be.az announces new LE bags for MacBooks, MacBook Pros
be.ez (http://www.be.ez.com) has announced the LE rush notebook bag
collection for 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pross. The LE rush
features a lightweight, slim design in three flavors: LE rush Black
Coffee, LE rush Lime Park, and LE rush Lagoon Dream.
Each LE rush notebook bag is made of ballistic nylon and sports high
density padding. It can be carried either by hand or with the
optional shoulder strap. You can organize your laptop, documents, and
accessories with three pockets in the main compartment, an exterior
pocket with a Velcro-secured flap, and three fast-access slip pockets
on the back.
be.ez's LE rush notebook bag line for MacBook Pro is available at
Amazon.com and has an manufacturer's suggested retail price of
US$54.99 and $59.99, respectively, for the 13.3-inch and 15.4-inch
models.
O'Reilly Media releases 'iPhone Game Development'
O'Reilly Media has released "iPhone Game
Development,"
(http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596159856) an
US$34.99, 255-page book designed to teach game
development basics and iPhone programming
fundamentals. The authors are Paul Zirkle and Joe
Hogue.
This book was written to help readers learn the
technical design issues particular to the iPhone
and iPod touch, and suggests ways to maximize
performance in different types of games. You also
get plug-in classes to compensate for the areas
where the iPhone's game programming support is
weak. Topics include:
° Learn how to develop iPhone games that provide engaging user experiences;
° Become familiar with Objective-C and the Xcode suite of tools;
° Learn what it takes to adapt the iPhone interface to games;
° Create a robust, scalable framework for a game app;
° Understand the requirements for implementing 2D and 3D graphics;
° Learn how to add music and audio effects, as well as menus and controls;
° Get instructions for publishing your...
Primera announces BravoPro XI-Series Disc Publishers
Primera Technology (http://www.primera.com), a
manufacturer of specialty printers, announced its
BravoPro Xi-Series Disc Publishers. They're new
and improved versions of Primera's BravoPro Disc
Publishers. They're compatible with Mac OS X 10.5
("Leopard") and higher.
According to the folks at Primera, features of
the Xi-Series include: 300% faster robotics for
higher throughput; an interior blue LED lighting
with job status feedback; a seventh-generation
disc picking mechanism; optional Blu-ray Disc
recordable drives; and lower prices. Three
Xi-Series models are available:
° The BravoPro Xi AutoPrinter: 100-disc capacity
for print-only applications for US$1,995. It will
print up to 172 discs per hour.
° The BravoPro Xi Disc Publisher, a100-disc
capacity and one high-speed CD/DVD drive for
$2,995 You can burn and print up to 32 discs per
hour.
° The BravoPro Xi2 Disc Publisher, which has
100-disc capacity and two high-speed CD/DVD
drives for $3,295. You can burn and print up to
60...
iPresentee releases Keynote Themes 8.0
iPresentee (http://www.ipresentee.com), a developer of add-ons for
Apple's iWork and iLife applications, has released Keynote Themes
8.0, a collection of themes to be used with Keynote. Keynote is
Apple's presentation component of the US$79 iWork suite.
Keynote Themes 8.0 includes six new themes: Brilliance, Shining
Waves, DNA Chain, Space Drops and Live Mosaic. The new Keynote Themes
collection offers a variety of presentation styles with coordinated
fonts, colors, backgrounds, bullets and picture frames. Each theme is
available in standard or HD formats. Keynote Themes has up to 22
different master slide layouts. Creating a presentation using new
Keynote themes is exactly the same as creating a presentation using
the usual themes. You can: add, edit, and format text; add photos or
movies; use Keynote's transitions and special effects.
Keynote Themes 8.0 includes an installer to make sure the themes end
up in the right place and will be displayed in Keynote's themes menu...
PDFPen update for Mac OS X reduces memory usage
SmileOnMyMac has updated PDFPen
(http://www.smileonmymac.com/PDFpen/download.html), its PDF editing
and form-filling tool for Mac OS X, to version 4.5.2. The update
reduces memory usage for OCR documents and includes various bug fixes
and improvements.
PDFpen costs US$49.95, and PDFpenPro is $99.95. Family pack licenses,
which cover up to five computers in one household, are $74.95 for
PDFpen and $129.95 for PDFpenPro. Upgrades from earlier versions of
either application are $25, and free to users who purchased after
June 1, 2008. Upgrades from any version of PDFpen to PDFpenPro 4.0
are $50.
PDFpen 4.5.2 and PDFpenPro 4.5.2 require Mac OS X 10.4 or later. An
Intel 1.8GHz processor or above is recommended for OCR. Demo versions
are available for download.
Native Instruments updates Maschine groove production studio
Native Instruments (http://www.native-instruments.com) has released
Maschine 1.1, an update of its next-generation groove production
studio for beat creation and arrangement. The system combines a
software sequencer and sampler with an integrated performance
controller. Maschine is built on a combination of groove box and drum
machine workflows.
To allow producers to incorporate external gear into their Maschine
projects, the new version adds MIDI I/O functionality. Hardware
synthesizers and similar devices can now be controlled from the
Maschine sequencer both through polyphonic tracks and from individual
monophonic sounds within a Group, while a special "Batch Setup"
function makes it easy to set up MIDI input configurations in
existing projects. Maschine 1.1 also adds support for REX files,
enabling users to include pre-sliced loops in their projects that
sync to tempo automatically. Any pattern in Maschine can also be
directly exported as an audio file into a host sequencer or...
Noise Industries releases free pan and zoom plug-in for Final Cut
Noise Industries, developer of visual effects tools for the
postproduction and broadcast markets, has released an update to its
freebie generator plug-in, Pan and Zoom
(http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/panandzoom). The controls
of the new Pan and Zoom 2 plug-in enables users to create pan and
zoom effects, a photo animation style made popular by cinematographer
Ken Burns, without a single keyframe.
The new release also boasts motion blur to generate the best-looking
animations at any frame rate, and a bonus transition, which allows
editors to use the same photo animation techniques to move between
two clips, according to the folks at Noise Industries. Pan and Zoom 2
is free and supports the latest versions of Apple Final Cut Pro,
Final Cut Express, Motion and After Effects.
Native Instruments Releases four acoustic piano emulation
Native Instruments has introduced the Berlin, New York and Vienna
Concert Grand as well as Upright Piano, four software instruments
that offer detailed reproductions of some of the world's most revered
pianos. Previously available within the Akoustik Piano, these
instruments (http://
www.native-instruments.com/Kontakt_powered_pianos.info) can now be
purchased individually or as a bundle.
All four pianos are powered by the Kontakt engine, and are playable
in the free Kontakt Player as well as the full Kontakt sampler.
Berlin, New York, Vienna Concert Grand and Upright Piano are
available in the NI Online Shop for US$79 per individual instrument.
A bundle of all four instruments is available for $189.
FineReader Express ready for Snow Leopard
ABBYY (http://www.ABBYY.com) -- a provider of document recognition,
data capture and linguistic software -- has announced that as of
version 10.
ABBYY FineReader Express Edition for Mac is an optical character
recognition (OCR) application that turns scanned paper documents, PDF
files and camera images into electronic formats such as RTF
documents, XLS spreadsheets, searchable PDFs, and HTML files. The
application provides ABBYY's OCR technologies compatible with the
latest Mac platform.
It supports text recognition in 171 languages, supports recognition
of multilingual documents in up to three languages and re-creates
layout and formatting elements of the original document including
tables, columns, graphics, bullets and numbering. By leveraging its
digital camera OCR technology, users can extract printed text from
digital photographs with the application, and use their cameras as
alternative scanning devices. ABBYY FineReader Express Edition for
Mac also supports conversion of...
OWC offers Modbook at reduced pricing
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) is now offering the
Axiotron Modbook tablet Mac at reduced pricing. The company has
announced an US$500 price reduction and expanded options on the
Modbook.
OWC, as a fully certified Axiotron Authorized System Manufacturer
(AASM), has also reduced the price of its MacBook to Modbook
Modservice conversion by 40%. Custom configured 13.3-inch Modbook
tablets now start from US$1,599 with standard Intel Core 2 Duo
2.13GHz processor, 2GB of memory, 160GB internal hard drive, an 8X
Dual-Layer SuperDrive, Airport Extreme 802.11b/g/n wireless,
Bluetooth, and Mac OS 10.6.x ("Snow Leopard") installed.
Exclusively for OWC customers, a built in WAAS enabled GPS is also
included for no additional cost. Customers may also custom configure
their Modbook with up to 6GB of memory, Solid State Drives (SSD) up
to 256GB, and hard disk drives for up 1.28TB (1280GB) of total
internal storage capacity and have it shipped within 48 hours.
Owners of an existing...
Yojimbo information manager for Mac OS X updated to version 2.1
Bare Bones Software (http://www.barebones.com ) has released Yojimbo
2.1, an upgrade to the information organizer for Mac OS X. The
upgrade adds Speech and Transforms commands to the edit menu and text
view contextual menus for text-based notes.
Also, Yojimbo 2.1 now supports .vncloc clipping files. Enhancements
to scripting support allow opening the Quick Input Panel via
AppleScript and accessing a collection's icon property from the
scripting interface. Yojimbo 2.1 also includes fixes to reported
issues.
Yojimbo is an Universal Binary application that requires Mac OS X
10.5.7 or later, and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow
Leopard"). It costs US$125 for new users; upgrades to version 2.1
from version 2.x is $30. Upgrades from version 1.x is $30.
nPulse releases HammerHead system
nPulse Network Systems (http://www.npulsenetworks.com) has released
the nPulse HammerHead 10 Gbps Capture and Replay system based on the
Napatech NT20E 2 x 10 Gbps In-line adapter. HammerHead is the a
traffic testing product that provides full line-rate 10 Gbps packet
capture, record-to-disk and replay capabilities.
"Capturing, recording and generating 10 Gigabits per second of
traffic on a sustained basis are difficult technical challenges, and
existing approaches have relied on proprietary hardware and software
solutions. However, proprietary 10 Gbps solutions are very expensive,
and out of reach for most enterprises," says Peter Shaw, vice
president of marketing for nPulse. "With HammerHead, we have solved
this problem using off-the-shelf hardware components combined with
Napatech's adapter, dramatically reducing cost without sacrificing
performance." nPulse employed Napatech's PCI-Express based NT20E
network adapter to ensure accurate packet capture and replay
performance in...
Sonnet Announces three-port FireWire 800 PCI Express adapter card
Sonnet Technologies has released the Allegro FireWire 800 PCIe (PCI
Express) adapter card. This adapter
(http://www.sonnettech.com/product/allegrofirewire800pcie.html)--
which has a suggested retail price of US$99.95 -- delivers faster
FireWire 800 performance to Mac Pro, and Power Mac G5, Xserve, and
Windows PCs with PCI Express slots.
It's backward compatible with FireWire 400 drives and other devices.
According to the folks at Sonnet, the Allegro FireWire 800 PCIe
features the fastest FireWire 800 controller: the Texas Instruments
XIO2213A. To satisfy the high-bandwidth demands of video and pro
audio applications, this latest generation controller enables the
Allegro FireWire 800 PCIe to deliver up to 70 MB/second write speeds.
This card also powers bus-powered external drives and audio
interfaces, so there' no need to connect an external power brick to
them. This card works in both PCIe 1.1 and 2.0 slots, supports all
FireWire 800 and FireWire 400 peripherals, and features hot-...
ATTO's FastStream RAID storage controller certified with
ATTO Technology (http://www.attotech.com), a provider of storage
connectivity and infrastructure solutions for data-intensive
computing environment, has announced that their FastStream Storage
Controller has been certified with the Fibrenetix E4 storage system.
The FastStream is engineered for real-time applications which require
managed latency and feature ADS and DriveAssure technology to ensure
best-in-industry data transfers for high-bandwidth applications while
preventing premature drive failures and drive slow downs providing
uninterrupted access to data, according to James U'Ren, FastStream
product manager for ATTO Technology.
FastStream Storage Controllers allow multiple workstations to share a
pool of RAID-protected SAS or SATA storage without using a Fibre
Channel switch. Using the FastStream with SAS drives protected by
RAID 5 provides support for up to five streams of 10-bit uncompressed
HD video with performance up to 1400MB/second. The FastStream
provides shared...
ProStor Systems extends RDX capacity to 640GB
ProStor (http://www.prostorsystems.com) -- which specializes in
enterprise-class removable disk storage systems for business backup,
archiving and retention management -- has announced the availability
of a new 640GB (1.28TB compressed) RDX removable disk cartridge.
As with all industry standard RDX removable disk, the latest RDX
cartridge is fully read and write compatible with all RDX, RD1000 and
ProStor InfinVault products. Along with a lower entry price, RDX now
offers 4x higher capacity and nearly 4x the performance of the latest
generation of DAT tape, with RDX cartridge capacities continuing to
increase by approximately 50% per year.
ProStor InfiniVault customers will also benefit from an automatic 28%
archival capacity increase without any system changes or any
additional system costs, according to the folks at ProStor.The new
640GB RDX cartridge technology gives current ProStor InfiniVault
users additional free capacity and adds additional purchasing
inducement for data...
Mass Transit gets new web portal, redesigned interface
Group Logic (http://www.grouplogic.com), a provider of
enterprise-class connectivity solutions, has announced y the general
availability of MassTransit 6.1. This new release includes a new web
portal for occasional users, a completely redesigned user interface
for power users and a number of new enterprise infrastructure
features.
MassTransit provides a file transfer solution for infrequent file
transfers, a powerful tool for high volume, high frequency transfers
and automated tools for system-to-system file transfers. It provides
your organization with a single tool for defining and enforcing file
transfer access rights and for monitoring all file transmissions,
according to T. Reid Lewis, CEO of Group Logic.
Users can log into their MassTransit-powered corporate file transfer
website and within three clicks begin sending files as large as many
gigabytes securely over HTTPS. There's no browser plug-in or FTP
client to install and typing a few characters of the recipient's name...
Vestax, algoriddim have launches the Spin DJ Controller for...
Vestax (http://www.vestax.com), which specializes in professional DJ
equipment, and algoriddim (http://www.algoriddim.net), which makes
next-generation music software for the Mac, have released Spin, an
all-in-one bundle of digital DJ hardware and algoriddim's djay 3
software.
The Spin DJ controller was jointly developed for integration with the
djay software, and lets you mix, scratch and play your music like a
turntable DJ. djay 3 integrates with the user's iTunes library and
transforms the Mac into a complete DJ setup, while Vestax's hardware
replicates the control and physical sensation of mixing and
scratching on actual records, says Charles Akira Ono, vice president
of the Vestax Corp.
Spin will be available exclusively in Apple Stores in the USA and
Canada starting today. The Spin DJ controller mimics the classic
setup of two turntables and a mixer, and connects to any Mac via USB.
The user can then control djay 3 using two touch-sensitive jog wheels
for scratching and remixing...
Universal Studios integrates iPhone/iPod apps with Blu-ray titles
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(http://www.universalstudios.com), or USHE, has launched an array of
enhanced iPhone and iPod touch-enabled features and social web-based
offerings with the release of upcoming titles "Bruno," "Funny
People," "9," "American Pie Presents: The Book of Love," "Public
Enemies" and "Inglourious Basterds," all available this holiday
season.
These innovations include the pocket BLU app, which offers iPhone and
iPod users touch further enhancements to the Blu-ray experience, and
social BLU, which offers Blu-ray users more ways to interact with
their Facebook and Twitter networks through an Internet-connected
Blu-ray player. Additionally, USHE will unveil an all-new redesign of
its BD-Live Center on "Funny People," which makes the dynamic content
on the multimedia portal easier to access, more engaging, and easier
to use, according to Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios
Home Entertainment. On future releases, Universal will deliver even
more...
Bowers & Wilkins announces Hi-Fi speakers for desktop...
Bowers & Wilkins (http://www.bowers-wilkins.com) has announced MM1
desktop speakers for Macs and PCS. They'll ship in January; pricing
hasn't been announced.
Designed by the same acoustic engineering team that developed
Zeppelin for the iPhone and the high-end 800 Series speakers used in
Abbey Road Studios, the MM-1 sports a full range, active, near field
monitor, with two separate drive units including an aluminium dome
tweeter for a refined treble performance.
Key proprietary Bowers & Wilkins technologies such as Nautilus Tube
Loaded tweeters find their way into a speaker of this type for the
first time, according to the folks at Bowers & Wilkins. And new DSP
technologies such as Bowers & Wilkins' own Dynamic EQ, maximises bass
output, and allows the MM-1 to provide full range sound without the
need to resort to a subwoofer, they add.
The MM-1 has a headphone output. Audio from a computer passes through
the MM-1's DSP and into its headphone socket. The MM-1 comes...
CalDigit shipping 2TB drives
CalDigit (http://www.caldigit.com) is now offering support for 2TB
hard drives. Previously 1.5TB drives were the maximum capacity
available to users. CalDigit is now offering a 33% increase in
storage at no additional cost and, lesser capacity products now have
a lower price tag.
The CalDigit VR is a two-drive RAID system and is now available in
capacities up to 4TB. It sports a quadruple interface; its modular
design also provides two hot swappable drive modules. It has a front
LCD and includes software for configuration and monitoring. The
CalDigit VR offers support for RAID 0, 1, JBOD and SPAN, the CalDigit
VR packs a ton of performance into a small package. Pricing starts at
US $499.
The HDElement is a flexible external storage solution that harnesses
the power of the CalDigit RAID Card. It's now available in capacities
of up to 8TB, in the same compact enclosure. The CalDigit RAID Card
provides RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and JBOD support to the HDElement, and with
3 ports up 24TB of storage...
Khronos Group releases Open WF 1.0 standard
The Khronos Group, an industry consortium creating open standards to
enable the authoring and acceleration of graphics and dynamic media
on a variety of platforms and devices, has announced the release of
the OpenWF 1.0 standard.
OpenWF is an operating system-independent and hardware-neutral
foundation for building windowing systems and providing display
control functionality in accelerated mobile and embedded devices. It
enables a new degree of portability, acceleration and abstraction for
windowing systems, while adding functionality and features through
close integration with Khronos application APIs (application
programming interface), according to the Khrnonos Gorup. OpenWF acts
as the underlying route to the display for advanced graphics and
multimedia content generated using APIs such as OpenGL ES for
portable 3D graphics, OpenVG for vector graphics acceleration, and
OpenMAX for multimedia.
OpenWF provides two separate but complementary low-level APIs for
composition of...
Bowers & Wilkins announces their first headphones
Bowers & Wilkins (http://www.bowers-wilkins.com) has announced their
first ever headphone: the P5 Mobile, which is due for release in
January. It comes supplied with a Made For iPod approved cable, which
allows for speech and device control.
The use of specially developed ultra-linear neodymium magnets and
highly optimized Mylar diaphragms provide the best possible sound
quality while isolating as much noise as possible, according to the
folks at Bowers & Wilkins. This isolation is achieved through a
combination of the closed-back design featuring a rigid metal
faceplate, and the sealed-leather ear pads, they add.
The leather-clad headband has been designed for extreme comfort where
it interfaces with the side of the head, while the softest available
sheep's leather from New Zealand has been used for the ear pads. The
P5 Mobile comes supplied with a standard audio cable with gold-plated
plugs. Switching between it and the iPhone/iPod cable is facilitated
by the magnetically...
Zevrix updates BatchOutput Server for InDesign to support Snow
Zevrix Solutions has announced BatchOutput Server 4.2.4, an update to
its powerful output workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign.
Originally developed for a major magazine publisher in the United
States to free up their operator computers from outputting InDesign
files, the software automates InDesign output by processing files
from hotfolders.
BatchOutput Server offloads printing and exporting to PDF and
PostScript to a central system leaving operator workstations free
from the output process. Under this workflow, production artists and
prepress operators simply submit files to hotfolders that reside on
the network. BatchOutput Server automatically outputs the files from
its dedicated station using hotfolder settings, and will
auto-activate document fonts as well. Operator workstations will
never again be tied up by the output process.
BatchOutput allows users to output InDesign documents as single
pages, update links automatically and compose complex variable file
names. As...
Stellar releases Windows compatible Mac data recovery software
Stellar Information Systems Limited, a developer
and provider of data recovery solutions and
services, has introduced Stellar Phoenix
Macintosh (Windows) 4.0, a Windows compatible
data recovery solution from Mac hard drives.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh recovers lost, deleted
or missing files and folders from Mac drives by
attaching them to Windows-based computer. It
allows Windows-based recovery for damaged,
corrupted, or deleted Mac volumes. The free demo
version of the software is available as a
download at company's web site:
http://www.macintosh-data-recovery.com/mac-data-recovery-on-windows.php;
registration is US$179.
Sunil Chandna, Stellar Information Systems CEO,
says features of Stellar Phoenix Macintosh
(Windows) 4.0 are:
° Compatibility with Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista/Servers (2000);
° Support for HFS, HFS+, HFSX, HFS Wrapper and FAT file systems;
° The ability to recover missing, lost or deleted files and folders;
° The ability to recover files and folders from lost or...
Default Folder X update fixes Tiger, Leopard glitches
St. Clair Software has updated Default Folder
(http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html), its utility
for enhancing Open and Save dialogs in Mac OS X, to version 4.3.3.
This release addresses issues with Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5 that have
come to light since the recent release of version 4.3.2.
For users of both Snow Leopard and Leopard, compatibility has been
improved in Final Cut Pro, QuickTime Player and other applications
that export using QuickTime. We've also improved performance and
addressed interface issues, and two new settings provide for
additional customization.
Default Folder X 4.3.3 is a free update for existing users who
purchased a license or upgrade on or after June 1, 2007. The upgrade
is US$14.95 for users who bought their copies before that date.
Default Folder X costs $34.95 for a new license. Installers are
available now in English and German and will be released shortly in
Japanese, French, and Danish.
LogicalVue Software announces the RBDevZone Podcast
LogicalVue Software has announced the availability of the RBDevZone
Podcast. It's an enhanced audio podcast that focuses on REALbasic
topics. Each weekly episode covers the latest REALbasic news and
discusses a single REALbasic-related topic.
Episode #1 (Topic: REALbasic 2009 Release 4) is available now at
http://www.rbdevzone.com/2009/11/rbdevzone-podcast-1/ . You may also
subscribe to the podcast using iTunes or directly from the RBDevZone
web site:
iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=338965075
RBDevZone: http://www.rbdevzone.com/feed/podcast/?format=m4a
Hosted by LogicalVue Software, RBDevZone is a free community site for
REALbasic developers. At RBDevZone you can find REALbasic tutorials,
articles, sample code and more. LogicalVue Software is a software
consulting firm that specializes in creating software solutions using
REALbasic.
MacTech Acquires MacMod
MacTech Acquires MacMod
- MacMod community joins 25-year old MacTech family
- Articles, podcasts, forums to merge into MacTech
- MacMod personality, icons live on
November 6, 2009 -- WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- MacTech Magazine and
MacMod.com announced today that MacTech is acquiring MacMod, including the
site, forums, and podcasts. MacMod's community and spirit will live on
with MacTech as its new home, and a chance to spread the excitement to a
much larger audience than ever before.
"For 8 years, MacMod has been the home to many with all kinds of Mac and
Apple creativity: a community full of people that make systems go beyond
what they were originally intended," said Neil Ticktin,
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of MacTech Magazine. "We're excited about
helping this community grow. We look forward to giving all this creativity
an even broader base to draw on, and audience to see."
"We're thrilled to be working with MacTech in this acquisition. MacTech
has been a staple of the Apple...
O'Reilly releases eighth edition of its Missing Manual for...
O'Reilly Media has released the eighth edition of "iPod: The Missing
Manual" (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596804312). The US$19.99,
300-page book is written by J. D. Biersdorfer and David Pogue.
The book provides a "no-nonsense view of the latest iPod line,"
including the tiny shuffle, the video-capable nano, the high-capacity
Classic, and the Wi-Fi-enabled touch. It's packed with explanations
and color graphics to show all the things you can do with these iPods.
Biersdorfer is the author of "iPod: The Missing Manual" and "The iPod
Shuffle Fan Book," and is co-author of "The Internet: The Missing
Manual" and the second edition of "Google: The Missing Manual." She
has been writing the weekly computer Q&A column for the Circuits
section of "The New York Times" since 1998.
David Pogue, Yale '85, is the weekly personal-technology columnist
for the "New York Times" and an Emmy award-winning tech correspondent
for CBS News. His funny tech videos appear weekly on CNBC.
Salling Media Sync now supports the Verizon/Motorola Droid
Salling Software AB has updated its application for syncing media
from iTunes and compatible photo applications to mobile devices. The
new version is compatible with Motorola's Droid, and is released as
Verizon Wireless starts selling the Google phone.
Once the phone is connected to a USB port, you select the playlists,
podcasts and photo albums you want on the device. Salling Media Sync
not only uploads the music tracks and podcast episodes, but also
replicates each actual playlist on the device and -- on devices that
support it -- transfers play count metadata for each item to the
device.
Salling Media Sync 1.1.4 is available now through Salling Software's
web site (http://www.salling.com) at no cost for basic use. At a
price of US$22 per user license, the application updates your phone,
resulting in faster syncs.
Mac and Windows licenses are sold separately, and the bundle can be
bought at a 25% discount. Salling Media Sync for Mac is compatible
with Mac OS X 10.4.11 or better,...
Vers introduces open-front Shellcases to its iPod, iPhone line
Vers (http://www.versaudio.com) has extended its line of sustainably
built, hand-crafted wood cases for the iPod and iPhone with the
addition of open-front Shellcases that allow full display access.
Combining the natural beauty and strength of walnut, cherry and
bamboo, they're the most environmentally thoughtful cases available
on the market, says David Laituri, designer and co-founder of Vers.
"The response to our wood case launch was very positive, but many of
our customers wanted full access to their iPhone while in the case.
With the new Shellcase, they've got it," adds Vers co-founder Tim
Trzepacz. "Like the Vers 2X and Vers 1.5R, Vers cases are designed
with the same passion for sustainability; for each tree used in Vers
case production, 100 are re-planted through our partnership with The
Arbor Day Foundation and the U.S. Forestry Service to re-forest
parklands damaged by fire and other natural disasters."
Vers wood cases for iPhone, iPod touch and iPod classic cases have a...
Axiotron reduces Modbook price, says pro version planned for
Axiotron (http://www.axiotron.com) has reduced the manufacturer's for
the company's Modbook tablet Mac to US$699 (for Modbooks built from a
customer-supplied MacBook base system) and $1,599 (for Modbooks that
include a dealer-supplied 2.13Ghz MacBook base system).
The holiday discount program -- which enables customers to purchase
the Modbook at the lowest prices ever -- runs through Dec. 31.
Axiotron CEO Andreas E. Haas said the holiday promotion is
"an especially compelling opportunity for students and other
customers looking for more affordable Modbook options."
Axiotron today also announced that the Modbook Pro tablet computer,
unveiled during the Macworld Expo 2009, is planned for release at the
end of the second quarter of 2010.
Mariner Software introduces new software/hardware bundle
Mariner Software has announced its latest product offering -- a
software and hardware bundle containing the digital documents
manager, Paperless, with Fujistu's ScanSnap S300M mobile scanner or
the S1500M sheet-fed scanner. Paperless integrates with both ScanSnap
scanners.
Paperless allows users to scan receipts and other varieties of
paperwork and view the data right on the screen, email it or save the
scanned paperwork as PDF files. Search functionality helps users
organize receipts and documents into collections, making paper copies
redundant for routine tasks such as record keeping and bookkeeping,
says Michael Wray, president of Mariner Software.
The Paperless bundle is available for sale from the Mariner Software
web site at http://www.marinersoftware.com/sitepage.php?page=162 .
The Paperless/S1500M bundle sells for US$495 and the Paperless/S300M
bundle for $295.
RadTech releases OtterBox Commuter case for the iPhone
RadTech (http://www.radtech.us) has released the OtterBox Commuter
case for the iPhone. It incorporates three layers of impact-absorbing
materials. First, a self-adhering transparent film covers and
protects the touch screen.
Next, a firm silicone skin completely encases the iPhone's housing.
And finally, a one-piece, molded polycarbonate shell snaps over the
whole assembly.
All of the iPhone's buttons and controls are protected, yet remain
fully accessible, and captive silicone covers keep dust, dirt and
debris out of the audio jack and 30-pin docking ports when not in
use. The Commuter's hard-shell exterior allows it to slide into and
out of a pocket or purse, while the silicone side panels keep it
securely in your grip, according to the folks at RadTech. It's
available in two models: the US$34.95 Commuter and the $29.95
Commuter TL.
Quirky releases iPhone case with built-in light
Quirky has released the Beamer (http://www.quirky.com/products/18),
an US$32 iPhone case with a built-in light. This light can function
both as a flash for your iPhone's camera as well as a light to
brighten things up when necessary.
Beamer is a hard plastic, slim fitting case with a friction-fit,
two-piece design. Its base slides out for quick insertion of your
iPhone. You turn on the light by pressing the silicone button once
and the light will remain on for 10 seconds. Pressing the button
twice in a row will leave the light on indefinitely until you are
ready to turn it off; to do so, just press the button a 3rd time.
The Beamer comes equipped with a replaceable coin cell battery that
provides 10 hours of illumination. It's available in a variety of
colors.
O'Reilly releases 'Head First iPhone Development'
O'Reilly Media has released "Head First iPhone
Development"
(http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9780596803544), a
US$44.99 book to help you learn to develop apps
for the iPhone. The 550-page book is written by
Dan and Tracey Pilone. According to the authors,
"Head First iPhone Development" will allow you to
do the following:
° Put Objective-C core concepts to work,
including message passing, protocols, properties,
and memory management;
° Take advantage of iPhone patterns such as datasources and delegates;
° Preview your applications in the iPhone Simulator;
° Build complicated interactions that utilize
multiple views, data entry/editing, and iPhone
rotation;
° Work with iPhone's camera, GPS, and accelerometer;
° Optimize, test, and distribute your application.
Dan Pilone, a senior software architect with
Blueprint Technologies, Inc., has designed and
implemented systems for Hughes, ARINC, UPS, and
the Naval Research Laboratory. He's written
several books on software development,...
Cocktail 4.6 (Snow Leopard Edition) for Mac OS X 10.6 released
Cocktail 4.6 (Snow Leopard Edition), an update of the general purpose
utility for Mac OS X, has been released. This version adds ability to
clear data detectors and QuickLook caches, as well as several new
QuickTime X and Apple Mail settings.
Cocktail 4.6 (Snow Leopard Edition) requires Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server
10.6 and is tested for compatibility with Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server
10.6.0. It costs US$14.95 for a single user license. It's a free
update for registered users of version 4.x. You can find it here:
http://cocktail.maintain.se
MetaCommunications launches new services, support practice
MetaCommunications (http://www.meta-comm.com) has launched the
new MetaCommunications Implementation Services and Support (ISS)
practice for its Workgroups 2010 customers. Workgroups 2010 is
compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
The new ISS practice provides an affordable annual program for
continuous consulting, analysis, implementation specification, and
training to help customers improve their processes and practices, and
maximize the benefits of their Workgroups 2010 implementation,
according to Robert Long, executive vice president of
MetaCommunications. The program provides ongoing support for customer
operations and goes far beyond traditional product-oriented technical
support or professional services.
The ISS practice will be headed by Mark Guthart, a 15 year veteran of
MetaCommunications, and will begin operations Nov. 9. Fees for the
ISS practice will be assessed on an annual basis, based on a
percentage of ongoing professional services implementation, plus time...
Ross Video releases SoftMetal 4.2 software
Ross Video (http://www.rossvideo.com) has introduced version 4.2
software for the 1000 and 3000 series SoftMetal Video Servers,
available free to all existing SoftMetal customers.
The upgrade includes support for the Sony BVW-75 and Odetics protocol
for remote device control. MediaManger can now import, export, rename
or delete media items for the server, frame interpolated Slo-Mo via
Play Client or external Device Controller, Time Delay Instant Replay
(TDIR) option, General Purpose Interface (GPI) input and output
signals, VDCP remote port mapping, Mixed Resolution ganged recording
and playback and Integrated throttled FTP.
SoftMetal is a line of multi-definition video servers designed for
both production and master control applications. They're available in
a variety of configurations, in both standard definition and
multi-definition models.
ActionSoft releases Insectoid game for Mac OS X
ActionSoft has released Insectoid
(http://www.actionsoft.com/games/insectoid/), its new Galaga-inspired
space shooter for Mac OS X. It costs US$19.95 and requires Mac OS X
10.4 or higher.
Here's how the game is described: "Insectoid is for anyone who grew
up playing classic arcade shooters such as Galaga in the 80's.
Featuring fast-paced, adrenaline-inducing gameplay, over 50 unique
levels, four custom ships, stunning high-res graphics that look great
even on a 30" display, and a professional musical score, Insectoid is
a retro shooter fan's dream come true. Three finely tuned difficulty
levels ensure anyone, from novice gamer to expert, can enjoy the game.
"Collect power-ups and use special weapons, including split ship,
laser beam, fireball, and a shield, as you fight back swarms of angry
insects. Advance behind enemy lines and try to catch the enemy
off-guard as you aide human forces in galactic war."
Orb now available for Mac OS X
Orb Networks has announced the availability of Orb for Mac OS X,
delivering media anywhere functionality to Mac users. Orb enables
anything from iTunes to be enjoyed on any Internet-connected device,
without downloading titles beforehand or uploading anything to the
cloud.
Streaming media leader Orb, which released its media solution for
Windows PCs in 2005, and developed the first streaming media player
for the iPhone in 2008, boasts more than 10 million users.
OrbLive was the first application to deliver live TV on the iPhone,
initially as a jailbreak application and then as an approved app in
the Apple App Store in 2008. In addition, the OrbLive technology has
powered custom iPhone apps for The Masters Golf Tournament and the
NBA All Star game, as well as college football. The OrbLive
application has been downloaded by more than 500,000 iPhone owners,
and more than one million people have used the private label OrbLive
apps.
The free Orb application and service enable the streaming...
HSC Edit for Aperture updated to version 1.8
Human Software (http://www.humansoftware.com) has updated HSC Edit
for Aperture (Apple's software for pro photographers) to version 1.8.
HSC Edit is an edit plug-in to Apple Aperture that offers more than
4,000 effects to apply on one or a set of images.
Version 1.8 lets you add text and text effects over a line or
circular on all your images. PhotoFixlens for Aperture corrects
barreling and pin-cushioning lens distortion produced by zoom and
wide-angle lenses.
HSC Edit for Aperture 1.8 offers an all-in-one Crop and Align too,
which is designed to make it easy to align your image while keeping
only what you wish out of it. The HyperFocal lets you add focal
sharpness at any distance.
HSC Edit 1.8 is available for download at US$79.95 per module, $39.95
for the Multi-Curves module and $59.95 for the image enhancer -- or
$299.95 as a bundle.
JMR debuts BlueStor Digital Rapids and RED Video storage servers
JMR Electronics (http://www.jmr.com/), a provider of scalable storage
systems for video and data intensive applications, will be showcasing
their new BlueStor Digital Rapids and RED Video storage servers and
RAID storage systems at HD Expo--- Createasphere on Wednesday, Nov.
4th and Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Burbank Marriott in Burbank,
California.
Among the latest BlueStor video storage offerings will be a 4U
rackmount Digital Rapids Video Server, an all-in-one high performance
encoding/transcoding solution designed for both standard and
high-definition projects. The system, a 16-bay RAID integrated with a
Digital Rapids' StreamZHD Encoder, can capture HD or SD video in its
native format, or convert it in hardware during capture from HD to
SD, SD to HD, or between HD resolutions and frame rates. StreamZHD
can capture from live or tape-based sources to uncompressed files, or
encode directly to target formats at up to 1920x1080 resolution in
real time.
For the RED camera user, there...
iSkin releases solo FX SE case for the iPhone 3G/3GS
iSkin (http://www.iskin.com) has released the solo FX Special Edition
(SE) case for the iPhone 3G/3GS. It has a manufacturer's suggested
retail price of US$34.99.
The iSkin solo FX SE combines a matte finish with an embossed
designer pattern. It's available in three flavors: Onyx (black),
Cosmo (pink) and Ice (white).
With the iSkin solo FX SE package, volume and power buttons are
covered, docking port, headphone and camera access are unhindered,
and the protector is infused with Microban antimicrobial product
protection to help prevent the growth of odor and stain causing
bacteria on the product.
The iSkin solo FX SE also comes with two protective screen films: an
ultra-clear film, and a special FX mirror film that "comes alive"
with the iPhone goes to sleep. iSkin solo FX SE owners can match the
case with the iSkin revoClip 3G/3GS belt holster (sold separately for
$14.95).
Audio-technica releases new noise-canceling headphones
Audio-technica (http://www.audio-technica.com) has released the
US$219.95 ATH-ANC7b active noise-canceling, over-ear headphones. The
ATH-ANC7b has the same 85% noise cancellation but incorporates
improvements from the previous model to offer even better sound
quality, comfort and convenience, according to the folks at
Audio-technica.
The ATH-ANC7b sports large-aperture 40 mm drivers and neodymium
magnets. The headphones employ QuietPoint active noise-cancellation
technology that detects environmental noise via miniature
microphones, and applies a corresponding sound-canceling signal to
block up to 85% of outside noise. The headphones are designedfor use
with the iPhone, iPod touch, iPod, portable music and DVD players,
laptop computers, in-flight entertainment systems and other devices.
The headphones have 109 dB sensitivity. The ATH-ANC7b also works when
the noise-cancellng function is turned off, and operates in passive
mode without batteries. The headphones fold for storage and...
O'Reilly releases Missing Manual for Photoshop Elements 8
Ideal for scrapbookers, serious and casual photographers, and budding
graphic artists alike, Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac is more powerful
and easier to use than previous versions. But figuring out how and
when to use the program's tools is still tricky.
With Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac: The Missing Manual (O'Reilly, US
$44.99) by Barbara Brundage, you'll learn what each tool does, as
well as when it makes the most sense to use it and why. You get
easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for everything from
importing photos to organizing, editing, sharing, and storing your
images. You'll also find a tour of Bridge, the ultra-deluxe file
browser that comes with Photoshop CS4-and Elements 8. "As someone
who's primarily a Mac person, I'm really thrilled that Adobe is
bringing out the Mac version of Elements 8 at the same time as the
Windows version," notes Barbara Brundage. "It was really great not
having to wait several months to write the Mac version of the book!"
With a gentle...
Klipsch puts wireless spin on ProMedia 2.1 computer speakers
Klipsch (http://www.klipsch.com) has added wireless technology to its
ProMedia 2.1 computer speakers. The original ProMedia 2.1 system was
introduced in 2000; the ProMedia 2.1 Wireless (US$199) looks and
sounds like the THX-certified original, only the Klipsch logos are
silver instead of copper.
The real difference between the two designs lies within a USB
wireless transmitter that plugs into the computer's USB port. Only a
few simple steps are required to get the ProMedia Wireless up and
running, according to Don Inmon, Klipsch director of product
development for personal audio.
Inmon, however, notes the misconception that many consumers have
about wireless audio. Often times, when people see the words
"wireless" and "speakers" together, they assume the entire sound
system is wire and cable free. However, no such speaker system exists
-- unless it runs off of batteries. Speakers need a power source to
drive them and that source needs to connect to electricity, he says.
With the...
MacSpeech Dictate gets new Dictation Preferences Pane
MacSpeech (http://www.macspeech.com) has released MacSpeech Dictate
1.5.6, an upgrade to the speech recognition solution for the Mac. The
upgrade introduces a new Dictation Preferences pane that lets users
enable or disable the Auto Cache Document feature for TextEdit and
Microsoft Word. It's also a maintenance release that fixes reported
issues.
MacSpeech Dictate requires Intel-based Mac hardware and Mac OS X
10.5.6 or higher. New MacSpeech Dictate solutions, with a choice of
headsets, are available today starting at US$199. Registered
customers of MacSpeech Dictate are eligible to purchase MacSpeech
Dictate 1.5.6 at special upgrade price of $54.95. Anyone who
registered MacSpeech Dictate on or after April 1 is eligible to
receive a free upgrade directly from MacSpeech, Inc.
Bare Bones Software releases BBEdit 9.3
Bare Bones Software today announced
the release and immediate availability of BBEdit 9.3, a significant
update to its professional strength HTML and text editor.
BBEdit 9.3 introduces significant enhancements to the Projects
feature that debuted in BBEdit 9.0, including support for adding
Finder saved searches to projects, and additional flexibility in
handling non-text files, including command-driven support for
examining files via QuickLook when running on Mac OS X 10.6.
"BBEdit continues to advance with features that significantly enhance
productivity in many areas," said Rich Siegel, founder and CEO of
Bare Bones Software, Inc. "BBEdit 9.3 provides further search
interface improvements, adds new ways to manage project content, and
meets the command-line wonk's primal needs with closer integration of
BBEdit's search to the Unix environment."
In addition, the BBEdit 9.3 update now lets customers create
language-specific ctags data files to serve as completion sources.
FTP/SFTP...
Ableton celebrates 10 years with special offers, new products
Ableton has launched Able10, a season of special
offers and giveaways to celebrate the company's
10th anniversary.
For Live 8 and Suite 8 users: Ableton is giving
away 10 free Live Packs from Ableton artists such
as Múm, Apparat, Thavius Beck, Swayzak and Junie
Morrison (formerly of the Ohio Players). The
company is also offering 20% off Live 8 and Suite
8, including upgrades.
During Able10, Ableton Live 8 and Suite 8 are up
to 20% cheaper. This discount offer applies to
new licenses and upgrades.
Ableton Live Intro is out now for US$99. The
newest member of the Ableton family is designed
as a "perfect starting place for new producers,
DJs and songwriters and a smart way for
experienced musicians to inject Ableton Live's
innovative features into their current audio
software setup."
Ableton is offering Live LE users a special
Able10 bonus: a free upgrade to Live Intro.
What's more, Live Lite 8 is now out. Live Lite
users can get a free upgrade to Live Lite 8, the
latest version with...
iStopMotion ready for Snow Leopard
Boinx Software (http://www.boinx.com) has updated iStopMotion, the
stop motion and time lapse tool for Mac OS X, to version 2.1. The new
version has been revved for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") and has
been localized for Japanese.
iStopMotion comes in three flavors, targeting different users. The
US$49 Home edition is for the family. The $99 Express version is for
the serious hobbyist animator, and the $499 Pro edition is for the
animator who makes money (or plans to) with stop motion animation. A
special education edition with a multi-user license key is available
for educational institutions.
Version 2.1 is a free update for registered users of version 2.x. It
requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.
