Pro. It will arrive in the spring; pricing hasn’t been announced. The OWC DEC attaches completely flush to the bottom of the 2016 MacBook Pro, providing additional flash storage and connectivity. When installed, the OWC DEC and MacBook Pro will be as thin as a 2012 MacBook Pro. This patented solution has a range of features, which include:  ° Up to 4TB of additional Flash/SSD storage (for a maximum of 6 TB, including factory capacity); ° SD Card Slot/Multi-Media card slot; ° USB 3 Type A Ports for standard USB cabled devices; ° Gigabit Ethernet; ° And other features to be announced at a later date.

Patriot (http://patriotmemory.com/) has announced the new Patriot Viper V370 RGB headset, V361 LED headset and the V330 stereo headset. “We are very excited to add three newly designed headsets to our lineup this year,” says Roger Shinmoto, Patriot’s Vice President of Product Development. “The V330 stereo headset will offer great stereo sound quality for PC or mobile gaming enthusiasts, while the V361 and V370 RGB headsets will offer the same proven 7.1 virtual surround sound and Ultra Base Response (UBR) system our customers have come to enjoy.” The V370 and V361 7.1 virtual surround sound headsets come equipped with 40mm neodymium drivers for sound detection in FPS and MMO games. An added 30mm sub-driver enhances the bass. A red V lights the side of the V361, while the V370 comes to life with full-spectrum RGB lighting. Connecting through a gold plated USB, the V370 and V361 have downloadable software to adjust sound levels and lighting effects. The V330 stereo headset is built with...

ExoLens (www.exolens.com) will debut the ExoLens Case at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The dual layer case allows photographers and cinematographers to use the ExoLens PRO with Optics by ZEISS mobile photography lenses. Designed with high-end aesthetics and impact-resistant materials, the ExoLens Case serves as a low profile, highly protective solution even without the lenses, says John Fellowes, CEO of Fellowes Brands. The ExoLens Case will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2017. Pricing hasn’t been announced.

Qardio, Inc.'s US$449 QardioCore — a wearable ECG monitor showcased at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas — is now available for pre-order at www.getqardio.com. It’s iOS compatible. QardioCore is a wearable medical electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) monitor allowing users to proactively look after their heart health long-term, all without the need for wires or patches. Packed with proprietary sensor technology, it records more than 20 million data points, streaming the user's live medical-grade data to their smartphones. ECG monitors sense the tiny electrical charges on the skin arising from the heart muscle's electrophysiological activity. It’s IP65 certified, making it splash and rain-resistant. QardioCore is worn as a chest strap and records continuous ECG, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, temperature and activity data. The data can then be automatically shared, for example, with medical professionals. Athletes can also take advantage of...

Pyle USA has introduced MusicMover, a full range stereo speaker system that also provides a “light show.” It boasts LED lights with five color changing modes, that blink and pulse to the music. The MusicMover allows users to connect via Bluetooth or 3.5mm to listen to Pandora, Spotify or online playlists. It has an FM tuner if users prefer to listen to the radio. The portable boombox offers two 2-inch drivers and two 4-inch subwoofers with a ported enclosure. Users can adjust treble, bass, echo and volume levels. When fully charged, the boombox provides eight hours of playtime, and includes battery level indicators to know when it needs to be recharged. Pyle’s MusicMover is available now at PyleUSA.com/ for a manufactures suggested retail price of US$119.99.

Cisdem has conjured up version 4.2.0 of OCR Wizard. The app can convert PDFs, scanned documents, and image files in over 40 languages into searchable and editable files. Version 4.2.0 provides improved editing functions. It’s available for macOS 10.9 and higher. OCRWizard is available now at the Cisdem website (www.cisdem.com). A demo is available for download. Normally, a single license of OCRWizard costs US$59.99; a two Mac license is $79.99; and a five Mac license is $119.99. However, prices are reduced 30% for a limited time.

Kanex will use CES 2017 (running Jan. 5-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada) to introduce the two newest members to its growing line of GoPower Apple Watch accessories (www.kanex.com/gopowerwatch). The products are the GoPower Watch Stand, a magnetic charging stand, and the GoPower Watch Mini, a portable keychain battery. Each member of the Kanex GoPower family has integrated into it the same magnetic inductive charging connector used in the Apple Watch. This allows users to leave their other charger at the office, in the car, or packed for traveling. The GoPower Watch Stand charges and displays both 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch models. An additional USB port on the back simultaneously charges an iPhone, iPad, or any other device. The Kanex GoPower Watch Mini charges an Apple Watch on-the-go and completely cord free. This magnetic charging disc starts charging at first contact. With 1,000 mAh of power, its lightweight battery is capable of delivering one full extra charge to the Apple smartwatch...

RCS Software has released Combo Cleaner: Antivirus and System Optimizer 1.0.6, an antivirus and system optimization application for macOS 10.10 and higher. The suite of tools allows you to scan your Mac for viruses, find duplicate files, uninstall apps, scan for privacy issues, remove junk and obsolete files, and more. Combo Cleaner also keeps you informed of the amount of your computer’s free disk space and memory, as well as the system's CPU load. While Combo Cleaner (http://www.rcs-software.com/) is free to download in the Mac App Store, it also offers a premium subscription option, which enables additional features. Subscriptions are available via an in-app purchase. Pricing is US$2.99 monthly, $14.99 for six moths, and $25.99 annually. The Combo Cleaner free version offers a Disk Cleaner feature, designed to ensure that your Mac is free of junk and obsolete files.

Unmarked Software (www.unmarked.com) has updated TextSoap, its macOS productivity tool designed to automate the tedious task of manually cleaning up text, to version 8.3.
 The software — compatible with macOS 10.10 or higher — processes text from different formats. Version 8.3 improves handling of international text, as well as addressing a number of issues reported by customers. The upgrade is free to all TextSoap 8 customers. Customers may either update from within the app or directly download the update from Unmarked TextSoap 8.3 has a suggested retail price of $45. Through Dec 31, 2016, it’s available for $29.24, a 35% discount. TextSoap 8.3 may be purchased directly from Unmarked Software. Discounted upgrades for existing customers are also available and may be purchased directly from Unmarked Software. Prices for upgrades start at $23.

Apple has released new versions of its router software: 7.6.8 for the 802.11n AirPort Extreme, and 7.7.8 for the 802.11ac AirPort Extreme. According to Apple's release notes, the update fixes an issue where the routers would not respond to the AirPort Utility when "Back to My Mac" is enabled. There are also security fixes. You can install the upgrades via the AirPort Utility. If the routers are not visible as a result of "Back to my Mac" being enabled, disable the feature and reboot the routers.

AKVIS (www.akvis.com) has released AKVIS Neon 2.5 for macOS (10.7 and higher) and Windows. The new version provides full compatibility with Photoshop CC 2017, adds support for more RAW files, and fixes minor bugs. AKVIS Neon creates sparkling drawings that look like they were drawn with light or luminescent ink. The app offers numerous presets and decoration effects. Version 2.5 is a free upgrade for recent buyers. Users, whose license is not valid for the new version, can get Neon 2.5 for $14.95. For new users the cost is $39 for the plug-in. A demo is available for download. AKVIS Neon is available as a standalone application and as a plugin filter for Adobe Photoshop, Corel PaintShop Pro, and other image editors.

The NFC Forum has announced \the availability of three adopted and one candidate technical specifications, following approval by the Board of Directors. The specifications are available on the NFC Forum website (www.nfc-forum.org). Significant enhancements to these specifications include the addition of Active Communication Mode (ACM) for Peer-to-Peer Mode (P2P) communication, support of NFC-V Technology compatible to ISO/IEC 15693 and the introduction of the NFC-V based Type 5 Tag allowing NFC devices to communicate with a broader range of devices and tags. “As global NFC adoption grows, these new specifications bring the ease and power of NFC to more applications and use cases in the Internet of Things, Transportation, Payments, Connected Vehicles markets, and beyond,” said Koichi Tagawa, chairman of the NFC Forum. “I’d like to thank the NFC Forum’s Working Groups and Technical Committee for their work on these important new specifications in support of product innovation and design...

Gerald Flossmann has released ChordPro Buddy 1.2.5 (http://www.gfApps.com), an update to his easy and song editor and viewer for the Mac. The app allows musicians to create, edit and view songs, lyrics and lead sheets. It allows users to transpose, change chords and create formatted printouts or PDF. Version 1.2.5 boasts more than 50 improvements and bug fixes. Chord Buddy requires version runs on macOS 10.10 or higher. It costs $4.99 and is available at the Mac App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/app/chordpro-buddy/id434955766) in the Music category.

Fidelity Media has released MegaSeg 6.0.1 (http://www.megaseg.com), an upgrade to the radio automation and DJ mixing system for macOS Sierra. The features over 30 bug fixes and improvements, including better support for Apple Music tracks, new global search shortcut, a superior rotation shuffle method, scaled album artwork progress rings, and various speed optimizations. MegaSeg is available in two editions. The $99 DJ edition focuses on core live mixing features with visual beat syncing via multitouch gestures, multiple outputs for headphone preview, MIDI control, automatic volume, advanced categorization, track logging, and integrated iTunes playlists. MegaSeg Pro ($199) adds video playback with ambient visuals, hot keys for triggering sound effects, automated music scheduling, advertisement messaging events, rules for applying artist separations, request lists with reminder notes, and more advanced features for professional DJs and VJs, radio stations, and hospitality businesses...

Nintendo’s Super Mario Run game for the iPhone and iPad is now available at the Apple App Store. You can play the game one-handed and engage in a new battle mode called Toad Battle.  It’s a free download, but costs $9.99 to unlock all the features. Super Mario Run also requires a persistent Internet connection. In the game, Mario runs through the world as you tap on the screen, making him jump to avoid obstacles, strike objects, clear gaps and perform other maneuvers. Level scores, coins and world progress are collected and tallied. Super Mario Run features three main game modes: World Tour, in which gamers run through six worlds and 24 courses to rescue Princess Peach from the clutches of Mario's nemesis Bowser; Toad Rally, a multiplayer mode that pits users against friends and other players in a race to gather coins; and Kingdom Builder, which lets users customize a virtual environment with buildings and decorations purchased using collected coins and toads acquired through Toad...

MakeMusic has announced the formal release of the new SmartMusic, a web-based redesign of the acclaimed interactive music practice platform for music students and educators. Like the classic SmartMusic, the new SmartMusic (www.smartmusic.com) supports the proven deliberate practice model by providing immediate feedback and making it possible for educators to individually guide each student, according to Fred Flowerday, MakeMusic’s senior vice president of product strategy. Students practice specific music assigned by their teacher and receive instant feedback on what they played correctly – and incorrectly. They also receive an assessment score and can hear recordings of their performances. When they’ve mastered an assignment, SmartMusic sends their score and recording back to their teacher’s Gradebook to be evaluated, graded, and documented. Teachers and students can also provide comments on every performance. In addition to interactive practice tools for students and administrative...