FontAgent Pro adds auto-activation support for Adobe CS5
Insider Software has announced the immediate availability of Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop CS5 auto-activation plug-ins for FontAgent Pro for Macintosh. With this release, FontAgent Pro becomes the only font manager to offer auto-activation support for Adobe Creative Suite 5 applications.
FontAgent Pro auto-activation plug-ins can be used on machines running Mac OS X 10.3.9 through 10.6 -- as well as Classic applications. The latest plug-ins provide auto-activation for Adobe Creative Suite 5 using FontSavant technology that ensures you always auto-activate the right fonts in your documents.
All FontAgent Pro auto-activation plug-ins offer Universal Binary support so run natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Version 4 of FontAgent Pro is required to use the new CS5 plug-ins to ensure correct font activation.
Users of earlier versions must purchase an upgrade to Version 4 to use the plug-ins. Current licensed users running FontAgent Pro 4 or later can download the latest...
iFunia Video Converter Pro adds iPad options
iFunia, a developer of Mac multimedia processing tools, has launched a new version of its flagship product, iFunia Video Converter Pro Converter. This new version offers output options optimized for the iPad.
You can now convert HD video to an iPad 720p h.264 HD video format. Besides converting video formats, iFunia Video Converter Pro can be used to convert between several HD video formats, including HD AVI, AVCHD M2TS, MTS, TS, HD MOV, HD WMV ,HD MP4, HD FLV, and more. With the program, customers will be able to watch converted HD video clips on almost any portable device including their iPod, iPhone, Zune, PSP, and several others, according to David Lee, senior product manager from iFunia.
The program also supports simple video editing. Customers can trim a segment or crop the footage from their HD video and then make the conversion.
The iFunia Video Converter Pro for Mac is now available through the iFunia web site (http://www.ifunia.com/video-converter-mac.html). Exclusively for...
AT&T launches pilot WiFi project in Times Square
AT&T (http://www.att.com) has launched an AT&T Wi-Fi "hotzone" in New York City's Times Square, providing coverage for AT&T customers visiting and residing in New York who use Wi-Fi enabled smartphones, laptops, netbooks and other devices.
The new Wi-Fi coverage zone is a pilot deployment to explore the use of Wi-Fi to provide an additional mobile broadband option in areas with consistently high 3G traffic and mobile data use. It will hopefully alleviate some of the 3G congestion for iPhone users in that neck of the Big Apple.
AT&T has installed Wi-Fi service in the north central part of Times Square, near 7th Avenue between 45th and 47th Street, to provide a large outdoor hotspot zone that AT&T users can access using any Wi-Fi enabled device. The AT&T Wi-Fi hotzone at Times Square is available at no additional charge for nearly 32 million AT&T customers with qualifying smartphone, 3G LaptopConnect and AT&T High Speed Internet plans.
Apple sued for denying Geniuses rest breaks
Another day, another lawsuit. An Apple employee has filed a class action suit (http://appleemploymentclassaction.com/) in California against Apple.
Representative plaintiff Steve Camuti filed a Complaint in San Francisco County Superior Court on Sept. 15, 2009. The lawsuit is on behalf of all persons employed in non-exempt (hourly paid) “Genius” positions in California.
It alleges that Apple denied those employees rest breaks without paying wages for that time in violation of California law. The proposed plaintiff class seeks to recover unpaid wages, penalties, an injunction and other equitable relief and fees and costs for the period of Sept. 15, 2005, through the present.
Walmart cuts price in half on 8GB iPhone
Walmart has lowed the price of the 16GB iPhone 3GS from US$197 to $97. You still, of course, must sign up for the two-year service contract.
Also, the 32GB version is still $297 at the giant retail chain. There are rumors that Apple will announce a new iPhone at June's Worldwide Developer Conference.
Apple launches back-to-school promo
Apple has launched its 2010 back-to-school promo (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/back_to_school). Students and educators can buy a Mac and get a free iPod touch.
If you’re a college student or a faculty or staff member at any grade level and you buy a new Mac with Apple education pricing from May 25 through Sept. 7, 2010, you can get a free 8GB iPod touch. You're also eligible for a US$50 discount on the MacBook, $100 off a MacBook Air, up to $200 off of a MacBook Pro, and up to a $100 on an iMac.
OpenTrust Mobile extends its support to the iPad
OpenTrust (http://www.opentrust.com), a next gen IT security software publisher, says it has successfully secured the iPad using its OpenTrust Mobile technology to secure access to corporate networks.
OpenTrust Mobile supports the most common Mobile OS including iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows. This latest development will allow customers to manage digital identities held on the Apple iPad, along with smart phones equipped with Digital IDs, to remotely and automatically authenticate themselves to corporate networks, according to OpenTrust Chief Technical Officer Sherley Brothier.
"The iPad is one of many end user platforms we are targeting, including other mobile computing devices and smartphones," he says. "In line with our core mission of building trusted ecosystems, it is important that our authentication offering supports all users, all networks and all devices, in particular mobile ones."
Kroll Ontrack beefs up services for Mac users
Kroll Ontrack (http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/apple%2Drecovery%2Dservices/) -- a provider of information management, data recovery, and legal technology products and services -- has announced improvements to its data recovery capabilities for Mac systems, addressing the surge in usage of Apple systems, services, applications and devices, including the iPad, iPhone and iPod.
Through its Ontrack Data Recovery services, Kroll Ontrack’s proprietary Recovery Positioning SystemT feature adds a higher level of precision to the data recovery process, resulting in faster service and a higher quality data recovery, according to Todd Johnson, vice president of Ontrack Data Recovery operations, Kroll Ontrack.
Ontrack Data Recovery engineers report that requests for Mac-specific data recoveries have doubled over the last three years, growing 117% from 2006 to 2009. Kroll Ontrack is equipped with data recovery technology for MacMail and Microsoft Entourage e-mail, as well as data recovery...
Honeywell products now work with iPhones, iPod touches, iPads
Honeywell (http://www.honeywell.com), a provider of security technology, is helping consumers give their home and business security systems modern-day makeovers using some of today's most popular mobile devices, including the iPhone and iPod touch.
The company’s Total Connect communications service -- which consumers use to remotely control their security systems from Web-enabled devices such as laptops and smart phones -- now provides streaming video services that allow consumers to view live video of their homes and businesses. The system notifies customers via email of security incidents such as attempted break-ins, and non-emergency events such as a child returning home from school.
Consumers can then access the video from a laptop or handheld mobile device. In addition, they can remotely pan and tilt cameras, manually record video clips, or even take snapshots.
Total Connect technology is professionally installed by security dealers across the United States and Canada. Total...
MacWise rings up version 12.0.3
Carnation Software has released MacWise 12.0.3 (http://www.MacWise.com) for Mac OS X 10.2 and higher. The new version is a maintenance release that fixes some bugs.
Many host computers are programmed to instruct the client app to save and restore screens. MacWise 12.0 or later supports three sets of escape sequences commonly used by PC clients (HostAccess, Accuterm and System Builder).
The software emulates ADDS Viewpoint, Wyse 50, Wyse 60, Wyse 370, Televideo TV 925, DEC VT100, VT220 and Prism terminals. MacWise also supports ANSI and SCO ANSI color. Esprit III color is also supported in Wyse 370 mode, and AppleScript. It works with Intel or PowerPC Macs, MacBooks, Powerbooks and desktops and allows users to connect to the host via serial, modem, telnet, ssh, via the internet or local connection.
MacWise 12 costs US$95 for a single users license. Version 12.0.3 is a free upgrade for registered users of version 12.x.
iLuv announces three new speaker solutions
iLuv (http://www.i-luv.com) has announced their new line of peripherals for the iPad, Mac/PC desktops and laptops. The newest products in this line include three small and portable speaker options. The line-up includes:
° iSP130: Mini Clip Speaker (US$19.99), a speaker companion for any laptop. The USB powered iSP130 includes a built-in hanging clip for mounting;
° iSP150: Portable Speaker Bar ($34.99), designed for iPad, iPhone, iPod, laptops and other portable audio devices with a 3.5mm jack. It features a built-in power switch, volume control and two power source options: USB or 4 AAA batteries;
° iSP170: Cube Speakers ($39.99), a small cubed designed, USB powered speaker solution designed for laptop users. The iSP170 is 2.8 x 2.8 x 2.8 inches in size and features built-in volume control.
MacCleanse for Mac OS X scrubs up to version 2.0.1
Koingo Software has updated Mac Cleanse (http://www.koingosw.com/products/maccleanse.php), a small Mac OS X application geared towards purifying your system, to version 2.0.1. The upgrade adds an option to always obtain admin auth before a scan/delete in the Preferences window.It also automatically prints out certain types of crash information to the Console.
MacCleanse can perform over 50 tasks that would take nearly an hour to perform manually. It erases caches, logs, cookies, histories, and more. You can purify junk from your system, clear personal information, and recover hard drive space. Mac Cleanse is available for US$19.95. Version 2.0.1 is a paid upgrade ($9.99) for customers owning a 1.x license that's more than six months old.
Mac Cleanse also contains enhanced features for specific applications like FireFox (including beta 3), Mozilla, iCab, Adium, AIM, aMSN, Colloquy, Fire, iChat, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, Internet Explorer, Netscape, OmniWeb, Opera,...
YummySoup for Mac OS X heats up to version 1.9.4
HungrySeacow Software has updated YummySoup (http://www.hungryseacow.com/home/yummysoup.html), its recipe management software for Mac OS X, to version 1.9.4. BBCGoodFood.com and MyRecipes.com importers have been updated in the new version.
YummySoup 1.9.4 is a free update for registered users; for new users the cost is US$20. A 15-day demo is available at the HungrySeacow Software web site.
YummySoup is a Universal Binary app, so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.
FinderPop ready for Snow Leopard
FinderPop (http://www.finderpop.com/), a preference pane that extends OS X's contextual menus using a FinderPop Items folder much as the Apple Menu Items folder used to do for the Apple menu, has been updated to version 2.3.0. The upgrade is ready for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
You can use it as a launcher that takes up zero screen real estate or a filesystem browser. Also, FinderPop sports a Processes menu (so you can command-click a blank menubar area.)
FinderPop is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. The app is free, but if you like it, you're encouraged to make a donation to the developer so development can continue.
iPhone sales in Korea pass 700,000
The popularity of the iPhone doesn't show signs of subsiding in Korea, with its sales surpassing 700,000 units as of May 22, just six months since its launch here, reports the "Korea Herald" (http://www.koreaherald.com/business/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100523000165).
It took 27 days for KT to increase its iPhone subscribers from 500,000 to 600,000, while it took only 25 days to add another 100,000 subscribers. An average of 4,000 users bought the iPhone per day since its rollout in late November, according to KT, the exclusive vendor of the smartphone in Korea, notes the "Herald."
Meanwhile, the number of iPhone applications made by Korean developers is nearing 6,000, according to Dreamwiz, an iPhone app developer.
CPS releases MacCaption Player
MacCaption Player from CPC (http://www.cpcweb.com), which provides HD closed captioned/subtitled video to museum kiosks, is being released today at the American Association of Museums’ “MuseumExpo” in Los Angeles.
MacCaption Player can output captioned and subtitled HD video superior to that of Blu-ray because of its capability to accept video exported directly from a broadcast editing system, using the video format that is native to the editing system, such as Apple ProRes, according to the folks at the American Association of Museums. And Runs on Reliable and Energy Efficient Mac Computers. MacCaption Player software runs on a Mac mini or any other newer model Mac.
MacCaption Player software comes with a display controller that allows the public to control the display of captions and subtitles. It uses standard cables such as USB and HDMI. In most cases, no additional wiring is necessary. The ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) requires that video shown in public accommodations...
Elgato debuts EyeTV HD
Elgato (http://www.elgato.com) has debuted the world’s only DVR solution that provides full access to premium cable or satellite TV content on a Mac -- EyeTV HD (US$199.95). Customers can now watch record, edit and enjoy cable and satellite in high-definition, including all their premium channels.
What's more, EyeTV HD includes a dual-format capture mode that records in iPad and iPhone formats at the same time, allowing users to stream live and recorded TV to an iPhone or iPad using the optional EyeTV app.
To use you simply connect EyeTV HD to the outputs of the cable or satellite receiver with the included component cables, and to the computer via USB. Then position the included infrared channel changer cable nearby. The EyeTV software setup assistant takes you through a configuration process.
EyeTV HD records in the H.264 format for a high-definition digital picture. The H.264 format sports a compression ratio that produces a smaller file size when compared to MPEG-2 recordings. H...
Intel expands 2010 Intel core processor
Intel (http://www.intel.com) has introduced Intel Core processors, extending the availability of its award-winning Intel Core processor family to ultra-thin laptops. The number 32 is key -- Intel's chip design and manufacturing dubbed "32 nanometers" delivers 32 percent slimmer laptops and more than 32% better performance.
Based on Intel's 32 nanometer (nm) technology manufacturing, the processors are more than 32% smaller and deliver more than 32% better performance, says Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group at Intel. These new processors also reduce power consumption3 more than 15%, resulting in great battery life, he adds.
They also sport Intel's Turbo Boost technology, which will automatically accelerate performance. And Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, available in Intel Core i7, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i3 processors, provides responsiveness and helps reduce latency when performing several tasks simultaneously, Eden says. Plus, with Intel...
Beauty Box Skin software updated for CS5 Suite
Digital Anarchy (http://www.digitalanarchy.com/) has released a free 64-bit update for its Beauty Box skin retouching software. Beauty Box 1.0.1 is fully compatible with the Adobe CS5 Suite and runs natively in 64-bit host applications and operating systems.
The plug-in provides a way of smoothing skin and removing blemishes in film, HD and video. It's regularly priced at USS$199. The skin retouching software works in After Effects 7.0–CS5, Premiere Pro CS4–CS5 and Final Cut Pro 6.0–7.0. On the Mac, the product runs on Mac OS X 10.4 and higher.
FCC report criticizes Apple, AT&T, Verizon
The FCC has issued its 14th Annual Report on the state of the wireless industry as required by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. One of the "thinly veiled targets" in this report is Apple’s iPhone, according to "Minyanville" (http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/fcc-fcc-report-fcc-1...).
"First up were their concerns about exclusive handset arrangements (EHA)," the article says. "Obviously, this isn’t Apple-specific but the issue from the FCC’s perspective is that device manufacturers target carriers with the largest installed base of subscribers leaving the smaller carriers at a disadvantage."
What's more, the report includes a reference to a presentation given at a FCC workshop this past January by Jeffrey Glueck, CEO of Skyfire. Glueck’s presentation slides include the following statement, “Skyfire has to date held back from developing for iPhone because of Apple’s rule against duplicate functionality and opposition to Adobe Flash playing on the iPhone. This is a...
Analyst: almost 17% of Verizon subscribers want an iPhone
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, in a note to clients, has raised her Apple price target from US$275 to $310 per share (from $275), and upped her 2011 iPhone sales estimates to 61.5 million units. She also says Verizon users really want an iPhone.
Huberty told clients -- as reported by "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/24/morgan-stanley-ups-aapl-target-to...) -- that:
° The percentage of current iPhone customers planning to upgrade rose from 18% in November 2009 to 58% in March 2010. Huberty estimates that the combination of a growing installed base and a rising upgrade rate could yield 19 million upgrade units in 2011.
° Apple will probably cut the price of the iPhone 3GS to $99. If Apple and AT&T could also find a way to cut monthly service costs to $75 from about $90 today, demand for iPhones would increase by another eight million units per year, Huberty
° According to the Alphawise survey, 16.8% of Verizon subscribers say they are "very likely" to purchase...
Apple's R&D spending low compare to overall revenues
Apple’s run of "incredible products (and growth) has been achieved with a staggeringly low R&D spend," reports "Silicon Alley Insider" (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-and-efficiently-growing-its-future-...). The article says Apple only spent US$4.6 billion on R&D over the past four years, while revenues soared from $25 billion to $43 billion.
In contrast, Microsoft spent 700% that amount on R&D during the same period: $31 billion. Likewise Cisco and Intel spent about 400% as much as Apple on R&D -- $19 billion and $23 billion respectively.
"These are astounding differences above Apple's research and development spend, especially considering that during this period Apple developed the iPhone and iPad," says "Silicon Alley Insider." "In fact it's rumored that Apple brought the iPhone to market for a mere $150 million, doing so organically without acquisition outside of a touch gesture recognition company named FingerWorks."
iRecord Music is iPhone/iPod compatible PMP
Streaming Networks has released iRecord Music PMR-300 (http://www.irecord.com), an US$79.99, one-touch personal audio recorder that can directly record music and audio to portable media players (PMP), including all iPhone and iPod devices. The recorded files appear in the PMP’s playlist for immediate playback.
iRecord Music can also record to its internal storage space of 2GB. The contents can later be synced to an attached PMP with a touch of a button. Virtually any analog source is supported by iRecord Music, with a gain selection switch that compensates for peak-to-peak variation of output signal levels of different analog sources. Supported audio codecs are MP3, AAC, WAV, and FLAC.
iRecord Music is also a voice recorder and an audio player. Meetings, lectures and any other audio signal can be recorded using the on-board microphone. The USB cap of iRecord Music, housing a rechargeable battery, brings portability to iRecord Music when recording on-the-go or playing back from the...
Apple rates high in most reputable companies ranking
The Reputation Institute (http://www.reputationinstitute.com), an international organization devoted to advancing knowledge about corporate reputations, has released a list of the most reputable companies in the world. Apple ranks number six on the list.
The study provides a first ever assessment of the global reputation landscape -- the companies that are most liked, trusted, and respected by the general public across 24 countries, says Dr. Charles Fobrun, chairman of the Reputation Institution. Data collection was powered by Survey Sampling International.
The study was conducted in two parts. In January 2010, Reputation Institute measured the reputations of the world’s 600 largest companies in their home countries. The highest rated companies in each of 32 countries were then selected as candidates for a second study that also rated the world’s most visible and valuable corporate brands provided they had above average home country reputations. The outcome of the second study was a...
Virtual Programming publishes EU 3 expansion Heir to the Throne
Virtual Programming is publishing Heir to the Throne (http://www.vpltd.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=253), the third expansion pack for Europa Universalis III. It costs US$19.95 and works with Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.
As its name implies, Heir to the Throne focuses on the diplomatic side of this strategy game, including the ability to establish dynasties of monarchs with arranged marriages that have far-reaching effects on history. In addition, it features a new Casus Belli system; peace treaties with more options; new options for the Holy Roman Empire, including reformations enacted via imperial authority; special diplomatic options for merchant republics, including trade leagues; a Cultural Tradition function that improves advisors the same way Military Tradition improves generals and admirals; and more.
'Google vs. Apple' to be discussed at Open Mobile...
As the battle lines sharpen between Google's vision of a mobile web and Apple's application ecosystem, the leading figures in Europe's mobile industry are meeting in London for their annual C-level get-together at the Open Mobile Summit next week.
Taking place on May 26 and 27 at the London Hilton Tower Bridge hotel, the Open Mobile Summit is where experts in the converging mobile, Internet and media industry meet once-a-year, to map out the future. This year’s closing plenary asks "Will the Web win?"
There are a few delegate tickets left, so if you want to participate, go to http://www.openmobilesummit.com/lon/register/ now and enter your details. The latest agenda is available here: http://www.openmobilesummit.com/agenda.aspx .
Seagate releases Momentus XS solid state hybrid drive
Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) has announced channel and original equipment manufacturer shipments of the Momentus XT drive, which it says is the world’s fastest 2.5-inch laptop hard drive, combining SSD-like performance with the massive capacity and much lower cost of HDDs.
The Momentus XT drive also features Adaptive Memory -- a new technology from Seagate that purportedly learns and optimizes the drive’s performance to each user by moving frequently used information into the flash memory for faster access. The Momentus XT solid state hybrid drive boots up to 100%t faster than traditional 5400RPM drives, the mainstream spin speed for laptops, and sets new benchmarks for real-world system performance for laptops and gaming systems, according to Dave Mosley, Seagate executive vice president of sales, marketing and product line management.
The Momentus XT drive combines a 7200RPM spin speed, 4GB of solid state memory and Seagate’s Adaptive Memory technology. The drive installs in...
PDFClerk update for Mac OS X sports added scripting properties,...
SintraWorks has updated PDFClerk Pro (http://sintraworks.com/index.php/sintraworks/pdfclerk_home/), a PDF document editor for Mac OS X, to version 3.9.4. The upgrade sports added scripting properties, sticky sketch creation mode and a number of bug fixes.
PDFClerk Pro allows a large number of manipulations to existing PDF documents, as well as allowing the creation of PDF documents from non PDF material, such as graphics and text, or a mix of the two. The application offers default behavior to create new PDF documents with both basic and more advanced layouts, and print booklets for personal use, distribution to clients, staff or students.
PDFClerk Pro 3.9.4 is available as a single-user license for approximately US$44. A demo is available for download with a limitation that each page is stamped with a watermark.
Expercom opening new Apple Store in Sandy, Utah
Sandy, Utah, will be getting its own authorized Apple store this month. Expercom (http://www.expercom.com), one of Utah's oldest Apple Specialists, will be moving to a new location in Sandy, Utah on Monday, May 24.
The new store at 80 E 10600 South will offer a showroom allowing customers to try out all of the latest in Apple products. The Expercom dealerships and expercom.com, owned and operated in Utah, have been specializing in Apple products for 13 years. The new Sandy, Utah, location will precede the opening of a new flagship store scheduled to open in Logan, Utah, this July.
Expercom sells new Apple computers, iPods, and iPads. Apple Certified technicians are on staff to provide warranty and out of warranty Mac repair. A full service department also offers local training and software support. Expercom offers dedicated services for businesses such as corporate pricing and priority repair. Expercom will also continue to offer trade-in programs for customers upgrading from older...
Steve Jobs to kick off WWDC
Apple will kick off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address by CEO Steve Jobs on Monday, June 7, at 10 a.m. This year’s WWDC sold out in a record eight days to over 5,000 developers.
The five-day event running from June 7 to June 11, is focused on providing advanced content for skilled developers across five key technology tracks: Application Frameworks; Internet & Web; Graphics & Media; Developer Tools; and Core OS. Apple engineers will deliver over 100 solutions-oriented technical sessions and labs.
There will be five iPad and five iPhone Apple Design Award winners announced at WWDC 2010 (alas, Mac apps need not apply). There's no requirement to enter and winners will be selected from the Apple App Store based on criteria that includes design, technical excellence, innovation, quality, technology adoption and performance. Visit the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2010 website for registration and more details at developer.apple.com/wwdc...
Apple not shipping 3G iPhones?
In what may indicate new iPhones at the upcoming Apple Worldwide Developer Conference is that Apple has has stopped shipping iPhone 3G 8GB units to AT&T stores and orders aren't being placed for the device, according to the "Boy Genius Report" (http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/05/24/apple-discontinuing-apple-ipho...).
"Could this mean we might see the iPhone 3GS drop to $99 and make way for a new model?" "BGR" ponders. "Or maybe the 3GS would disappear altogether?"
WWDC 2010 will be held June 7-11 in San Francisco. Apple will kick off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address by CEO Steve Jobs on Monday, June 7, at 10 a.m.
FTC closes its investigation of Google AdMob Deal
The Federal Trade Commission has closed its investigation of Google’s proposed acquisition of mobile advertising network company AdMob after reviewing the deal and concluding that it is unlikely to harm competition in the emerging market for mobile advertising networks.
In a statement issued Friday, the Commission said that although the combination of the two leading mobile advertising networks raised serious antitrust issues, the agency’s concerns ultimately were overshadowed by recent developments in the market, most notably a move by Apple to launch its own, competing mobile ad network. In addition, a number of firms appear to be developing or acquiring smartphone platforms to better compete against Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android, and these firms would have a strong incentive to facilitate competition among mobile advertising networks.
“As a result of Apple’s entry (into the market), AdMob’s success to date on the iPhone platform is unlikely to be an accurate predictor of...
Chitika Research: Mac sales spike in April
The Mac OS X operating system has seen some impressive growth this year, according to Chitika Research (http://www.chitika.com), a full-service on-line advertising network serving over 2 billion monthly impressions across more than 80,000 websites.
From January through March, Mac computers made up just over 7% of the market share, according to traffic numbers coming into the Chitika advertising network. In April, however, that number spiked to 10.25%. Perhaps thanks to the increased foot traffic at Apple stores across the U.S., the Mac managed to pick up 3% of the home computer impressions market over the course of a single month.
Apple’s main competitor in the operating system business, market leader Microsoft, bore the brunt of the shift -- between March and April, 2010, the market share of Microsoft’s Windows operating system dropped from 89% to just over 85%, says Chitika. Linux, the open-source operating system favored by many tech professionals, has remained mostly steady in...
Mailings for Mac OS X adds support for Chrome web browser
Limit Point Software has released Mailings 1.9.69 (http://www.limit-point.com/Mailings/Mailings.html), an update of the application for batch emailing that delivers any web page or plain text document with attachments to multiple recipients for marketing, news announcements, product updates, etc. The new version adds support for the Google Chrome web browser.
Mailings delivers web pages, plain or HTML text documents to multiple recipients for marketing, news announcements, product updates etc. It integrates with mail clients, most common browsers, Address Book and Entourage.
Mailings is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. It costs US$10; upgrades are always free. A demo is available for download.
ShareTool update for Mac OS X addresses crash issue
Yazsoft has updated ShareTool (http://www.yazsoft.com/st/) for Mac OS X, which lets you access all of your Bonjour services from anywhere in the world, to version 2.02. It addresses the crash some users were having with version 2.0.1.
Formerly known as Rendezvous, Bonjour lets you create an instant network of computers and smart devices by getting them connected to each other. ShareTool automatically configures routers supporting NAT-PMP or UPnP. Remote services automatically appear in the Finder, iTunes, and other applications.
ShareTool 2.0.2 costs US$15 for a single-user license, $25 for a two-user license and $45 for a family pack (five licenses). Users that purchased ShareTool 1.x from April 13 to May 13, 2010 are entitled to a free 2.x upgrade.
beaTunes update for Mac OS X fixes importing/exporting bug
Tagtrum has released version 2.1.8 of beaTunes (http://www.beatunes.com), the iTunes add-on for Mac and Windows. The new release fixes some issues with importing and exporting file information.
It can detect various types of metadata, such as beats-per-minute and musical key, as well as find and fix typos and inconsistencies such as misspelled artists and rarely used genres.
BeaTunes analyzes the color and tempo (BPM) of your songs, intelligently creates playlists of matching songs, corrects your iTunes Music Library (typos, wrong genres, etc.), lets you blog about your playlists and more.
A seven-day demo version is available at the product web site. Registration is US$31.95. Upgrades to version 2.1.8 from 1.x are $11.95 and free for registered 2.x users. beaTunes requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.
Apple launches 'Why you'll love a Mac' campaign
Showing a bit of overdue love for the Mac, Apple has kicked off a "Why you'll love a Mac" campaign (http://www.apple.com/why-mac). It urges folks to "Make the ultimate upgrade. To a Mac."
"Why get a new PC and just upgrade your computer, when you can get a Mac and upgrade your entire computer experience?" Apple says.
It lists several reasons folks should choose a Mac, including:
° It's designed to be a better computer.
° It comes with software you'll love to use.
° It comes with the world's most advanced operating system.
° It comes with award-winning support.
° It runs Office and works with your existing PC files.
° It's compatible with your stuff.
° It doesn't get PC viruses.
° It's loaded with the latest technology.
° It runs Windows and Windows applications.
MobileMe gets more secure
Apple has updated its online service MobileMe, adding some new features, but especially improving security with all of the web-based apps, reports "The Mac Security Blog" (http://blog.intego.com/2010/05/21/apple-updates-mobileme-making-it-more-...). MobileMe is the company's US$99-per-year suite of Internet tools.
The change is the addition of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), a function used to provide encrypted communications between a user’s web browser and a remote server. Users will find that, when they load a page for a MobileMe app, the URL begins with https rather than http. This, together with the padlock icon in the browser, show that communications are secure.
This means that when a user writes an e-mail in their browser using MobileMe Mail, the content of the e-mail is sent to the server encrypted, and cannot be sniffed by anyone able to intercept network communications, either locally (such as near a wifi hotspot) or on other servers between the browser and the MobileMe server...
MConvert for Mac OS X updated to version 8.2
MConvert 8.2 (http://www.white-wizard-productions.com/Conversion.html), a conversion app for Mac OS X, has been released. The upgrade fixes a problem related to updating currencies on laptops with a smaller screen resolution.
MConvert includes the following conversion groups: acceleration, angle, area, base, currency, data, density, energy, energy/mass, force, GPS, length, mass, permeability, power, pressure, radioactivity, temperature, time, torque, velocity, viscosity, and volume. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
MindNode Pro update for Mac OS X adds image support
Markus Mueller has updated MindNode Pro (http://www.mindnode.com/), a mind mapping app for Mac OS X (10.5 and higher), to version 1.5. The upgrade adds image support and visual file links and brings a completely redesigned new toolbar.
MindNode Pro features an interface that lets the user focus on expressing and developing ideas. By leveraging technologies introduced in Leopard, MindNode Pro's new features are carefully integrated and only surface when required, Mueller says. You can print, share and export mind maps as TIFF image, FreeMind, PDF, HTML or OPML.
MindNode Pro costs approximately US$24.95 for a single-user license. Version 1.5 is a free update for registered users. A demo is available for download.
Apple number two on 12th Annual Tech 100 List
Apple places second on the 12th Annual Tech 100 List (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/special_reports/20100520tech_100.htm) by "Bloomberg Businessweek," which ranks the top performing companies in the tech industry.
BYD -- a Chinese maker of cars, batteries, electronics, and solar power equipment -- earns the No. 1 spot on the list. Following Apple in the Top 10 are: Tencent Holdings, Amazon, Tata Consultancy, Priceline.com, CenturyLink, Cognizant Technology, Infosys Tech and Softbank.
To compile the Tech 100, "Bloomberg Businessweek" started with 6,500 tech companies. Requirements were set: a minimum market cap of US$1 billion, revenues of at least $500 million, and no more than a 5 percent decline in revenues (in local currency) from 2008 to 2009. Revenues and operating income were then normalized to compare the remaining 210 companies, and they were ranked based on these metrics as well as shareholder return and employee growth, with 1 being, as you might expect, the top...
Google vs. Apple: it's on, big time
Make no mistake: the battle between Apple and Google has just heated up. Immensely, due to a plethora of initiatives unveiled at the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco Thursday.
Google has purchased Simplify Media, which makes software that lets you stream music from your home computer to mobile devices. If you think that sounds similar to Apple's acquisition of LaLa, which lets you stream your own music from its central servers, well, you're right.
In a keynote demo, Google showed off the ability to purchase a song (or an app) online using a personal computer, and have it automatically added to an Android device. Currently, users have to buy apps using their phone, and transferring music requires physically connecting an Android device to the phone, just as is required with the iPhone, notes "Wired" (http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/05/google-apple-music/#ixzz0oVJAZgC1).
Google is also taking on the Apple TV with Google TV. Some leading industry players have teamed...
Gefen offers new USB to DVI HD
Tapped out of video ports but want to add a new display? Gefen makes it easier with the new USB to DVI HD (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=8863). This tiny, US$149 adapter comes equipped with one USB input and one DVI output. Any USB port on the computer can be used to connect a digital display using the DVI, VGA or HDMI format.
This enables laptops and computers with limited display ports to handle multiple displays without a dedicated DVI port. For professionals wanting an extended desktop environment, the USB to DVI HD offers plug and play connectivity with support for resolutions up to 1920 x 1200, 1080p and 2k.
Users have the option to select an extended desktop or have the USB-connected display mirror the main display’s content. Multiple adapters can also be connected to the same computer system, including six USB to DVI HDs for a PC and four USB to DVI HDs for a Mac.
The USB to DVI HD comes with one USB cable, one DVI to VGA Adapter and one DVI to HDMI Adapter....
Flash 10.1 to support touch screens, converse battery life
Adobe says Flash 10.1 will support touch screens, conserve battery life and take advantage of faster mobile processors. It's designed "to make video run more smoothly on mobile phones -- and quash criticism by Steve Jobs," according to "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=afLN8vkNx9u4).
The next iteration, Flash 10.1, will be unveiled today at a conference sponsored by Google, David Wadhwani, an Adobe vice president, said in an interview with "Bloomberg" last week.
“Given everything that’s going on between Apple and Adobe, it’s critical for Adobe to get Flash up and running on other handset manufacturers’ devices in the next six to 12 months,” he said. “If they can show traction on other devices -- which will use Flash to compete against Apple -- it should take some of the pressure off.”
Apple CEO Jobs has been a strong -- very strong -- critic of Flash. In an online post (http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/) he tells why -- and why he...
ProteMac KeyBag for Mac OS X gets a database fix
roteMac has updated ProteMac KeyBag (http://www.protemac.com/KeyBag/), a keystroke recorder utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.1. The upgrade sports a database fix and more.
KeyBag lets you control all keyboard activity for each application on your Mac, showing you exactly what was typed and to where. s intended for the interception and recording of everything that is entered from the keyboard on your Mac. It works in a "hidden mode" and is designed for hidden monitoring of the computer activities. Its key logger invisibly logs and is capable of recording keystrokes of every user activity performed on your Mac.
ProteMac KeyBag is designed to allow you to find out what other users do on your computer in your absence. You will find out, what was going on your computer in your absence: what was typed and the windows visited web sites, etc. This invisible employee spy surveillance tool records every keystroke to database file with user-friendly easy to use keystroke log viewer, say the...
Package Central ready for InDesign CS5
Zevrix Solutions has released Package Central 1.1 (http://zevrix.com/PackageCentral.php/), an update of the document packaging workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The upgrade offers supports for InDesign CS5.
The software offloads packaging to a central system leaving operator workstations free from the output process. Under Package Central workflow, production artists, prepress operators and designers simply submit files to hotfolders that reside on the network. Package Central automatically collects the files from its station using hotfolder settings, and will auto-activate document fonts as well.
Package Central runs on a dedicated machine and watches hotfolders linked to its workflow settings. The software performs all its tasks automatically and can run unattended. Files can be submitted from both Mac and PC computers.
Package Central can be purchased for US$499.95; version 1.1 is a free upgrade for registered users. A demo is available for download. Package...
Update of CosmoPod Safari extension adds support for HTML5
Cocoamug Software has released CosmoPod 4.4.1 (http://www.cocoamug.com/cosmopod/index.html), an update of the Safari extension that lets you download Flash videos from web sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, etc.
The upgrade adds support for HTML5 audio tag and now automatically clears successful conversions. Video picture cropping can be toggled on/off. Version 4.4.1 also improves the file recognition/extension assignment mechanism and real media stream analysis.
CosmoPod can automatically convert downloaded files to an Apple device friendly format, tag them and add them to iTunes. Additionally, you can convert most video already on your hard drive via drag and drop so can be used as a tool to import your DVD collection to your Mac, iTunes, AppleTV, and iPhone.
CosmoPod costs US$12. Version 4.4.1 is a free update for registered users of version 4.x. CosmoPod 3 and earlier users can upgrade for $3.90.
Motama releases NMM 2.2.0 and TVCaster-SDK
Motama has released the next version of its Network-Integrated Multimedia Middleware (NMM) for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows systems. NMM 2.2.0 is available at http://www.motama.com/nmm.html
Together with this release, the first version of the new TVCaster Software Developer Kit (TVCaster-SDK) is made available at http://www.motama.com/tvcastersdk.html . According to the folks at Motama, the free TVCaster-SDK provides following benefits for all IPTV servers
from their company:
° It enables full programmability and remote control of TVCaster appliances using C++ API or XML-RPC;
° If offers a client-side sample application, including channel switching;
° It provides full integration into distributed stream processing.
Audiofile Engineering launches MIDI Surface for iPhone OS
Musicians and music lovers who use MIDI technology have a new way to create, control and connect with their instruments. Audiofile Engineering (http://www.audiofile-engineering.com), a developer of audio software for Mac platforms, has released MIDI Surface for iPhone OS.
Designed for use with Line 6's MIDI Mobilizer hardware accessory, MIDI Surface gives iPhone and iPod touch owners the ability to build their own fully customized MIDI control surfaces. Suitable for use on stage, at home or in studio settings, MIDI Surface offers four interface styles, each with its own set of changeable parameters.
The Keyboard interface features Channel and Velocity controls. The Sliders interface includes Channel, Controller (Mod Wheel, Expression, etc.), Low Value and High Value controls. The Drum Pads interface includes Channel, Category (Note On, Controller, Program Change), Note, Note Off (Immediate or Touch Up) and Velocity controls. The X-Y interface supports up to four touches and includes...
ChangeWave: consumer demand is high for the iPad
The ChangeWave research group (http://www.changewave.com) has completed two surveys on the Apple iPad -- including a May consumer survey measuring future iPad demand, and a second survey of new iPad owners on their actual reactions to the new tablet device.
Back in their February iPad survey report ChangeWave found that the pre-launch demand for the new iPad was greater than the pre-launch demand for the original iPhone. It wasn’t surprising, therefore, when in early May Apple announced one million iPads sold in the first month -- and reported that sales had outpaced those of the original iPhone.
But now that that the iDevice has been on the market for several weeks, ChangeWave has just completed two new surveys: a May survey of 3,174 consumers to measure future demand for the iPad, and a second survey of 153 new iPad owners to discover their actual impressions of the new tablet device.
Consumer demand for the Apple tablet going forward is even stronger than the extraordinary pre-...
