Apple wins Business Journals' American Brand Excellent...
The Business Journals (http://thebusinessjournals.com/) has named Apple the 2012 Grand Award winner as part of its ninth annual American Brand Excellence Awards, which recognize brands that best meet the needs of small to mid-sized businesses (SMB). This year marks the second consecutive year that Apple, a pioneer in brand excellence, has received the award.
"Year after year, the American Brand Excellence Awards serve as a unique way to dive into the minds of business owners to determine how they view the companies that play a key role in their success on a regular basis," says Michael Olivieri, chief revenue officer of American City Business Journals, parent company of The Business Journals. "The results of this year’s study prove how dynamic these companies really are and continue to offer the highest class of service to the SMB community, as five of the six winning brands took the same titles just last year.”
Over 250 business brands were rated and over 2,000 SMB owners and...
Apple jumps to number two on IDC health insights survey
IDC Health Insights (https://idc-insights-community.com/health) has announced the results of the "Q1 Leading Indicators in Life Science IT Spending Survey," which polled more than 100 leading life science companies on which life sciences hardware, software, and IT services vendors they plan to spend money with during 2012.
Of particular interest, the most notable improvement in hardware came from Apple, moving into second place for the first time, with more than 30% of respondents planning to purchase their hardware from Apple. This jump represents a 220% increase in Apple's survey score since 2009.
Apple also made huge strides in the software category, catapulting into second place behind Oracle, up from fifth place last year. The new results underscore the notion that the iPad is helping Apple become a dominant player in the life sciences.
Dell maintained its sizeable lead in the hardware category with nearly 45% of life science companies expecting to purchase hardware from Dell...
NetMarketShare: Mac OS X, Safari, iOS down in March
According to the latest market share survey from NetMarketShare (http://www.netmarketshare.com), the market share for Mac OS X, Safari and iOS all dipped slightly month.
According to the report, among desktop operating systems, Mac OS X had 6.54% of the global market share in March compared to 6.92% in February (that's global market share; in the US it's over 10%). Windows remains dominant with 92.48% as of January. That's up from 91.92% in February.
When it comes to browsers, Safari had 5.07% in March. Internet Explorer had 53.83%, Firefox had 20.55% and Chrome had 18.52%. That compares to, respectively, February percentages of 5.24%, 52.84%, 20.92% and 18.90%, respectively, for the browsers.
The iOS's still dominated in March, according to NetMarketShare. It had 59.87%, compared to 18.66% for Java ME, 15.10% for Android, 2.77% for Symbian and 2.21% for Blackberry. That compares to 60.90%, 19.02%, 14.16%, 2.77% and 2.15, respectively, in February.
NetMarketShares' monthly surveys...
Judge's order upholds some Apple touchscreen patent claims
Judge Richard Posner has issued an order upholding some of Apple's touchscreen heuristics patent claims against Motorola Mobility, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/T0xyL).
The '949 patent covers, with respect to a handful of rather basic gestures, the problem-solving strategy of interpreting the user's touchscreen commands by recognizing swipes that are not straight lines (a human being can hardly draw a perfectly straight line) by virtue of a certain level of tolerance," Florian Mueller writes for "FOSS Patents."
All this is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (mostly but not exclusively iPhone, iPad and iPod). Litigation between the two companies has taken place in several different federal courts.
In November 2010 Apple...
Apple ups developer iAd revenue to 70%
According to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com), Apple has increased the developers' share of iAd revenue from 60% to 70%. The announcement came on Apple's official developer center in a brief statement.
Ads combine the emotion of TV advertising with the interactivity of Internet advertising, according to the late Steve Jobs, when he introduced the service in 2010. He said iAds, which are built into iOS 4 and later, allow users to stay within their app while engaging with the ad, even while watching a video, playing a game or using in-ad purchase to download an app or buy iTunes content.
However, the ad platform has struggled, and Apple has cut pricing. Advertisers can now spend US$100,000 to initiate mobile campaigns; that's down from a $300,000 threshold.
'iFixIt' introduces iPad Fubar, for getting inside the...
"iFixIt' has put together the iPad Fubar by Stanley (http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/AyIqaVLGq2RWMXKq.huge).
Here's how it's described: "We've been searching high and low for a better way to get inside the iPad. Our current method requires industrial strength suction cups, a heavy-duty 1500 watt heat gun, a dozen plastic spacers, and about an hour of careful heating and prying.
"iPad service technicians clearly need a faster way to get inside. Our expertise lies primarily in precision tools, but after a year of failing to develop a better methodology ourselves we decided to turn to a higher power. The fine men and women of Stanley Tools are well-known purveyors of first-rate tools, measuring devices, and industrial demolition equipment. We asked them to design a tool specifically for dismantling the iPad. After an intense collaborative development effort, we've finally cracked it."
O'Reilly publishes 'Using Mac OS X Lion Server'
O'Reilly has published 'Using Mac OS X Lion Server" (US$29.99), which is designed to help you set up a Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion") for your business, school or home network.
Author Charles Edge shows you how to share files, mail, and calendar information on your desktops, iPads, iPhones, and other devices, whether you’re new to Mac OS X servers or need to update your skills for the Lion edition. You'll also discover how to configure your network to include multiple operating systems -- including Mac, iOS, and Windows -- and set up servers for wikis, websites, and podcasts.
Edge started looking to share his knowledge of the Mac OS X Server operating system in 2004. His first speaking appearance at a large conference was DefCon 2004. Since then he has spoken at conferences such as MacSysAdmin, MacWorld, LinuxWorld and BlackHat. Since then, Edge has written six books, including the "Enterprise Mac Administrator's Guide," "Enterprise Mac Security" and the "Enterprise iPhone and iPad...
Wizorb now at the Macgamestore
Tribute Games' Wizorb is now available at the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com). It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and costs US$2.99.
Here's how the game is described: "The once peaceful Kingdom of Gorudo is threatened by an evil presence. The only hope for salvation is Cyrus, a wizard versed in a secret magic art called Wizorb! Explore many strange places from the derelict monster infested town of Clover to Gorudo Castle atop Cauldron Peak. Danger lurks around every corner so you'll need to keep your wits about you and have quick reflexes in order to survive."
Shreddie releases tiny Shreddie shredder
Apparent has announced the Shreddie, a small paper shredder. It's designed as a companion to Apparent's Doxie Go, a portable, cordless scanner.
Shreddie annihilates bank documents, mail, letters from lovers past, and other documents quickly and quietly in a form factor you can take anywhere, says Paul Scandariato of Apparent. It can operate by USB or by battery -- so no computer is required.
Shreddie is coming "soon" for purchase online and in stores. Pricing hasn't been announced.
Mac OS X software updates for April 2
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps.
Akvis (http://www.akvis.com) has announced Akvis Magnifier 5.5, software for increasing image resolution. It resizes any digital image without losing image quality. Magnifier is available for both Mac and Windows as a standalone program and as a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. Version 5.5 fixes bugs and adds compatibility with coming Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop Elements 11.
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has released Deliver Express 2.2, a feature update to its automated solution to send and share files across the Internet and local networks. Deliver Express processes files automatically from watched hot folders and can run totally unattended. The software offers e-mail notifications, multi-destination delivery, file compression and more. The new version adds the ability to use a single hot folder for all destinations by including destination codes in file names.
Video-Recorder.net has rolled out Easy Video Recorder for Mac 1.5,...
SecondShells releases a line of iPad case protectors
SecondShells has announced its latest release of covers and protective cases for the new iPad.
SecondShells new iPad3 cases can be found at their Amazon store by going to http://macte.ch/U6Pm6. Additionally, consumers can find out more about the company's full list of electronic accessories by logging on to http://www.secondshell.com .
eBook case settlement involving Apple, others near?
The Justice Department could reach a settlement in the next few weeks with Apple and some of the major publishers suspected of collaborating to hike electronic book prices reports "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/HpLxa), quoting two unnamed "people close to the negotiations."
While negotiations are still "fluid," the settlement is expected to eliminate Apple's"most favored nation" status, which had prevented the publishers from selling lower-priced e-books through rival retailers such as Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, the article adds. The deal could also force a shift, at least temporarily, in pricing control from publishers to retailers.
The brouhaha centers on Apple's move to change the way that publishers charged for e-books as it prepared to introduce its first iPad in 2010. Traditionally, publishers sold books to retailers for roughly half of the recommended cover price. Under that "wholesale model," booksellers were then free to offer those books to customers for less than the...
Mobile segment looks good in lackluster semiconductor market
Mobile device semiconductors were one of the few bright spots in a chipset market that stalled in 2011. Revenue from chipsets designed for mobile devices increased by more than 20% to $35 billion, while the total semiconductor market limped out of 2011 with just 2% year-on-year growth, according to new data from ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com).
"It’s tempting to describe this industry as lackluster," says Peter Cooney, practice director, semiconductors. "But then, some segments of the semiconductor market are booming and vendors concentrating on the mobile device sector have delivered very healthy growth in 2011."
Shipments of mobile devices such as smartphones, media tablets, and e-book readers are growing fast and are driving growth for a range of semiconductor components including modems, applications processors, wireless connectivity ICs, MEMS sensors, and audio ICs.
Platform ICs (including modems, applications processors, RF components, and PMUs) account for the bulk...
Apple goes after ownership of more domain names
Apple has filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in an attempt to obtain ownership of the domain names Applecom.com and ApplePrinters.com , according to "The Next Web" (http://macte.ch/nBMr3).
The WIPO is the United Nations agency "dedicated to the use of intellectual property (patents, copyright, trademarks, designs, etc.) as a means of stimulating innovation and creativity." The mission is to "promote innovation and creativity for the economic, social and cultural development of all countries, through a balanced and effective international intellectual property system."
Apple named top consumer brand in Japan for the first time
Apple took top honors for the first time in an annual brand evaluation survey of consumers by Nikkei BP Consulting, reports "Nikkei.com" (http://macte.ch/TilYd).
Scoring 90.5 points for total brand power, Apple jumped to the top sport from 11th place in 2011. In a survey of businesspeople, the U.S.company took second behind Toyota Motor Corp.
The Brand Japan 2012 survey had a consumer market category targeting 1,000 brands, as well as a business market category for 500 brands. It was conducted online over November and December of last year. Overall brand power scores were calculated based on the responses of some 52,000 people aged 18 and older.
Tablet owners in Japan, US view their devices differently
Dentsu Innovation Institute (dentsu.co.jp) recently conducted a survey in both Japan and the US, focusing on how users who own digital devices such as tablets and smartphones use multiple devices. The survey found:
° Fifty-one percent of people in Japan consider a tablet to be "closer to a PC." In the US, meanwhile, 57% consider it to be "closer to a smartphone."
° In the US, the tablet is used numerous times daily for media content. In Japan however, excluding social media (26%) and video sharing services (21%) there is not much daily usage by tablet owners. A particularly big difference can be seen for e-book usage: 35% for the US, and 6% for Japan.
° Thirty-six percent of US tablet owners use their tablet devices to post comments about TV programs on social media. This is greater than people who post comments using smartphones (24%). In the US, it can be said that tablet devices are starting to be used as a link between TVs and social media.
° When looking into whether people...
Australian government okays iOS for storing, sharing data
The iPhone, iPad and iOS have been approved by the Australian government to be used for storing and sharing classified government data, reports the "Herald Sun" (http://macte.ch/ctpo9).
Mike Burgess, acting director of the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD), said the department has led the way in developing means to enable devices running the latest Apple operating system, iOS 5, to handle secret information up to the Protected level. He said DSD had worked closely with industry to develop practical instructions for government to securely use the latest technology, notes the "Herald Sun."
Man sues Apple for overselling Siri's abilities
Another day, another lawsuit. Another lawsuit has been filed in regards to Siri, Apple's voice activated "personal assistant" that debuted with the iPhone 4S.
The new suit, filed this week in a U.S. District Court by a California resident named David Jones argues that Apple oversells Siri's abilities in advertising and TV commercials, reports the "L.A. Times" (http://macte.ch/lRYqh) .The lawsuit claims using Siri isn't that easy, seeks financial "relief and damages" for Jones and other iPhone 4S owners.
"Through its nationwide multimedia marketing campaign, Apple disseminates false and deceptive representations regarding the functionality of the Siri feature," the suit alleges. "For example, in many of Apple's television commercials, consumers are shown using Siri to make appointments, find restaurants, and even to learn the guitar chords to classic rock songs. In its advertisements, Apple depicts these tasks as easily accomplished 'just by asking' Siri."
Overtime changes at Foxconn shouldn't affect product...
Low labor costs and a growing reliance on automation will ensure Apple supplier Foxconn’s newly announced efforts to reduce overtime for its employees and hire extra workers has no effect on product prices, analysts have told the "IDG News Service" (http://macte.ch/lRYqh).
Foxconn, which manufactures iPhones and iPads for Apple, will restrict workers’ overtime to 36 hours a month by July 2013, bringing it down from the allowed 80 hours per month, according to an audit released by the Fair Labor Association on Thursday. The policy change means the company will need to hire more workers to make up for the lost hours.
However, labor costs in China only a make up a small fraction of a product’s total cost, Helen Chiang, an analyst with research firm IDC, told the "IDG News Service." In the case of a personal computer, the labor cost will only amount to three to four percent of its price, she said.
Foxconn is also expanding its factory base into central and western China, where worker...
Vote on future SIM card standard delayed
"Les Echos," a French financial daily, says -- as noted by "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/Ywf5f) -- "deep divisions" in the industry over the future SIM card standard made it impossible to reach an agreement at the ETSI meeting that started Thursday and ends Friday. According to the report, the participating companies have failed to reach an agreement and decided not to hold the envisioned vote. In accordance with ETSI rules, the vote will now have to be postponed by a minimum of 30 days, reports "FOSS Patents."
Last week the "Financial Times" reported that Apple is competing with Motorola Mobility, Research in Motion and Nokia on a smaller SIM card standard. Apple wants a "nano-SIM" that would let it design even smaller products, the article adds.The MicroSIM card, with a design smaller than traditional SIM cards, was pushed by Apple in 2010 with the launch of the iPhone 4.
However, a nano-SIM would shrink further -- to about a third the size of the MicroSIM. Apple's keen on...
Apple releases iPhoto 9.2.3
Apple has released iPhoto 9.2.3. According to Apple it improves stability and fixes some bugs.
You can obtain iPhoto 9.2.3 via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X System Preferences app. It's a 256.9MB download.
AmbiLauncher is new app launcher for Lion
Nikolay Kropachev has introducedAmbiLauncher for Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"). The US$0.99 app allows you to launch applications by moving the pointer quickly to the left or right edges of the screen and back. It's available at the Mac App Store in the Productivity category.
The screen boundaries are divided into sections of different colors. One movement of the cursor to each section of the screen and back launches the application. You can edit the color, size, and position of the sections. The assigning of applications to each of the sections is done in accordance with the applications' names.
You can also edit the width of the sections on the screen border and their transparency. When the cursor stays near the screen borders for a long time, the sections disappear and don't interfere with pressing buttons, scrolling or watching the video in full-screen mode.
New book helps you 'Take Control of CrashPlan Backups'
To commemorate the upcoming World Backup Day on March 31, TidBITS Publishing has released Joe Kissell's "Take Control of CrashPlan Backups" ebook, which provides help for CrashPlan, CrashPlan+, and CrashPlan PRO.
Code 42 Software, makers of the CrashPlan backup service, are marking the day by giving a free copy of "Take Control of CrashPlan Backups" to anyone who signs up for CrashPlan service through Monday, April 2 (Central Daylight Time). Shortly after the promotion ends, Code 42 will send new subscribers email with information about how to get the free ebook.
Those who already have a CrashPlan subscription, or who want to give CrashPlan a try without signing up just yet, can buy the 138-page book by itself for US$10 at http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/crashplan .
In "Take Control of CrashPlan Backups," Kissell helps readers devise an effective backup strategy for CrashPlan's capabilities, shows how to back up to multiple destinations and restore files from all of them, explains...
Smartphones dominate new US phone purchases
Almost half (49.7%) of U.S. mobile subscribers now own smartphones, as of February 2012.
According to the Nielsen research group (http://www.nielsen.com), this marks an increase of 38% over last year; in February 2011, only 36% of mobile subscribers owned smartphones. This growth is driven by increasing smartphone adoption, as more than two-thirds of those who acquired a new mobile device in the last three months chose a smartphone over a feature phone.
Overall, Android continues to lead the smartphone market in the U.S., with 48% of smartphone owners saying they owned an Android OS device. Nearly a third (32.1%) of smartphone users have an Apple iPhone, and Blackberry owners represented another 11.6% of the smartphone market. Among recent acquirers who got their smartphone within the last three months, 48% of those surveyed in February said they chose an Android and 43% bought an iPhone.
IK Multimedia ships iKlip Studio for the iPad
IK Multimedia has shipped the US$29.99 iKlip Studio (http://www.iklipstudio.com), a desktop studio stand for the iPad. It's designed and created specifically for musicians but can be used by "anyone needing a sturdy, non-slip, adjustable stand for all iPads, including the just released iPad," the company says.
The iKlip Studio is constructed of a lightweight, shock-resistant, thermoplastic material that supports the Apple tablet in both horizontal and vertical positions. Rubber foot pads grip the desktop surface and prevent unwanted sliding. Slots in the housing allow access to every port of the device for charging or connecting to external speakers with channels for keeping cables organized.
A detachable bracket is also included to hold IK’s iRig guitar interface adapter in place and keep it from hanging off the iPad. For portability, the iKlip Studio folds flat so it can be easily carried in a iPad or laptop bag.
Mac OS X software updates for March 30
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps.
Econ Technologies (http://www.econtechnologies.com) has updated ChronoSync to version 4.3.2 and ChronoAgent for Mac to version 1.3.2. The updates improve performance of concurrent file copying and responsiveness when aborting a large file transfer along with numerous bug fixes.
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has announced Deliver Express 2.2, a feature update to its automated solution to send and share files across the Internet and local networks. The new version adds the ability to use a single hot folder for all destinations by including destination codes in file names.
Adobe has released Lightroom 4.1 release candidate on Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com). The update adds raw file format support for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and corrects issues reported from the initial Lightroom 4.0 release.
Foxconn says it will fix problems found by the Fair Labor...
A Fair Labor Association (FLA) audit of working conditions at China's Foxconn plant, which makes iPhones and iPads for Apple, found some violations, but the Chinese company says it will fix the problems.
A note (http://www.fairlabor.org/report/foxconn-investigation-report) at the FLA site has this to say: "On February 13, FLA launched an independent investigation into labor rights allegations at Foxconn, an Apple supplier in China. FLA assessors logged more than 3,000 staff hours inside the factories. They evaluated conditions based on visual observation and review of policies, procedures and documentation (payroll and time records, production schedules, employee records); interviewed hundreds of Foxconn workers and managers both on- and off-site; and conducted an anonymous worker perception survey of 35,500 randomly-selected Foxconn workers -- providing an in-depth understanding of working conditions, particularly during peak production of Apple products. FLA found excessive overtime...
Apple store in Dalian, China, to be world's biggest?
A mall in Dalian, China, has begun advertising that the "world's biggest" Apple Store is set to open soon, reports "M.I.C. Gadget" (http://macte.ch/3G05Q).
The store will be located in a shopping center called Parkland Mall at Dalian, a rich Chinese city with a lot of investment coming from Korea and Japan, the article adds. But things have gotten off to a rocky start.
"... due to competition in shopping centres, another shopping center called Dalian Department Store is jealous of Parkland Mall for having an Apple Store," says "M.I.C. Gadget." "So, the Dalian Department Store sent its security team to push down the Apple Store posters outside the Parkland Mall ... According to local journalists, some Apple retail managers have arrived Dalian to solve the matter.
Best Buy to close 50 stores
Best Buy will close 50 big-box stores this year, test new store formats in San Antonio and Minneapolis, and lay off 400 corporate and support workers as part of a plan to trim US$800 million in costs and restructure its business, reports "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/dGLHU).
What's the problem?
"Consumers armed with mobile phones are increasingly using stores as showrooms to check out merchandise they later purchase for less online, a trend greatly benefiting Internet retailers such as Amazon.com, which aren't encumbered by the costs of running physical locations and in many cases don't have to collect sales tax," says the "WSJ." "Meanwhile Apple Inc.'s phones and tablets, showcased in its own namesake stores, have eroded the status of specialty chains as the one-stop shop for the latest in gadgetry."
In response, Best Buy will launch large-scale tests of what it calls new "connected store" formats in the Twin Cities and San Antonio. The stores, which will emphasize...
Tim Cook has 97% approval rating
Apple CEO Tim Cook is certainly off to a good start. He has a 97% approval rating, according to Glassdoor (http://www.glassdoor.com/press/), an online jobs and careers community, reports "Forbes."
The Glassdoor list is based on reviews voluntarily posted by employees who answer the following question: "Do you approve of the way this person is handling the job of leading this company?" The 25 top-rated chief executives are honored as America’s Favorite Bosses.
"There are likely several reasons that contributed to Cook’s high approval rating," Samantha Zupan, a Glassdoor spokesperson, tells "Forbes." "For one, Apple employees speak about what a great job he and the executive team are doing leading the company. Another reason is that employees had time to adjust to the idea that Cook would eventually take over the reins from iconic tech visionary Steve Jobs. Lastly, many employees speak highly about the company culture, which continues to be fostered under Cook."
No new MacBook Airs until summer?
Looking for that rumored 15-inch MacBook Air and next-gen 13-inch Airs. Seems they won't start mass production until June, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/68Oyk), quoting unnamed sources. Previous speculation had production starting next month.
"DigiTimes" says there's more interest in the 13-inch MacBook Air than a 15-incher, though the article doesn't back that up with any stats. The report also says that the 15-inch MacBook is expected to enjoy a monthly capacity of 100,000-150,000 units initially and will rise gradually.
$15 settlement details offered for 'Antennagate'
Regarding the settlement announced in February over antenna issues on the iPhone 4, certain owners are now receiving notices instructing them how to claim their US$15 settlement payment from Apple.
As part of a preliminary approval made last month, U.S. residents who bought the iPhone 4 are entitled to US$15 in cash or a bumper case provided by Apple. "Antennagate" was the popular media term used for reported glitches with iPhone 4 call reception.
The settlement came from 18 separate lawsuits that were consolidated into one. All share the claim that Apple was "misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4 -- particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software."
"Apple will provide a $15 cash payment to Class Members who send in a valid claim form," Apple says. "The claim form will require you to declare that you: (a) experienced antenna or reception issues...
Tim Cook visits Foxconn plant in China
"Bloomberg" reports (http://macte.ch/86Xz7) that, during his visit to China, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the Foxconn Technology plant in Zhengzhou, where iPads and iPhones are manufactured.
A iPhone production line is at the new Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people, the article adds. Apple didn’t provide other details on Cook’s visit or say how much longer he’ll be in China after having held high-level talks in Beijing earlier this week.
Apple releases iTunes 10.6.1
Apple has released iTunes 10.6.1. It's available via the Software Update component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app. According to Apple, the update:
° Fixes several issues that may cause iTunes to unexpectedly quit while playing videos, changing artwork size in Grid view, and syncing photos to devices;
° Addresses an issue where some iTunes interface elements are incorrectly described by VoiceOver and WindowEyes.
° Fixes a problem where iTunes may become unresponsive while syncing an iPod nano or iPod shuffle;
° Resolves an ordering problem while browsing TV episodes in your iTunes library on Apple TV.
Cocoa/Objective-Cologne Conference coming in September
Pomcast.biz has launched its website (http://objcgn.com/) for the upcoming developer conference in Cologne, Germany. The Cocoa/Objective Conference will be held Sept. 11 and 12. All sessions will be in English.
Tickets are available right now for 399 € + VAT (that's approximately US$625). This price doesn't include your flight or accommodation, but it does include lunch on both days, and a dinner on the first day. This is "early bird" pricing until the end of April. After this the price will be 439 € + VAT.
Noise Industries announcers Punchline titles for Final Cut Pro X
Noise Industries has brought SUGARrfx Punchline (http://www.sugarfx.tv/info/punchline_SUGARfx.html), a collection of title and transition elements, to FxFactory.
Designed by the SUGARfx broadcast team for Final Cut Pro X, Punchline delivers 32 effects, all customizable and adjustable, right within FCP X. Users can test drive a free trial then purchase Punchline for US$49 through FxFactory.
Punchline offers 11 different titles and 21 transitions. Panels in titles and transitions have the function to enhance the footage right within the element itself.
Transition elements have been designed to take advantage of the best capabilities found inside FCP X. For example, simply drag the numbers that appear in the timeline to the frame desired, and the corresponding panels will display the frame.
Just-Mobile releases designer cable organzier
Just-Mobile has released the AluCube Minil a designer cable organizer. It's made of aluminum, contrasted by black rubber inline for an improved grip. It's designed to keep obtrusive cables at bay.
The US$16.95 AluCube Mini comes in packs of two, along with 3M non-marking adhesive patches for use in more permanent situations such as work desks, or the abode of your various mobile devices. On the other hand, for cable conscious road warriors, the AluCube Mini can conquer annoying cable chaos in the outer pockets of your briefcase, or to cure that familiar condition of the self-tangling cable in your bag or pocket, according to the folks at Just-Mobile.
World Academy Online brings MBA business ed to Mac App Store
Intersog has launched World Academy Online on the Mac App Store. It requires Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"), is free and can be found in the Business category.
Compatible on Apple laptops and desktops, the business education hub provides users with a MBA-level learning experience. World Academy Online promotes a scalable educational program that users can utilize on their own terms and their own time.
Each of the 40 courses included in World Academy Online is based on Intersog's proprietary Learning To-Go system. Each combines complete course texts, interactive flashcards and tests.
iWeb Themes Park expands collection to 165 templates
The iWeb Themes Park team (http://www.iwebthemespark.com/Home.html ) has added five new iWeb Themes to their collection of iWeb templates. iWeb is Apple's entry level web site creation tool.
The iWeb Themes Box now contains 165 templates in total. New Themes include Arrow, Business Co, Easter, Graffiti and Jewelry The iWeb Themes Box is available for US$29.99. The price of a single template starts at $11.99. Six iWeb themes are free for everyone to try it out. To use iWeb Themes from iWeb Themes Park requires a Mac with iWeb from iLife '09 or later.
iPresentee launches new RapidWeaver themes website
iPresentee has expanded its portfolio of RapidWeaver themes and relaunched the RapidWeaverThemes.net site (http://www.rapidweaverthemes.net/). The site adds 20 themes designed for Web site development using RapidWeaver from RealMac Software.
The themes require Mac OS X 10.4 or later and RapidWeaver 4.0 higher. Each individual theme is available for US$12.99. The set of 20 RapidWeaver Themes may be purchased for $29.99. Samples and more information about new themes are available at the RapidWeaverThemes.net website.
Wire-free weather receiver available for the iPad
Sporty's Pilot Shop has introduced what it says is the first completely wire-free weather receiver for the iPad -- and it requires no monthly subscription.
Stratus combines an ADS-B and GPS receiver into a single unit that wirelessly streams NEXRAD radar, text weather, TFRs and aircraft position to the ForeFlight Mobile app for iOS devices. The portable design includes an internal eight-hour battery, a high-gain internal antenna, and a Wi-Fi connection to the iPad, so Stratus can be placed on the glare shield and out of the way, says Sporty Vice President John Zimmerman It is easy to move from airplane to airplane, making it ideal for renters, flying clubs and corporate flight departments, he adds.
Stratus wirelessly streams the full suite of available weather products: NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, PIREPs, TFRs, and winds aloft. It also includes a built-in WAAS GPS receiver that provides position information to ForeFlight Mobile's moving map, which includes VFR sectional...
Coladia announces Ultimate Adventure Bundle for Mac OS X
Coladia has announced the Ultimate Adventure Bundle containing 8 best selling adventure games for Mac OS. All games have been rated 4.5+ stars by customers on the Mac App Store.
Available for download on Coladia's website, the bundle includes Dracula 3 -- The Path of the Dragon, Nostadamus -- The Last Prophecy, Return to Mysterious Island 2, The Secrets of Da Vinci, Return to Mysterious Island, Cleopatra: a Queen's Destiny, Destination: Treasure Island and Secret of the Lost Cavern.
Through April 4, the Ultimate Adventure Bundle will be sold for US$49. All games can be purchased individually for $14.90 on Coladia's website (http://www.coladia.com) or on the Mac App Store.
Joy Factory unveils two new iPad cases
The Joy Factory (http://www.thejoyfactory.com) has announced two new cases -- the Joyful Wish and Connect the Dots -- for the new iPad.
The Joyful Wish (pictured) is an US$69.96, soft textured case available in pink, soft gray and black. The hand-stitched detail adds an upscale touch "with soft palette options that complement spring fashions," according to the folks at The Joy Factory.
The Connect-the-Dots case ($69.95) is hand-crafted of soft synthetic leather. The luxurious accessory "reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of the smart tablet that it supports and connects the user to the technology," according to the folks at the Joy Factory. It converts into a stand that supports both portrait and landscape viewing, and features a wake-up/sleep cover.
Mac OS X software updates for March 29
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps.
URL Extractor -- an OS X application to extract emails address and URLs from files from the web -- has been revved to version 3.4.1. It's a maintenance release and is available at the Mac App Store.
Digital Heaven has released Disksomnia 3.0 (http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/disksomnia), a new version of the OS X utility that stops disks from going to sleep. The new version has been completely rewritten and works in the background to keep any disk awake, including those that ignore Energy Saver preferences.
Inventor sues Apple, Sony over data vending patent
Another day, another lawsuit. According to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com), two separate lawsuits filed in California this week allege that Apple's iTunes and Sony's Playstation Network use so-called data vending technology, or a broad system that lets users store and manage digital content like music, video and software on electronic devices.
Intellectual property attorneys from The Lanier Law Firm are representing inventor Benjamin Grobler who was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,799,084 describing a system in which digital data is distributed to an electronic devices called a "data depot" for storage and management. The IP also calls for a remote database that maintains ownership and user records.
Half of U.S. households have at least one Apple product
Half of all U.S. households own at least one Apple product, according to CNBC’s All-America Economic survey (http://www.cnbc.com/id/45303081/).
That’s more than 55 million homes with at least one iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac. And one-in-10 homes that aren’t currently in that group plan to join it in the next year, according to CNBC. According to their survey:
° Homes that own least one Apple, own an average of three.
° Overall, the average household has 1.6 Apple devices.
° Almost one-quarter plan to buy at least one more in the next year.
Apple updates Logic Express, Logic Pro
Apple has updated Logic Express and Logic Pro -- two versions of its music editing software -- to version 9.1.7.
Both improve overall stability and address some minor bugs, according to Apple. You an obtain the updates via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app.
Flutter working on Kinect-like controls for the Mac
A start-up company called Flutter is showing off a solution for bringing Kinect-like gesture controls to your Mac via your Webcam and its downloadable app, reports "ZDNet" (http://macte.ch/TZ7jw).
Kinect is a motion control system for the Xbox game console. It can can sense and respond to users' body motions as well as their voices.
A note at the Flutter web site (https://flutter.io/) says: "We hated using the keyboard and mouse for controlling music in the background or watching movies on our computers from a few feet away. So we decided to solve this problem by using hand gestures to control music and videos via the built-in webcam in your computer."
"Instead of requiring separate hardware, a la Microsoft’s Kinect, Flutter makes use of the Mac’s built-in Webcam to recognize simple gestures your hands make between one and six feet away," says "ZDNet." "Right now, it can control navigation for iTunes and Spotify, with Netflix and YouTube support slated next."
Ivy Bridge processors coming next month?
Ivy Bridge processors from Intel are coming next month, reports "CPU World" (http://macte.ch/McB5h), quoting two unnamed sources. Whenever they arrive, they'll certainly be making an appear -- and soon, we'd guess -- in desktop and laptop Macs.
The article says Ivy Bridge processors will be announced in the fourth week of April, between April 22 and April 28. The announcement will include only quad-core models: mobile Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme families, desktop Core i7, Core i5-3570K, i5-3570T, i5-3550, i5-3550S, i5-3450 and i5-3450S.
The announced chips will be available for sale on April 29, and the reviews and benchmarks should be published on the same day, says "CPU World." Other versions of the Ivy Bridge chip will be unveiled as the year rolls on.
Apple CEO meets with China vice premiere
Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang to discuss intellectual-property issues and greater cooperation, according to "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/QV4uJ).
It was the strongest signal yet "that the company is strengthening ties in a market it long neglected," the article adds. Cook meet with Li, who is expected to be named premier next year, on Tuesday, state radio and television reported.
"China will create a good environment for and strengthen the protection of intellectual-property rights for fair competition among various enterprises including foreign and domestic ones, according to the Chinese law," Li said.
Also, in a note to clients -- as reported by "Barron's" (http://macte.ch/DWpDl) -- Barclays Capital’s Ben Reitzes thinks Cook's China visit could mean a China Mobile/iPhone deal. The analyst thinks that China Mobile could began selling the upcoming "iPhone 5" next year.
