QuarkXPress 2015 training sessions available
Quark has announced new training sessions that are now available on YouTube. Visit www.youtube.com/QuarkXPresstTV to join Quark’s print and digital publishing expert, Matthias Gunther, as he shares his tips for working with QuarkXPress 2015.
You can learn about special key commands, best practices and other tips that will help designers work faster and smarter. Each webinar is a 30 to 40 minute session created for creative professionals. Three sessions are already available on-demand and three more are coming soon.
Quark most recently released the QuarkXPress 2015 September update for Mac and Windows, which is a free update for users of QuarkXPress 2015. It can be downloaded using the built-in Auto Updater or from www.quark.com/Support/Downloads.
Quark now allows upgrades from versions of QuarkXPress dating back to the 1990s (versions 3 – 10). To purchase or upgrade to QuarkXPress 2015, please visit: http://shop.quark.com, contact the telesales team, or find a reseller near you....
ChronoSync Express updated for Mac OS X El Capitan
Econ Technologies has rolled out ChronoSync Express 1.1 (http://tinyurl.com/qeo26xy) for Mac OS X. ChronoSync Express is the entry level version of ChronoSync, s synchronization and backup utility for Mac OS X.
ChronoSync Express can synchronize or backup to most anything you can connect to your Mac, including folders on your Mac, other Macs, PC's, and external drives. Version 1.1 offers several of the new features offered in ChronoSync and fixes compatibility issues with El Capitan. ChronoSync Express 1.1.0 costs $29.99 and the standard version of ChronoSync is $49.99.
New Apple Watch app integrates with Beddit Smart sensor device
Beddit (www.beddit.com) has rolled out its first Apple Watch app, which integrates with its US$149.99 sensor device, Beddit Smart, to provide around-the-clock sleep tracking, personalized coaching and convenient glances with information on sleep quality.
Beddit Smart is available in Apple Stores worldwide and through apple.com. The Apple Watch app is available free at the Apple App Store.
Beddit makes any bed a smart bed by combining an ultra-thin sensor placed under the bed sheet with the Apple Watch and an iOS device (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch). There is nothing to wear and nothing to do but go to sleep. Sleep tracking begins automatically at bedtime, tracking heart rate, respiration, movement, snoring and sleep cycles.
In the morning, a personalized SleepScore indicates overall sleep quality and delivers tailored coaching for better sleep in the future. Tightly integrated with Apple's HealthKit, iOS 9 and watchOS 2, the new Beddit Apple Watch app extends Beddit Smart’s night...
FileMaker releases new certification testing for the FileMaker...
FileMaker, Inc. (www.filemaker.com) has announced the immediate availability of certification testing for the FileMaker 14 Platform, the official credential offered by FileMaker, Inc. FileMaker 14 Certification is the key qualification for developing professional custom apps for iPad, iPhone, Windows, Mac and the web using the FileMaker 14 Platform.
The English-language version of the FileMaker 14 Certification exam, Developer Essentials for FileMaker 14, is available now at Pearson VUE testing sites (http://www.pearsonvue.com/filemaker/) worldwide.
FileMaker 14 Certified Developers are certified to possess the knowledge and skills for developing and deploying custom mobile business or organizational solutions using the FileMaker 14 Platform. Certification can help developers forge entirely new careers, expand existing careers and launch new consulting businesses.
Those who pass the exam receive a FileMaker 14 Certified Developer certificate and may display the FileMaker Certified...
PhatWare releases Multiplatform WritePad Handwriting Recognition...
PhatWare Corp. has announced WritePad Software Development Kit (SDK) 5.2. It enables third-party application developers and OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to take advantage of the state-of-the-art handwriting recognition technology on iOS, Android OS, Windows and Windows Phone.
The WritePad SDK can also be used with Xamarin Studio, which simplifies development of handwriting recognition enabled-applications and allows to share business logic across multiple platforms. The new version of the SDK also features improved handwriting recognition quality, updated dictionaries and sample code in Java, C#, Objective-C, and Swift.
WritePad SDK evaluation is free. PhatWare now offers subscription-based and royalty-based commercial pricing options, which are available upon request. To request commercial pricing, and for detailed information about WritePad SDK, visit PhatWare online (www.phatware.com).
Noteboom Productions introduces 'Tutor for Mac OS X El...
Noteboom Productions has introduced an iBooks version of "Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan," their latest video tutorial for the Mac.
It consists of 75 video lessons designed to give users a better understanding of how to effectively use Apple's latest operating system for the Mac. The iBooks version takes advantage of Apple's iBooks features including bookmarks, notes, and search. Users can also view the iBooks version on their Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan is available in the iBooks store for US$9.99. Go to http://tinyurl.com/pg6ywz7 for more information.
177 commercial use fonts added to Premium Fonts Collection
128bit Technologies has added 177 new commercial use fonts to its Premium Fonts collection on the Mac App Store, as well as multiple language support for the custom font preview app.
Fourteen new font families have been added, bringing the total number of font families to 161 and the total number of fonts in this collection to 2,018. You can download the newest premium font designs, each with a 10 computer commercial use license..
The Premium Fonts collection requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. It's available on the Mac App Store, or on the MacAppware website (www.macappware.com) for a limited time discount of US$29.99, a savings of 70 percent off the full price of $99. The Premium Fonts subscription includes all current 2,108 fonts and subscribers will receive all future fonts at no extra charge.
Apple reenables App Slicing in iOS 9
Apple has reenabled iOS 9's App Slicing feature. It had been temporarily unavailable due to a bug in iCloud.
App Slicing (also known as app thinning) tailors app delivery to the capabilities of the user’s particular device, with minimal footprint. This optimization, called app thinning, lets you create apps that use the most device features, occupy minimum disk space, and accommodate future updates that can be applied by Apple.
Starting with iOS 9.0.2, users will have access to updated apps that take advantage of App Thinning.
Ireland's finance minster: problem into Apple's taxes...
The findings of a probe into Apple’s tax affairs in Ireland won’t hurt the country, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan, who vowed to go to court to fight any negative ruling from European Union watchdogs, reports Blooomberg Business (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-05/apple-tax-probe-won-t-...).
Ireland has an “indication ” the EU will decide before the end of the year whether the nation’s tax dealings with the iPhone maker violate the bloc’s state-aid rules, Noonan told reporters in Luxembourg.
Whatever happens, "we don’t think it will be damaging to us," Noonan said. "If it’s adverse, we think it’s based on very thin legal grounds and we’ll have it before the European Court of Justice.”"
The EU is investigating whether the Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have attracted investment and jobs by helping big companies avoid tax in other countries, including EU members. The commission suspects Ireland was too lenient in rulings it gave to Apple and which...
Adobe announces new mobile apps, desktop tools
At Adobe MAX 2015, Adobe has outlined its vision for Creative Cloud -- a "connected creative canvas" where people create and share their work from anywhere.
Adding to Creative Cloud momentum, the company today shipped two new mobile apps, Photoshop Fix and Capture CC, enabling quick retouching and asset capture on the go and announced new Touch capabilities across Creative Cloud desktop applications including Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC and Premiere Pro CC. Adobe is also highlighting its patented CreativeSync technology, which powers connections between desktop and mobile apps and the assets creatives use every day. In addition, video content is coming soon to Adobe Stock, the company’s royalty-free collection of high-quality photos, illustrations and graphics.
"Creative Cloud has become the de facto platform for all creatives, providing the tools and services to fulfill every creative need. With this latest release, we’re giving our creative customers the freedom they need to work...
Dialog Semiconductor announces Bluetooth support for Apple...
Dialog Semiconductor, a provider of integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, solid state lighting (SSL) and Bluetooth Smart technology, has announced a Bluetooth Smart development kit, with full support for Apple HomeKit, to accelerate development of smart home accessories.
In a recent report on the connected home, BI Intelligence predicts that the smart home market will grow at an annual rate of 67% between now and 2019, resulting in 1.8 billion accessories being shipped in that year.
"HomeKit is unifying smart home accessories with a common set of controls, user interface elements and end-to-end encryption which is an important step for the home automation market," says Sean McGrath, senior vice president and general manager, Connectivity, Automotive & Industrial Business Group at Dialog. "
Dialog's Bluetooth Smart development kit, based on its SmartBond(TM) DA14580 System-on-Chip (SoC), will help create accessories with the fastest response times, creating the best...
MediaTek announces two software development kits for Apple...
MediaTek (www.mediatek.com), a fabless semiconductor company, has released two software development kits (SDKs) that support Apple HomeKit. Apple HomeKit is a framework built into iOS that enables secure home control from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple Watch and lets home accessories work together in smart ways.
"By adding HomeKit support, MediaTek takes another step in our mission to connect the world's next billion people," says SR Tsai, general manager of MediaTek's Wireless Connectivity and Networking Business Unit. "Customers have been looking for innovative, simple and secure technologies that power their home and our new SDKs with HomeKit support delivers that to them."<
MediaTek's new SDKs support two SoCs, the MT7688 and MT7687. The MT7688, for smart appliances runs on Linux and powers higher performance, more complex use cases, such as wireless speakers and webcams. The MT7687 is a low-power WiFi SoC, which enables any home appliance from garage doors, power switch to...
RE:Vision Effects releases DE:Flicker with GPU support for...
RE:Vision Effects has released DE:Flicker for the OpenFX plug-in hosts Nuke, Vegas Pro, Fusion, HitFilm, Scratch, Natron and Nucoda. And it continues to be available for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X and Motion, which requires a separate license.
DE:Flicker is designed to smooth out flicker and artifacts when shooting high frame rate or timelapse video. It not only fixes flicker from artificial light sources but also fixes flicker on multiple objects, even when those objects flicker at different rates. DE:Flicker also minimizes problems when shooting directly at light sources, causing them to "breathe" and change size when shot at higher frame rates.
DE:Flicker will also help transform your timelapse photography so that viewers watch the footage you intended them to watch and not the pops that often accompany timelapse photography. It handles the common problems of color shifts, exposure and other camera setting and lighting inconsistencies that may occur from frame to...
Exploit discovered that can get around the Mac's malware...
A security researcher has uncovered an exploit that can get around the Mac’s malware gatekeeper. The malware uses a binary file already trusted by Apple to get around the gatekeeper and can then execute malicious files including password loggers, apps that capture audio and video or botnet software, according to Ken Westin, security analyst for Tripwire, a software company that develops, markets and sells information technology solutions that provide security and compliance automation.
"To mitigate the potential damage from the continual barrage of endpoint vulnerabilities organizations need rigorous security analytics," he says. "The only way to detect anomalous behavior that can indicate a system has been compromised is through the correlation of endpoint and network activity.”
To mitigate the potential damage from the continual barrage of endpoint vulnerabilities organizations need rigorous security analytics, Westin adds. The only way to detect anomalous behavior that can...
ATTO Technology announces support for OS X El Capitan
ATTO Technology has announced driver support for El Capitan, the latest update to Mac OS X. Customers can download the new drivers immediately.
The announcement of El Capitan support follows ATTO’s release of Xtend SAN 4.0. ATTO’s Mac OS X iSCSI initiator has been the market standard for OS X for over 10 years. Optimized for OS X 10.11, Xtend SAN 4.0 represents a major overhaul and includes a refreshed graphical user interface and other enhancements to ensure optimal performance of block-based iSCSI transfers in OS X environments. Products included in ATTO’s portfolio of Mac OS X 10.11 supported solutions:
° Celerity 16 and 8Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) with MultiPath Director;
° ExpressSAS 6Gb SAS/SATA HBAs and 6Gb RAID Adapters;
° Thunderbolt technology enabled ThunderLink and ThunderStream Desklink Devices;
° FastFrame 10GbE Network Interface Cards (NICs);
° Software including ATTO ConfigTool, CLI Tools, Xtend SAN iSCSI Initiator, Express NAV and QuickNAV.
For more...
Noteboom Productions introduces Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan
Noteboom Productions has introduced Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan, their latest video tutorial for the Mac.
Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan consists of 75 video lessons designed to give users a better understanding of how to effectively use Apple's latest operating system for the Mac. It also includes lessons on setting up OS X default behaviors through System Preferences, installing and uninstalling apps, working with documents, and what's new in El Capitan applications.
Tutor for Mac OS X El Capitan is included in membership to NoteboomTutorials online (www.noteboomtutorials.com). Membership is available for US$8 a month, $19 a quarter, and $59 a year.
'Beginner’s Guide to Content Automation' available
Quark has published "The Beginner’s Guide to Content Automation,"(http://tinyurl.com/qfsxley) a free eBook for professionals focused on solving challenges related to the creation, management, publishing, and delivery of multi-channel content. Topics covered in the book include:
° Understand the difference between traditional content workflows and content automation;
° Discover the benefits that enterprise content automation brings to organizations;
° Assess whether content automation can help your business or organization
Content automation is best deployed for business-critical content that has one or more of the following characteristics:
° A high volume of similar documents;
° A high volume of revisions;
° Frequently repeated creation processes;
° Government-regulated or corporate-regulated documents;
° A high possibility of reusing content across multiple documents;
° Integration of data from databases and other systems into the content. For example, inserting the latest financial...
BatchOutput PDF now supports custom paper sizes
Zevrix Solutions has released BatchOutput PDF 2.2.16, a feature update to its solution to automate PDF printing with watched hot folders on OS X.
With BatchOutput PDF, users only need to drop PDFs into hot folders and the files will be printed automatically using the assigned output preset, saving users the time and effort of printing the files manually. Version 2.2.16 supports custom paper sizes defined in system's Page Setup dialog and addresses some performance and stability issues.
BatchOutput PDF can be purchased from the Zevrix website (www.zevrix.com) for US$24.95 (there's a server version for $99.95), as well as from authorized resellers and Mac Apple Store. The 2.2.16 update is free for licensed users of version 2. A demo is available for download. BatchOutput PDF requires Mac OS X 10.5-10.11 (some features require Mac OS X 10.7 or later).
The latest iOS apps for Oct. 2
Here are some of the latest apps available at the Apple App Store for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and/or Apple Watch.
Zuhanden has announced Gravity Jack. It's an US$0.99 run and jump game.
Microids has released My Farm. It's an US$2.99 game in which players must manage their virtual farm.
Ateam has introduced Big Bang Galaxy. The free game tasks players with leading a military campaign in outer space.
Full Fat has launched Flick Quarterback. In the free game, you're the quarterback. Pass to receivers, dodge blitzing defenders, score touchdowns and throw amazing trick shots. Earn free boosts, cheerleaders, player upgrades, fireworks and even new game modes.
James Bell joins Apple’s Board of Directors
Apple has announced that James A. Bell, former chief financial officer and corporate president of The Boeing Company, has been elected to Apple’s board of directors.
Bell brings more than four decades of experience in finance, strategic planning and leadership in complex organizations. During his 38-year career at Boeing, he also oversaw Boeing Capital Corporation and Boeing Shared Services, and was interim CEO of The Boeing Company in 2005.
"James brings a wealth of global, financial and industrial experience from his successful career at Boeing as corporate president and CFO," says Apple CEO Tim Cook. "I am thrilled to welcome him to Apple’s board of directors and I look forward to working with him."
Bell is a member of the board of directors of JP Morgan Chase, Dow Chemical Company, CDW, and a Trustee of Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center. He has also worked with New Leaders for New Schools to help develop talented teachers and principals, and served on many community-based...
ChronoSync updated with El Capitan support
Econ Technologies (www.econtechnologies.com) has updated ChronoSync to version 4.6.4 with fixes related to OS X El Capitan.
ChronoSync is a Mac backup, bootable backup, and folder synchronizing app. It works with any device you can connect to a Mac, such as external drives, thumb drives, network volumes, remote Macs, or even a PC. Additionally the 4.6.4 update — free to registered users — includes fixes to problems with establishing IPv6 network connections. Whether it's a minor or major update all existing users update for free.
For new users ChronoSync costs US$49.99. A demo is available for download.
The latest iOS apps for Oct. 1
Here are some of the latest apps available at the Apple App Store for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and/or Apple Watch.
Red Camel Studios has announced 4 or More. While progressing through the game, players will be introduced to a variety of game modes. Play at your own pace, race against time, melt ice blocks, and sink anchors. 4 or More is free, but does offer in-app purchases.
Day2Life has released JUNE. It's a free mobile planner app shows your whole agenda on the small screen of your smartphone. JUNE lets you drag and drop schedules with a swipe of your finger.
Note-Ify Apps has introduced EasyDocScan. It's an US$2.99 (for a limited time) app for quick scanning and recognition of short texts, documents or checks without complicated settings or long-term training.
SyncMate 6.1 supports sync with Outlook and Office 365 accounts
Eltima Software has releasedSyncMate 6.1 for Mac OS X. It's an upgrade of the tool for syncing Mac data with iOS and Android devices, other Macs, MTPs, as well as with online storage accounts such as Google, Dropbox, iCloud and Outlook.
SyncMate offers Mac users to sync Calendar entries, Contacts, any folders and files, iTunes and Photos.app libraries, and do it all automatically in the background. The newest version of this universal syncing tool offers expanded functionality and customizable settings.
SyncMate 6.1 brings in the long-awaited sync with Microsoft solutions. They include Live Outlook, Office 365 Home and Business accounts. From now on SyncMate enables users to sync much more than just personal data. The app supports OneDrive integration, the content of your iTunes and iPhoto libraries can now be transferred to 1 TB cloud storage space. Users can sync folders and files and mount OneDrive as another Mac disk.
SyncMate 6.1 boasts a number of other enhancements such as...
Twocanoes releases Winclone 5.4 with El Capitan compatibility
Twocanoes Softwarehas released Winclone 5.4 with support for OS X 10.11 El Capitan.
Winclone is a solution for cloning Windows on a Mac Boot Camp partition. It clones Windows for backup or migration to a new Mac. Winclone 5 is available in Basic, Standard and Pro editions.
Winclone System 5.4 requires Mac OS X 10.9 or higher. It's a free upgrade for current Winclone 5 customers and customers with active Maintenance Contracts. Contact Twocanoes (www.twocanoes.com) for pricing on Winclone and support and maintenance options.
'MacVoices' looks at taking control of Apple Mail
On the new MacVoices TV, host Chuck Joiner talks with author Joe Kissell about his book, "Take Control of Apple Mail."
He covers Mail in both iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. While there haven’t been major changes to either, there are enough small changes that you will want to get Kissell's advice on how they make devices more powerful and your life easier. From El Capitan’s new activity window to automating your email to customizing the applications to your specifications, his hours of research pay off in this comprehensive guide to Mail on both platforms.
You can watch the video here (http://tinyurl.com/qgrn2du). Joiner is the producer and host of MacVoices, part of The MacVoices Group.
Prosoft releases Data Rescue ONE All-In-ONE Recovery Solution
Prosoft Engineering has released Data Rescue ONE for Mac OS X (10.7.5 or higher), which combines software, hardware and services into one product.
Data Rescue ONE is a self-contained computer hard drive recovery solution. Designed to be easy to use, it doesn’t require any special technical expertise, nor do you need to download or install software, says Prosoft CEO Greg Brewer. Data Rescue ONE can recover your photos, music, emails, videos and important documents in just one click.
Data Rescue ONE is available to purchase directly from www.prosofteng.com in four sizes, including a professional version. Pricing starts at US$59.
Mail Designer Pro 2.5 optimized for OS X El Capitan
Equinux has revved Mail Designer Pro for Mac OS X to version 2.5. It's compatible with OS X El Capitan. The upgrade also sports a new sidebar that offers quick access to content and formatting controls.
The new paragraph style feature in Mail Designer Pro 2.5 gives you an instant control over the look and feel of your entire mail document. You can make adjustments to a style and instantly preview the changes across your entire design . You'll even be able to see what it'll look like on an iPhone or iPad. What's more, version 2.5 is packed with artwork and tools for building email newsletters.
Existing Mail Designer Pro users get the new features and can update to 2.5 free-of-charge now on the Mac App Store and at the equinux website (http://tinyurl.com/o9kljsg). Mail Designer Pro 2.5 is available for US$49.99 for a limited time. Normally, it's $89.99.
Bare Bones Software releases TextWrangler 5.0 for El Capitan
Bare Bones Software has released TextWrangler 5.0, an upgrade to its general purpose text editor for Mac OS X. It's built on a new, modernized foundation and compatible with OS X El Capitan.
TextWrangler 5.0 also introduces newly overhauled systems for Find Differences and syntax coloring. In addition, the upgrade introduces new built-in support for EditorConfig and adds dozens of other enhancements and new features.
"With this new release, TextWrangler gains the latest advancements and extensive modernization that we did for BBEdit 11," says Rich Siegel, founder and CEO of Bare Bones Software, Inc. "This new foundation supports Mac OS X back to Mountain Lion while being compatible with the newly released El Capitan, sets the stage for ongoing development, and enhances TextWrangler's usability and power in ways that our customers can appreciate right now."
TextWrangler 5.0 requires Mac OS X 10.8.5 or later. You can download TextWrangler 5.0 free of charge from the Bare Bones Software...
Commander One 1.1 supports OS X El Capitan
Eltima has revved Commander One, their first product developed entirely in Swift, to version 1.1.
The tool is a dual pane file manger. Commander One 1.1 is fully compatible with El Capitan, the latest major upgrade to OS X.
Commander 1.1 requires Mac OS X 10.9 or later. The free edition of the app is available for download from Eltima Software (www.eltima.com). The Pro Pack is now available in a demo version; registration is US$29.95.
CS Odessa releases Australia Map solution for ConceptDraw Pro 10
CS Odessa (www.csodessa.com) has released the Australia Map Solution for ConceptDraw Pro 10. It's a collection of library objects, templates, and example drawing.
The Australia Map Solution offers optional levels of detail, showing sub-divisions of territory and local government areas, along with major cities and capitals. It's available for an US$25 charge to users of ConceptDraw Pro 10 and ConceptDraw Office 3, via the ConceptDraw Solution Park.
ConceptDraw Pro and ConceptDraw Office work with the latest versions of both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. ConceptDraw Office includes ConceptDraw MindMap 8, ConceptDraw Project 7, ConceptDraw Pro 10, and the ConceptDraw Solution Park. It retails for US$499 and can be purchased directly from CS Odessa or their resellers. ConceptDraw Pro as a single app costs $199.
Paragon Software Group releases NTFS for Mac 14
Paragon Software Group has released Paragon NTFS for Mac 14, an upgrade to the solution to solve incompatibility issues between Mac OS X and Windows. The new version gives OS X full read and write access to Windows-formatted NTFS partitions.
NTFS for Mac 14 is compatible with OS X 10.11 El Capitan, and still supports all versions back to 10.8 Mountain Lion. To use, you simply install it and go to work. No further system adjustments are necessary once it's been installed.
Paragon NTFS for Mac 14 is available for immediate download for US$19.99 at http://tinyurl.com/ofgpa5a .All users who purchased NTFS for Mac 12 will get a free upgrade to version 14. They will receive an invitation to upgrade via email or they can view their real-time upgrade status at http://tinyurl.com/ojeogfp .
Apple Music, iTunes Movies, iBooks now available in China
Apple today announced that Apple Music, iTunes Movies and iBooks are now available to customers in China. Launching with millions of songs in its catalog, Apple Music in China features music from artists including Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, JJ Lin and G.E.M., as well as a wide range of international artists including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and many more.
Fans can also rent or purchase movies from a great selection of Chinese studios as well as Hollywood blockbusters on the iTunes Store, in addition to enjoying paid and free books from the iBooks Store. For the first time, customers in China will have access to Apple’s entertainment ecosystem with music, movies and books right at their fingertips.
"Customers in China love the App Store and have made it our largest market in the world for app downloads," says Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "One of the top requests has been more great content and we’re thrilled to bring music, movies and books...
NeoFinder ready for Mac OS X El Capitan
Norbert M. Doerner has released NeoFinder 6.8 (formerly known as CDFinder). It's an update of the app that helps you keep track of your digital files, photos, songs, movies, fonts on hard drives, USB sticks, servers, Blu-ray disks, DVD-ROMs, CDROMs, and any other digital media.
NeoFinder (http://www.cdfinder.de) generates thumbnails and metadata of your files, for powerful search possibilities, smart folders, albums, and more. Version 6.8 is certified to run Mac OS X El Capitan. Also, NeoFinder 6.8 now can write Finder Tags for files and folders.
It requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or higher. NeoFinder 6.x is a paid update to licensed users of CDFinder, update price starting at approximately US$21. Cross-grades for users of competing applications (DiskLibrary, FileFinder, CatFinder, Canto Cumulus, Disk Tracker, DiskCatalogMaker, Atomic View, iView Media Pro, and more) are available.
A demo version can be downloaded from the NeoFinder website. The price for new users starts at $32.50....
MacXDVD Software gets overhaul with support for iPhone 6S and...
MacXDVD (www.macxdvd.com) has completed an overhaul of its MacX DVD Ripper Pro and MacX Video Converter Pro with as many as 20 new profiles added.
Customers are welcome to update to the latest versions for better support of all the latest devices in the spotlight, covering iPhone 6S (Plus), iPad Pro, iPad Mini 4, the New Apple TV, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and more. MacX Video Converter Pro supports over 370 audio/video codecs, allowing you to convert just about any video to just about any format on Mac.
MacX DVD Ripper Pro and MacX Video Converter Pro, originally priced at $59.95 and $49.95 for single-user license, are open to all existing users for free. Others can get them at a 50% discount by taking advantages of the MacXDVD 2015 autumn promotion.
SecuritySpy for Mac OS X revved to version 3.4.8
Ben Software has rolled out SecuritySpy 3.4.8, an update to the multi-camera CCTV software for the Mac.
With features such as motion detection, flexible video/audio capture, and remote monitoring and configuration, SecuritySpy is designed for demanding video surveillance applications. New features in version 3.4.8 include Mac OS X El Capitan compatibility, support for more network cameras and performance improvements.
Pricing depends on the number of cameras used, ranging from approximately US50) for the single-camera version to $1,050) for the unlimited-camera version. SecuritySpy supports any Intel Mac running OS X 10.5 or higher. A 30-day fully-featured trial of SecuritySpy is available for download (www.bensoftware.com).
Apple agrees to pay LA school district $4.2 million over...
The Los Angeles Unified School District has reached a tentative settlement agreement with Apple over the failed plan to put iPads in the hands of every student and teacher in the district. Under the proposed settlement, Apple will pay $4.2 million to the district, according to the L.A. Times (http://tinyurl.com/owzoljv).
In August the L.A. Unified/Apple deal was canceled amid allegations that Superintendent John Deasy and former Deputy Superintendent Jamie Aquino had inappropriately close ties to Apple. Under the initial contract, Apple was to provide iPads with Pearson as the subcontractor. The federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened an informal inquiry into whether Los Angeles school officials complied with legal guidelines in the use of bond funds for the now-abandoned $1.3-billion iPads project.
OS X El Capitan available tomorrow as as free update
As expected, Apple says Mac OS X El Capitan will be available on tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 30) as a free update for Mac users.
El Capitan builds on the features and design of OS X Yosemite. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, says it "refines the Mac experience and improves performance in a lot of little ways that make a very big difference."
El Capitan will be available at the Mac App Store. It supports all Macs introduced in 2009 and later, and some models introduced in 2007 and 2008.
Cocoatech's Path Finder ready for Mac OS X El Capitan
Cocoatech has announced Path Finder 7.2, a free update of their file browser for users running OS X. The upgrade is compatible with the upcoming El Capitan 10.11.
Path Finder allows you to view hidden files, compare, merge and synchronize folders, batch rename and batch select files, use Dual Pane and full keyboard navigation to browse your file system and more. Path Finder is extremely customizable and allows you to work how you want.
Path Finder supports Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish languages. It requires OS X 10.7 or newer
A 30-day demo is available for download (http://www.cocoatech.com/pathfinder/). Path Finder costs US$39.95 for a single user license applicable for up to three user-owned computers. Volume license discounts are available.
1000 OpenType Fonts updated on the Mac App Store
128bit Technologies (www.macappware.com) has announced 1000 OpenType Fonts, an update to their custom font preview app for Mac OS X.
The font collection includes 240 unique font family styles with 1,000 total fonts. It can be used in graphic and logo design, web design, scrapbooks, presentations, invitations, promotional material, advertisements, and more.
For a limited time you can save 70 percent on the new version. You can buy it for US$29.99 at the Mac app Store.
Xcode 7.0.1 has 'app thinning' support for iOS 9
Apple has released Xcode 7.0.1. Xcode is Apple's integrated development environment (IDE) tool.
The update for the utility offers "app thinning" support for iOS 9 and, of course, bug fixes. Xcode includes software development kits for Mac OS X and iOS. It’s a free download at the Mac App Store.
The latest iOS apps for Sept. 29
Here are some of the latest apps available at the Apple App Store for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and/or Apple Watch.
Jutiful has announced AZZL. The US$2.99 offers a twist on logic puzzles. Users move their fingertips and are instantly transported to the world that looks like a cartoon dimension. To solve each puzzle, they must tap, move, swipe, and rotate animated pieces that include squares, zigzags, waves, hexagons, triangles, circles and more.
BNotro Software Development has announced Treehoven Bear Family Activities Jigsaw Puzzles. It's a $1.99, family friendly, jigsaw puzzle app. It offers six different puzzles.
Elecont has introduced Tides PRO - High and Low Tide Times Tables & Tidal Charts. It's a $3.99 app for planning outdoor activities (boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, backpacking, seashells collection and etc) for anyone who lives in coastal areas. Tides PRO provides tidal data for over 12,000 coastal stations.
DoStuff Media has launched DoNYC DoStuff. The free...
Create Booklet 1.2 for OS X adds new pro features
TheKeptPromise (www.thekeptpromise.com) has released Create Booklet 1.2, an update to its booklet printing app for Mac OS X.
Create Booklet allows anyone to create a booklet from almost any file from within almost any software. Thanks to the manual duplex feature, the user saves money, time and paper when printing many pages. MacUpdate's most downloaded booklet app adds requested features like Page Numbering and Creep Compensation, as well as an improved layout and help.
Create Booklet 1.2 requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later. It costs US$9.99 and is available at the Mac App Store in the Utilities category.
Maintain rolls out Cocktail 9.0 (El Capitan Edition)
Maintain has served up Cocktail 9.0 (El Capitan Edition), a new edition of Cocktail for users running OS X El Capitan 10.11.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Macs. The new version adds OS X El Capitan 10.11 and addresses compatibility issues with OS X Server 5, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 and Microsoft Office 2016. It also contains many other bug fixes and overall performance improvements.
Cocktail 9.0 (El Capitan Edition) requires OS X El Capitan 10.11 to run. Cocktail (Yosemite Edition) for OS X 10.10, Cocktail (Mavericks Edition) for OS X 10.9, Cocktail (Mountain Lion Edition) for OS X 10.8 and Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7 are available for download from the Maintain website (http://tinyurl.com/p5adypq).
Cocktail costs US$19 for a single user license and is available for purchase from the Maintain website. When unregistered, Cocktail runs in demo mode and will expire after the tenth launch.
Tropical Software Announces TopXNotes Freemium Suite for iOS
Tropical Software says its TopXNotes for iOS is now a Freemium Suite comprised of TopXNotes Free, TopXNotes, and TopXNotes Pro.
TopXNotes Free contains four-way sorting in the NoteOrganizer. The TopXNotes family will keep your notes synchronized between TopXNotes for Mac and TopXNotes Touch for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. TopXNotes Free for iOS offers major improvements to its Wi-Fi based NoteSync process developed for TopXNotes.
This release is the latest advance in a series of companion products Tropical Software plans to release for Apple touch devices. It requires iOS 6.0 or later.
TopXNotes Free for iOS 1.5 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the Apple App Store in the Productivity category. Go to www.tropic4.com for more info.
Apple may set up a manufacturing base in India
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Apple to set up a manufacturing base in India and CEO Tim Cook responded "positively," reports The Times of India (http://tinyurl.com/o7yv5bq).
"The Prime Minister (in his meeting with Cook) said he would like Apple to start manufacturing in India. He mentioned the huge opportunities India offered," Ministry of external affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters. ""Cook responded positively. I think India does fits into his long term plans. He particularly was interested in the whole App development economy, which he said could be a very very important factor for entrepreneurship where individual app developers can just become part of the app universe."
Earlier this year it was reported that Foxconn, which is Apple's largest manufactures, is in talks to manufacture iPhone in India. The company plans to develop 10-12 facilities in India, including factories and data centers, by 2020.
"Foxconn is sending a delegation of their officers to...
ArtistInfo Goes Mobile with iOS Release
Metason has rolled out first release of ArtistInfo for iOS along with an update of ArtistInfo for Mac OS X. ArtistInfo is an artist browser and music discovery app.
It provides album credits for music played in iTunes, Apple Music, as well as Spotify by presenting musicians, band members, biographies, played music instruments, discographies, composers, producers, and performed musical genres. My Favorites' can be synchronized via iCloud and shared with friends via Social Media or AirDrop.
Features of the new releases of ArtistInfo for Mac and iOS include:
° Album credits about musicians, composers, and producers;
° Portrait photo, biography, discography, and band relations of artists;
° In sync with iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify;
° Playback of discovered music via iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Rdio, and Youtube;
° Management of favorite artists and albums among OS X and iOS devices via iCloud;
° Sharing of links to artists and albums with friends via email, social media, and...
Rob Papen expands EQ essentials from RAW soft synth
Rob Papen Soundware has released RP-EQ, which expands EQ essentials from its RAW soft synth for "distorted" sounds specifically suited to EDM (electronic dance music) production and beyond.
It creates an EQ effects plug-in for Mac (32- and 64-bit, AAX, AU, and VST for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher) and PC (32- and 64-bit, AAX and VST for Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10). RP-EQ can be purchased as a boxed version from authorized Rob Papen dealers worldwide or downloaded directly from Rob Papen for US$89 at http://tinyurl.com/paf4xa9 .
Apple announces record iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus sales
Apple has announced it has sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models, a new record, just three days after launch. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in more than 40 additional countries beginning Oct. 9 including Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Taiwan. The new iPhones will be available in over 130 countries by the end of the year.
"Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple’s history," says Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. "Customers’ feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can’t wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9."
Customers are encouraged to check the Apple Store app or Apple.com to receive updates on availability and estimated delivery dates. Every customer who buys an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus at an Apple Retail Store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them...
Moving winds of Jupiter and space exploration in new Solar...
Vito Technology (http://vitotechnology.com/) has introduced Solar Walk 2, the next generation of the company's 3D solar system guide.
Redesigned from the inside out, the new Solar Walk 2 is an educational tool at the edge of graphic technology that shows wonders of the solar system. Based on real physics and latest photographic data, Solar Walk 2 comes with visual effects of planetary atmospheres, solar flares, auroras, and asteroid belts.
In Solar Walk 2 the life of the solar system is presented as a series of events: celestial (solar eclipses, conjunctions, etc.) and man-made missions. Users can see experience the progress of space exploration and see how the planets moved at the time and how they are going to move in the future.
With the new Calendar users can travel with Voyager 1, see how gravity assists helped Cassini get to the outer edges of the solar system, and explore Hubble. Sixty 3D models of important space missions and satellites are available in high detail and travel...
The latest iOS apps for Sept. 25
Here are some of the latest apps available at the Apple App Store for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and/or Apple Watch.
The EatBy Smart Kitchen App is a new, free utility app that saves its users money and reduces food waste. It displays food stored in the kitchen, reminds users to eat food before it expires and includes an intelligent shopping list.
Jutiful has announced AZZL. It's an US$2.99 animation puzzle game featuring almost 100 cartoon stories.
Tap Guides has released Tips & Tricks for Apple Watch. With more than 100 helpful tips and tricks, the $0.99 app is designed to help you to unleash the power of Apple's smartwatch.
Midnight Tea Studio has introduced Numberful. It's a free, math-based game in which the goal is to find the sums that add up to the target in order to progress from #1 to #100 before running out of time.
GAEA Mobile has launched Ace of Arenas. It's a free, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game.
