WinOnX optimizes performance to run more Windows apps on OS X
NES Software has announced a performance overhaul for WinOnX, the application that lets Macs run Microsoft Windows software.
According to Hisham El-Emam, CEO of NES Software, the latest version of WinOnX features: enhanced compatibility to run 80% of Windows apps; encrypted data transfer improvements; improved 3D display with OS-X 10.7.5 and 10.8.2; better support for filenames with non-ASCII characters; improved handling of LNK Windows files; and better error handling and reporting.
Now, WinOnX users can run more Windows applications more effectively than ever before, according to the folks at NES Software. WinOnX 1.5 is available for US$4.99 in the Mac App Store. For more info go to http://www.winonx.com .
Avadon 2: The Corruption coming to the Mac
Spiderweb Software has announced upcoming release of Avadon 2: The Corruption. Due this fall, it's an indie fantasy, role-playing game and the second title in their Avadon trilogy.
Here's how the game is described: "Return to Avadon, the dread Black Fortress. You are a spy and warrior, fighting the foes of your homeland. As a servant of the Black Fortress, your power is great and your word is law, but you will need all of your skill and cunning to end the civil war that is tearing your land apart.
"You are an agent of Avadon. The Black Fortress. Your job is to protect your homeland from the limitless threats that surround it. Titans and monsters. Pirates and barbarians. Avadon must keep them weak and divided. Your resources are unlimited, and all must obey you.
"But then Avadon was attacked. A sneak raid shattered the fortress, and, with it unable to keep order, madness resulted. Civil war, barbarian raids, even conspiracies to destroy your people. Avadon's power has faded, but your...
FileMaker unveils iOS demo solutions
FileMaker, Inc. today announced the FileMaker iOS Demo Solutions webpage (www.filemaker.com/r/showcase), where businesses will find free downloadable demos that highlight custom iPad and iPhone solutions created using the FileMaker Platform.
The sample solutions reflect a wide range of real-world iOS business uses and have been created by leading independent FileMaker developers.The demos, which are limited in functionality or time, include solutions for event management, point of sale, invoicing, customer relationship management, sales management, mapping, and more.
"The FileMaker Platform has become a hugely popular way for businesses to create custom solutions for the iPad and iPhone," says Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services, FileMaker. "Companies love the fast development, quick returns, and the ability to integrate their iOS solutions with Macs, PCs, and back-end business systems. Just last month, we announced that our customers have downloaded more than a...
New Accreditation for Apple techs from Microsoft
NEW ACCREDITATION FOR APPLE TECHS: "MICROSOFT OFFICE FOR MAC ACCREDITED SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL"
- Working together, MacTech and Microsoft are making available a new accreditation program for Apple consultants and techs
This morning, MacTech, who publishes MacTech Magazine as well as produces live events, announced the event and city schedule to obtain Microsoft's new "Microsoft Office for Mac Accredited Support Professional" accreditation. This pilot program is a half day long, and will take place the day prior to each MacTech BootCamp II in 2013. This new Microsoft accreditation program is training and evaluation focused on the issues every consultant and tech should know when advising on or supporting Microsoft Office for Mac, and Microsoft Office 365 suites, with a focus on Apple users. All registered attendees to MacTech's 2013 BootCamps, are welcome to attend the course, and become accredited, at no charge. Space is limited.
The pilot accreditation program will cover topics such...
Apple rumors for Feb. 21
Here are the latest Apple-related rumors from the blog-o-sphere:
"Streaming music service Spotify is reportedly in negotiations to make its free subscription tier available on smartphones and tablets." -- "The Verge" (http://tinyurl.com/bkakopd)
"Apple manufacturing Partner Foxconn has halted recruitment of new hires until the end of March, but the decision was not made related to production of the iPhone 5." -- "Financial Times" (http://tinyurl.com/a8ccv6c)
"A report out of the Far East claims that iPad mini display supplier AU Optronics has started development of screen technology to be used in the next-generation of Apple's mid-sized tablet." -- "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com)
"Rolls-Royce Director of External Corporate Communications Josh Rosenstock is rumored to have left the auto maker to take on a new position at Apple, which will reportedly task the executive with handling corporate relations in the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa region." -- "AppleInsider" (www....
Judge (kind of) agrees with Greenlight in Apple lawsuit
A judge has agreed that Apple's proxy probably broke SEC rules, but hesitates to intercede, according to "CNNMoney (http://tinyurl.com/ab52wfg).
Greenlight, the hedge fund whose founder, David Einhorn, has been urging Apple to share its cash with investors by issuing high-yielding preferred shares, alleged in a lawsuit that the company unfairly lumped a stock restriction with two other corporate governance matters set for a vote by investors on Feb. 27. Lawyers for Greenlight Capital argued that putting into one proposition three separate items -- two of which Einhorn supported and one (which barred Apple's board from issuing preferred shares without a shareholder vote) he vehemently opposed -- was a clear violation of SEC regulations against such "bundling."
Today U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan said he was inclined to agree. However, less clear is whether Greenlight had proved that it would suffer the "irreparable harm" required for the judge to issue a preliminary injunction...
Undercover report: Apple factory conditions in China still harsh
Apple factory workers in China are still facing hefty work loads, harsh, sometimes demeaning, factory rules, and even sexual harassment, , reports "ZDNet."
The Fair Labor Association in August 2012 said Apple has been doing its part in ensuring its manufacturing partner, Foxconn, is working to improve labor conditions in its production facilities. However, in a report by Chinese new site Bandao.cn Wednesday, an undercover reporter revealed that sexual harassment and harsh regulations were still prevalent in a Shanghai factory.
According to the article, the reporter was hired an unnamed mega factory in Shanghai assembling Apple products, which was busy recruiting new factory workers days before the Chinese New Year. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/am796fm .
NeoMedia updates is self-titled software development kit
NeoMedia Technologies has unveiled an updated SDK [software development kit] for its QR and mobile barcode reader application, NeoReader.
Application developers, brands and retailers looking to engage with customers by including barcode scanning functionality into application(s), can now very get access to NeoReader’s SDK for evaluation purposes. It's available for iOS (it supports iPhones, iPods and iPads) and Android (smartphones and tablets).
NeoReader also supports enterprise Blackberry implementations with COD and ALX files and Symbian with SIS and SISX files. NeoReader SDK is available at http://www.neom.com/neoreader/sdk .
Polaroid Instant 2.0 for Mac gets Retina display
ThinkTime Creations has announced Instant 2.0, an update to its Polaroid photo app for Mac OS X.
The app brings the magic of Polaroid Instant photos to Mac. Instant lets user "re-shoot" their digital photo by drag-and-dropping it on to its "camera body." Version 2.0 includes Retina display support, a new "Special Edition" camera body theme, new fully customizable Polaroid border effects and a few other new features.
Instant 2.0 requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later,. It costs US$4.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Photography category. (https://itunes.apple.com/app/instant/id482262245).
Mail Call for OS X revved to version 1.3
Pugsley has announced Mail Call 1.3 for OS X, an update to its app that provides users with real-time, visible/audible notifications of incoming email from multiple email accounts.
Displayed in a single scrolling list, users can read, reply to, move, or delete emails sent to all of their different email addresses. Mail Call is designed for users who want to monitor, view, and respond to emails from more than one email account simultaneously. Mail Call supports IMAP/SMTP email systems.
Mac owners signed up with email services that use Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) can find in Mail Call a full feature mail notifier. Without any Internet browser or email client running, users can receive continual, updated notifications of newly received email.
Mail Call requires OS X 10.6.8 or higher. It costs US$9.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category (https://itunes.apple.com/app/mail-call/...
Boris FX rolls out new Boris Continuum Units product family
Boris FX has announced that each category of Boris Continuum Complete filters is now available as a separate Boris Continuum Unit, allowing artists to choose toolsets that are geared towards their specific needs.
Over 200 filters across 16 categories of effects include 3D particles, image restoration tools such as Noise Reduction and Flicker Fixer, lens flares and lights, chroma keys and mattes, color correction tools, blurs, glows, and film effects. Each of these 16 categories of filters is now available as a Boris Continuum Unit.
The new Boris Continuum Units product family is immediately available from the Boris FX website (www.borisfx.com) with support for Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, and Sony Vegas Pro. Pricing ranges from US$199 to $299 per Unit and upgrades from previous Unit versions are available for $49.95.
Boris Continuum Unit purchases can be credited towards a full Boris Continuum Complete license purchase at any time in the...
Magma launches PCIe expansion chassis for Thunderbolt
Magma has introduced the ExpressBox 1T, an expansion chassis with one PCIe 2.0 slot and a connection up to 10 Gbps through Thunderbolt. It's designed to enable professionals to use specialty PCIe cards with any Thunderbolt-equipped computer to achieve high performance in any working environment.
By adding a PCIe card to the ExpressBox 1T users can transform their computer into a workstation capable of HD video capture and editing, media transcoding, audio processing, data processing, or high-speed storage and networks. It's available for US$479 online at Magma (http://www.magma.com/expressbox-1t) or from an authorized worldwide reseller.
Apple rumors for Feb. 20
Here are the latest Apple-related rumors from the blog-o-sphere:
"Riding on rumors of a purported 'budget' iPhone, Morgan Stanley on Tuesday released a report estimating that Apple could add nearly $2.4 billion dollars to its handset business and triple its addressable smartphone market in China by debuting a $330 'iPhone mini'." -- "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com)
"Taiwanese newspaper Economic Times reports [Google translation, via Macotakara] that Apple is lining up suppliers for its next-generation MacBook Air for launch in the third quarter of this year." -- "MacRumors" (www.macrumors.com)
"Apple may increase share buyback at shareholder meeting next week." -- "Macworld UK" (http://tinyurl.com/b45yj2h)
"A rumor that Google is investigating opening physical retail outlets to compete with the Apple Store has resurfaced, though sources say the internet giant may not move forward with the initiative until 2014." -- "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com)
Apple posts iTunes 11.0.2
Apple has released iTunes 11.0.2. It's available at the Mac App Store.
This update adds a new Composers view for music, improves responsiveness when syncing playlists with a large number of songs, and fixes an issue where purchases may not show up in your iTunes library. This update also includes other stability and performance improvements.
Apple releases update for Java
Apple has released an update for Java. It's available at the Mac App Store for free. According to Apple, it updates the Apple-provided system Java SE 6 to version 1.6.0_41 and is for OS X versions 10.7 or later.
This update uninstalls the Apple-provided Java applet plug-in from all web browsers. To use applets on a webpage, click on the region labeled "Missing plug-in" to go download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle. This update also removes the Java Preferences application, which is no longer required to configure applet settings..
Apple attacked by hackers who infected Macs of some employees
Recently, Apple was attacked by hackers who infected the Macs of some employees, the company has told "Reuters" (http://tinyurl.com/a5cqv34).
Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers, the company said in a statement provided to "Reuters." The malware was also employed in attacks against Macs used by "other companies," Apple said.
The attacks mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Macs. Apple told "Reuters" it plans to release a piece of software on Tuesday, which it said customers can use to identify and repair Macs infected with the malware used in the attacks.
iOS 6.1.2 released with fix for Exchange-related issue
Apple released iOS 6.1.2 with a fix for a Microsoft Exchange-related issue that could cause iPhone user's battery to drain quickly.
Apple's release notes on iOS 6.1.2 say that the patch "fixes an Exchange calendar bug that could result in increased network activity and reduced battery life." You can grab the update by navigating to the Settings -> General -> Software Update and tapping on Download and Install.
KineticCloud supports Mac OS for hybrid cloud backup
KineticD, known for its cloud backup and data recovery services for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), has announced that KineticCloud Backup for Mac supports end users who are looking for a solution for backing up files continuously and automatically, but more importantly restoring data lost from a total system crash.
KineticCloud Backup for Mac provides the option of backing up and restoring corporate data from the KineticD Cloud, using the KineticD centralized web portal. With this technology, SMBs are able to restore any combination of files, folders and backup sets across any number of Macs, including a complete system restore of application and data files. To further support users, KineticD¹s KineticMobile iOS app is compatible with iPhones, iPads and iPods, providing complete control over access to corporate data whenever and wherever it is needed. For more info go to www.kineticd.com .
iWeb Valet gets widget to create automatic photo slideshows
ZiggySoft has announced iWeb Valet 2.4.4, an update of the tool to enhance iWeb pages, add new interactive widgets and upload only modified files to your server.
The upgrade sports a new widget to create automatic photo slideshows. It also implements some graphical user interface enhancements.
A 30-day, fully functional demo is available for download at the ZiggySoft web site (www.ziggysoft.com/). iWeb Valet costs US$25 to register and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
Verdasys to launch Mac OS X agent
RSA 2013 attendees will get a first look at the only Enterprise Information Protection (EIP) platform capable of monitoring, controlling and reporting on the movement of sensitive data to and from Mac workstations, desktops and laptops when Verdasys (http://verdasys.com) introduces the Digital Guardian Agent for Mac OS X during the RSA Conference Feb. 25-Mar. 1 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
The company says Verdasys Digital Guardian, also available as a Managed Service for Information Protection (MSIP), is the only EIP platform to integrate compliance, insider threat prevention and cyber threat defense into a single solution that supports Mac OS X , Linux and Windows. RSA 2013 attendees can register daily during exhibitor hours to win a free iPad mini by stopping by Verdasys Booth #2738.
The Digital Guardian Agent for Mac OS X permits continuous forensic logging of all system, application, user and data-level events as well as data discovery, classification tagging and risk-...
BatchOutput PDF 2.0 for OS X adds hot folder processing
Zevrix Solutions has released BatchOutput PDF 2.0, a new version of its solution for printing multiple PDF documents on Mac OS X. The upgrade completely automates PDF printing workflow.
Designed as a tool for printers, publishers, ad agencies, as well as users of other trades, BatchOutput PDF allows users to batch print PDF files with the click of a button. With version 2.0, users can now define print presets for various output settings and assign a hot folder to each preset.
For example, they can create hot folders for color and black and white printers, specific types and sizes of paper, various color management profiles and so on. Users only need to drop PDF files into hot folders and the files will be printed automatically with the respective preset settings.
BatchOutput PDF can be purchased from the Zevrix website (www.zevrix.com) for US$24.95 (the server version is $99.95), as well as from authorized resellers. A demo is also available for download. BatchOutput PDF is a...
Greenlight wants judge to stop Apple adopting certain stock...
Greenlight Capital will try to persuade a federal judge to stop Apple from adopting measures it says limit the company’s ability to offer preferred stock, reports "Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/bdrp348).
Greenlight, the hedge fund whose founder, David Einhorn, has been urging Apple to share its cash with investors by issuing high-yielding preferred shares, alleged in a lawsuit that the company unfairly lumped a stock restriction with two other corporate governance matters set for a vote by investors on Feb. 27.
At a hearing scheduled for today in Manhattan, lawyers for the hedge fund are expected to ask U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan to block the vote unless Apple allows the provisions to be considered separately, notes "Bloomberg."
Recently, Greenlight began uurging (http://tinyurl.com/ba2aytc) fellow shareholders of Apple to oppose the company’s attempt to amend its corporate charter. Apple has responded with the following statement:
"By early last year, Apple’s cash balance...
Microsoft raises prices on Office for Mac by 10 to 17%
Microsoft has raised the price of Office for Mac 2011 by 17% for the Home & Student edition and 10% for the Home & Business edition.
The move puts Office for Mac 2011 on the same pricing schedule as the new Office 2013 for Windows. The price increases and the disappearance of the multi-license bundles also makes Microsoft’s Office 365, a software-by-subscription deal the company has aggressively pushed, more competitive with traditional “perpetual” licenses, notes "Macworld" (www.macworld.com).
SecuritySpy for the Mac revved to version 3.0
Bensoftware has announced SecuritySpy 3.0, an update to the multi-camera video surveillance software for the Mac. The new version adds MPEG-4 and H.264 streaming over RTSP from network cameras, improved motion detection, a re-designed web interface, and more.
SecuritySpy boasts features such as motion detection, real-time compression of multiple video and audio feeds, and network video and audio streaming, SecuritySpy is designed for demanding video surveillance applications. The software supports a variety of network cameras and video servers, including the popular ACTi, Axis, Panasonic, Sony and Vivotek ranges, as well as FireWire, USB, and PCI video input devices.
SecuritySpy features motion detection, which can be used to trigger recording as well as email alerts and audio alarms. The built-in web server allows remote viewing of live video and audio, previously captured footage, as well as configuration of the software, from over the internet using a web browser or a mobile...
KeyCue for OS X now sits in the menu bar
Ergonis Software has announced KeyCue 6.4, an update to the cheat sheet for learning and remembering keyboard shortcuts. It now places an icon in the menu bar, which is not only a visible indicator of KeyCue's presence, but also serves as an additional way to invoke KeyCue.
With KeyCue, whenever the command key is kept pressed for a while, the software displays a table with all keyboard shortcuts available in the currently active application, systemwide hotkeys, as well as key combinations for triggering macros in Keyboard Maestro, QuicKeys and iKeys.
KeyCue requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or newer and is fully compatible with OS X Mountain Lion. The upgrade to version 6.4 is free for anyone who owns a valid license for KeyCue 6. Upgrade paths are available for owners of older licenses. For information about purchases, including enterprise licenses, volume discounts, and upgrade pricing offers, go to the Ergonis Software web site (www.ergonis.com).
FileMaker presenting 'The Tablet Productivity Payoff'
"The Tablet Productivity Payoff" will be discussed by Ryan Rosenberg, vice president of marketing and services for FileMaker, Inc., at the TabTimes Tablet Strategy West conference, Wednesday, Feb. 20 in Burlingame, CA.
Rosenberg will share real-world mobile trends gleaned from more than 500,000 downloads of the company’s FileMaker Go for iPad and FileMaker Go for iPhone apps.
"We’re finding that organizations are combining tablets with custom solutions created using the FileMaker Platform to generate major productivity gains, improved customer support and cost savings," he says. "Our more than half a million FileMaker Go downloads give us insights into where the biggest benefits are happening."
Rosenberg will focus on the benefits of connected mobile solutions, which link tablets, smart phones, desktops, and key business systems. He will share how innovative businesses are quickly and cost-effectively creating and deploying these connected mobile solutions. For more info go to www....
Maintain releases Cocktail 5.4.1 (Lion Edition)
Maintain has released Cocktail 5.4.1 (Lion Edition), the latest maintenance update for users running OS X Lion 10.7.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Mac. This version fixes a problem where Cocktail could not change Time Machine backup interval and addresses an issue in which Cocktail failed to restart or shutdown the computer. The update is recommended for all users of Cocktail (Lion Edition).
Cocktail 5.4.1 (Lion Edition) requires OS X 10.7 and is tested for compatibility with OS X/OS X Server 10.7.5. It costs US$14 for a single user license. For more info go to http://maintain.se/cocktail .
Strife for Mac OS X blasts to version 3.2
Independent developer Javier M. Chavez has announced Strife 3.2, an update to his old school FPS-RPG hybrid for Mac OS X. It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher, costs US$4.99 and is available at the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/avl2jw8).
Here's how the game is described:"In Strife, you play a wandering mercenary visiting Tarnhill by rumors of heavy fighting between The Order and The Front. It's your destiny to change the course of humanity by either destroying the alien overlords or by bringing an end to the human race. With several additional side quests in addition to the main theme, Strife offers in-game currency, RPG style gameplay and more.
Output Factory for InDesign gets improved EPUB workflow
Zevrix Solutions has announced Output Factory 1.3.17, a feature update to its professional output automation solution for Adobe InDesign.
The software automates printing, exporting and post-processing from InDesign and offers batch printing, single page export, layer versioning, variable file names, preflighting and more. The new version lets users apply specific EPUB export settings across a batch of InDesign documents in addition to the option to export each file with its current EPUB settings.
Output Factory can be purchased from the Zevrix website (www.zevrix.com) for US$169.95( there's also a "lite" version for $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 $84.97. Output Factory is available for Mac OS X 10.5-10.8 on Intel-based Macs and works with Adobe InDesign CS3-CS6.
Apple retail store in Boulder, Colorado, burglarized
Boulder police are investigating a burglary at an Apple store in Boulder, Colorado, located at 1755 29th St., which occurred on Feb. 16, according to a government report (http://tinyurl.com/ae8fg9j).
Surveillance video shows what police believe may be a male suspect, wearing a black hoodie, white gloves and a black baseball cap stealing various computer items from the display tables inside the Apple store. It’s estimated that $63,813 worth of laptops, iPads and iPhones were pulled from security fasteners that attached them to the display tables.
British, French, German governments to crack down on tax...
The British, French and German governments launched a joint initiative on Saturday to crack down on tax avoidance by multinational companies such as Apple that will be presented to a G20 finance leaders meeting in July, reports "Reuters."
The plan, unveiled by the three countries' finance ministers at a G20 meeting in Moscow, follows up on a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that many big firms country-hop to pay less tax. The tax reform plan comes at a time when governments are facing public outrage over how some multinational companies handle their international tax affairs, notes "Reuters."
In Britain, the issue of multinational tax avoidance has risen to the top of the political agenda, after revelations that companies such as Starbucks, Apple, Starbucks and Amazon were using complex inter-company transactions to cut their tax bills. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/azzpboh .
Noise Industries releases SUGARfx Subtitle
Noise Industries has added SUGARfx Subtitles to its family of plugins. The new software allows users to add permanent subtitles to their finished movies in Final Cut Pro, Motion, Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.
In addition to supporting a variety of fonts, the software is capable of handling hundreds of languages, as well as importing several subtitle formats. On-screen controls allow editors to import text and adjust font, style and color to fit a project’s style. SUGARfx Subtitles is available at FxFactory (http://www.sugarfx.tv/info/subtitles_SUGARfx.html) for US$49.
Apple rumors for Feb. 18
Here are the latest Apple-related rumors from the blog-o-sphere:
"After rumors last month, tweets late Thursday from company executives confirm that Apple products will soon be available at Staples retail locations in the United States." -- "The MacObserver" (www.macobserver.com)
"German site iPhone-Ticker reports [Google translation] that Apple is planning to release iOS 6.1.2 early this week to address both the Exchange bug and lock screen passcode issue affecting iOS 6.1 users. According to the report, iOS 6.1.2 is likely to arrive before Wednesday, February 20." -- "MacRumors" (www.macrumors.com)
"Although a recent rumor that Apple was preparing to host a developer-related television event next month was almost instantly shot down, investment research firm Piper Jaffray says a review of years past indicates the company is still likely to host an event by the end of April, which could see the introduction of redesigned iPads." -- "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com)
"Microsoft:...
Maintain serves up Cocktail 6.3.1 (Mountain Lion Edition)
Maintain (http://maintain.se/cocktail) has released Cocktail 6.3.1 (Mountain Lion Edition), the latest maintenance update for users running OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Mac. This version fixes a problem where Cocktail could not change Time Machine backup interval and addresses an issue in which Cocktail failed to restart or shutdown the computer.
Cocktail 6.3.1 (Mountain Lion Edition) requires Mountain Lion or Mountain Lion Server. It costs US$14 for a single user license.
Apple challenging loss of 'iPhone' exclusivity in...
Apple, which lost the rights to its iPhone trademark in Brazil on Wednesday, is, as expected, challenging the ruling by Brazil's copyright regulator to prevent local firm Gradiente Eletronica SA from using the "iphone" brand name, reports "Reuters" (http://tinyurl.com/awn462e).
Brazilian regulators have ruled that Apple doesn't have exclusive rights to use the "iPhone" trademark in the country. The decision is the result of a local company, Gradiente Eletronica, registering the name in 2000, seven years before the US firm.
A spokesman for Apple declined to comment.
Gradiente, a Brazilian electronics company, had first requested to trademark "iPhone" as their brand back in 2000 before Apple’s smartphone was unveiled. Last week the Brazilian Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) gave Gradiente that exclusivity in 2008 for their G-Gradiente iPhone, which runs the Android operating system.
In order to keep its trademark rights, Gradiente will need to prove to the regulator in the next...
Apple search tech lawsuit against Samsung may be suspended
A U.S. judge has asked Apple and Samsung whether an Apple patent lawsuit over search technology should be put on hold for several months until after an appeals court resolves a separate lawsuit between the two companies," reports "Reuters" (http://tinyurl.com/bklva6o).
At a hearing on Feb. 14 in a San Jose, California, federal court, Koh told attorneys for both companies that a potential resolution of the Apple versus Samsung legal war would cover both lawsuits. Koh asked if the second case should be suspended until after the appeals court ruled on the first.
Apple attorney William Lee said the cases should proceed in parallel as they involve different patents, notes "Reuters." However, Samsung attorney Victoria Maroulis said there was substantial "overlap" between the two proceedings.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the...
Pyle’s releases retro-styled turntable
Pyle has announced the Retro Belt-Drive Turntable (PVTT2U). It's portable and made with two built-in anti-magnetic speakers.
Not only can you play your favorite vinyl records, but you can also connect to your computer directly via USB port, allowing for conversion of classic vinyl’s to MP3s. The PVTT2U comes with everything you need to get connected and edit your music collection, all starting with a plug in.
You can take advantage of all the PVTT2U’s features by editing actual music files and creating playlists for any occasion with the included software. The rechargeable battery and briefcase-style allows for music on-the-go. You can charge the turntable by connecting to your computer via the USB cable or by plugging into a wall outlet using the included AC-USB adapter.
The Retro Belt-Drive Turntable (PVTT2U) is available at www.pyleaudio.com and retails for US$188.99.
Scoshe offers 5-watt, 12-watt Lightning chargers
Scosche Industries has announced the availability of four Lighting chargers and the first "official retractable Lightning cable" -- the strikeBASE (available in both 5W and 12W models), strikeDRIVE (available in both 5W and 12W models) and strikeLINE PRO.
The new strikeBASE wall charger features a three-foot long cable and flush folding wall prongs for added portability. A low-profile design ensures that the charger leaves other outlets open for use.
The 5W model costs US$29.99 and will charge the iPhone 5, iPod touch (fifth generation) and iPod nano (seventh generation). The $34.99 strikeBASE 12W is the first 12W wall charger on the market following the Apple OEM version and packs enough juice to charge the fourth generation iPad and iPad mini .
Scosche’s $29.99 strikeDRIVE 12W is a 12W car charger for Lightning devices and features a three-foot coiled cable that provides the freedom to use a device as it charges without tangles and clutter. The 5W model strikeDRIVE 5W costs $...
Syncro Soft announces new release of Oxygen XML Editor
Syncro Soft, the developer of the Oxygen XML suite of products, has announced the immediate availability of version 14.2 of its Oxygen XML Editor, Oxygen XML Author and Oxygen XML.
Version 14.2 of oXygen XML Editor addsfeatures for both XML development and XML authoring. On the XML development side, oXygen completes the set of XML Schema 1.1 related features with full schema editing support and capabilities to generate XML instances and schema documentation in accordance with this new W3C standard.
On the XML authoring side, oXygen streamlines XML reviewing by adding support for highlights and a Review manager panel. Highlights help you focus on the content you need to review and the Review manager panel presents all the changes, comments and highlights from a document so you can quickly inspect and manage them.
Improvements were made for quickly finding resources in the project by searching in their content or file paths. oXygen offers these search capabilities by adding a dedicated...
Simplify for Mac OS X revved to version 2.5
Simplify -- a desktop remote controller for OS X that works with browser-based streaming music services like Pandora, Deezer and V -- has been revved to version 2.5.
It integrates these streaming services to operating system, allows controlling playback within browser. Simplify also scrobbles all your songs from web-players to Last.fm, display their album covers on the desktop, pauses playback during Skype calls, and more. Version 2.5 adds:
° Experimental web clients to control Pandora, Deezer, Vkontakte and possibly many more online players right from Simplify;
° The ability to select which player you want to control right now if there are many players opened at the same time.
° An auto-pause feature during Skype calls;
° A Last.fm scrobbling preference pane that allows you to select particular players to scrobble from;
° An option to enable/disable Apple Remote Controllers;
° Retina display support;
° A new desktop cover.
Also, Simplify will now ask you what to do when you launch...
Zevrix updates Output Factory for InDesign
Zevrix Solutions has announced Output Factory 1.3.17, a feature update to its professional output automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The new version lets users apply specific EPUB export settings across a batch of InDesign documents in addition to the option to export each file with its current EPUB settings.
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 (www.zevrox/cp,_ 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.
Knights storming the Mac App Store
Knights and Merchants 1.0 has been released on the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/avxj8z5). It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and costs US$9.99.
The game was originally developed for the PC by Topware Interactive and is now for the first time available for users of Intel Macs. The Mac App Store version is a multi-language version that contains versions in English, German, French and Italian.
Here's how the game is described:"Knights And Merchants recreates the era of the Middle Ages. Apart from the purely fictitious geography of our world, all game elements and scenes are based on the Anglo-Saxon period, ca. 1200 A.D. And we haven't used imaginary elements like fabled creatures, either. The player takes on the role of an ordinary captain in the Palace Guard. A conspiracy against the king catapults the captain into a situation where he finds himself responsible for the defense of the last royal province.
"This is all that remains of the shattered kingdom, which has been split...
Adobe delivers innovations in HTML web tooling to Creative Cloud...
Adobe (www.adobe.com) has announced the first public preview of Adobe Edge Reflow, a new responsive design tool for Web designers and developers creating websites and content for screens of virtually all sizes.
In addition, the company released new feature updates for Adobe Edge Animate, Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe Edge Code preview. All today’s announced product releases are available exclusively to Adobe Creative Cloud members.
Adobe Edge Reflow is a new responsive Web design tool for creating layout and visual designs with CSS and is available immediately as a preview at no charge in Creative Cloud. Edge Reflow features a resizable design surface that shows how layouts and visuals will adapt to different screen sizes. Leveraging the power of CSS, Edge Reflow enables users to create web designs on the application’s native web surface.
According to the folks at Adobe, it maintains the design vision, through development, by allowing users to preview in the browser, inspect their...
macZOT announces RapidWeaver 0 to 60 Bundle
macZOT has announced that from Feb. 13-20 visitors and members will find a website creation software bundle that would retail at over US$700 for $78.99.
The package features RapidWeaver 5, software for creating professional websites without coding. Also included are a variety of tools to complement RapidWeaver's feature set: five themes, two image handling apps, hundreds of icons, 702 fonts, three sets of hand drawn web graphics, 30 days of training, and six months of web hosting. For more info go to http://www.maczot.com .
Vitapoly releases iOS Social Framework ANE
Vitapoly has announced Social by vitapoly, a Social Framework AIR Native Extension for iOS.
The full native iOS Social, Accounts, MessageUI, and Twitter frameworks are now available as an AIR Native Extension, including new iOS 6.0 features such as activity sheets. You can now post messages to Facebook, Twitter, and Weibo from your app. Sending emails and SMS is also a breeze.
If you need to request something specific in the Twitter or Facebook API [application programming interface], you can use the low-level API, which comes with 50-plus classes and 300-plus methods. This ANE supports iOS, and implements the full iOS Social, Accounts, MessageUI, and Twitter frameworks.
It Requires iOS 6.0 SDK to build, but it can be used with iOS 4.3 and up on devices and iOS Simulator. Some functionalities are only available on iOS 6.0 and later. For more info go to http://www.vitapoly.com .
Apple challenging loss of 'iphone' exclusivity in...
Apple, which lost the rights to its iPhone trademark in Brazil on Wednesday, is challenging the ruling by Brazil's copyright regulator to prevent local firm Gradiente Eletronica SA from using the "iphone" brand name, reports "Reuters" (http://tinyurl.com/bbswecf).
Brazilian regulators have ruled that Apple doesn't have exclusive rights to use the "iPhone" trademark in the country. The decision is the result of a local company, Gradiente Eletronica, registering the name in 2000, seven years before the US firm.
Gradiente, a Brazilian electronics company, had first requested to trademark "iPhone" as their brand back in 2000 before Apple’s smartphone was unveiled.
Last week the Brazilian Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) gave Gradiente that exclusivity in 2008 for their G-Gradiente iPhone, which runs the Android operating system.
iOS 6.1 security hole has iPhone lockscreen problem
A new security flaw discovered in Apple's mobile operating system lets anyone bypass the passcode lock on iPhones running iOS 6.1, providing access to the phone's contacts, voicemails, and photos, reports "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com).
A method for bypassing the lock screen was documented in a video by "The Verge" (http://tinyurl.com/c5xxd8l). It involves making -- and then immediately canceling -- an emergency call and holding down the power button a couple of times during the process.
New Zealand officers getting iOS devices
Over 6,000 officers of the New Zealand police department will be rolling out 10,000 iOS devices over the next few months, reports "The National Business Review" (http://tinyurl.com/a6wqtjy).
Prime Minister John Key, Police Minister Anne Tolley and Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said in an announcement that, of hose 6,000, 3,900 will also get a tablet. The 10-year outsourced deal was won by Vodafone.
The initial cost of the rollout is $4.3 million over three months, police say. Over the next 10 years, they will spend $159 million in operating expenditure to fund the initiative, notes "The National Business Review."
Apple rumors for Feb. 14
Here are the latest Apple-related rumors from the blog-o-sphere:
"Apple Inc. has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device that may perform some of the tasks now handled by the iPhone and iPad, two people familiar with the company’s plans said." -- "Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/ck5zyu5)
"Apple may be preparing a March event to introduce Apple TV-related developer tools as a prelude to a later launch of the much-rumored Apple "iTV" television hardware, according to a new note from Jeffries analyst Peter Misek." -- "The MacObserver" (www.macobserver.com)
"Amid circulating rumors of a larger display for the iPhone, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek today reported that he does not see the device launching until mid-2014. Misek argues that problems with display yield and substantial other changes for the iPhone 6 will make a 2013 launch unlikely. Some rumors had suggested that Apple might be able to launch an iPhone 5S and a lower-cost iPhone in mid-2013 and...
Apple hit by another shareholder lawsuit
Apple has been hit by another shareholder lawsuit, a case that is similar to the court challenge that star hedge fund manager David Einhorn brought as part of his push to unlock the company's cash hoard.
The new lawsuit, filed by an investor from Pennsylvania in U.S. District Court in New York, seeks to block Apple from moving forward with a February 27 shareholder vote on two proxy proposals. One of the proposals is the same measure Einhorn targeted that would eliminate from the company charter Apple's ability to issue preferred stock. Read all the details at http://tinyurl.com/bbngeyf .
