German Ministress of Justice blasts Apple
German Ministress of Justice Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger is criticizing Apple after the company changed the terms of its data protection rules last week. Apple said it had to put further precise location data to itself and third parties, in order to be able to offer localized services.
Apple also said geographic data would be gathered anonymously, without identifying users personally. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger told Germany news magazine, "Der Spiegel" -- as reported by "TechEye.net" (http://www.techeye.net/internet/german-minister-criticises-apple-over-data) --
Talking to Germany's news magazine Der Spiegel, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said Apple had to "immediately reveal" what data is tracked, for how long it is retained and what it's used for. The users of iPhones and other GPS-enabled devices need to know what information is being collected on them. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger added that it would be "unthinkable" if Apple would be creating personalized profiles.
Analyst: 60% of Apple Stores sold out of iPhone 4s on launch day
According to Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore, 60% of Apple Stores were sold out by the end of launch day Thursday, as were 100% of the retail-partner stores he and his team contacted -- Best Buy in the U.S., O2 and Car-Phone in the U.K., and Orange in France.
Apple was able to replenish some supplies overnight, but by the end of the day Friday, there were stockouts at 80% of Apple Stores, 90% of O2 and 100% of the Best Buy and Orange retail stores. By then, even the Apple Stores were having trouble getting new supplies, and by Saturday, only 5% had iPhones in stock.
"We believe initial weekend volumes were 1 million plus," Whitmore told "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/06/28/iphone-4-stockouts-60-of-apple-st...).. "But shipments could have been dramatically higher if there was more supply."
Brosix Business instant messaging now available for the Mac
D-Bross has released Brosix 3 (http://www.brosix.com/), the newest version of the instant messenger software, now available for Mac and Linux systems. It provides instant messaging combined with collaboration tools such as file transfer, voice chat, video chat, whiteboard, screenshot and co-browse.
"In the initial versions of Brosix, it was available for Windows users only. Brosix recognized a need from its customers for more system options so they wouldn't have to worry about whether or not their computer could use Brosix," Stefan Chekanov, owner of Brosix, says.
Besides using Brosix on almost any computer, it can also be placed on a zip drive and loaded remotely so installation isn't required. Brosix specialized in providing free and paid enterprise instant messaging solutions for companies and individuals that wish to communicate with their co-workers, clients, and family on a secure, encrypted network.
A demo is available for download. Brosix for personal use is free.
Chrome overtakes Safari for first time
Google’s internet browser Chrome has overtaken Apple’s Safari in the US for the first time on a weekly basis according to StatCounter, a company that provides free web site analytics. The firm’s research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that for the week beginning 21 June Chrome overtook Safari to claim third place in the US browser market.
"This is quite a coup for Google as they have gone from zero to almost 10% of the US market in under two years," says Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. "There is a battle royal going on between Google and Apple in the internet browser space (Chrome v Safari) as well as in the mobile market (Android v iPhone)."
Chrome with 8.97% took third place in the US browser market ahead of Safari with 8.88%. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer still dominates the US Internet browser market with 52%, followed by Firefox (28.5%).
Globally, Chrome has been well ahead of Safari for some time with 9.4% of the market compared to 4% for Safari. Microsoft’s Internet...
Macgamestore.com announces 30% off sale on Mac games
Macgamestore.com (http://www.macgamestore.com) is offering a 30% off sale for virtually all Macintosh games through its store until July 1. The Mac games web site also announced that it has surpassed over 1,000 Mac digital download products available for purchase through its store.
Recent popular additions to the store include Planet Horse, Ranch Rush 2: Premium Edition, Jewel Quest 4, Toki Tori, Jolly Rover, Eschalon Book II, Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove, Westward IV: All Aboard and Jewel Quest Mysteries 2.
Customers interested in taking advantage of the 30% off coupon should head to the Macgamestore.com web site. Then add items to the cart. Once in the cart, add coupon "THIRTYOFF" and the cart will deduct 30% off their purchase. Then check out using a credit card or PayPal.
One in five new TV purchases in US will be 3DTV by 2013
3D is the hottest thing happening in Hollywood. The excitement over 3D has found its way to the US consumer electronics market. By 2013, one in five new TVs sold in the US will be 3D, reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). Year-over-year shipment growth will be 231% between 2010 and 2011, resulting in a doubling of the US installed base of units for 3DTVs from 2010 to 2011.
“High definition did create a wave of activity in the US market, not seen since the introduction of color,” says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. “3DTV promises to be the next significant innovation wave for living room entertainment.”
Despite many bright spots in the US CE market, there will be losers in the market. Maturing segments like MP3 players, handheld games and desktop computers will show declining growth rates in 2012 and 2013 as products with broader feature sets, such as smartphones, tablet computers and e-readers, become more integral in US consumer lifestyles. Recent research by In-Stat found...
ABI Research: more than 80 million USB wireless modems to ship...
Wireless modem devices come in a variety of form factors including USB modems, PC cards, embedded modules, and wireless routers. Among the external devices, USB modems have become the most popular products -- so popular that ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) forecasts shipments of nearly 81 million this year.
Today, the majority of wireless broadband subscribers enjoying portable connectivity use USB ports. The alternative, the PC Card slot, has rapidly been displaced since USB’s introduction in 2006.
"The main reason for USB modem popularity is versatility at a low price," says Jeff Orr, principal analyst, mobile devices at ABI Research.
According to ABI Research’s Cellular Modem Product Tracking Database, more than 50% of the modem models now available in the market utilize the ubiquitous USB interface. Orr says USB dongles connect the subscriber to a specific network rapidly and without installing drivers. As new networks using the latest 3G or 4G protocols emerge, the...
Lexar Media introduces 64GB RealSSD drive
Lexar Media has introduced a 64GB addition to the Crucial RealSSD C300 product line. The new 64GB RealSSD C300 drive, like it' predecessors, natively supports SATA 6Gb/second, is backwards compatible with the SATA 3Gb/s interface, and provides read speeds of up to 355MB/s and write speeds up to 75MB/s.
Priced at US$149.99, the new 64GB C300 drive is available in a standard 2.5-inch form factor, and comes with a limited three-year warranty. The 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB Crucial RealSSD C300 drives are available through select resellers worldwide and online at www.crucial.com/ssd .
Photo contest to be held at next MacBUS meeting
The next meeting of The Macintosh Business Users Society of Greater Philadelphia (MacBUS) will be held on Tuesday, June 29, at 6:30 pm.
This month's meeting will feature a photo contest and annual summer picnic. Members are encouraged to submit up to two pictures per category to macbus1@verizon.net . ategories for the photo contest include: best children's picture; best nature picture, a nd best picture (your choice).
The winner in each category will be chosen by the members in attendance, and each winner will receive an US$15 iTunes gift card. You must be present and a current member to win.
A general Mac troubleshooting Q&A session will also be held. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and invite friends or coworkers who may find the meeting beneficial.
MacBUS was the first user group in the United States to focus on the business and professional uses of the Macintosh operating system. The group of approximately 75 members meets this month at:
MacBUS was the first...
iFixIt offers iPhone 4 repair manual
iFixit, the do-it-yourself tech company, has released an iPhone 4 repair manual. Their engineers worked 12-hour shifts for five days to create the repair manual for Apple's newest creation.
The iPhone 4 repair manual (http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Device/iPhone_4) sports 10 guides, 122 images, and 181 bullet points. It shows you how to replace all the major components that may break or fail in your iPhone 4. W
"During our teardown, we investigated the repairability of the front and back glass panels," says the gang at iFixit. "It turns out that you'll be able to swap the back glass with little effort, but you won't be able to replace the front panel without also replacing the LCD. The LCD, glass panel, and digitizer come as one unit in the iPhone 4, and they are inseparable without damaging the LCD. We're going to keep investigating potential methods of separating the LCD from the rest of the front panel, but the outlook isn't good."
They don't have iPhone 4 parts in stock yet. But...
Texthelp Systems announces Read&Write 4 GOLD for Mac
Texthelp Systems (http://www.texthelp.com) has announced the newest release of its literacy support software solution, Read&Write 4 GOLD for Mac, at the International Society for Technology in Education Conference being held in Denver, CO.
Read&Write 4 GOLD for Mac directly integrates with familiar Mac applications, including Microsoft Word for Mac 2008, Safari, and Adobe Reader, giving students access to the reading, writing, and research support tools they need while working within the programs they use everyday.
The new features and enhancements in Version 4 provide even more support for the variety of learning styles and abilities found in today’s schools, colleges, and universities. New features include: screenshot reader, screen masking, a mobile USB version, and feature video tours. In addition, concurrent and unlimited site licensing for school and home use are now available.
Read&Write 4 GOLD for Mac is available now. Pricing options include unlimited site...
Smart Extreme Tech introduces app development for iOS
Smart Extreme Tech (http://www.SmartExtremeTech.com) has announced a new line of IT services.
Application software development for mobile devices is being added to the full spectrum of IT Services the company provides. The targeted platforms for mobile devices are Apple iOS (iPhone/iPod touch/iPad) and Google Android (currently, Droid cell phones). Smart Extreme Tech has already started some mobile device projects in e-commerce, banking and statistics tracking sectors. The applications are required to have identical look-and-feel on both (iOS and Android) platforms.
This presents some challenges for the company development processes, according to Paul Craddock, vice president of Media Relations at Smart Extreme. "The operating systems are provided by fierce competitors, Apple and Google, so when it comes to internal architecture details, just about everything is different and sometimes even mutually exclusive in the two mobile device realms," he adds.
iPhone 4 sales top 1.7 million
Apple says it has sold over 1.7 million of its iPhone 4 through Saturday, June 26, just three days after its launch on June 24. CEO Steve Jobs says it is the most successful product launch in the company's history.
"Even so, we apologize to those customers who were turned away because we did not have enough supply," he said.
The iPhone 4 is available in the US for a suggested retail price of US$199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model in both Apple and AT&T’s retail and online stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart stores. iPhone 4 is also available in the UK, France, Germany and Japan and will be available in an additional 18 countries by the end of July -- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Apple, others may have to reconsider use of certain minerals in...
An amendment included in the financial overhaul bill completed on Friday aims to force high-tech manufacturers such as Apple to reconsider the use of minerals that could be fueling violence in Congo, reports "The Hill" (http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/105723-financial-ove...).
The article says the language mirrors a bill introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kans.) requiring companies to make annual Securities and Exchange Commission disclosures about what materials they use and the origin of certain minerals. Activists who lobbied for the amendment charge that warlords make millions off American technology companies by controlling mines that contain minerals used in cell phones, computers, DVD players, and other consumer electronics products -- including the Mac, iPhones, iPods, etc.
The Enough Project, an anti-genocide group, directly links Congo violence to the largest 21 technology companies. It hailed the progress of the financial reform bill on Friday. Enough...
MobGold announces iPhone software development kit
MobGold (http://www.mobgold.com), a mobile advertising platform, has released an iPhone SDK (software development kit). This release marks the first SDK release on the iPhone OS for this year.
The new iPhone SDK from MobGold includes expanding banner, transparent overlay, performance enhancement and additional server side flexibility for developers. It allows developers to garner higher monetization opportunities by partnering with MobGold, according to CEO and co-founder Alan Chang.
FileMaker solutions showcased at ISTE
FileMaker Inc. (http://www.filemaker.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, will showcase a wide variety of database solutions for educators, administrators and students (booth #1268) at this year’s International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference and exposition June 28-30 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
At the FileMaker booth, conference attendees will see live demos of FileMaker Pro 11, including new charting and reporting features to assist teachers, IT coordinators and administrators with managing student information, monitoring school operation, and meeting state and federal reporting requirements. Educational solutions developer Campfire Data will demonstrate its FileMaker Pro-based products for data warehousing, gathering and analyzing student assessment results and tracking pre-kindergarten referral and placement.
Educators at the conference will receive a free 30-day trial DVD of FileMaker Pro 11 (while supplies last), complete with more...
Mark/Space updates The Missing Sync for Palm Pre for Mac
Mark/Space has released version 1.2 of The Missing Sync for Palm Pre (http://www.markspace.com/PalmPre). The app lets you synchronize contacts, calendars, music, ringtones, photos and more between a Mac and the new Palm Pre phone. Version 1.2 ow synchronizes notes and tasks between a webOS phone, such as Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus, and a Windows PC or Mac computer.
Mark/Space CEO Brian Hall says The Missing Sync for Palm Pre works with the applications Mac owners already know and use: Address Book, Entourage, iCal, iTunes, iPhoto and others. Mark/Space Proximity Sync technology can sync a Mac with a Pre via Wi-Fi - sync happens automatically and wirelessly whenever the Pre is near the Mac. It works even when Pre is in a backpack or pants pocket.
You can choose the groups of contacts and calendars you want on your Pre. Synchronized contacts and calendars work with Palm Synergy so that contacts from Address Book and Microsoft Entourage can be viewed on a Pre in a single list...
Zachs Investment Research says iPhone 4 another Apple '...
Zachs Investment Research (http://www.zacks.com/performance ) says Apple has "experienced tremendous growth, driven by the success of its iPhones and increased Mac shipments." In the research firm's opinion, the new iPhone 4 will be another milestone achievement for the company, helping it continue on its growth path.
"Moreover, we are highly positive about the company’s iPad launch, which is expected to revolutionize mobile computing and will provide a boost to the company's revenues and earnings in 2010," Zachs said in a recent report. "The second-quarter results beat the Zacks Consensus Expectation on the back of strong iPhone sales, increased Mac sales, new product launches, increased consumer spending and a rebound in computer shipments. We expect the company to report stronger results going forward, thereby providing above market gains. Hence we upgrade the rating on the stock to Outperform."
Apple accused of discrimination against lefties
Apple has been accused of ''discrimination'' over the design of their iPhone 4 and that left handers find it more difficult to use, reports the UK "Telegraph" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7855205/Apple-accused-of-dis...).
There have been complaints an antenna in the lower left corner can become masked when held by a left-handed owner, causing a drop in signal strength. Apple's advice is, basically, "don't hold it that way."
Lauren Milsom, of the UKs' Left-Handed Club, which boasts 90,000 members and represents 10% of the population who are left-handed, branded it a ''design flaw," according to the "Telegraph."
"'It seems ludicrous to suggest that 10% of potential users should be told they have to adopt a less natural hand hold to use this latest technology," Milson adds. "I would strongly suggest that Steve Jobs employs left-handers in his design and testing team in future, and urgently address this issue to ensure the phone is fit for purpose."
Dialectic telephony app ready for iOS 4.0
JNSoftware has updated Dialectic (http://www.jonn8.com/dialectic/), a telephony tool for the Mac, to version 1.6. Among the new features are support for iPhones running iOS 4.0, enhanced Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) support, and improved Google Voice compatibility.
Dialetic provides system-wide dialing of phone numbers using Bluetooth mobile phones, landlines, many VoIP services and more. It integrates with contact management applications such as Marketcircle Daylite, Microsoft Entourage, Now Contact, Palm Desktop, FileMaker Pro and other databases, as well as Apple's iCal and Address Book.
In addition to dialing, the software provides a global Address Book menu for accessing your contact data including email, instant messaging, postal addresses, URLs, notes, and phone numbers. You can create new email messages, look up addresses on a map, copy data to the clipboard or insert it into your current document.
Dialetic is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs...
Default Folder for Mac OS X updated to version 4.3.9
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 4.3.9. It fixes a bug introduced with version 3.8.
Default Folder X 4.3.9 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.
Russian president meets with Steve Jobs
According to "Geek.com" (http://macosg.me/2/ft), Russia's president visited Apple and tweeted an image of CEO Steve Jobs giving him a private iPhone 4 demo before meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington.
Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin’s former chief of Presidential Staff and now himself the Russian president, was on a Silicon Valley tour to experience the “origins of success” firsthand. He hopes to apply some of the nation’s high-tech magic to the Russian economy, according to "Geek.com."
Don't hold your iPhone 4 THAT way
There are reports that the iPhone 4 doesn't want to connect very quickly -- if at all -- when held a certain way. And a "PC World" report (http://www.pcworld.com/article/199848/iphoneflaw.html?tk=rss_news) confirms this.
Though saying that, overall, the new smartphone is faster than its predecessors they had this to say: "At each of my five testing locations I did an extra set of speed tests while holding the iPhone 4 with my left hand, covering up the bottom left edge of the phone. At one testing location, this seemed to make no difference: I got equal connection speeds when I held the phone in my left hand and when I tested with it sitting on the tabletop. But in the remaining four locations, I saw dramatic speed decreases. In three of my testing locations, connection speeds dropped to zero or near zero when I held the phone against my left palm. The number of connection bars showing dropped from five out of five to just one or two out of five. I also noticed that the latency...
Analyst: 77% of iPhone 4 sales were upgrades
In a note to clients, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says that 77% of iPhone sales were upgrades and that Apple has built a recurring revenue stream from a growing base of loyal users.
"While we think Apple will sell between 1.0 million to 1.5 million iPhones in the first three days (including pre-orders), the actual number is largely irrelevant," he writes. "Apple is tapping into the global consumer spending sweet spot, mobile, and as a result iPhone numbers are going higher in the coming years."
As reported by "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/06/25/77-of-iphone-4-sales-were-upgrades/), Munster and his team's survey also shows that:
° Seventy-seven percent pf the iPhone 4 buyers they spoke to were upgrading from a previous version. That's up from 56% in 2009 and 38% in 2008.
° Sixteen percent of buyers were switching carriers to AT&T, down from 28% last year.
° Fifty-four purchased the higher-capacity 32GB model, up from 43% last year.
° Twenty-eight percent...
MEI offers K4 with Adobe Digital Publishing Platform for iPad...
Managing Editor Inc. (http://www.maned.com/) says it's ready to install and support integration between the vjoon K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform and Adobe's recently announced Digital Publishing Platform.
K4 users running Adobe CS3, CS4 or CS5 can start taking advantage of the editorial workflow management system integrated with new interactivity design tools from Adobe today. Now those teams can utilize the same system they work with every day to publish to the iPad and other emerging media, according to Linda Bruce, vice president of enterprise sales at MEI. K4 features such as versioning, variants, explicit multi-channel workflows and multiple placement of objects ensure that content can be easily authored and reused for any channel, she says
The K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform is a scalable solution that allows publishing professionals to manage their design and editorial workflows and deliver multimedia content to a variety of output channels -- print, online and other...
Nova media releases Traffic2Net for Mac OS X
Nova media (http://www.novamedia.de) has unveiled Traffic2Net for Mac OS X (10.5 and higher). The US$14.95 app is a universal statistics manager to keep track of time and data usage of mobile Internet connections.
Traffic2Net displays connection details of 2G and 3G connections in one window. The connection details include the time online, up- and download volume, average data throughput, peek speeds, and even the IP address and interface used. Data usage and time online of the current connection are visible in the menu bar of Mac OS X.
Traffic2Net allows you to set session and period limits for your connections. This way, you can have a warning displayed on the screen whenever a limit has been reached, says Jan Fuellemann, PR spokesperson at nova media. This is very helpful feature to avoid any additional payments caused by overstepping a data plan's limits, he adds.
Traffic2Net is completely independent from any connection manager, so you can use it regardless of the way you...
iFunia Video Converter adds iPhone 4 options
iFunia, a developer of Mac multimedia processing tools, has launched a new version of its flagship product, iFunia Video Converter Pro Converter. This new version offers output options optimized for the iPhone 4.
The software now supports converting any video to the iPhone 4 supported formats. Besides converting video formats, iFunia Video Converter Pro can be used to convert between several HD video formats, including HD AVI, AVCHD M2TS, MTS, TS, HD MOV, HD WMV ,HD MP4, HD FLV, and more. With the program, customers will be able to watch converted HD video clips on almost any portable device including their iPod, iPhone, Zune, PSP, and several others, according to David Lee, senior product manager from iFunia.
The program also supports simple video editing. Customers can trim a segment or crop the footage from their HD video and then make the conversion.
The iFunia Video Converter Pro for Mac is now available through the iFunia web site (http://www.ifunia.com/video-converter-mac.html...
Jumsoft expands free Goodies collection
Jumsoft (http://www.jumsoft.com) has expanded its Goodies bundle of free products. The company enhanced its Goodies collection with five Sandvox web site designs, nine Numbers templates, and a set of 500 photos and images for Keynote presentations.
All Goodies products are available on Jumsoft's web site for free. Jumsoft designs for Karelia's Sandvox application provide users with a simple way to design their Web sites with a broad range of style options. All t
The templates for iWork Numbers were designed for both home and professional users. The collection includes nine spreadsheet templates: Dinner Planner, Grocery List, Invoice, Loan Comparison, Media Advertising Analyzer, Personal Budget, To Do, Trip Planner, and Wedding Planner. Each template includes relevant tables or checklists and illustrates the given information with graphs and charts where applicable.
Finally, Jumsoft is offering 500 photos and still-life images for use with Keynote. Actually, they're not limited to...
Booxter for Mac OS X updated; iPhone version announced
Deep Prose Software (http://www.deepprose.com) has released Booxter 2.5 for Mac OS X. With Booxter users can create multiple libraries and smart lists to organize books, music, movies and comic books. Version 2.5 adds support for the new, free Booxter iPhone app available from the Apple App Store that lets users carry their collections with them on their mobile devices.
Booxter supports both handheld and wireless barcode scanners and iSight video cameras to quickly add large numbers of items to a collection. Booxter supports both handheld and wireless barcode scanners and iSight video cameras to add large numbers of items to a collection.
Booxter requires Mac OS 10.4 or later and is ready for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard"). A downloadable demo version has a limit of 30 items for each library. The full version costs US$49.99. Version 2.5 is a free update for registered users of version 2.x. Booxter is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPersonal Computer and Intel Macs.
ShareTool update lets you connect to multiple networks at once
Yazsoft has updated ShareTool (http://www.yazsoft.com/st/) for Mac OS X, which lets you access all of your Bonjour services from anywhere in the world, to version 2.02. You you can now connect to multiple home/office networks simultaneously.
Formerly known as Rendezvous, Bonjour lets you create an instant network of computers and smart devices by getting them connected to each other. ShareTool automatically configures routers supporting NAT-PMP or UPnP. Remote services automatically appear in the Finder, iTunes, and other applications.
ShareTool 2.0.3 costs US$15 for a single-user license, $25 for a two-user license and $45 for a family pack (five licenses). Users that purchased ShareTool 1.x from April 13 to May 13, 2010 are entitled to a free 2.x upgrade.
Cinema Solutions releases 3D plug-ins
Noise Industries' development partner Dashwood Cinema Solutions has released an update to its Stereo3D Toolbox plug-in for stereoscopic 3D mastering, as well as an inexpensive limited edition (LE) version for a more accessible entry into stereoscopic 3D content creation.
Developed by stereo-cinematographer and Dashwood Cinema Solutions founder Tim Dashwood, both plug-in suites are powered by FxFactory and are designed to work with Adobe After Effects, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Apple Final Cut Express applications. Features within the limited edition version incorporate convergence adjustment and vertical, zoom and rotational disparity correction tools, "autoscale," a preview screen within the user interface, and the ability to output clips to popular stereoscopic monitors and delivery formats -- including YouTube 3D.
Stereo3D Toolbox 2.0 and Stereo3D Toolbox LE can be purchased at http://www.stereo3dtoolbox.com for US$1,499 USD and $99, respectively. After Effects, Final...
Data plan lawsuit against Apple, AT&T amended
A lawsuit filed earlier this month against Apple and AT&T over the discontinued unlimited-data plan for the iPad 3G has been amended and re-filed to include additional iPad 3G customers, reports the "New York Times" (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/class-action-against-apple-and-...).
The proposed class action lawsuit names three individuals who claim that Apple and AT&T “baited” them into purchasing an iPad 3G with the promises of a flexible unlimited data plan, “only to have that promise reneged upon within weeks of their purchases.” The case, filed in the United States District Court in San Jose, CA, represents customers from several different states, according to the "Times."
Last month AT&T said it would eliminate the unlimited data plan for new iPad 3G customers and replace it with data plans offering either 250MB or 2GB per month. Current customers already under the unlimited data plan could keep it. However, if they decide to skip a month of data they...
Booq introduces Mamba catch messenger bag
Booq (http://www.booqbags.com) has expanded its Mamba line with the addition of Mamba catch S/L for laptops. It sports a water-repellent ballistic nylon and no flap design.
The Mamba catch messenger bag allows you to access frequently used items using one of three external zippered pockets that feature a unique key ring holder and two mobile device sleeves. The backside features three large pockets including a document holder that doubles as a luggage trolley pass-through. The Mamba catch can be carried messenger style using the removable shoulder strap and pad or briefcase style with its comfort designed top mounted handle.
With no velcro and no buckles, just one zip allows access to the bag’s contents. Designed around the densely padded laptop compartment, Mamba catch’s interior is loaded with over 20 pockets and compartments of various sizes. It also includes a removable accessory pouch for loose cables, portable hard drive, or small personal items.
The Mamba catch costs US$129.95...
OWC releases Data Doubler for MacBooks, MB Pros
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced the OWC Data Doubler, an optical bay mounting solution for MacBook or MacBook Pro notebook computers that enables users to add a second hard drive or SSD for up to an additional 640GB of internal drive capacity, internal RAID, or other user customized internal data storage configurations.
The US$79.99 OWC Data Doubler comes complete with all required hardware, a detailed step-by-step Mac notebook model specific installation guide, available online OWC installation videos, and is immediately available for the most MacBook and MacBook Pro models released in late 2008 and afterward.
SONiVOX announces Reggaeton Instrumento Virtual
SONiVOX (http://www.sonivoxmi.com) has released Reggaeton Instrumento Virtual, a virtual instrument plug-in for the Mac or PC. For the first time, Reggaeton producers can enjoy a virtual instrument solely dedicated to their craft, according to the folks at SONiVOX.
Designed for quick and easy professional beat construction, Reggaeton’s bilingual (English and Spanish) user interface affords integration of MIDI keyboards and MPC pad controllers. It's designed to bridge the gap between MPC style music creation and the computer-based virtual instrument environment.
Reggaeton Instrumento Virtual is packed with 7GB of instruments forged by SONiVOX’s sound design team, as well as a selection of loop based construction kits by Reggaeton producer Michael Cipriano. It's available now with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$149 and an introductory street price of $99.
Apple, dozens of others sued for patent infringement
Another day, another lawsuit. A company called Keranos -- based in Austin, Texas -- has filed a lawsuit against Apple and about a billion other companies for patent infringement.
Named in the lawsuit, in addition to Apple, are: Analog Devices, Alcatel-Lucent, Atheros, Austriamicrosystems, EM Microelectronic, Seiko Epson, Freescale Semiconductor, Infineon, IBM. Intel, Microchip Technology, Micronas Semiconductor, Nanya, National Semiconductor, NEC, NXP, Oki, Rohm Semiconductor, Qualcomm, Renesas, Samsung, Texas Instruments and Toshiba, TSMC,, Ubicom, Vanguard, Vis Micro, Winbond Electronics and Zilog. The suit was filed in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas, the lawsuit capital of the world.
According to "TechEye.net" (http://www.techeye.net/business/intel-apple-practically-entire-semi-indu...), Keranos wants financial restitution for the companies in question breaching its patents that involve: a self-aligned, split gate EPROM process; a self-aligned split gate...
Apple may sell one million iPhone 4s Thursday
"Odds are strong" that Apple will sell one million iPhones Thursday, reports "24/7WallSt." (http://macosg.me/2/fi). The smartphone will launch in the US and several large wireless markets including the UK, France, Germany, and Japan.
Early reports say the iPhone 4 is already sold out in Japan. Other reports say people are in lines in front of Apple stores around the world in an effort to get the new iPhone.
What's more, Apple may top two million iPhone sales by the end of the fiscal quarter on June 26, according to Andy Hargreaves, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities. Approximately 600,000 iPhones have already been ordered online from Apple or AT&T.
Calcine for Mac OS X updated to version 2.0.3
Tension Software has updated Calcine (http://pomola.com/products_calcline/calcline.html), a modern version of the desktop calculator, to version 2.0.3. It's a maintenance release with some bug fixes.
Calcline starts as a small window utility. Insert a mathematical expression to evaluate, and the software will do the work.
Calcline costs US$20, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. Version 2.0.3 is a free update for registered users of version 2.x. Calcline is an Universal Binary product, so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
Connect One ships 3G personal mobile hotspots
Connect One (http://www.connectone.com/) is shipping Wi-Reach Classic, an US$99, compact, battery-operated, mobile, personal WiFi hotspot that delivers high-speed Internet connectivity for laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs and other wireless devices, to distributors worldwide.
Wi-Reach Classic transforms existing 3G USB modem into a personal WiFi cloud that can be easily shared between as many as 10 WiFi devices. It provides natural mobile Internet connectivity for tablet devices such as Apple’s iPad that use WiFi as the main or only interface to the network, according to Erez Lev of Connect ONe.
In addition to supporting more than 130 3G modems worldwide, Wi-Reach Classic’s technology extends this support by identifying any 3G USB modems and attempting to deliver connectivity to unlisted modems as well. A built-in rechargeable battery delivers four to five hours of normal use that can be recharged using the built-in USB connector. Wi-Reach Classic’s battery can even be recharged during...
Survey: iPad, Android tablets dominate mobile priorities
Appcelerator -- a platform for rapidly developing native mobile, desktop, and iPad applications using web technologies -- has announced updated findings of its newest Appcelerator Mobile Developer Survey taken of application developers about their plans to build applications for various mobile and tablet platforms.
Taken last week from a pool of Appcelerator’s 51,000+ application developers, 2,733 developers responded that Apple iPad, Android Tablet, and even HP’s potential for webOS tablets are rapidly moving these devices to the top of the mobile priority list. This survey is posted on www.appcelerator.com/mobile-developer-survey-June-2010 .
While the Apple vs. Google battle has been well documented, developers see the real battle between these two titans as near-term momentum vs. long-term dominance. Appcelerator’s most recent survey shows these leaders staying well ahead of the pack, but a surge in popularity for developing tablet applications on both OSes suggests the battle is...
AppFest targeted to iOS fans, developers
Kagan Media Net is launching AppFest, a live outdoor show with 100 developers and their apps for iOS 4, the mobile application platform for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
The first show is scheduled for Saturday, September 25, in Waltham, MA, with a second show lined up for Saturday, October 23, in Sunnyvale, CA. Each show will feature a unique set of exhibitions, entertainment and ideas. Developers and users can learn more at http://www.AppFest.net .
The purpose of AppFest is to provide a live forum for developers to meet with users in order to improve their products, and understand how their customers use their apps. It will also serve as an opportunity to promote their apps, find new talent, meet potential partners, and learn about new technologies.
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch enthusiasts can see the latest apps, some of which have been developed locally. They will have an opportunity to see new apps before they buy, know what future releases will bring, and get to know the...
Former Apple exec joins IQ Engine board of directors
IQ Engines has secured US$1 million in a Series A financing and added a former Apple exec to its board of directors: David Austin. At Apple, he served as, at various times: senior director, Engineering & Design, Professional Applications; senior director, Applications Business Development; and senior director, Applications Product Development.
The company plans to use the capital to support the public launch of its any-image recognition engine, an application programming interface (API) that enables retailers, handset manufacturers, wireless carriers, and application developers to build visual search, image labeling, and augmented reality applications for mobile phones. The IQ Engines any-image recognition API is now available via the company's new developer portal at http://developer.iqengines.com .
The company also announced today that it has received a $119,000 research grant from the National Institute of Health, which will be used to support further development of its any-...
PhotoLinker for Mac OS X now integrates with iPhoto
Early Innovations has released PhotoLinker 2.2 (http://www.earlyinnovations.com/photolinker/), an update of the professional photo annotation and geotagging tool for Mac OS X (10.5and higher). The new version integrates with iPhoto by reading and writing tags with the iPhoto database
You can synchronize metadata, and iPhoto tags can be written back to the photo (and/or sidecar). PhotoLinker 2.2 also sports: topographic maps for the US and Canada from MyTopo; support for PNGs; integrated spell checking; contextual menus on the photos; shareable metadata templates; and a new version of GPSBabel.
PhotoLinker is a customizable metadata editor to facilitate a streamlined and efficient workflow. It complies with the recommendations of the Metadata Working Group, ensuring proper handling of your photos' metadata.
PhotoLinker's track and waypoint browser handles years of data and millions of track points imported from your computer or downloaded directly from your GPS receiver. Tracks are...
Akvis Artwork 4 introduces the linocut style
Akvis Software (http://www.Akvis.com) has released Akvis ArtWork 4.0. the latest version of the software that transforms your photos into paintings using various techniques. The upgrade introduces the linocut style. Photos can now be converted to an image in the style of a linocut print.
Akvis ArtWork is available as a stand-alone application, as well as a plug-in to a photo editor. The plugin version of Akvis ArtWork is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter, Corel Photo-Paint, and Paint Shop Pro, ACD FotoCanvas, and PhotoImpact. Akvis ArtWork runs on Mac OS X (10.4 or higher) and Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7.
Akvis ArtWork Home License (plug-in or standalone) sells for US$72. Registered users can upgrade to version 4.0 for free. Just download the program and reinstall it. Use your license key to reactivate the program after reinstallation.
Home users can buy the full line of Akvis plug-ins in the Akvis Alchemy bundle (ArtWork, Sketch,...
Sample Logic releases the Vuvuzela
In light of the World Cup championships, Sample Logic has released a Vuvuzela sample library (http://www.samplelogic.com/vuvuzela.html). With this amazing South African stadium horn, the Sample Logic team was able to create and deliver a wide range of sounds.
The collection includes traditional staccato, sustain, and flutter patches, to morphed war calls, impacts, and ethnic rhythms. The US$9.99 mini sample library contains 40 instruments and multis.
Offered as a direct download, Vuvuzela will only be available for a limited time before it goes away into the Sample Logic vault. It's a 375MB download.
Graph Paper Maker for Mac OS X updated to version 2.2.1
Black Cat Systems has updated Graph Paper Maker (http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/graphmaker.html), Mac OS X software for creating custom sheets of graph paper, to version 2.2.1. The new version corrects a bug that resulted in the default background color for some graph types being black.
With Graph Paper Maker, you can control the graph characteristics. X and Y axis can independently be set for linear or log scale, and scaling. Youc an select from a dozen standard paper sizes, or custom create your own. Graphs can be saved as PDF files, and you can choose whatever color you want for the lines. Also, you can specify independent line weights for the X and Y axis lines.
Graph Paper Maker costs US$19.99, though version 2.2.2 is a free update for registered users. It works with Mac OS X 10.2 and later. Graph Paper Maker is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
International expansion of the iPhone to be big for Apple
International expansion of the iPhone is the single most important driver of Apple stock in 2010, with overseas sales predicted to account for 80% of all of the company's handset sales by the end of 2010, according to one analyst -- and as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com)
Brian Marshall with Gleacher & Company told clients that he's increased his 2010 iPad sales estimates to 12 million in calendar year 2010, and 20 million in 2011. More impressive yet, the analyst said that the iPhone is still in the "driver's seat" for Apple.
Marshall says Apple's international carrier partners offer a postpaid subscriber base more than six times larger than AT&T, the exclusive wireless carrier of the iPhone in the U.S. Despite that, international sales in calendar year 2009 represented only 60% of total units sold, so there's nowhere to go but up, up, up.
iToner update address iTunes 9.0.2, iOS 4 issues
Ambrosia Software has updated iToner (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/itoner/), an utility for Mac OS X that lets iPhone users create and install custom ringtones on the Apple communications device, to version 2.0.6. This update addresses compatibility issues with iTunes 9.2 and the new iOS 4 as well as minor changes to improve the iToner user experience and reliability.
iToner allows you to assign different ringtones for your different contacts. With iToner, you can now "have a Barry White ringtone for when your girlfriend calls, Frank Zappa for when your college buddies ring you up, or the theme from "Jaws" for when your boss is calling," according to the folks at Ambrosia.
iToner is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It works with Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later. iToner costs US$15, though version 2.0.6 is a free update for registered users.
White iPhone 4 won't be available until second half of July
If you were hoping for a white iPhone 4, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Apple issued a statement today that said white models of the phone have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected.
As a result they will not be available until the second half of July. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models isn't affected.
Elgato announces EyeTV 3.4 Special Edition
Elgato has announced a special edition of EyeTV 3.4 that offers a feature called a "Vuvuzela Filter." This filter dampens the stadium buzz of live football broadcasts on the Mac, and can be quickly switched on and off for the full audio experience at any time during the game.
The Vuvuzela Filter is available in EyeTV during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and will disappear with the next software update. EyeTV 3.4 Special Edition is available as a free update for EyeTV 3 users. To install the Vuvuzela Filter, go to the Elgato web site (http://www.elgato.com).
