Dynamsoft updates Web Twain SDK with native scanning for OS X
Dynamsoft (www.dynamsoft.com) has updated its Web TWAIN software development kit (SDK) to provide native scanning support in Mac OS X, removing the need to install a driver for use. The kit is used by developers to create a web-based document management system.
Dynamic Web TWAIN 9.1 also features Sandbox security. This ensures browser-based image scanning applications are securely separated from the imaging devices. The use of Sandbox also ensures hassle-free communication with TWAIN-compliant devices, says Amy Gu, vice president of Dynamsoft . Supported devices include TWAIN-compatible scanners, digital cameras or capture cards.
Dynamic Web TWAIN 9.1 is licensed per web server and is available starting Aug., 27. Separate Mac, ActiveX or Plugin Editions start at US$799 per production server. There is an ActiveX + Plugin + Mac Edition starting at $1,599 per production server. A royalty-free (unlimited web servers) option is also available for each edition.
MaBaSoft rings up Currency Assistant 3.1.10 for Mac OS X
MaBaSoft (http://www.mabasoft.net/) has released version 3.1.10 of Currency Assistant for Mac OS X. The automatic update of the European Central Bank rates has been restored after the European Central Bank site changed domain.
Currency Assistant lets you convert between 175 world currencies (all major circulating currencies plus the 17 Eurozone legacy currencies) and automatically updates exchange rates over the Internet using the rates published by the European Central Bank, the Bank of Canada, the International Monetary Fund, and the Bank of Italy.
With Currency Assistant you can create multiple converters and manage currencies, import and convert series of amounts, calculate and convert the result of expressions, and quickly log, save, export, and print your conversions.
Currency Assistant requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. It's now 50% off and available for US$8.95 for new users or $4.95 for Euro Assistant Pro registered users. Version 3.1.10 is a free update for registered user of...
Apperian, Inc. - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Cimarron Buser of Apperian, Inc.. Cimarron was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Feds file revised remedy in Apple ebook case
The federal government has filed a revised proposed remedy for Apple in the ebook case, following a hearing earlier this month with a judge and counsel for Apple, reports "Gigaom."
The proposal relates to a judge’s decision in July that Apple had conspired with publishers to set ebook prices. Apple plans to appeal.
The new proposed punishment isn’t too different from the original proposed punishment, in which the Dept. of Justice wanted Apple to drop in-app purchasing restrictions for competitors like Amazon and also aimed to restrict publishers from using agency pricing for five years instead of two, notes "Gigaom." However, it also devotes far more attention to Apple’s policies for in-app purchases. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/n54tas5 .
Judge shoots down Samsung's request for a retrial
Judge Lucy Koh, the federal judge presiding over two Apple v. Samsung lawsuits in the Northern District of California, has denied Samsung's motions to delay Apple's November retrial on damages, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/ma3zx3g).
Apple had originally said 20 Samsung smartphones and two tablets infringed its '381 patent technology, the so-called "rubber banding" patent that covers the "bounce-back" that users get when they scroll to the bottom of the screen.
Last year a jury ruled that Samsung infringed on the '381 patent with 18 of its products. Samsung, naturally, denies this and had asked for a retail based on "newly discovered evidence."
Animationist for OS X now lets you animate single letters
Synium Software has released Animationist 1.1 for Mac OS X. It's software that lets you create title art animations for your YouTube videos, iMovie or Final Cut projects, showcase videos and even TV broadcasts. The upgrade lets you animate single letters in texts in different ways.
You can also now import and embed external videos directly into your composition. Version 1.1 also offers: improved video export; GIF export; enhancements for Retina displays; improved text quality; Text and Path extrude filters; and more.
Animationist comes with a variety of presets, samples and tutorials. All these effects can be completely animated using keyframes.
Every change is being displayed in realtime and playback of your movie is rendered instantly. Animationist can adjust the quality to accomplish a live preview without having to wait until rendering is done.
You can assign as many effects as you like, for example inner and outer shadow, glow, blur or borders to layers. You can create presets...
TheMaker for Mac OS X makes it to version 1.8
TheMaker (www.makercms.org), an Mac OS X application for rapid web development, has been revved to version 1.8.
Its developers say TheMaker is comparable to Coda or Espresso but "with emphasis on providing all the tools to get the job done in one easy application, including an integrated code editor, image manipulation and FTP publishing tools." Version 1.8 sports a new interface and updated project manager.
TheMaker is available at the Mac App Store. Normally US$19.99, it's on sale for $9.99 for a limited time.
Apple buys company that makes public transit apps
Apple tells award-winning journalist, Jessica Lessin, that it has bought Embark, a Silicon Valley-based maker of public transit apps.
On her web site (http://tinyurl.com/m9aq9yr) she says it's unknown how much Apple paid for the company. However, "we heard from people knowledgeable about the deal that the company plans to directly integrate Embark’s technology into Apple Maps."
Embark, founded in 2011, builds apps for mobile devices powered by Android and Apple’s iOS with information about transit systems in about half a dozen U.S. cities such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Its iOS apps are still available for download.
Spellex releases Spellex Dictation for Mac, Windows systems
Spellex Corp. has released Spellex Dictation, a dictionary enhancement for Dragon NaturallySpeaking and other popular speech recognition software. It's Mac OS X and Windows compatible.
Spellex Dictation allows users to dictate and correctly spell healthcare, legal, and BioScientific and engineering words and phrases. It also allows users to verify both the common English language and specialty terms simultaneously. It's available in three editions:
° Spellex Dictation: Medical -- a medical enhancement for your speech recognition software that includes more than 70 medical specialties to correctly dictate medical and pharmaceutical words.
° Spellex Dictation: Legal -- a legal terminology add-on to enhance your favorite dictation software. You can dictate thousands of legal terms from 35 legal specialties varying from administrative law to wills and more.
° Spellex Dictation: BioScientific - a bioscience enhancement for your speech recognition software. You can dictate thousands of...
Imesart - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and David Detry of Imesart. David was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
iCloud outage hits again
Some of Apple's iCloud services such as iMessage, Photo Stream, and Documents in the Cloud have been down -- and may still be down -- for some users , reports the "Houston Chronicle" (http://tinyurl.com/mq6a8u2).
The Apple Services, Stores and iCloud status page (http://tinyurl.com/a3swxz2) says less than 1%" of its users are affected. According to a timeline at the bottom of the status page, the outage began about 11:30 a.m. (Pacific).
Apple brings former Levi exec on board
Apple has lured Enrique Atienza from Levi Strauss, a global clothing sales powerhouse, "to become a top director for its U.S. Retail market," according to "9to5Mac" (http://tinyurl.com/kckvj2w), quoting unnamed "sources with knowledge of the hire."
Atienza served as Senior Vice President, Retail Americas and Global Store Operations at Levi’s, according to Levi Strauss spokeswoman Sarah Young. Young told "9to5Mac" that Atienza recently left the company, but she would not confirm details regarding the transition or circumstances.
A source for the article says Atienza will be the director of all retail matters for many regions within the West Coast of the United States. This role "is one of the highest ranking retail positions inside of Apple," notes "9to5Mac."
BatchOutput Server 4.9.1 improves the XML processing engine
Zevrix Solutions has updated BatchOutput Server (http://zevrix.com/BatchOutputServer.php), an output workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign, to version 4.9.1. The new version improves the XML processing engine that allows users to dynamically assign variable output file names based on InDesign document's XMP metadata.
Adobe's Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) is an XML-based labeling technology that allows users to embed data about a file, known as metadata, into the file itself. By taking advantage of this technology, BatchOutput Server offers output operators an easy way to include the desired information about their projects directly in the final PDF and PostScript file names.
Under BatchOutput Server 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....
Valentina Studio 5.4, Valentina Server 5.4 released
Paradigma Software (http://www.paradigmasoft.com) has announced the release of database and reports tool Valentina Studio 5.4 and the enterprise reports and database server Valentina Server 5.4 for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. The new release includes over 50 new features, fixes and improvements in both the free Valentina Studio and the not-free Valentina Studio Pro.
New Valentina Studio 5.4 features include:
° The Data Editor was rewritten to work with huge tables containing millions of records;
° There are performance improvements with MySQL Servers serving large numbers of databases;
° The ability to set LIMIT and OFFSET in Query Builder;
° The ability to save and load queries for sharing with other Valentina Studio users;
° The ability to work with self recursive tables in Query Builder;
° Works with Putty generated SSL keys;
° Case sensitivity is supported in SQL DIFF;
° Improved speed in saving and loading dumps with MySQL, PostgreSQL;
° Add/Edit/Drop Privileges per User or per...
Razer rolls out new 7.1 USB headset
Razer has announced the Razer Kraken. It's an US$99.99, 7.1 Surround Sound USB gaming headset. It boasts customizable 7.1 virtual surround sound and an enhanced digital microphone.
The Razer Kraken 7.1 comes equipped with an advanced virtual surround sound engine capable of ultra-low latency audio processing that simulates a 360-degree surround sound experience by incorporating more than one positional speaker driver in each ear cup. Driven through Razer’s Synapse 2.0 unified configuration software, the engine is capable of a high degree of customization, allowing gamers to tweak and specifically position each surround sound channel, boost bass levels and even balance incoming voice audio for "astounding" aural precision, says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director.
The omnidirectional digital microphone on the Razer Kraken 7.1 comes equipped with an optimized algorithm, promising crystal-clear voice chat that offers better frequency response, sensitivity and...
JAMF Software releases Casper Suite 9
JAMF Software has announced new Apple enterprise management capabilities with Casper Suite 9, a management tool for large-scale enterprise deployments of Apple technologies.
Using the Casper Suite, organizations are able to manage increasing numbers of Apple devices, whether they use Mac computers or iOS devices such as iPad and iPhone. Casper Suite 9 introduces capabilities designed to help organizations scale globally, while enhancing the user experience for IT administrators and end-users alike through the Casper Suite’s redesigned web interface and intuitive Self Service management tool, according to Zach Halmstad, founding partner at JAMF. The new release also introduces additional capabilities designed to leverage cloud services for distribution of software and content.
Casper Suite 9 provides organizations with expanded capabilities to customize the user experience for multiple audiences. With language localization, site-specific administrator privileges, and a beautifully...
Twelve South introduces SurfacePad for the MacBook Pro
Twelve South has rolled out a refreshed version of its SurfacePad for MacBook Pro, now joining the similar MacBook Air model.
The SurfacePad for MacBook Pro is a thin, luxury leather wrist rest designed for both 13- and 15-inch laptops (excluding Retina display models). It's designed to provide a soft, comfortable pad for wrists while allowing users to personalize and protect their MacBooks from scratches and dirt.
Color options include Jet Black and Pop Red. The SurfacePad for MacBook Pro is now available for US$29.99. That's $10 less than the previous version. For more info go to www.twelvesouth.com .
DrivePop offers students back-to-school pricing on cloud storage
DrivePop has announced US$3 a month unlimited cloud backup plan pricing for students and teachers. These backup plans offer unlimited cloud backup space for backing up all the files and documents on Mac OS X and Windows systems.
All uploads are done automatically and in the background. When new files are added to the folders you have selected, those will be uploaded and protected automatically. DrivePop accounts allow streaming of music and movies from your cloud account to any location.
It requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or higher. For more info go to http://www.drivepop.com .
Transporter Hosting puts your Transporter in a data center
The Transporter is a new device made by Connected Data, which recently merged with Drobo, that acts as a private cloud storage. You can keep it just about anywhere and access it from all your devices.
In fact, Macminicolo will host your Transporter in a data center. They say this offers "a perfect mix of convenient data in the cloud and hosting securely on your own hardware." The folks at Macminicolo say that some of the benefits from being in a data center include:
° With your Transporter offsite, your data is protected against fire and theft.
° Their network is fast with 100mb/s and no cap on how much speed you can use.
° Hosted inside a tier four data center, the location is protected with very limited access.
° With redundant power and bandwidth, the data center has a very good record of staying online.
For more info go to www.macminicolo.net and www.TransporterHosting.com .
iWALK’s releases Executive Bluetooth keyboard
iWalk has announced The Executive, a slim portable Bluetooth keyboard with kick stand that works with just about any smartphone or tablet. It's available for US$69.99 at www.iwalkusa.com, select Sprint stores and retailers in the U.S.
Designed for the professional seeking to enhance productivity without adding bulk, The Executive measures 0.5 inches thick, weighs 1.4 pounds and can seamlessly connect to any smartphone, tablet or Bluetooth-enabled device via Bluetooth 3.0 technology, says Harris Bernstein, vice president of Sales and Marketing for iWALK. It also integrates a cover that doubles as kick stand to support your device hands-free viewing.
The Executive is equipped with a high performance Li-Polymer battery that requires only to hours of charging time via USB. It reportedly lasts up to 300 hours of consistent use or 45 days on standby.
Ten One Design releases the Magnus Mini for the iPad mini
Ten One Design is shrinking their celebrated Magnus iPad stand and introducing the Magnus Mini. Like its full-size sibling, Magnus Mini uses a magnetic link to hold the Apple tablet in place.
The Magnus Mini’s profile design provides access to all controls, while supporting the iPad mini in landscape orientation for reading, watching, viewing and more. The Magnus Mini’s rubberized finish is designed to protect users' devices against scuffing and scratching, allowing the iPad mini to pop in and out as needed.
Ten One Design’s Magnus Mini is now available online (www.tenonedesign.com) for US$29.95.
Roccat unveils Kave digital gaming headset
Roccat Studios has unveiled the Roccat Kave XTD, a 5.1 digital gaming headset. It comes with a fully equipped desktop remote with a built-in 5.1 sound card.
Included in the remote is Roccat Smart Link, a patented technology which lets users pair their smartphone to the remote via Bluetooth. This allows them to make and receive calls through the headset while gaming.
The rear side of the remote boasts 5.1 speaker ports, letting users hook-up their existing speaker system and toggle between headset and speaker output.
The Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Digital gaming headset will be available in November 2013 for US$169.99. For more info go to http://www.Roccat.org .
PhotoBulk for OS X gets bulk renaming, bulk coverting
Eltima Software (http://mac.eltima.com) has updated PhotoBulk, a bulk image editor for Mac OS X (10.7 and higher), to version 1.6. The new version adds bulk renaming, bulk converting, watermark 360-degree rotation, and script watermarks.
PhotoBulk lets you add text/image watermark, resize, and optimize hundreds and thousands of images or photos in just one click. You can check how your files will look like before they're processed. PhotoBulk remembers the settings you used last time, so you won't have to set all the same options again to redo customizations for another pack of images.
What's more, you can optimize file size of your JPEG or PNG images while keeping their original resolution, quality, and format. (Note that PNG optimization is time-consuming and works slower than JPEG compression.). Supported formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, and TIFF
PhotoBulk is available on the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/br6mrx2) . The cost is normally US$9.99; however, it's on sale for $4....
Wondershare releases TidyMyMusic for the Mac
Just about everyone who has used iTunes to import MP3s and CD tracks from other sources onto their Mac has experienced the y "unknown artist/song" or the generic "Track 01, Track 02" icons in their music libraries and music folders.
Sure, you can manually find and enter all the missing information, but Wondershare has solution to simplify the process: TidyMyMusic for Mac. It's an app for cleaning iTunes music libraries. It uses acoustic fingerprint technology to match up those orphaned MP3 songs with the correct song name, artist information, and genre, and automatically adds the completed information to the songs.
Many users end up with duplicate songs because of generic file names, and TidyMyMusic finds and removes these duplicates. The app also locates, downloads, and updates missing album artwork so the library looks complete and aids in searching visually.
Many users like to view song lyrics so they can have fun and sing along. TidyMyMusic can find and download the lyrics and...
Phunware - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Eric Moujaes of Phunware. Eric was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
PDFpen ready for OS X Mavericks
Smile (www.smilesoftware.com) has announced PDFpen 6.0.5, the latest version of its all-purpose PDF editing tool. The update improves opening, printing, performance, and AppleScript. The update also includes adjustments and fixes in preparation for Mavericks.
The changes in PDFpen 6.0.5 have also been made in PDFpenPro 6.0.5, the pro version that can also convert websites into PDFs, create fillable PDF forms, automatically create form fields in non-interactive PDF forms, construct document table of contents, and set document permission settings that restrict saving, printing, and copying.
PDFpen 6.0.5 works with PDFpen for iPad and PDFpen for iPhone, allowing editing across devices when used with iCloud or Dropbox storage. Users who wish to use iCloud must purchase PDFpen 6.0.4 from the Mac App Store. (Apple restricts iCloud access to applications purchased via the Mac App Store.)
PDFpen retails for US$59.95, and PDFpenPro for $99.95. Family Pack licenses, which cover up to five...
Mac App Blocker updated to version 2.5
KnewSense has released Mac App Blocker 2.5 for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher). It's an update to the utility that enables users to block access to applications by placing them on a Blocked App list, which is password protected. Version 2.5 sports an updated user interface.
It also revamps the failed history viewer, adds some rules, adds a minimum time limit, and a frequency rule. Also, French and German language support has been added.
Mac App Blocker 2.0 costs US$14.95 and is available at the KnewSense website (http://knewsense.com). A 15-day free trial download is also available.
IGG Software - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Ian Gillespie of IGG Software. Ian was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Tumult releases Hype 2.0, Hype Reflect for iOS
Tumult has released Hype 2.0, an update to its HTML5 animation builder for OS X, as well as a new companion iOS app, Hype Reflect.
Hype features s keyframe-based animation system. Paired with Hype Reflect, the two offer a solution for creating mobile HTML5 content.
Along with instant iOS previews, Tumult Hype 2.0 adds such new features as audio actions, curved motion paths, web fonts, swipe and touch events, mobile export options.
Tumult Hype is primarily targeted at designers wanting to add effects to their sites, developers who need to make content for iOS devices, and HTML5 coders looking for more effective ways to improve interactivity, says Ryan Nielsen, founder of Tumult. It supports the latest HTML5/CSS3 features and uses an intuitive keyframe-based animation system with a recorder to create motions and transitions. No coding is required, though animations can be extended through a Javascript API (application programming interface).
Tumult Hype 2.0 is sold on the Mac App...
Radical.FM launches
Radical.FM (http://radical.fm/) is a new music-streaming service. Launched by a Swedish start-up, it looks to offer a holistic broadcasting platform.
Radical.FM is a personal broadcasting service (TALK and RadCasting for deejays and Talk Show hosts) with curated radio (like Pandora), on-demand playlists (like Spotify) and a distribution channel for indie artists. It offers unlimited on-demand streaming with music from all major recording labels and independent artists. It's live and ad-free, at least to all users in Sweden.
What's more, Radical.FM offers artists the ability to upload and broadcast their own independently created material worldwide, to access each other’s live streams, and to complement their transmissions with their own live voice and video feed. Less active users can tune in to these transmissions, or simply create their own playlists and/or personal stations.
These independent radio transmissions are known as RadCasts, with Radical.FM providing every user with a...
Wacom announces the Intuos Creative Stylus for the iPad
Wacom has introduced the Intuos Creative Stylus, a pressure-sensitive digital pen for sketching, drawing and painting on an iPad. It provides a "realistic pen-on-paper feel and an intelligent design so you can rest your palm naturally on the iPad when using compatible creative apps," according to the folks at Wacom.
The Intuos Creative Stylus boasts pressure sensitivity of 2048 pressure levels. This means that it can reproduce the feel and artistic control of traditional brushes and markers, which makes it suitable for sketching, illustrating and image editing. It's also highly responsive, even reacting to light strokes, while rejecting unintentional touches when used with compatible apps. It connects with iPads via Bluetooth 4.0 (it's designed for the iPad 3, 4 and mini and apps such as Autodesk SketchBook Pro for iPad, ArtRage (by Ambient Design), Bamboo Paper, ProCreate (by Savage Interactive) and Psykopaint.
The Intuos Creative Stylus is designed with a brushed aluminum housing...
Ecamm rolls out Printopia Pro for Mac OS X
Ecamm (http://www.ecamm.com) has released Printopia Pro, a redesign of Printopia, a Mac app that lets you share your Mac's printers with any "capable" iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. It will also add a virtual printer, allowing you to save print-outs to your Mac as PDF files.
Printopia Pro adds: the ability to print across subnets; centralized access control and directory integration; remote management, and scalability (one server running Printopia Pro can often handle an entire company). And it offers the ability to print to any printer the Mac can print to -- providing AirPrint capability even if a printer doesn't natively support it, and whether it's attached via the network, USB, or even on a Windows print server.
Printopia Pro requires Mac OS X 10.7 or higher. It costs US$79.99 for a "team" version (up to five printers, Web folders), $249 for an "office" model (up to 20 printers wide area printing, Web folders), and $499 for the "enterprise" edition (unlimited printers, wide area...
Output Factory now lets you assign different EPS export settings
Zevrix Solutions (http://zevrix.com) has announced Output Factory 1.4.8, an update to its professional output automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The new version lets users assign different EPS export settings to individual output workflows, as opposite to the global mode available in previous versions.
With Output Factory, users can output hundreds of documents or just single files with full control over batch printing, layer versioning, automatic preflighting, file delivery, and more. All they need to do is select the desired InDesign files and adjust workflow settings.
Output Factory can be purchased from the Zevrix website for US$169.95; a "lite" version costs $119.95), as well as from authorized resellers and Adobe Exchange. A demo is available for download. BatchOutput users can upgrade to Output Factory for 4.97. Output Factory is available for Mac OS X 10.5-10.8 on Intel-based Macs and works with Adobe InDesign CS3-CS6.
Amped Wireless brings 802.11ac range extender to market
Amped Wireless has introduced the US$199 REA20 High Power 700mW Dual Band AC Wi-Fi Range Extender. It's the company's new flagship Wi-Fi range extender and is reportedly the first in the industry to be available with 802.11ac technology.
A universal range extender, the REA20 is capable of expanding any wireless network by repeating, amplifying and rebroadcasting signals from any Wi-Fi router. The industry-pioneering technology built into the REA20 will allow multiple users to download and stream HD or 4K media to different devices simultaneously without buffering delays. The REA20 delivers speeds up to three times faster than range extenders operating on the previous 802.11n Wi-Fi standard.
"By combining our award-winning high power technology and range extender software with the horsepower of 802.11ac, we are able to provide ultra-fast Wi-Fi speeds over great distances," says Jason Owen, CEO of Amped Wireless. "The problem with 802.11ac is it operates on the 5GHz Wi-Fi band which has...
Logitech introduces two new iPad mini folios
Logitech has introduced two new folios to its lineup of products for the iPad mini: the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio (pictured) and Logitech Folio Protective Case. The former features -- as you might guess from the name -- a built-in keyboard for a fast and fluid typing experience.
The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad mini includes a Bluetooth keyboard. Its layout maximizes its key size for fast and fluid typing, despite its smaller size, according to Mike Culver, vice president and general manager of mobility at Logitech. Couple that with iOS shortcut keys, such as cut, copy and paste, and you can type on your iPad mini as fast as you would on a full-size keyboard, he adds.
On a full charge, you can purportedly get up to three months of battery life. The Ultrathin Keyboard Folio's instant on/off wakes your iPad mini when you open the cover and puts it to sleep when you close it.
The Logitech Folio Protective Case for iPad mini is the company's thinnest protective case...
Maintain serves up Cocktail (Mountain Lion Edition)
Maintain has released Cocktail 6.7 (Mountain Lion Edition), the latest maintenance update for users running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Mac. This version contains improvements on the "Clear System caches" and the "Clear User caches" procedures. It also adds OS X 10.8.5 compatibility.
Cocktail 6.7 (Mountain Lion Edition) requires OS X Mountain Lion or OS X Mountain Lion Server (10.8). Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7, Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.6 and Cocktail (Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.5 are available for download from the Maintain website.
Cocktail costs US$14 for a single user license and is available for purchase from the Maintain website (http://maintain.se/cocktail). The license is valid for Mountain Lion, Lion and Snow Leopard and editions of Cocktail. Cocktail (Leopard Edition) is distributed as freeware and doesn't require a license.
Phlo for iOS launched; Mac version gets update
Phlo for iOS and Phlo 2.0 for Mac has launched. It's a tool for searching your favorite websites.
With a few keystrokes, it lets you jump right to the search results for anything that you need to lookup on a site of your choice. Phlo also lets you customize preferred sites or search engines from which to search.
On the Mac, Phlo can be summoned with a configurable global hotkey. To search, a user has to type the search phrase and then hit Tab to choose the website that he'd like to search in. Phlo filters the websites and search engines as the user types and automatically bubbles up the most used sites. For example, a user can type "The Hobbit" and then choose the site "IMDb" to search from and the results will be displayed on their default web browser.
Phlo for Mac syncs with the new iOS version using the free Phlo Sync service. Your search history and saved sites will always be available on all your devices. Phlo for Mac can now suggest searches from your history, as well as from...
Akvis SmartMask 4.5 compatible with Adobe Photoshop CC
Akvis Software has released SmartMask 4.5 (http://akvis.com/en/smartmask/), an update of the image selection and masking plug-in for the Mac and Windows platforms. The upgrade is compatible with Adobe Photoshop CC.
SmartMask is a masking tool designed to save time on complex selections. With the app, there are two pencils, red and blue. Draw a line with the blue pencil inside the object being selected (for example, yourself in a group photo) and then outline the same object with the red pencil to define the areas that should be cut out. The
selection algorithm analyzes the image and your drawing, and creates the selection you want. Akvis SmartMask features three selection modes are tailored to different types of selection: Sharp, Soft, and Complex.
On the Mac platform, SmartMask requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. The product sells for $90, downloadable from http://akvis.com. The functionality of the program depends on the license type. During the trial period you can try all options...
Jolly Rummager game for Mac OS X updated to version 1.2
Allwards Laboratory (www.allwards.com) has released Jolly Rummager 1.2 for OS X, an update to its arcade game that was designed as a tribute to the 1983 classic, Digger.
The game features full-screen, Retina display graphics, cartoon animation, stereo music and sound effects. Players four years of age or older use simple keyboard controls to guide the small green caterpillar, Jolly Rummager, as he digs free form mazes underground.
Jolly Rummager 1.2 requires Mac OS X 10.8 or higher. It costs $0.99 (USD) and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Games category (http://tinyurl.com/ktz9bxh).
Final Cut Pro X AutoGrade released by FxFactory
Noise Industries is now selling Hawaiki AutoGrade through its FCP X plugin marketplace FxFactory.
Developed by Tokyo Productions and Lawn Road exclusively for Final Cut Pro X, AutoGrade is the new automatic image correction plug-in. Designed as an automatic white balance correction tool for when a camera's white balance was incorrectly set in the field, AutoGrade also offers additional image control, making it a grading suite as well.
Hawaiki AutoGrade is available now through FxFactory for US$29. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/ljh3xok .
Magician Software conjures up version 1.4.8 of its Magician tool
Magician Software has conjured up version 1.4.8 of Magician, a free system maintenance tool for Mac OS X. The new version offers enhanced detection in app uninstalling.
It also provides optimized memory usage. Additionally, version 1.4.8 lets you display fan speed in a floating window even if Fan Control is closed.
Magican helps clean up, optimize and secure your Mac. It provides a Mac app uninstaller, duplicate file finder, temperature monitor, network monitor and more.
Apimac releases free version of Strip HTML for Mac
Apimac has released a free version of Strip HTML 2.0. The new version is called Strip HTML Lite and is the free version, with limitations, of Strip HTML.
Strip HTML is designed for bloggers, web editors, designers and programmers who work daily with tens of .html files. Strip HTML makes it possible to get text from any webpage cleaned up from any code tags. Just drag and drop on the application’s window a .html file, a portion of code or, even a web address directly from Safari or other browsers. Strip HTML will restore the page’s text free from any HTML tags and will place it in order, on a list with all links and media present.
In addition, thanks to the Strip Clipboard function, it's now possible to clean up from HTML tags any code portion which has been copied to the Notes. Pasting it will result in text already cleaned up.
In the free version text processing is limited to five pages per day, sessions are limited to 30 minutes, and you can only open one new window per session....
BusyMac releases BusyCal 2.5 with Exchange support
BusyMac has announced BusyCal 2.5, an update to their their calendar app for Mac OS X.
Its features include customizable calendar views, scrolling month and week views, an integrated info panel, integrated to-dos, custom font sizes and styles, graphics, live weather feeds and moon phases, and more. BusyCal 2.5 users can now sync and share calendars with other Exchange users in large organizations and educational institutions.
BusyCal 2.5 requires Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or later and an iCloud, Google, or Exchange account. It costs US$29.99 per user and is available on the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/mmeb2je), and is available now. BusyCal 2.5 is a free update for existing BusyCal 2.0 customers. A full functioning 30-day trial is available for download from BusyMac online (http://www.busymac.com).
Apple posts iTunes 11.0.5
Apple has released iTunes 11.0.5. This update corrects an issue with iTunes in the Cloud, where some purchases may download or play unexpected items.
It's a 187.46MB download. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later.
Voila for Mac OS X revved to version 3.5
Global Delight (www.globaldelight.com) has rolled out the latest version (3.5) of Voila, their productivity utility software tool for Mac OS X 10.6 or later. The free update contains improvements to the video recording capabilities with pause/resume option, menu only icon for capture/record features when the program is quit from running and more.
Voila is a screen-capture, recording and annotation tool designed as a replacement for Mac OS X's screen-capture and screen-recording capabilities. It has a large set of editing, organizing, annotation and effects tools that allows the user to create and add details to screenshots, tutorials, videos and presentations.
Voila is normally priced US$29.99 and is available for immediate download at Global Delight web site and the Mac App Store. However, it's available for $14.99 until Sept. 15. A demo is available for download at the Global Design site.
iSkin releases the ProTouch TITAN High-Impact Screen Shield
iSkin has released the ProTouch TITAN Screen Shield. Originally introduced as part of the company’s fuze 360 and revo 360 iPhone 5 cases, it's now available as a separately packaged product for the iPhone 5, iPod touch and Samsung GS4.
The clear and touch responsive ProTouch TITAN utilizes a patented multi-layering manufacturing technology process that results in a screen overlay that provides effective protection against hard impacts, scratches and damage caused by sharp contact, according to the folks at iSkin. In addition, a specially formulated adhesive allows trapped air bubbles to dissipate shortly after application to provide a smooth, unobstructive finish with ultra-clear viewing qualities, they add.
The ProTouch TITAN High-Impact package comes with two front screen films and is available at iskin.com/products/titan/ . You can save $5 on the product now (it's normally $24.99) through Sunday, Aug. 18.
Judge dismisses antitrust lawsuit against Apple
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed a lawsuit against Apple on Thursday that claimed the iPhone and iPad maker was violating antitrust laws by limiting iOS app sales to the Apple App Store and iTunes Store, reports "The MacObserver"(http://tinyurl.com/n44czoj).
The judge tossed out the case because the plaintiffs hadn't actually bought any of the apps mentioned in filing, or shown that they had personally suffered from Apple's policies, the article adds. The case can, however, be amended to address the issues the judge listed, so the lawsuit isn't dead yet.
Apple hiring more workers in China?
Apple is apparently beefing up its workforce in China. Among the 200-plus openings in China on professional network site LinkedIn, some include an environmental affairs program manager, a security specialist and a store specialist, reports "The Wall Street Journal" (http://tinyurl.com/maem9cf).
The environmental affairs program manager will be based in China’s capital Beijing, the center of political power. According to the job description, the candidate has to “ensure that Apple’s products and processes meet and surpass regional and national environmental regulatory requirements.”
The hiring activity comes amid growing expectations that a China Mobile/iPhone deal is on the way. Also, as noted by the "WSJ," it’s not a surprise that Apple is trying to strengthen its environmental affairs team. A Chinese activist named Ma Jun accused earlier this month the company’s major supplier Foxconn of alleged environmental violations. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, said at...
CuteDJPro now offering Mac software
With over five years’ experience in creating DJ mixing software, CuteDJPro has finally branched out to offer Mac DJ software in addition to their PC version. CuteDJPro for the Mac offers;
° MIDI controller support -- Over 50 DJ MIDI/HID controllers are supported natively out-of-the-box;
° iTunes integration -- the software integrates with your iTunes library and lets you mix your favorite music from iTunes;
° A mixing engine with adjustable EQ shelves, timecode vinyl control, and advanced auto-mixing, including mix-in/mix-out points.
The software also comes with a flexible sampler where beats and jingles can be added into the mix. A 30-day trial version of CuteDJ for Mac is available at www.cutedjpro.com . Registration is US$129.95.
Objective-Cologne 2013 coming in September
The International Cocoa Conference in Cologne Germany, happening in less than five weeks has not only announced new speakers but has brought back the early bird price and is offering videos of the 2012 videos.
Bringing together noted speakers and attendees from around the world, the Cocoa/Objective -C conference will happen in Cologne's "Old Auction House." Ticket holders will also be entitled to the conference dinner. The event is slated for Sept. 17 and 18.
The price is 229 Euro for one day or 399 Euro for both days. The price includes lunch on both days and dinner on the first day. For more info go to http://objcgn.com .
