Axaio Software (http://www.axaio.com) -- a developer of PDF creation, printing and content correction workflow solutions for Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress environments -- has added support for IDML, Flash CS4, SWF and INX formats, as well as easy integration with InDesign Live Preflight, to its MadeToPrint product line. As a result, the company says MadeToPrint users will enjoy even tighter quality control, more automation and streamlined collaboration and processing of multi-channel publishing jobs, which are increasingly using these formats and the Live Preflight solution. MadeToPrint products offer output enhancement and automation features. The updated MadeToPrint product line is immediately available. Pricing remains the same: MadeToPrint Standard sells at US$490, MadeToPrint Auto is available from $3,490 and MadeToPrint Server from $7,690.

Apple’s presentation at the Goldman Sachs Technology & Internet Conference will begin at approximately 1:10 pm (Pacific) on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will speak. To listen to the webcast, go to http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/goldmansachs10 . QuickTime is required.

Atlona Technologies (http://www.atlona.com) has released a new version of the DP200 with the ability to convert HDMI sources like the Xbox360, PS3, cable or satellite receiver, Blu-Ray player and Apple TV into a Mini DisplayPort signal. This US$149, USB powered HDMI to Mini DisplayPort converter, the AT-DP200HD, is an adapted version of Atlona’s DP200, designed to convert HDMI signals from to a Mini DisplayPort Connection featured on popular Mac displays such as the Apple LED 24-inch Cinema display or the 27-inch iMac. 
Like the original DP200, the HD version is complete with an attached DVI Cable sporting a DVI to HDMI adapter and USB power Ppigtail.  This unit has the ability to display signals at resolutions as high as 720p, allowing optimal viewing experiences for Mac users looking to play video games or watch Blu-Ray movies. Along with passing all EDID and HDCP information, this device converts while allowing your computer to scale to the optimal resolution offered by your...

Yummy Software (http://www.yummysoftware.com) has updated Yummy FTP -- an FTP, FTP SSL/TLS, and SFTP client -- to version 1.8.2. The upgrade gains a Transmit favorite import capability, amongst several other enhancements, as well as some bug fixes. Yummy FTP is normally US$28 for a single user license. Multi-user discounts are available beginning at 10 seats. Site licenses and other discounts are available upon request.

Arxan (http://www.arxan.com) is expanding GuardIT application hardening solution to protect Mac OS X applications against tampering, piracy, malware insertions and unauthorized use.   “The Mac platform has long been viewed as a safer and more secure than Windows,” says Paul Roberts, senior analyst at The 451 Group. “The truth is that Mac's small share of the total OS market explained the rarity of Mac-focused threats. That's changing. The growing popularity and widespread use of Mac in the digital media market makes the platform an attractive target for hackers. Mac developers no longer view themselves as immune to application attacks and are adopting appropriate security measures to protect their code and valuable IP from malicious attacks.”   He adds that key features and benefits of Arxan GuardIT for Mac OS X include: °  Diverse and customizable Guard types for code security,  including obfuscation, encryption , anti-debug, repair, and checksum; ° Instruction level granularity to...

Class on Demand, a provider of professional educational products for creative markets, has announced that "Complete Training for eyeon Fusion™ 6" is now available for pre-order. "Complete Training for eyeon Fusion 6" helps both transitioning artists and existing users acclimate to the high-end compositing application, says Susan Samonig, client relations manager, eyeon Software. The three-hour training is broken down into nine logical segments, covering Fusion 6 capabilities ranging from interface and basics to keying, particle generation, and 3D composition. The Class on Demand training methodology provides a modular approach to learning the ins-and-outs of Fusion 6's new architecture, giving users of all levels the option to pick and choose the components they want to focus on. For a sampling of Class on Demand's "Complete Training for eyeon Fusion 6," including Fusion Basics, 3D Basics, and Product Overview, go to http://www.classondemand.net/media/eyeon-training/fusion6.aspx ....

The Araelium Group has released DMG Canvas 2.0 (http://www.araelium.com/dmgcanvas), a Mac OS X (10.5 and higher) tool for building disk images from template documents that you create. Version 2.0 offers advanced background layout with customizable text and image objects, and more. With DMG Canvas, you design your disk image's appearance using the graphical editor and click Build. Each time you release a new version of your disk image, click Build again and DMG Canvas will pull together all of the latest versions of your files. DMG Canvas also allows you to specify the license agreements displayed when the disk image is mounted. With DMG Canvas, you customize every aspect of your disk image, including: window background; icon size and positions; license agreements; the volume's name; the volume's icon; the disk format; encryption; compression; and Internet enabling. It's donationware. You can download and try it for free; however, if you like it and use it regularly you're asked to...

SanDisk Corp. (http://www.sandisk.com) has begun shipping its SanDisk G3 Solid State Drives (SSD) to retailers in North America and Europe. The flash memory-based SanDisk G3 SSD offers an alternative to a 7,200 RPM hard disk drive (HDD) for some customers. The 120GB SanDisk G3 SSD can endure up to 80TB of data written to it over its lifetime, says says Eric Bone, vice president, retail product marketing, SanDisk. The solid state drives open files up to twice as fast as a 7,200 RPM HDD, he adds. SanDisk G3 SSD has sequential performance of up to 220 megabytes per second (MB/sec) read speed and up to 120MB/sec write speed. SanDisk G3 SSD is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). SanDisk G3 SSD is available now in 60GB and 120GB capacities with prices of US$229.99 and $399.99, respectively. The drive will be available at retailers in North America and Europe soon, with exact pricing to be set by retailers.

Incoming freshmen who enroll at George Fox University (http://www.georgefox.edu/offices/inst_technology/it_servicedesk/computer...) this fall will have a choice to make before they arrive on campus in August: iPad or MacBook? The Christian college in Oregon has opted to give new students the option of choosing the new iPad or selecting its current offering, the MacBook. For more than 20 years, George Fox has supplied a computer for each incoming undergraduate student to keep upon graduating. The cost is included in tuition. "With this, we’re basically asking students ‘What computing system will work best for you?’” Greg Smith, the university’s chief information officer, says. “By giving them this option, they can choose between the iPad, a mobile device known for its networking and E-textbook capabilities, or the laptop, which offers more computing horsepower.” The trend in higher education computing is this concept of mobility, and this fits right in with that trend, he adds. "At the...

A "trusted source at Comcast told "Broadband Reports" (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Exploring-250-Mbps-Service-10...) that before the end of the year, we'll begin hearing "rumblings" of a 250 Mbps service. Comcast has already pushed DOCSIS 3.0 past 90% of their footprint, delivering 50 Mbps speeds in the process. While the company only offers 100 Mbps service in one market, a source told "Broadband Reports" that Comcast will be pushing faster 100 Mbps service to around 20% of their market by year's end. 250 Mbps will take a bit longer. "We'll get there, but for many practical reasons the early DOCSIS 3.0 systems are designed for 160 meg shared down, 100 meg shared up, using four channels in each direction," industry analyst Dave Burstein told "Broadband Reports." The DOCSIS 3.0 specification was unveiled in August 2006 when CableLabs outlined the methodology for downstream and upstream channel bonding, along with other features such as IPv6, IP multicasting and AES...

Pentax (http://www.pentax.com) has launched the Pentax K-7 Limited Silver digital SLR camera. It will be marketed in a limited quantity of 1,000 sets. This special-edition model comes with several features that distinguish it from the original black-colored Pentax X K-7 (launched in summer 2009), including a silver-colored body and a “golden section ratio” focusing screen. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the original K-7 costs approximately US$1,300. The Silver K-7's camera body is finished in silver. and is identical with the color of the high-performance FA Limited interchangeable lens series. Set in lower area of the camera body, the SR (Shake Reduction) lettering is in a special gold color that stands out against the subdued black-colored, leather-like finish. The K-7 Limited Silver comes equipped with an exclusive “golden section ratio” focusing screen. Since the guiding lines and points are curved on the screen, the photographer can swiftly and effortlessly compose a...

ColcaSac (http://www.colcasac.com/) has announced a line of sleeves for the MacBook. They're made from natural fibers and come in a range of designs and colors. They're heavily padded to protect your laptop from drops, dents and scratches. Prices range from US$30 to $33.

Comm-Unity Networking Systems has released CNS Audit 1.0.2 (http://cnsaudit.cnsplug-ins.com/), an update of the audit trail plug-in for FileMaker Pro to add to your databases. The upgrade updates the Init function to also find records that were not previously audited correctly. It also fixes some bugs. CNS Audit includes full Roll Back support for undoing field changes and record deletions. CNS Audit is available for both Mac OS X and Windows systems. immediately at for both Mac OS X and Windows. Whether you just want peace of mind about being able to get a record back that you have accidentally deleted or if you have to comply to regulatory mandates like HIPAA, you can use CNS Audit to create an Audit Trail of your data within minutes, according to the folks at Comm-Unity. You can download a demo copy of the plug-in to test it out before purchasing. An one-user license for the client version of CNS Audit is US$95. There are several other price points on the purchase page for the plug...

On the new MacVoices (http://www.macvoices.com), Neil Ticktin, editor-in-chief and publisher of MacTech, and Macsimum News' Chief Macsimizer Dennis Sellers announce MacTech's acquisition of Macsimum News to create MacNews, the most comprehensive and up-to-date place to keep up with the rapidly changing Apple and Mac universe. The duo discuss the combination, the new site (in preview at the moment), and why it will launch with a huge archive of information. "MacVoices" is an Internet show and podcast that delivers in-depth discussions with the most influential people in the Mac industry, as well as "the individuals who are out there making it happen on the front lines of the global Apple community," according to host Chuck Joiner.

Developer Christian Kienle has released Ebbinghaus 3.2 (http://christian-kienle.de/Ebbinghaus/) for Mac OS X. It's an update of the US$20 flash card application with an iTunes-like user interface. Version 3.2 offers the ability to resize the study window. When resizing the study window the current card becomes larger. Scrolling is now enabled in the study view. With Ebbinghaus you can organize your cards in decks, folders and smart decks. When selecting a deck, its cards will be shown in a table. Each card has a progress indicator so that you see your overall performance at a glance. Ebbinghaus was a German psychologist, who invented the learning curve. Ebbinghaus comes with a formula editor. The formula editor lets you create graphical formulas by typing in a LaTeX style text. For example, you can then drop the formula on any card. That's the best way to learn formulas of nearly any complexity. If you own an iPod or iPhone, Ebbinghaus lets you export decks as a series of images...

General Imaging (http://www.general-imaging.com/us/) is unveiling four new cameras, including new additions to the GE brand's Power Series and Smart Series. The GE E1486TW and E1480W are the latest additions to the Power Series. Both the E1486TW and E1480W sport the ability to film high-definition movies, 14-megapixel resolution, an 8X optical zoom and a 3-inch LCD screen. At only .83 inches thick, the cameras offer one of the slimmest 8X optical zoom performance in the market, says Paul Meyhoefer, General Imaging's vice president of Marketing and Product Planning. Both the E1486TW and E1480W offer OIS image stabilization and a 28-mm angle glass lens. In addition, the E1486TW offers a touch screen control. A swipe of your finger lets you scroll through recent shots and swipe the screen to zoom photos. The E1486TW and E1480W are priced at US$179.99 and $149.99, respectively. They will ship this spring, and are available in black, red and silver among other colors. The GE line continues...

Stairways Software (http://www.stairways.com/main/) has released Keyboard Maestro 4.1, the new version of its productivity enhancer for Mac OS X. The upgrade adds an in-application tutorial, documentation, and welcome page, sorting by trigger, improved select menu action, and more. Using Keyboard Maestro's macros you can: control applications, windows, or menus; insert text; open documents, applications or URLs; execute scripts; control the system or iTunes; and more, all with the touch of a key, click of the mouse, periodically or at specific times, when an application is launched or running, or even over the Internet using Keyboard Maestro's built in web server. Using Keyboard Maestro's Program Switcher and Window Switcher you can cycle through applications or windows, closing, hiding, launching, and more. The software lets you close or hide multiple windows or applications. Using Keyboard Maestro's Clipboard Switcher, you can select from a number of named clipboards, storing...

Dover Studios released "Maya Shading Networks 2nd Edition," their latest visual effects training video. It's a guide to creating shading networks in Autodesk Maya. The second edition has been completely revised and updated and features crystal clear 1080p high definition video. It's taught by visual effects artists, Andrew Hazelden and Russell Hazelden. Topics include: aging a shiny metal surface by adding a layer of tarnish, using the Mental Ray IPR renderer to interactively preview shading networks, creating 2D and 3D procedural textures, adjusting specular highlights, exploring various ways to assign materials to objects, using environment maps to create reflective materials, and adjusting 2D texture placement attributes. Participant will learn how to use incandescence and glow to simulate materials that emit light. This effect is often used when creating materials for light fixtures, television sets, and glowing hot lava. Participants will also discover how PSD networks can be...

SanDisk (http://www.sandisk.com) has begun shipping the 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC memory card (US$349.99), the company’s highest capacity SD card ever. It touts up to 15MB/second read speed and a Class 4 speed rating. It's designed for capturing and storing 1080p High-Definition video files and then transferring them to a computer. SDXC cards are based on the new SD 3.0 specification, which makes it possible to manufacture SD cards with storage capacity up to 2TB. The SDXC card’s exFAT file structure helps consumers record long-duration HD videos. The 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC card can store more than eight hours of high-definition video with recording speed of 9 Mbps (HD standard), according to Susan Park, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. Because the SD 3.0 specification was recently released, only a handful of devices may be immediately available that support SDXC cards. However, the pace of new camera model introduction supporting the SDXC format is accelerating. Canon...

Apple is purging some adult-themed content from the Apple App Store, purportedly at the urging of both customers and developers. "Whenever we receive customer complaints about objectionable content we review them," an Apple spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement to "Information Week" (http://www.informationweek.com/news/services/data/showArticle.jhtml?arti...). "If we find these apps contain inappropriate material we remove them and request the developer make any necessary changes in order to be distributed by Apple. Letters that Apple has sent to creators of adult-themed apps state that customer complaints prompted the company to change its policy and to ban "overtly sexual content" from the Apple App Store. The "ChilliFresh iPhone apps" site (http://chillifresh.com/2010/02/20/5000-apps-banned-the-new-rules/) says that over 5,000 apps have been banned.

onOne Software is offering free updates for Plug-in Suite 5, PhotoTools 2.5, Mask Pro 4.1 and PhotoTune 3 owners are now available for immediate download.  The Plug-in Suite 5.0.1 release provides several updates to correct known issues, including: ° Improved compatibility with ATI video card drivers when using PhotoTune 3 and PhotoTools 2.5; ° Improved stability and memory handling when using PhotoTune 3; ° Improved performance of Mask Pro 4.1 on Windows operating systems These updates can be downloaded and installed by using the built-in "check for updates" feature located in the Help menu from inside of any of the above plug-ins. The updaters can also be manually downloaded from http://www.ononesoftware.com/updates .

SNAPPS (http://www.snapps.com), a long-time IBM Advanced Business Partner and new Apple Development Partner, identified an opportunity for synergy between the enterprise business software giant IBM and the "hip, cool consumer-focused "Apple and has decided to actively link them together. The first offering, SnappFiles, demonstrated by IBM at MacWorld in San Francisco last week, is a free app available on the Apple App Store that delivers secure access to and collaboration on corporate documents stored in IBM Lotus Quickr or Filenet P8 ECM systems. With work underway to support other IBM ECM systems such as IBM Content Manager and Lotus Connections Files next month, SnappFiles is designed to be a single point of entry into corporate document management systems, says Rob Novak, president of SNAPPS. SnappFiles is available free of charge. A professional version with enhanced capabilities is in the works, as are several other apps linking IBM's Lotus software to Apple devices. SNAPPS...

Apple has cut some staff working on its Final Cut video editing software suite, according to a report by a video industry insider. "Apple laid off 40 of my old Final Cut team yesterday, lots of good people, despite high profits," said Pete Warden, a data-mining former Apple employee, in a tweet (http://twitter.com/petewarden/status/9014940274). He says that this is despite high profits, and that Apple "can be pretty evil." While the cuts could represent the end of an upgrade development cycle, as the next version upgrade of Final Cut is likely in preparation even now, Warden’s report reveals one key element that suggests more major losses, notes Distorted-Loop (http://distorted-loop.com/2010/02/19/final-cut-team-loses-key-figure-pri...). Warden reveals, “Doyle Rockwell is leaving. He’s been a driving force behind Apple’s professional video products like Motion and Final Cut Pro for the last 8 years, but since he recently moved from LA to Austin to be closer to family, he’s fallen prey...

Corsair (http://www.corsair.com) has released its new Flash Padlock 2 secure USB flash drive. This unique USB flash drive is very cleverly and comprehensively designed to protect your critical business or personal data from unwanted exposure. The Flash Padlock 2 employs two security technologies. The first of these technologies is a user-definable personal identification number or PIN. To unlock the drive and access the data, this PIN is entered using the drive’s integrated numeric keypad. The Flash Padlock 2 can't be accessed without correctly entering the PIN for that individual drive. The second technology used is secure 256-bit AES data encryption of the drive contents. 256-bit AES is recognized worldwide by both corporations and governments as the premier standard for data protection, and its use in the Flash Padlock 2 ensures that data protection cannot be compromised by disassembling the drive to gain access to the flash ICs, says John Beekley, vice president of Technical...