crispSofties has launched copyThing 5, an update to the Mac utility for transferring music and more from an iOS device to iTunes. copyThing connects with iPhones, iPads and iPods and lets you identify media content on those devices that's missing from your iTunes library. Media and playlists can be synchronized with one click. Version 5 has been completely re-written from scratch with a speed boost and a new user interface. copyThing requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or higher. It costs US$29.95 (upgrades to version 5 from previous versions are $14.95) and is available for download from crispSofties online (www.crispsofties.com).

CS Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com) has released the Food Court addition to ConceptDraw Pro 10. The Food Court solution provides users with a tool to illustrate food diagramming projects. It contains seven libraries containing 201 objects for adding color and appeal to food related diagrams. ConceptDraw Pro 10 is now included in ConceptDraw Office 3, which retails for US$499. ConceptDraw Office is an integrated set of visualization products and document exchange technologies. It consists of a diagramming platform, a mind mapping tool, and a project management tool.

Apple has announced financial results for its fiscal 2015 third quarter that ended June 27. The company posted quarterly revenue of US$49.6 billion and quarterly net profit of $10.7 billion, or $1.85 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $37.4 billion and net profit of $7.7 billion, or $1.28 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 39.7% compared to 39.4% in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 64% of the quarter’s revenue. The growth was fueled by record third quarter sales of iPhone and Mac, all-time record revenue from services and the successful launch of Apple Watch™. "We had an amazing quarter, with iPhone revenue up 59%over last year, strong sales of Mac, all-time record revenue from services, driven by the App Store, and a great start for Apple Watch,”" says Apple CEO Tim Cook. "The excitement for Apple Music has been incredible, and we’re looking forward to releasing iOS 9, OS X El Capitan and watchOS 2 to customers in...

Gone are the days owners of the newest MacBook edition have to choose which device they want to connect to using the USB-C thanks to Cusby (www.cusby.com), which has introduced a line of modular and expandable solutions to break free port limitations. The Cusby “building blocks” will be available for pre-order starting at US$25 on Indiegogo (https://goo.gl/qtWLwW) with delivery expected in October 2015. Cusby is modular, meaning you don’t have to commit to a set of ports. Instead, just plug in the appropriate Cusby that serves your current needs. The more devices you need connected, the more building blocks you can add, while always keeping a USB-C port open. For every Cusby connected, a new USB-C port is created. At launch, Cusby will be offering the following three models: ° USB-C Power Port, which offers a USB-C port to connect a power adapter to charge the MacBook; ° USB-A Data Port, which will connect any standard device like a smartphone, tablet, keyboard, mouse, and printer...

Jon Peddie Research (JPR), the industry's research and consulting firm for graphics and multimedia, announced estimated graphics add-in-board (AIB) shipments and suppliers’ market share for the first quarter of 2015. JPR’s AIB Report (www.jonpeddie.com) tracks computer add-in graphics boards, which carry discrete graphics chips. AIBs used in desktop PCs, workstations, servers, and other devices such as scientific instruments. They're sold directly to customers as aftermarket products, or are factory installed. In all cases, AIBs represent the higher end of the graphics industry using discrete chips and private high-speed memory, as compared to the integrated GPUs in CPUs that share slower system memory. The news was encouraging and seasonally understandable, quarter-to-quarter, the AIB market decreased -8.79% (compared to the desktop PC market, which decreased -14.77%), according to JPR. On a year-to-year basis, the research group found that total AIB shipments during the quarter fell...

einstein's legacy (www.einsteinslegacy.com) has announced Monochrome 3.0.1 for Mac OS X. It's an upgrade of the application for post-processing batches of color images to grayscale. Monochrome gives you control over the conversion process and applied effects, so you can create a consistent set of output images. Version 3.0.1 improves user interface responsiveness, adds a histogram tool along with additional GPU-based image effects, and provides fullscreen and high-resolution drawing support. Monochrome requires Mac OS X Yosemite. It's available for US$19.99 at the Mac App Store (in the Photography category).

The latest analysis from the global market research firm TrendForce (www.trendforce.com) finds smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2015 grew 1.9% over the previous quarter to 304 million units. Samsung tops global shipments, while Apple is expected to maintain its high sales record with the next-generation iPhone in the second half of 2015, according to the research group. Shipment growth in the second quarter slowed as vendors prepared to launch their flagship devices in this year's second half. However, shipments of branded Chinese smartphones benefited from the Chinese Labor Day sales and their entries into the overseas markets. TrendForce reports the second quarter shipments of Chinese branded smartphones had an above global average growth of 15.6% with 126M units shipped. TrendForce has also made downward revision to smartphone shipment growth for the entire 2015 from 11.6% to 8.2%. According to Avril Wu, TrendForce's smartphone analyst, this revision is attributed to...

InSili.com has launched Squeezer 1.3, an update of its web resources minifier, compiler and compressor. Developed exclusively for Mac OS X, the utility offers code minification and compilation for a wide variety of web languages, as well as the option of batch image optimization and compression. Squeezer directly supports JavaScript, CoffeeScript, Literate CoffeeScript, TypeScript, Babel/ES6 and more. Version 1.3 is available for US$14.99 and is available at the Squeezer website (www.squeezerapp.com). It requires Mac OS X 10.7 or higher.

Melesta Games (http://www.melesta-games.com) has released Toy Defense 1.23, an update to its game for Mac OS X 10.8 or later. Here's how the game and update are described: "Experience a totally explosive gameplay in this tower defense game in a WWI setting. Now users are able to play on several devises without losing their progress. A brand new tournament mode with new rules is sure to entertain all players. Special offers, improved performance and stable gameplay will make playing the game even more exciting. "One more great and wanted feature has also been added. Now all users can transfer their entire game progress from one device to another. They can play on several devices and keep the current progress. As always, the game suggests amazing bonus offers and gives many opportunities for exciting battles with an improved performance and stable gameplay." Toy Defense 1.23 is free and available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Games category.

Audiffex has released inTone2, a multifaceted multichannel effects processor, software mixing console, virtual instruments host, and flexible multitrack zonal player for Mac OS X (10.8 or higher) with CoreAudio-compatible audio interface. The inTone2 serves as a simple jamming tool as well as a sophisticated playback machine. It’s a live production mixer that processes multiple audio inputs with studio-quality effects plug-ins. It plays audio files and allows users to play virtual instruments while changing tracks, effects, or instrument configurations. Every track in inTone2 features eight audio effect slots. Users can enlarge their effects collection by adding additional Audiffex plug-ins, including ampLion Pro (aimed at guitarists), GK Amplification 2 Pro (aimed at bassists), and more, as well as AU-, DirectX-, and VST-compatible third-party plug-ins. inTone2 is available for US$49 at Audified’s online shop (http://tinyurl.com/nbqu63u).

Zevrix Solutions has delivered Deliver 2.4.21, a maintenance update to its file transfer solution with automatic email notifications. The software lets users send files to FTP, Google Storage, Amazon S3, WebDAV and other remote and local servers. Deliver will automatically notify recipients about delivered files which can be instantly downloaded from a link in the email. The new version improves transfer of non-compressed folders on local networks and addresses some performance and stability issues. Deliver can be purchased from Zevrix website (www.zevrix.com) for US$19.95, as well as from Mac App Store and authorized resellers. A demo is available for download. The update is free for licensed users of Deliver 2.x. Deliver requires Mac OS X 10.5-10.10 (some features require OS X 10.7 or later).

Apple Store employees who sued Apple over bag searches at the iPhone maker's 52 brick and mortar outlets in California had their case certified as a class-action by a federal judge, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco, reports Reuters (http://tinyurl.com/o587qwr). It's part of a 2013 lawsuit alleging Apple should compensate thousands of store employees for the time taken to search their bags to ensure they did not steal any merchandise. Reuters notes that Apple had argued in court filings that the case wasn't suitable for class action status because not all store managers conducted bag searches, and any searches that did occur took a tiny amount of time which don't deserve compensation. Alsup ruled that those issues could be litigated at trial.

Chronos has launched Labelist 9, an upgrade to itslabel-making software for Mac OS X Yosemite. The new version adds two all-new media browsers for integrating with Apple’s iTunes and Photos applications. These new features make it easier to add song titles, album cover art, and photos to labels of all kinds. Labelist comes with a) hundreds of templates; b) a collection of matching label, envelope, and letterhead sets; c) 100+ super-masks; and d) a collection of artwork. The software is compatible with over 2,500 label, DVD/CD label, and envelope stocks including those from Avery, PaperDirect, DYMO, APLI, Formtec and more.   A fully functional 30 day trial version can be downloaded from Chronos' website (www.chronosnet.com). Registration is US$39.99; a family pack is also available for $69.99.

Paragon Software Group has released Paragon NTFS for Mac 14 Preview. (http://tinyurl.com/pyuyvub). It provides full read and write access to Windows-formatted NTFS partitions on OS X. Paragon NTFS for Mac 14 Preview is available for immediate download, without registration, to all Mac enthusiasts testing Apple's OS X El Capitan Preview. All users who purchased NTFS for Mac 12 will get a free upgrade to Paragon NTFS for Mac 14 when the commercial version is released. To ensure a higher level of security, the new release by Apple delivers a new protection feature. System Integrity Protection prevents modifications to certain system files, folders and processes. This protects components on disk and at run-time, only allowing system binaries to be modified by the system installer and software updates. Code injection and runtime attachments to system binaries are no longer allowed. Paragon NTFS for Mac 14 is fully compatible with Apple’s new security policy.  Once the program is...

DEVONtechnologies has updated all editions of its intelligent information and document manager, DEVONthink, as well as the smart notebook, DEVONnote. DEVONthink and DEVONnote are designed to help users classify and organize documents with artificial intelligence. Version 2.8.6 improves compatibility to the public beta of OS X El Capitan and brings further usability enhancements and bug fixes. The updates are free and recommended for all users. All editions of DEVONthink as well as DEVONnote require an Intel-based Mac and OS X 10.7.5 or later (in the Mac App Store: OS X 10.9 or later). Demos are available at the DEVONtechnologies website (www.devontechnologies.com ). DEVONthink Personal and DEVONnote are also available in the Mac App Store; DEVONthink can be purchased in bundles with DEVONagent for a bundle price in DEVONtechnologies' online shop.

Apple has introduced a new iPod touch and unveiled a new lineup of colors for all iPod models, including space gray, silver, gold, pink and blue. The revamped iPod touch features a new 8-megapixel iSight camera for photos, an improved FaceTime HD camera, the Apple-designed A8 chip with 10 times faster graphics performance for a more immersive gaming experience, and even better fitness tracking with the M8 motion coprocessor, says Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPhone, iPod and iOS Product Marketing. With the A8 chip, the same used in the iPhone 6, users can play even more immersive games for hours at a time, all the while with great battery life, he adds. Three times faster Wi-Fi lets customers stay in touch with friends and family through FaceTime calls, and download movies and TV shows with ease, Joswiak adds. The iPod touch comes with a 4-inch Retina display, iOS 8 and a collection of built-in apps. The new iPod touch starts at US$199 for the 16GB model, $249 for the...

Seagate Technology has announced new and updated Hybrid Cloud Data Protection solutions that enable customers to manage explosive data growth and increasingly complex security. The new and updated hybrid cloud solutions in Seagate’s portfolio include: Seagate Backup and Recovery Software, Seagate Cloud Backup and Recovery Services, Seagate Backup and Recovery Private Cloud, and Seagate Data Management Services. These solutions will be delivered by Seagate, its value added resellers (VARs) and managed service providers (MSPs) to customers from small and medium sized businesses up through large enterprises for private, public and hybrid cloud deployments. Seagate’s Backup and Recovery Software and Cloud Backup and Recovery Services now deliver up to 400% performance improvement in the speed of backup, restore and replication than the previous Seagate EVault offering, making it possible for organizations of all sizes to protect large and growing datasets within their standard backup...

Shiny Frog (http://www.img2icnsapp.com) has launched Image2icon 2.0, an update to its r icon creation tool for Mac OS X. Image2icon lets users create their own Mac icons, as well as customize folders and files. Version 2.0 introduces new features such as icon templates, background removal, image tuning, icon restoration and nine different export options. Image2icon is available on the Mac App Store for free. Howevr, it does offer in-app purchases.

Apple Pay, Apple's mobile payment service, will launch in the U.K. today, marking the first time it will be available outside the U.S. Many major brands and most big banks have signed up to support the offering, with more than 250,000 locations — ranging from subway stations to supermarkets — ready to accept the service. Now Apple is reportedly working on extending Apple Pay to China, South Korea and Canada.

Apple collected 92% of the operating profit of the world's top eight smartphone companies in the first quarter of the year, reports the Canaccord Genuity financial firm — as noted by the Wall Street Journal (on.wsj.com/1SjEjmY). That's up from 65% a year earlier. Samsung took 15% in this year's period. The reason why Apple and Samsung earned over 100% combined is because some rivals only broke even or lost money. Apple's dominance of profit share comes despite the company selling under 20% of smartphones and because its devices are much more expensive than those of its competitors.

einstein's legacy (http://www.einsteinslegacy.com) has introduced Bix for OS X, a movie playlist tool for fullscreen and multi-screen playback. Built on Apple's AVFoundation technology, it lets you organize and configure playlists, trimming individual clips as needed, for use in kiosk and digital signage applications. Bix separates your clips from their playback settings, allowing you to make changes to the display location, looping mode and other behaviors without making any changes to your movies. Bix requires Mac OS X Yosemite. It's available for US$19.99 at the Mac App Store in the Video category.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 66.1 million units in the second quarter of 2015 (2Q15), according to the International Data Corp. (IDC). This represented a year-on-year decline of -11.8%, about 1% below projections for the quarter — although Apple's Mac continues to do well. The slow PC shipments were largely anticipated as a result of stronger year-ago shipments relating to end of support for windows XP as well as channels reducing inventory ahead of the release of Windows 10, according to IDC (www.idc.com). In addition, weaker or changing exchange rates for foreign currencies have effectively increased PC prices in many markets, thereby reducing purchasing power and also complicating investment planning, adds the research group. "Although the second quarter decline in PC shipments was significant, and slightly more than expected, the overall trend fits with expectations," says Loren Loverde, vice president, Worldwide PC Trackers & Forecasting. "We continue to expect low to mid-...

Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac is now available in 139 countries and 16 languages. The new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote "provide the best of both worlds for Mac users—the familiar Office experience paired with the best of Mac," says Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office Client Applications and Services team at Microsoft. If you already use Office on a PC or iPad, you may be familiar with the new (for the Mac) ribbon interface and powerful panes. Office 2015 integrates Mac capabilities like Full Screen view and Multi-Touch gestures. It also offers full Retina display support. Office for Mac is cloud-connected. New, built-in document sharing tools lets you invite teammates to work on a document together. Office for Mac offers compatibility with Office on PCs, tablets, phones and online. Word’s new Design tab lets you apply designer-quality layouts, colors and fonts throughout your document. You can work on the same document simultaneously...

Software and Computer System Company (http://scsc-online.com) has released Scannerz 1.9.9.75 for Mac OS X. The utility employs hard drive and SSD analysis algorithms. The upgrade includes the new Phoenix Version 2.0, as well as Performance Probe and FSE. It also improves the graphical user interface of Scannerz making it easier for users to navigate more complicated Apple RAID and Core Storage drive configurations. Scannerz 1.9.9.75 is fully Yosemite compatible and remains compatible with previous Mac OS X down through Snow Leopard (MacOS 10.6). The update is be free for all current users. For new users pricing starts at US$39.95 (there's a "lite" version for $21.95.)