onOne announces support for Creative Suite 5
onOne Software, a developer of solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, says all of their currently shipping Photoshop software plug-ins will be compatible with the new Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended software announced yesterday by Adobe.
Specifically, the following Photoshop plug-ins from onOne Software will be compatible with Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended. Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software, says the company will provide free compatibility updates for all of the current versions of the plug-ins so that they'll be compatible with both Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended.
These free software updates will be available as updates from within each application and as a download from the onOne Software web site within 30 days of Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended availability. Registered owners of previous versions of the onOne Software plug-ins for Photoshop can upgrade to the current version of each plug-in for US$99.95...
Enounce offers public beta of MySpeed for the Mac
Enounce (http://www.encounce.com) has announced thatthat a pre-release version of MySpeed software for the Mac is now available in beta. It allows users to speed up or slow down the playback rate of Adobe's Flash-formatted videos without any "chipmunk" quality to the sound.
Users can change the playback speed of videos such as corporate training, educational courses and seminars, YouTube and more. The software is immediately available to a limited number of beta users. Beta users will receive a 50% discount off the commercially available version, paying only $14.99 for the software at release. Just remember: beta software is unfinished software so use with care.
With MySpeed, a slider bar appears on a user's desktop and allows real-time speed changes whenever a Flash-based video is playing in a web browser or standalone player. The software is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 or higher and works with Safari (32-bit mode) and Firefox 3.5 or later browsers. The beta version requires...
Total Training unveils Creative Suite 5 training
Total Training (http://www.totaltraining.com), which offers leader in self paced computer based training, has unveiled 13 new training courses for Adobe Creative Suite 5 software applications.
Beginning April 13, Total Training will start to release the first of 12 Essentials courses and one Workflow course to get users up to speed on the newest version of Creative Suite 5. The Essentials series training will introduce users to the key new features and fundamentals of each program and the Design Workflow course will demonstrate how users can integrate the programs of CS5 into their workflow.
Total Training for Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro: Essentials, also part of the Adobe Creative Suite 5 family, is available now.
New MacBook Pros offer faster processors, next-gen graphics,...
Apple has updated the MacBook Pro line with faster processors, next-generation Nvidia graphics and longer battery life. The 13-inch MacBook Pro features the new Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processor for up to 80% faster graphics and a 10-hour built-in battery.
The new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Apple’s new automatic graphics switching technology that toggles seamlessly between powerful Nvidia GeForce GT 330M and energy efficient Intel HD Graphics processors, according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
All 13-inch MacBook Pro models now include faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 4GB RAM, a 10-hour built-in battery and the new Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processor. With 48 processing cores, the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M is the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market, ideal for graphics intensive applications or high performance games, says Schiller.
The 13-inch MacBook...
TypeIt4Me ready for Snow Leopard
Ettore Software (http://ettoresoftware.com) has released TypeIt4Me 5.0, an update of its text expander for the Mac. The new version is full 64-bit, Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") compatible.
It also boasts improved expansion speed and a re-designed user interface with a fully resizable clippings editing window. Since 1989, TypeIt4Me has allowed users to set up short abbreviations that expand to words, pictures, phrases, paragraphs or indeed entire pages when typed.
No longer presented as a System Preferences item, TypeIt4Me is now a regular application which can optionally display its icon in the dock as well as in its traditional menubar position.
Available now as a 30-day demo, TypeIt4Me 5.0 costs US$27 ($14 for students and teachers). Upgrades for registered users of previous versions are $9. Users who bought the previous version on or after Jan. 1, 2009, will receive a free upgrade code via email in the next few days.
CPC, Avid to deliver HD Closed Captioning for Media Composer
At this week's NAB show in Las Vegas, CPC, which specializes in closed captioning and subtitling software solutions, has announced development of a complete software-only HD closed captioning solution for users of Avid Media Composer.
This software-only metadata workflow will save Avid users time and money by eliminating the need for a dedicated external hardware closed caption encoder which can cost US$8,000 or more, simplifying workflows for handling video with closed captioning data, according to the folks at CPC. Closed captioning is required by the FCC for virtually all TV broadcasts in the United States, and by the CRTC for most TV broadcasts in Canada.
This new workflow allows facilities to complete the entire closed captioning process in-house. For an upcoming Media Composer release, Avid has developed a workflow for working with high definition video metadata, including closed caption data. CPC’s closed captioning software is a full caption preparation suite, which lets...
Atempo Digital Archive update introduces dedicate support for...
Atempo (http://www.atempo.com), a provider of cross-platform data protection and archiving solutions, has introduced several new features for Atempo Digital Archive designed to address the file archiving needs of organizations in media and entertainment markets.
These new capabilities in Atempo Digital Archive (ADA) 3.1 include the archival of complex file formats with full metadata ingestion, partial and full restoration of creative content and the ability for creative professionals to directly archive from Final Cut Pro. Together with the software’s performance, flexibility and intuitiveness, the added functions further optimize ADA as the preferred solution for customers to integrate digital archiving into the creative workflow, says Marylise Tauzia, director of Product Marketing and Management at Atempo.
Atempo Digital Archive 3.1 features the new capability to archive MXF, DPX and MOV files, three of the most widely used formats in media and entertainment organizations. The...
Analyst: 31% of US teens want an iPhone, 92% own an iPod
In a note to clients today, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster unveiled his semi-annual survey of teen buying habits and found that "Apple's dominance in the [consumer electronics] and online music markets is going seemingly unchecked."
As noted by "Fortune" (http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/04/12/survey-31-of-u-s-...), Munster says:
° 31% of the U.S. teens surveyed planned to buy an iPhone in the next six months, up from 22% last fall and nearly double the 16% who wanted one a year ago.
° 14% already own an iPhone, up from 8% a year ago, but down a point from 15% six months ago.
° Of the 87% who own an MP3 player, 92% own an iPod. Of Apple's major competitors, only Microsoft, Sony and Sandisk showed up in the results, with 3% market share each.
° Of the 82% of teens who download music, 43% do it legally. Of those, 92% get their music from Apple's iTunes Store.
Future iPhones to add sense of smell?
In the future you'd better be sure your deodorant is applied, or your iPhone might notice. At least if the Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) gets its wish.
According to an "InformationWeek" report (http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/showArticle.jhtm...), S&T hopes to see prototype phones from Apple, LG, Qualcomm, and Samsung that can sense carbon monoxide and fire in a year or so.
S&T is spearheading a project called the Cell-All initiative. The goal is to equip your cell phone with a sensor capable of detecting deadly chemicals at minimal cost -- to the manufacturer (a buck a sensor) and to your phone’s battery life.
“Our goal is to create a lightweight, cost-effective, power-efficient solution,” says Stephen Dennis, Cell-All’s program manager.
How would this wizardry work? Just as antivirus software bides its time in the background and springs to life when it spies suspicious activity, so Cell-All...
iPhone OS 4 diverting Apple resources from Mac OS X 10.7?
John Gruber of "Daring Fireball" (http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/reading_between_the_iphone_os_4_lines) says that "Mac OS X 10.7 development continues, but with a reduced team and an unknown schedule." He's predicting that there'll be no Mac OS X 10.7 news at this year's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference and "probably none" until WWDC 2011.
Why? Gruber says that Apple’s company-wide focus has since on iPhone OS 4 and that the "number one priority at Apple is to grow mobile market share faster than Android." Several of the “tent-pole” features in iPhone OS 4 that Apple promoted at yesterday’s event are directly related to this, he adds.
Dept. of Justice investigating the hiring practices of Apple,...
The US Department of Justice is investigating a number of Silicon Valley giants, including Apple, over hiring practices that allegedly include agreements to not poach each others' top talent, according to "The Wall Street Journal" (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405270230470310457517429386762083...). Such agreements could potentially violate labor laws.
The federal government had Apple, Google and other companies over similar deals. Specifically, the probe is looking into whether the companies' hiring practices are costing skilled computer engineers and other workers opportunities to change jobs for higher pay or better benefits, says the "Journal."
Antitrust experts say the Justice Department could argue that an agreement between competitors that holds down labor costs is as much a violation of antitrust laws as an agreement said Melissa Maxman, an antitrust lawyer at the law firm Cozen O'Connor, told the "Journal."
Seagate offering FreeAgent Go drives with pre-loaded movies
Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) and Paramount Digital Entertainment, a division of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC) have teamed up to pre-load a selection of 500GB FreeAgent Go ultra-portable hard drives with Paramount movies.
Beginning immediately, United States’ customers who purchase specially marked packages of the FreeAgent Go ultra-portable hard drive will be able to activate Paramount Pictures’ hit film, "Star Trek," for no additional fee. Seagate and Paramount are partnering to pre-load 500GB Seagate FreeAgent Go ultra-portable drives with 21 Paramount films to jump start consumers' digital movie collections.
In addition to "Star Trek," those who have purchased the specially marked hard drives also receive an assortment of 20 Paramount Pictures movies pre-loaded on the FreeAgent Go 500GB ultra-portable drives that can be unlocked through the online purchase of a license key. The films will be licensed for multiple devices to allow for portability and enjoyment of them on...
New broadcast mobile TV tech to begin testing May 3
Hundreds of TV viewers in the Washington, D.C. area are just a few days away from their first taste of a new broadcast technology that enables viewing of TV programs while “on the go." For the first time, viewers will be able to watch local digital TV broadcasts on a variety of mobile devices, including specially-equipped iPhones, and iPads.
The Open Mobile Video Coalition’s Mobile DTV Consumer Showcase will begin on Monday, May 3 and continue throughout the summer in the Nation’s Capital. Compared to video delivered over wireless Internet platforms, Mobile DTV delivers always-on video at the highest quality and the lowest cost and is never affected by network congestion, claims Brandon Burgess, CEO of ION Media Networks and chairman of the OMVC (Open Mobile Video Coalition).
The Consumer Showcase will demonstrate how the U.S. digital TV system, now deployed in more than 1,600 stations across the country reaching 300 million Americans, allows each television station to...
Las Vegas SuperMeet to be video streamed over the Internet
The Final Cut Pro User Group Network says the Ninth Annual Las Vegas SuperMeet (http://www.supermeet.com, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 13, in the Amazon Ballroom at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, will be live video streamed (http://www.supermeet.com/live) over the Internet by Boinx Software and Zaplive.tv.
Registration will be required to view the free live video stream which will begin at 6:30 pm.. This SuperMeet will have Adobe, Apple and Avid on one stage together. The live video stream will begin at 6:30 pm (Pacific) and will be produced using BoinxTV from Boinx Software, a live production tool for creating Live to Disk, Live to Internet and Live to Stage video.
For those that are going to the 2010 Nab Show and wish to attend the SuperMeet in person, tickets are still available online for $15 each, (plus a $1.36 ticket fee) and $10 for students with a valid ID -- or $20 at the door.
Scheduled to appear on stage (subject to change) will be user-driven presentations and...
CosmoPod Safari extension update improves reliability, memory...
Cocoamug Software, developers and publishers of great Mac software, has released CosmoPod 4.3.2 (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 mainly improves the application reliability and memory usage.
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 4.3.2 is a free update for registered users of version 4.x. CosmoPod 3 and earlier users can upgrade for $3.90.
WhoPaste update for Mac OS X adds new task functionality
Mac-Chi has updated WhoPaste (http://www.whopaste.com/), a contact acquisition utility for the Mac OS X Address Book, to version 4.6. The upgrade's new task functionality provides a user default that controls whether there is a due date and if so how many days in the future.
WhoPaste 4.6 also provides a "skip Saturday" and a "skip Sunda"' option. iCal users can specify a default calendar for new to dos, while Daylite and Entourage users can specify a default category and project.
WhoPaste 4.6 also introduces four new license options. Both the new "Add One" and "Up to 5" license options are available to one, two, three or four user licenses. The new 'Up to 10' option is available for 5 user licenses and the new 'Up to 25' option is available for 10 user licenses.
With WhoPaste installed Mac users can simply copy any contact information (e.g. just a phone number in a Sticky note, a whole signature block in an email, or even multiple rows from a spreadsheet) and without switching...
Boris FX introduces Continnuum Complete 7 AE
Boris FX (http://www.borisfx.com, a developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, has announced Boris Continuum Complete 7 AE (BCC 7 AE), which the company says brings over 200 filters to Mac and Windows versions of Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro CS5, CS4, and CS3.
The new release features 11 new filters including a three-way color grade filter with built-in keying and masking tools, a new video noise reduction tool, a spline-based warp filter, an audio-driven keyframe generator, a new OpenGL particle engine, and still and video morph technology. Each Boris Continuum Complete filter has been re-engineered to take advantage of 64-bit processing and OpenGL acceleration.
Boris Continuum Complete 7 AE will be available in May at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$995 USD. Owners of previous versions of Boris Continuum Complete AE may upgrade for $295. Customers who purchase Boris Continuum Complete 6 AE as of April 12 will be eligible to receive a free...
Nvidia announces Quadro Digital Video Pipeline
At this week's NAB show in Las Vegas, Nvidia (http://www.nvidia.com) has unveiled its new Quadro Digital Video Pipeline, a a turnkey system which dramatically simplifies and accelerates the production of live 3D broadcasts.
It's designed to solve the complexity of acquiring, processing and delivering both traditional and 3D content by leveraging Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs). Quadro Digital Video Pipeline features include:
° Acquisition: it ingests four HD-SDI feeds (or two stereoscopic 3D feeds) simultaneously, using the GPU to debayer raw camera data in real-time, so directors see the highest quality, color corrected images.
° Processing: it renders and composites real-time 3D graphics, virtual effects and transitions;
° Delivery: it outputs right eye and left eye HD-SDI streams with audio, for immediate previewing and broadcasting.
The Quadro Digital Video Pipeline also adds support for both DirectX and OpenGL. Jeff Brown, general manager, Professional Solutions...
Red Giant announces Creative Suite 5 support
Red Giant Software (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com) says its products will support the just announced Adobe Creative Suite.
Magic Bullet Looks, Knoll Light Factory, Trapcode Suite, and Pro Keying Suite will be the first products available for Adobe After Effects CS5 and/or Adobe Premiere Pro CS5. Red Giant Software will release these Adobe CS5 updaters within two weeks of Adobe CS5 shipping. All other products will be available for Adobe CS5 by this summer. The Adobe CS5 updaters from Red Giant Software are only applicable to users that choose to upgrade to Adobe CS5.
According to Sean Safreed of Red Giant, the Adobe CS5 updaters for Red Giant Software products offer support for 64-bit computing, which provide many benefits including:
° Better use of memory to allow multiple applications to run with increased performance;
° Support of RAW content with the capacity to handle any resolution up to 5K and beyond;
° Smooth playback of multiple streams of video in real-time in Adobe...
AJA announces Ki Pro support for Avid Systems, new Mini...
At this week's NAB show in Las Vegas, AJA Video (http://www.aja.com) -- a manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, has collaborated with Avid to enable the AJA Ki Pro portable digital video recording device to record Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files that are directly compatible with Avid Media Composer and Symphony systems via the Avid Media Access (AMA) architecture.
The company has also introduced five new Mini Coverter products and a team-up with CineForm.
The AJA Ki Pro is a portable, rugged tapeless video recording device that records high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files onto computer-friendly media. It connects production directly with post by enabling filmmakers, broadcasters, video professionals and prosumers to skip the process of re-rendering to an editing codec by providing immediate access to full raster edit-ready files directly from camera. Through its AMA plug-in architecture, Avid enables users to connect the AJA Ki Pro media to...
Intego releases VirusBarrier Server 3 for the Mac
Intego (http://www.intego.com), a Mac security specialist, has released VirusBarrier Server 3, the latest version of its anti-malware and network protection software for Macs running as servers. It includes new threat-detection techniques, improved methods of detection, and combined detection protocol.
According to the folks at Intego, in addition to being the best defense against viruses and malware for Macs, VirusBarrier Server 3 adds more than 100 new features that provide hardened security and help protect against the latest threats. Here are some of them:
° Remote GUI administration: VirusBarrier Server 3 allows administrators to manage the program remotely, with full access to all settings and configurations. Administrators can manage multiple servers from a single GUI console and the program can also be administered locally. With VirusBarrier Server Admin, administrators get a bird’s-eye view of all the servers they are
° Two-way firewall: VirusBarrier Server 3 now...
Private Contact update for Mac OS X adds autorecovery docs, more
Tension Software (http://pomola.com/products_privatecontact/privatecontact.html) has updated Private Contact, a native Cocoa software to manage an address book in an encrypted form in Mac OS X (10.4 and higher), to version 2.3. The upgrade adds: autorecovery documents; preferences improvements; and a resizable category panel.
With Private Contact informations inside documents, relative to various persons, can be read only by the Mac owner. In case of unauthorized access or theft of the Mac, the data inside Private Contact documents can’t be read without the proper master password.
Private Contact uses the powerful Blowfish algorithm to encrypt data. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
Private Contact can be purchased for US$25. Version 2.3 is a free update to registered users of version 2.x.
WoodWing announces support for Adobe CS5
WoodWing Software, a supplier of cross-media publishing solutions, has greeted the launch of Adobe's Creative Suite 5 with the news that its products will be fully compatible. A beta version of WoodWing's award-winning Smart Styles CS5 plug-in for Adobe InDesign and InCopy has been already released.
The first WoodWing product already available for CS5 is the Smart Styles efficiency plug-in. A beta release is currently available on WoodWing's Community Site at http://community.woodwing.net/labs . The final release will be ready at the same time Adobe CS5 ships.
WoodWing is close to the beta stage of CS5 versions of other plug-ins and the Enterprise publishing system, as well, says President Erik Schut. These betas are expected to be released in May.
Network Series keypad, remotes support Macs, Apple TVs
URC (http://www.UniversalRemote.com) -- which specializes in remote control technology, has announced that its Network Series keypads and remote controls all fully automate AV systems connected to a Mac, PC or Apple TV via conventional wires, or wirelessly via Apple’s AirPort Express.
Touch one colorful icon on the screen of a URC network remote control to automatically activate the TV, start the audio system, and select the correct settings and inputs, so that you can see the video or listen to the music without any technical knowledge of how the AV system operates. URC remotes display color screens that let you browse, select and play anything on iTunes, even though the PC, Mac or Apple TV may be in a completely different room.
URC’s Network Series of 2-way controllers -- the MX-6000 Touch Screen, the MX-5000 Touch Screen Remote and the KP-4000 In-Wall Touch Screen Keypad Controller -- provide the user access and control of streamed iTunes content, as well as control over an entire...
Mobile, Internet leaders to meet to discuss 'open vs. Apple...
The battle for control of the multi-billion dollar mobile Internet space is the focus of the debate at the Open Mobile Summit (http://www.openmobilesummit.com), where industry world leaders convene in London, May 26-27th to explore how to monetize the open mobile ecosystem. Among the topics will be "open vs. Apple."
While the world watches to see if Apple CEO Steve Jobs will repeat the iPhone’s success with the iPad, criticism of Apple’s closed approach to device development runs high. Open vs closed models, the evolution of ebooks, tablets and devices "beyond the phone" -- and the impact on future publishing and media revenues -- are high on the agenda at this year’s Open Mobile Summit.
Joining the debate this year will be major handset players such as Nokia, HTC, Sony and Acer, operators Vodafone, O2, Orange, 3 and TeliaSonera, and Internet leaders Yahoo!, Spotify, EA Games and Gowalla. This is the second annual London conference from the organizers at the Open Mobile Summit. Key...
NAPP launches Photoshop CS5 Learning Center
The National Association of Photoshop Professionals, or NAPP (http://www.photoshopuser.com), has launched its new Adobe Photoshop CS5 Learning Center (http://www.photoshopuser.com/cs5), in conjunction with Adobe’s official announcement, with a week of live streaming webinars and giveaways of Adobe CS5.
The NAPP Adobe Photoshop CS5 Learning Center features 16 in-depth tutorials on Photoshop CS5’s most talked about features including: content aware fill and healing, the new HDR pro, single image HDR, refine edge, Camera Raw noise removal, layers and bridge improvements, the new puppet warp, the new mixer brush and more.
“CS5 is the biggest, most important Photoshop update in years. With so many cool new features, we wanted to give everyone the most comprehensive CS5 resource we possibly could,” saysScott Kelby, founder of NAPP, editor-in-chief of "Photoshop User" magazine, and president of Kelby Media Group. “That’s why we’re hosting an entire week of live-stream webinars on the...
Adobe unveils Creative Suite 5, accompanying educational...
Adobe has announced the Adobe Creative Suite 5 product family (http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_v...) and its supporting educational resources.
The Creative Suite 5 line-up includes Creative Suite 5 Master Collection, Creative Suite 5 Design Premium, Creative Suite 5 Web Premium, Creative Suite 5 Production Premium and Creative Suite 5 Design Standard, as well as 15 point products, associated technologies and integration with Adobe CS Live services.
Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection includes all of Adobe’s Creative Suite tools with full version upgrades of stand-alone applications, including Photoshop CS5, Illustrator CS5, InDesign CS5, Flash Catalyst CS5, Flash Professional CS5, Dreamweaver CS5, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 and After Effects CS5. These tools are available separately or in one of the five Creative Suite editions.
The Adobe CS5 product family also enables the creation of content and applications for the releases of Flash Player...
Mozaik demos iPad, iPhone technology for interactive TV
Mozaik Multimedia MovieBuddy and !Content (http://www.mozaik.com) are two new technologies that enable consumers to use iPhones and iPad, in addition to a standard remote control, to interact with in-movie brands and products in an immersive home environment.
Today’s generation is consuming video in a multi-screen, multi-tasking environment. With Mozaik !Content technology, consumers can learn more about products, people and places they see on the screen, instantly shop and share them via Facebook, Twitter or email. The Mozaik MovieBuddy iPad and iPhone application will integrate all these activities into a seamless, intuitive experience never seen before, says Paulette Pantoja, CEO and founder of BluFocus.
Mozaik Multimedia’s !Content is an end-to-end software solution for media and entertainment industries as well as service providers that's deployed across multiple platforms, connecting the advertisers to the consumers to the retailers. MovieBuddy technology, when combined with...
iPad to grab 51% of tablet market this year
Apple's iPad will grab 51% of the tablet market this year, with machines based on Google Android taking 24%, according to data from IMS Research.
As reported by "eWeek" (http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Apple-iPad-Google-Android-t...), the IMS reports shows that Windows 7 will garner 10% market share, with the remaining 15% going to some proprietary and Linux-based platforms for the home.
IMS analyst Anna Hunt projects Apple thinks the iPad it tapping a market that's "hungry" for tablets. The tablet market that could be worth $3.6 billion through 2010, she adds.
Toon Boom releases Animate Pro 2.0
Toon Boom Animation has released Toon Boom Animate Pro 2.0 (http://www.toonboom.com/products/animatepro/), an update of its high-performance animation software for professionals.
New feature highlights include: fast distribution of character parts to layers; the ability to adjust velocity on multiple character parts; efficient creation of richer-looking ambiance; full-fledged SWF export with new vector effects; direct import of scanned drawings (TWAIN); and expanded text capability.
Animate Pro 2.0 is designed for serious animators, offering award winning state-of-the-art content creation, animation and compositing toolset for any animation style within a single all-in-one desktop application, says Toon Boom President/CEO Joan Vogelesang. She says it combines state-of-the-art vector technology, real-time animation tools and nodal compositing to simplify the conception of complex effects. It sports non-destructive and resolution independent workflow, and features a new 3D space...
EditShare to unveil Flow 2.0
EditShare (http://www.editshare.com) will introduce version 2.0 of Flow, its production asset management solution for building collaborative media production infrastructures, at this week's NAB convention Las Vegas.
Integrated with the EditShare shared storage and archiving solutions, Flow provides extensive content management, asset tracking and production capabilities for managing post-production and broadcast workflows. According to EditShare CEO Andy Liebman, features include:
° In addition to the current "chunking" feature, Avid and QuickTime users can now ingest with Flow and begin editing on their NLE timeline within seconds. Clips expand in the background while you continue to edit.
° Flow 2.0 introduces bandwidth-controlled file-based ingest, with support for P2, XDCAM, XDCAM HD and AVC- Intra formats. Users can maintain video in its native codec or transcode to a different codec -, while simultaneously generating proxy files during ingest. In addition, administrators can...
Sanyo to launch new HD video cameras
Sanyo (http://www.sanyo.com) will launch two new Dual Camera Xacti, the DMX-CG100 and DMX-GH1 on April 16. With slim and compact designs, the new models capture Full HD video and high-resolution photos, based on the Dual Camera concept of taking both videos and photos with one camera.
The cameras utilize a video format (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) that can be handled on computer and Internet environments, as well as on home TVs. The new Xactis can capture both Full HD video (1920 x 1080) and 14 mega-pixel photos.
The new models are equipped with Sanyo’s proprietary “Double Range Zoom” feature for zoom operation while filming video. With a touch of the Zoom Range Button, this technology allows users to switch between two zoom ranges, a Wide Mode (40 mm to 240 mm) and a Tele Mode (80 mm to 480 mm), which changes the size of the video capture area on the image sensor. As a result, the new models offer ae range of video capture from wide angle to telephoto zoom for distant scenery, with a...
NEC releases new 'green' display
NEC Display Solutions of America (http://www.necdisplay.com) has announced the AccuSync AS231WM LCD monitor, which the company describes as an "environmentally friendly display."
Targeted to small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) as well as education and government users, the AS231WM joins four other green monitors in the AccuSync Series (AS171, AS191, AS191WM and AS221WM), which all bear EPEAT Silver ratings as well as Energy Star 5.0 and TCO 5.0 compliance.
The AS231WM widescreen display consumes 50% less energy and contains 50%t less mercury content than conventional monitors of the same size, according to Lynn Gu, product manager of NEC Display Solutions. In addition, ECO Mode technology lets end-users toggle between energy-saving modes, helping to significantly reduce power consumption, heat generation and extend the life of the display, she adds.
The AS231WM comes with Ambix dual-input technology, which allows for digital/analog compatibility with upgraded video cards and...
mDialog video solution for live streaming on iPhone, iPad
mDialog (http://www.mdialog.com), a mobile video and in-stream ad management platform, has announced what it says is first-to-market robust HTML5 adaptive video streaming service with Dynamic Ad-insertion.
mDialog VaaS with dynamic ad-insertion purportedly offers feature capabilities previously only available with Flash video-based solutions. mDialog delivers in-stream ad-insertion, ensuring no gaps between video ads in content on the mDialog iPad/iPhone Video Player SDK (software developer kit) and HTML5-enabled video browsers, such as Safari for the iPad.
“mDialog offers not only feature parity with desktop Flash video-based players, but provides viewers with a better overall user experience and more nuance in choices and styles of to-the-second ad insertions,” says Greg Philpott, President and Founder, mDialog. “And from a targeting perspective, the geo-targeting, device frequency capping and other means of pinpointing a specific audience are far more accurate with mDialog.”
The...
Adobe acknowledges risk of Flash-less iPhones, iPads
Adobe has acknowledged the risks of exclusion from the iPhone and iPad in a corporate filing, indicating the ban could hurt sales, as reported by "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=AAPL%3AUS&sid=aE0...).
“To the extent new releases of operating systems or other third-party products, platforms or devices, such as the Apple iPhone or iPad, make it more difficult for our products to perform, and our customers are persuaded to use alternative technologies, our business could be harmed,” Adobe said in the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under a “risk factors” heading.
“Adobe’s goal has been to make it so people can create content once and it can be delivered across all platforms -- that’s the pitch and Apple is trying to derail that effort,” Patrick Walravens, an analyst at JMP Securities, told "Bloomberg." “There’s a lot of noise around this issue and it’s significant for Adobe.”
Doxie paper scanner ships
Doxie (http://www.getdoxie.com), a paper scanner that scans directly to the cloud, is now shipping. Designed for home and small businesses, the US$129 portable scanner is for scanning, sharing, and organizing paper and photos.
It weighs 10.9 ounces and is built for travel. It's compatible with any Mac (OX 10.5 or 10.6) or PC and has USB connectivity. Doxie integrates directly with desktop and web apps like Google Docs, Flickr, iPhoto, Tumblr, Picnik, Evernote, Picasa, and Backpack. A single button, Doxie's Heart Button, implements sharing.
Doxie's features include: color scanning at up to 600 dpi with automatic page detection; included software for simple scanning and direct cloud sharing; integration with the free Doxie's Cloud service for turning paper into URLs for instant sharing; automatic cropping, rotation, and image clean-up; photo editing with direct support for the Picnik online photo editing suite; and the ability to save as PDF, JPEG, or lossless PNG.
It comes with an...
Apple reworking WebKit for multicore chips
Google's Chrome browser draws heavily on the WebKit browser engine project led chiefly by Apple, but now WebKit is adopting one Chrome idea: separation between some computing processes, according to "CNET" (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20002103-264.html).
WebKit is the system framework used on Mac OS X by Safari, Dashboard, Mail.app, and many other OS X applications. It’s based on the KHTML engine from KDE.
Apple programmer Anders Carlsson announced the latest move, an interface called WebKit2, in a that reads:
"This is a heads-up that we will shortly start landing patches for a new WebKit framework that we at Apple have been working on for a while. We currently call this new framework "WebKit2".
"WebKit2 is designed from the ground up to support a split process model, where the web content (JavaScript, HTML, layout, etc) lives in a separate process. This model is similar to what Google Chrome offers, with the major difference being that we have built the process split model...
Analyst: iAd play is 'ambitious, slick' but faces...
Eden Zoller, Ovum’s principal analyst, says Apple's iAd service is ambitious and slick but it still faces challenges before it can corner the market, not just from Google but from the complexity of video based in-application advertising.
“As Madison Avenue predicted, Apple has launched itself into the one mobile market from which it was absent, advertising," Zoller says. "Thursday at the iPhone 4.0 launch it announced its play for this market, the iAd platform. Steve Jobs reckons there will soon be around 100 million Apple devices on the market and that most of people’s mobile activity will be dominated by applications, where they will spend around 30 minutes a day. According to Jobs, if 10 ads were to appear on each device per day this would make for one billion ad impressions daily. The potential revenue from this scenario could be substantial."
The iAd platform supports in-application advertising and will span the iPhone, iPod touch and newly launched iPad. The iAd platform, built...
Apple posts video of iPhone OS 4 event
Apple has posted a video of Thursday's special event in which iPhone OS 4 and more was unveiled. The event was held at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.
To view the video, you'll need QuickTime. You can find a link at http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1004fk8d5gt/event/ .
Smartphones, tablets, e-readers creating new revenue...
The surging popularity of untethered devices like the iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Kindle and Sony Reader will help breathe new life into the publishing and information industries, but which revenue models will take hold will depend on the device, according to a new report from Outsell (http://www.outsellinc.com), a research and advisory firm focused on advancing the publishing and information industries.
“These mobile devices give publishers a chance to redefine user experiences with their content and to reset the rules for monetizing it as well, but current uncertainty as to how it will evolve means it’s time for experimentation,” saysNed May, director and lead analyst, Outsell. “That means content providers will also need patience as the landscape unfolds.”
Outsell’s “Device Wars” report is based on a February 2010 survey of more than 800 consumers on their use of smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, as well as interviews with executives across publishers and device manufacturers....
Imagenomic releases Portaiture 2 for Apple's Aperture 3
Imagenomic (http://www.imagenomic.com) has released Portraiture 2 Plug-in for Aperture 3, the latest version of Apple's digital photography workflow application. The Portraiture 2 edition provides native 64-bit operation within Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
The Portraiture 2 Plug-in for Aperture 3 is being made available as a free upgrade for registered users of the previous Aperture 2 Plug-in edition. For new users, the suggested retail price is US$199.95. A demo is available for download.
AppDelete for Mac OS X updated to version 3.1
Reggie Ashworth has updated AppDelete (http://reggie.ashworth.googlepages.com/appdelete), an application deleting app for Mac OS X, to version 3.1. It's a maintenance update that tweaks version 3.0.
Via drag 'n drop, AppDelete will delete any chosen app with all of its associated items that belong to that application. You'll no longer have to hunt through their system to find and delete these items manually.
You can drag any item that can be uninstalled onto AppDelete: applications, widgets, preference panes, plug-ins, screensavers, etc. You can also activate AppDelete in many ways: dragging items onto main window, onto dock icon, selecting in menu, right-clicking using AppDelete workflow, and throwing items in the trash. When the preview screen appears you can uncheck any items you would like to exclude. You also have several choices: delete the items, log only the items, or archive (copy) the items to a .zip file for safekeeping or reinstall at a later date. The items you delete...
CoreMelt previews Rolling Shutter reduction feature in Lock...
CoreMelt (http://www.coremelt.com) is previewing a Rolling Shutter reduction feature in Lock & Load X.
With the advent of the CMOS photosensor, a whole range of consumer, prosumer and professional level, HD video capable camcorders and digital SLRs have been released. But, even though CMOS technology enables high quality products to be developed at cheaper and cheaper prices, has its own problems. One of the main issues when shooting video on a CMOS camera are rolling shutter artifacts.
When a CMOS sensor records an image, it scans the image from top to bottom, left to right. This scanning action results in a slight lag time between the recording of the top left of the image, to the bottom right of the image, resulting in images with horizontal skew and vertical distortion. These distortions, when coupled with the motion of the camera, creates the infamous "wobbly" image effect attributed to CMOS cameras. This effect is heightened when shooting on cameras like Canon's Legria and...
iPad to energize $4 billion tablet computer semiconductor market...
New data from Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com) says the iPad will "energize" the tablet computer market over the next four years.
The research group says the tablet is entering a crowded market of mobile devices, but it has the opportunity to carve out a portion of the fast growing mobile electronics market segment for those that can deliver a complete solution that includes the device, content, applications, and wireless services that offer a unique usage model to users at an attractive price. The debut of the iPad promises significant opportunities well beyond just Apple, says Research and Markets.
The iPad promises to energize the emerging tablet computer segment, creating a potential semiconductor opportunity of over US$4.1 billion in 2014. Other component vendors will capitalize on the new opportunity for batteries and displays, as well. Tablets have quickly become a high priority for competitors across the value chain, including mobile operators, says Jim...
EditShare ships Ark 2.0 media archiving solution
EditShare (http://www.editshare.com), which specializes in cross-platform collaborative editing and shared media storage systems, has released its new Ark 2.0 backup and archiving solution.
Fully integrated with EditShare's award-winning shared storage solutions, Ark 2.0 offers media file protection for broadcast and post, providing digital and tape-based options for creating backups and archives. Ark 2.0 boasts a full array of media protection enhancements, most notably its complete integration with EditShare Flow, says Andy Liebman, founder and CEO of EditShare.
Version 2.0 offers: integration with Flow for back-ups and restoration of files; support for multi-tape libraries; a new activation feature for Ark Disk; and improved tape management. EditShare will be exhibiting the new Ark 2.0 release at the NAB 2010 convention held in Las Vegas on stand #SL4725. Pricing hasn't been announced.
'The Tech Night Owl' looks at the iPad, Office 2011...
On this week's "Tech Night Owl,"Gene Steinberg, the Owl himself, and guests look at -- you guessed it -- the iPad. Oh yes, and the upcoming Office 2011 for the Mac.
First off, Kyle Wiens, from iFixit, takes the iPad apart in a virtual fashion, describing what makes it tick and how well it works after it’s all put back together. And in a change of pace, Microsoft’s Amanda Lefebvre reveals the inside details of the forthcoming Office 2011 for the Mac and gives you a preview of the new Microsoft Messenger for the Mac, which includes support for audio and video recording.
You can tune into the live broadcast stream Thursday nights from 6-8 Pacific, 9-11 Eastern from http://www.technightowl.com/radio ; an archive of the show will be available for downloading and listening at your convenience within four hours after the original broadcast. You can also access our show's podcast feed, now available at http://www.technightowl.com/nightowl.xml .
iPad review: the conclusion (and can it replace my laptop?)
As I wind up my four-part review of the iPad, I must revisit my theory (or maybe it was a hope) that the device could replace both my iPod touch and my MacBook. It will definitely replace the former. As for my laptop, not quite and not yet.
With the revealing of iPhone OS 4, I think the iPad could do just that before year's end. I say this with a caveat: I'm not a road warrior. I do most of my computing on an iMac and will be using my iPad as a Mac companion/Mac complement. If you do a lot of work -- or heavy duty work -- on your laptop, don't plan on trading your MacBook or MacBook Pro in for an iPad.
As I've said before, the tablet device is a great device for media consumption. As a device for creation and productivity, it has a way to go.
Apple offers iPad versions of its iWork productivity apps: Pages, Keynote and Numbers for $9.99 each. I've only used Pages, so I'll use that as my yardstick for getting work done on the tablet device.
First of all, I simply can't use the...
Apple unveils iAd mobile advertising platform
At the unveiling of iPhone OS 4, Apple debuted iAd, Apple’s new mobile advertising platform, which "combines the emotion of TV ads with the interactivity of web ads," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said.
Today, when users click on mobile ads they are almost always taken out of their app to a web browser, which loads the advertiser’s web page. Users must then navigate back to their app, and it's often difficult or impossible to return to exactly where they left. Jobs said iAd solves this problem by displaying full-screen video and interactive ad content without ever leaving the app, and letting users return to their app anytime they choose.
He added that iPhone OS 4 lets developers embed iAd opportunities within their apps, and the ads are dynamically and wirelessly delivered to the device. Apple will sell and serve the ads, and developers will receive an industry standard 60% of iAd revenue.
However, Flash ads need not apply. They must be built with HTML. To put it mildly, Jobs is NOT a fan of...
Over 450,000 iPads sold so far
Apple has sold over 450,000 iPads since the device went on sale Saturday, April 3, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at a special event at its Cupertino, California headquarters. Approximately 300,000 units were sold on the launch day.
Jobs said Apple is serving over 185,000 applications through its Apple App Store, including 3,500 designed for the iPad. The CEO added that over 600,000 ebooks have been sold through the device's iBook app in the first five days.
More than four billion apps downloaded from Apple App Store
More than four billion apps have been downloaded from the Apple App Store and more than 185,000 apps are available to consumers in 90 countries, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at a special event at its Cupertino, California headquarters.
Over 85 million iPhone and iPod touch users around the world can choose from a range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. Jobs also said that Apple has sold 50 million iPhones and 35 million iPod touches.
