Native Instruments announces TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 all-in-one DJ...
Native Instruments has announced TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 (www.native-instruments.com/s8) – a new DJ controller designed for TRAKTOR PRO 2 control.
TRAKTOR KONTROL S8’s full color displays and touch-sensitive hardware controls fuse with enhanced track decks, a 4-channel standalone mixer, and the flagship TRAKTOR software for a multisensory DJ experience. It will be available online and at retailers worldwide on Oct. 30, 2014 for US$1,199.
of DJing.
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus arrive in 36 more countries, territories...
Apple says the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will arrive in 36 additional countries and territories across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa by the end of October.
The new smartphones will be available in a total of 69 countries and territories by the end of the month. They're on track to be available in more than 115 countries by the end of the year, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rollout continues on the following dates:
° Friday, Oct. 17: China, India and Monaco;
° Thursday, Oct. 23: Israel;
° Friday, Oct. 24: Czech Republic, French West Indies, Greenland, Malta, Poland, Reunion Island and South Africa;
° Thursday, Oct. 30: Bahrain and Kuwait;
° Friday, Oct. 31: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, South Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Thailand.
MatchWare Launches MindView 5 Business Mac
MatchWare has launched MindView 5 Business Mac (http://tinyurl.com/cmtfa3), a mind mapping and Gantt chart creation application built on MatchWare’s MindView Business Platform.
It's designed to enable project managers and other users to brainstorm work breakdown structures (WBS) in mind maps and transfer the data between six interchangeable views: Gantt Chart, Timeline, Mind Map, Top Down, Left/Right and Outline. In addition to key project management-focused upgrades -- including individually managed resource calendars, effort-driven tasks, and improved branch data visualization -- MindView 5 Business Mac also features: a Mac-friendly interface; enhanced Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project integration; built-in task and resource allocation; and transferring to/from MindView 5 Business PC.
MatchWare’s MindView 5 Business Mac is available for a one-time fee of US$349 a single user A demo version is also available.
AKVIS Charcoal 1.0 is new image editing program for Mac OS X,...
AKVIS has released a new image editing program, AKVIS Charcoal 1.0 (https://akvis.com/en/charcoal/index.php). It's a standalone application and Photoshop plug-in for Mac OS X and Windows.
The software creates charcoal, chalk, and sanguine drawings from photos. The program contains 34 ready-to-use presets. You can create your own presets saving your favorite combinations of the parameters.
The software runs on Mac OS X 10.6 and higher and Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win 8. It costs US$49 for a home license. A demo is available for download.
Quark releases free QuarkXPress document converter for...
Quark Software has announced the QuarkXPress Document Converter, a free tool that allows QuarkXPress users to open legacy QuarkXPress files in QuarkXPress 10. QuarkXPress 10 inherently supports documents created with QuarkXPress 7-10, but not legacy documents created in versions 3-6.
Through the QuarkXPress Document Converter user interface, QuarkXPress 10 users can select a single QuarkXPress document or an entire folder and convert the files to a format compatible with QuarkXPress 10. Prior to the availability of the QuarkXPress Document Converter, users needed to maintain a copy of QuarkXPress 9 in order to access old documents.
The QuarkXPress Document Converter also offers the added benefit of batch conversions, which QuarkXPress 9 does not support. To download the free QuarkXPress Document Converter, go to http://tinyurl.com/3rmaqwm .
GT Advanced looking to 'wind down' operations
Sapphire crystal maker GT Advanced Technologies has asked the court’s permission to “wind down” operations at its manufacturing plant, less than a year after announcing a high-profile deal to supply the material to Apple, according to re/code (http://tinyurl.com/opcqz89).
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Henry Boroff set a hearing for Oct. 15 in Springfield, Mass., to consider the motion. Earlier this week GT, Apple’s partner in a sapphire production facility in Arizona, together with certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, GT), commenced voluntary cases under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire.
Apple Watch to be featured on cover of Vogue China
Chinese model Liu Wen in Vogue China's November issue, wearing the Apple Watch on the cover of the magazine, notes MacRumors (www.macrumors.com).
Wen appears to be wearing the 18-karat yellow gold Edition Apple Watch, which features a red Modern Buckle Band. She's also featured wearing other Apple Watch models on a spread inside the magazine.
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch at a Sept. 9 media event. It's expected to go on sale in early 2015, perhaps by February.
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Apple to stream its Oct. 16 event
Apple plans to offer a live stream of its October 16 media event. The company will provide a stream of the event both on its website and through a dedicated channel on the Apple TV.
The Oct. 16 event will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific). The invitation’s tag line says, “it’s been way too long.” Almost certain to be unveiled are Mac OS X Yosemite and new iPad Airs and minis. Other possibilities are a new Mac mini, a revamped Apple TV, a Retina display iMac, a 12-inch iPad Pro and a 12-inch Retina display MacBook Air.
InfoLogic releases MathMagic Lite for Mac OS X
InfoLogic has releases MathMagic Lite 8.91, their free, complimentary equation editor for Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
On top of its interface to type math expressions and symbols via palettes and keyboard, it also reads various Math formats including MathML, LaTeX, Plain TeX, Wiki equations, ASCIIMath, MathJax, and MathType. MathMagic Lite for Mac can save expressions in PNG, SVG, JPG, Math-To-Speech and more.
Unlike the paid versions, MathMagic Lite has some less used or high end complex features disabled or removed, focusing more on K-12 math levels. Also, colors are converted to grey. High end users who need more advanced features can try MathMagic Personal and MathMagic Pro. MathMagic Lite for Mac OS X is free and available immediately for download from the MathMagic website (http://www.mathmagic.com/).
Keylogger for Mac adds in-app "All Activity" view
WideStep Security Software (http://www.widestep.com) has announced Elite Keylogger for Mac 1.4, an update to the keystroke recorder software. Elite It allows invisible recording of most keystrokes, email, chats and websites visited, along with screen captures.
Version 1.4 brings a new in-app "All Activity" view that combines keystrokes, chat logs and website history. The new release also brings automatic log backup and recovery for Pro users.
Elite Keylogger for Mac is compatible with 64-bit Macs running Mac OS X 10.6.8 and later. There are two versions available: Free and Pro. The difference between the two is that the free version isn't invisible, and its logs don't display passwords and chat conversations.
Elite Keylogger Pro licensing is US$49 for one monitored Mac, $99 for five monitored d Macs, and $99 for 25 monitored Macs $199. An unlimited license is $299. Version 1.4 is a free update to all users of Elite Keylogger Pro.
Pangea Audio introduces Apple certified Lightning to USB cables
Pangea Audio (www.pangeaaudio.com) has introduced MFI-tested, Apple-certified Lightning cables for use with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5/5S/5C, iPad Air, iPad Mini with Retina and all Lightning-equipped Apple devices.
Pangea Lightning cables are an five-feet in length—42% longer than Apple’s standard Lightning cable. They feature "superior shielding, robust 27-gauge signal conductors, heavy-duty 21-gauge power conductors and Apple’s newest, thinnest C48 Lightning connector on one end, with a USB 'A' connector on the other end," says Pangea cable designer Jay Victor.
Pangea has utilized high-grade copper, with wire gauges that are significantly thicker than a typical Apple-type cable in order to deliver accurate signal and steady power despite the longer cable length, he adds. Five available colors (black, blue, green, pink, or white) are designed to match your iPhone, iPad Mini or other Apple device.
The suggested retail price for the Pangea Lightning cables is US$29.95. However they are...
Investor Carl Icahn posts open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook
Carl Icahn has posted an open letter (http://bit.ly/1pUEl6O) to Apple CEO Tim Cook The investor calls on the company to accelerate its pace of share buybacks and makes the case that shares of AAPL are worth $203 based on projected FY16 and FY17 earnings.
Here's how the letter starts: "As a large Apple shareholder with approximately 53 million shares, we applaud you and the rest of management, especially in light of recent launches and announcements which further validate our view that you are the ideal CEO for Apple. It is truly a watershed moment, with Apple poised to take market share from Google (Android) in the premium device market as iPhone 6 becomes Apple’s flagship device among a growing collection of products and services that work together to form an increasingly dominant mobile ecosystem."
MAXON says Cineware 2.0, Cinema 4D Lite 16 are included with the...
MAXON (www.maxon.net) says MAXON Cineware 2.0 and Cinema 4D Lite Release 16 are now available in the latest version of Adobe After Effects CC (2014.1) .
The new updates to the Cineware workflow, available in the fall release of After Effects CC 2014, are designed to optimize performance and enhance creative capabilities. With After Effects CC, creative professionals benefit from the integration provided by Cineware that establishes a direct connection between Cinema 4D and After Effects, according to MAXON.
Users can open, edit and enhance Cinema 4D project files inside After Effects using the Live 3D pipeline first introduced last year in After Effects CC. Even compositing passes can be selected, edited and enhanced directly in After Effects. Cinema 4D Lite, a "lite" version of Cinema 4D, is included in After Effects CC.
AppDelete is ready for Mac OS X Yosemite
Reggie Ashworth (http://www.reggieashworth.com/appdelete) has released AppDelete 4.1.4, an update to his application deletion utility for Mac OS X.
Via drag and drop, AppDelete will uninstall anything along with all of the associated items. Version 4.1.4 sports a new user interface and is optimized for Mac OS X Yosemite.
AppDelete 4.1.4 costs US$7.99 for a single user license. Upgrades from Version 2/AppDelete Lite are $3.99 (USD). A full-featured demo is available.
Synchro Soft announces Oxygen XML Editor 16.1
Syncro Soft, the developer of the Oxygen XML suite of products, has rolled out version 16.1 of its Oxygen XML Editor, Oxygen XML Author and Oxygen XML Developer products (http://www.oxygenxml.com/buy.html) containing a set of tools supporting all the XML related technologies.
oXygen XML Editor 16.1 adds improvements to both the XML development and XML authoring functionality. Oxygen XML Editor is available in three editions. A 30-day demo version can be downloaded.
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual now available in 12TB capacity
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced a new 12TB capacity option for the OWC Mercury Elite Pro line of dual-bay external high-performance storage solutions, one of OWC’s family of Thunderbolt interface storage products.
The Mercury Elite Pro Dual, now available in capacities from 0GB (add your own drives) and up to 12TB of total storage, adds storage capacity and throughput to any Mac or PC with a Thunderbolt port. Applications such as A/V post-production, photography, music, graphics, data management, and even Time Machine backups can be enhanced with access to data at sustained data rates of up to 389MB/s read, 351MB/s write.
The Mercury Elite Pro Dual supports independent drive access for two installed drives, providing hardware RAID, and is ideal for RAID 0, 1, Span, and Independent (JBOD) Modes. Pricing ranges from US$399 to $1,099.99.
Apple gains marketshare in global PC sales
Worldwide PC shipments totaled 78.5 million units in the third quarter of 2014 (3Q14), a year-on-year decline of -1.7% and a sizable improvement over the forecast of -4.1%, according to the International Data Corporation (www.idc.com). Apple moved into the number 5 position on a worldwide basis, slightly overtaking ASUS. The company's steady growth, along with recent price cuts and improved demand in mature markets, has helped it to consistently outgrow the market.
Many of the trends from the second quarter remained relevant and contributed to the 3Q14 results, says the research group. Commercial PC purchases played a key role in many markets, with the top three vendors – Lenovo, HP, and Dell – all showing solid year-on-year growth.
Conversely, fierce competition and a spiral toward tablet-like prices helped to further consolidate the market. Shipments of entry systems, including Chromebooks, continued to inject an important source of volume and sustained improved consumer demand in...
Native Instruments introduces Caribbean Current Expansion for...
Native Instruments (http://www.native-instruments) has introduced Caribbean Current, a new Maschine Expansion that pairs the sounds and rhythms of traditional Caribbean music with a modern, club-oriented aesthetic.
Caribbean Current features all-new patterns, custom Massive presets, a dub siren, and exclusive kits created and inspired by artists in the upcoming NI documentary "Sabroso! A Road Trip to Colombia’s Caribbean Coast." Caribbean Current is available now at the NI Online Shop for US$49
It runs in the Maschine 2 software on Maschine Studio, Maschine, or Maschine Mikro. A compact version for iMaschine is also available via the in-app store for $0.99.
Apple announces Oct. 16 media event
Apple has sent out press invitations to a keynote address for Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Town Hall auditorium on its Infinite Loop Campus in Cupertino, California.
The event will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific). The invite's tag line says, "it's been way too long."
comScore reports August smartphone subscriber marketshare for...
comScore (www.comscore.com), which "measures the digital world," has reported trends in the U.S. smartphone industry for August.
Apple ranked as the top smartphone manufacturer with 42% OEM [original equipment manufacturer] market share, while Google Android led as the #1 smartphone platform with 52% platform market share. Facebook ranked as the top individual smartphone app.
comScore says 174 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones (72% mobile market penetration) during the three months ending in August, up 3 percent since May. Apple ranked as the top OEM with 42% of U.S. smartphone subscribers (up 0.1 percentage points from May). Samsung ranked second with 28.9% market share (up 1.1 percentage points), followed by LG with 6.7% (up 0.2 percentage points), Motorola with 5.4%and HTC with 4.5%.
Android ranked as the top smartphone platform in August with 52% market share, followed by Apple with 42% (up 0.1 percentage points from May), Microsoft with 3.5% (up 0.1 percentage points...
Apple remains top consumer brand for teens
Piper Jaffray (www.piperjaffray.com) as completed its 28th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens market research project, which indicates increased spending across categories despite decreased optimism about the economy. Apple remains the top consumer electronics brand for teens.
Sixty-seven percent own iPhones, up 6% from spring 2014. Seventy-three percent of teens expect their next phone to be an iPhone.
"Our fall 2014 survey results indicate teens continue to diversify their tastes through discovery of emerging brands and multi-brand experimentation, even as their views of the economy worsen," says Steph Wissink, co-director of research and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray. "We also observe trends that indicate teens use social media, mainly Instagram, to create their own unique personal brands and seek peer affirmation. Millennials continue to be early adopters of change who use technology to engage with brands ‘on demand’ on their own time."
Key findings from the survey in...
App Tamer revved for Mac OS X Yosemite
St. Clair Software (http://www.stclairsoft.com/) has introduced an upgrade (2.0.4) to App Tamer, its Mac utility that manages applications to deliver more efficient CPU usage and increased battery life. This version delivers full compatibility with Mac OS X Yosemite.
App Tamer comes pre-configured to automatically manage Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Spotlight, Time Machine, Word and many other apps when they're in the background. You can customize it for other apps, as well.
App Tamer will operate on any Mac running Mac OS X 10.7 or higher. You can try App Tamer free for 15 days. A license to continue using it after the trial period is US$14.95. Users of App Tamer 2.x can upgrade to version 2.0.4 for free. Users of earlier versions can upgrade for $7.95.
'DigiTimes' claims a 12-inch MacBook Air has entered...
Taiwan-based Quanta Computer has started production on a 12-inch MacBook Air "in small volumes" and will gradually increase output beginning November, claims "DigiTimes" (www.digitimes.com), quoting sources with Taiwan's supply chain.
"Since initial production of 12-inch MacBook Air has not yet reached a satisfactory yield rate, component makers and Quanta are making efforts to hike yield rates for the time being," the article adds "As initial production is in limited volumes, 12-inch MacBook Air may not be able to hit the store shelves in time for Christmas, the sources indicated."
ChronoSync ready for Mac OS X Yosemite
Econ Technologies (www.econtechnologies) has updated ChronoSync to version 4.5.3, featuring compatibility with the upcoming Mac OS X Yosemite.
ChronoSync can synchronize, backup or create bootable backups to most anything you can connect to your Mac, including folders on your Mac, other Macs, PC's, and external drives.
Existing users can update for free. A demo is available for download. Registration for new users is US$40.
DEVONtechnologies updates its apps for Mac OS X Yosemite
DEVONtechnologies (www.devontechnologies.com) has upgraded all editions of its information and knowledge manager DEVONthink as well as the notebook app DEVONnote for the upcoming OS X Yosemite with new features, interface adjustments, and bug fixes. The updates are free and recommended for all users.
User interface adjustments make the apps look better in Yosemite's new flat design.
Also, DEVONthink 2.8 comes with a new sharing extension. It allows users to clip text and web addresses from other Mac apps with a single click. Extensions are Yosemite's new way for exchanging data between applications.
Other new features include a script for Safari that adds the web addresses of all open tabs as bookmarks to DEVONthink. Sharing information becomes easier with a Share submenu available in contextual menus of PDF and web views. The Clip to DEVONthink web browser extension now also works from Safari's reading list. Users of both DEVONthink and DEVONnote can set images in web views as the...
Goodsol serves up Pretty Good Solitaire for Mac
Goodsol Development (http://www.goodsol.com/) has announced Pretty Good Solitaire 3 for the Mac. It's an updated solitaire game collection with 550 different solitaire games.
It includes the games Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Yukon, Scorpion, Pyramid, Crazy Quilt, Golf, Cruel and more. It has unlimited undo and redo functions, allowing you to go back to the beginning.
Pretty Good Solitaire 3.03 is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Games/Card category for $24.99.
CS Odessa announced infographics solution for ConceptDraw Pro
CS Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com) says it's new Data-driven Infographics Solution for ConceptDraw Pro is available immediately in ConceptDraw Solution Park.
It allows anyone to build infographics from data that conveys a complete story to one’s audience. The new solution provides graphical user elements needed to transform data into a visual message.
The Data-driven Infographics Solution has been added to ConceptDraw Pro 10 at no charge to customers. ConceptDraw Pro is compatible with Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It retails for US$199. ConceptDraw Pro 10 is now included in ConceptDraw Office 2, which retails for $499.
Scorpion Barcode optimized for Mac OS X Yosemite
Scorpion Research (http://www.ScorpionResearch.com) has updated Scorpion BarCode, its barcode creation software for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher), to version 2.5. The upgrade is optimized for the upcoming OS X 10 Yosemite.
Scorpion BarCode lets you create barcode images for use in other applications. A single user license is US$165; multiple user and educational discounts are available. A 30-day demo can be downloaded at the Scorpion Research web site.
128bit Technologies releases Logo Pop Free on the Mac App Store
128bit Technologies (www.macappware.com) has introduced Logo Pop Free, its new vector based logo design app for Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher. It's available at the Mac App Store for free.
The utility allows you to create a professional looking vector based logo, then use it online or in print with support for all popular image formats including transparent PNGs. You can use your logo on websites, business cards, letterhead, merchandise, social media, product packaging, gravatars, profile pictures, or any other branding or marketing piece.
New Apple products for 2015 to consume 25% of DRAM industry...
While the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has created a global consumer frenzy, eager Apple fans are still anticipating the release of the upgraded 2GB storage iPad Air 2, and MacBook Pro, which will be equipped with LPDDR3 DRAM for the first time.
Apple’s consumption of mobile DRAM will grow from the current 16.5% of the industry’s total production volume to 25% in 2015, as the California-based tech giant equips more smartphones, tablets and even notebook products with DRAM, says Avril Wu, assistant vice president of DRAMeXchange, a subsidiary of the Taiwan-based market intelligence firm TrendForce (http://www.trendforce.com).
"Since Apple is already a major player in the mobile DRAM market, PC DRAM manufacturers will switch to mobile DRAM to meet the company’s demands," says Wu. "This has indirectly caused supply shortages in the PC DRAM and server DRAM sectors."
After rejoining the Apple supply chain, Samsung is adjusting 2015 production expansion plans. Aside from...
Easy Duplicate Finder for Mac OS X upgraded to version 4.7
WebMinds (http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com) has revved Easy Duplicate Finder, its duplicate finder for Mac OS X, to version 4.7. Its new scanning mode lets users scan their iTunes libraries for duplicate songs and delete the duplicates in a single click without having to worry about any synchronization issues.
Easy Duplicate Finder's iTunes Scan mode scans your Mac's hard drive for duplicate music tracks while scanning for duplicate iTunes library entries. This technique allows you to delete the duplicates without having to inspect countless folders that contain music.
Another advantage of Easy Duplicate Finder's iTunes Scan is that the program synchronizes iTunes and iPhoto after it deletes duplicate files. The synchronization is automatic.
In addition to the new iTunes Scan duplicate detection mode, Easy Duplicate Finder 4.7 features functionality improvements and includes a new offline Quick Start Guide that is accessible from within the program. A demo is available for download...
Apple’s iMessage is the fourth most popular messaging app
Apple’s iMessage is the fourth most popular messaging app, according to new data from the Parks Associates research group. Facebook Messenger, Skype, and SnapChat are ahead of it.
Among messaging app users, 53% use Facebook Messenger, and 45% use Skype,” says Tejas Mehta, research analyst, Parks Associates. “These two apps are dominant in this high-growth area. At the beginning of 2014, 34% of U.S. smartphone owners used a messaging app on a monthly basis. The difficulty, especially for new entrants, is turning user growth into revenues.”
Parks Associates notes smartphone penetration has exceed 75% of U.S. broadband households, driving growth of OTT [over-the-top] messaging apps as users look to avoid costs of SMS messaging services by their mobile operators. As a result, the rapid growth in messaging app usage comes at the cost of text messaging.
Parks Associates estimates that global OTT messaging volume will grow from 10 trillion messages in 2013 to nearly 67 trillion messages in...
GT Advanced, files for bankruptcy
GT Advanced Technologies (www.gtat.com), Apple's partner in a sapphire production facility in Arizona, has together with certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, GT), commenced voluntary cases under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire.
In a press release, GT says it expects the court will authorize the company to continue to conduct business as usual while it devotes renewed efforts to resolve its current issues and develops a reorganization plan. The company indicated that as of Sept. 29, 2014, it had approximately $85 million of cash.
In addition, it is now seeking debtor-in-possession financing, which, once obtained, would provide the company with an immediate source of additional funds. These funding sources will enable GT to satisfy the customary obligations associated with the daily operation of its business, including the timely payment of employee wages and other obligations.
Apple updates Xprotect malware list
Apple has updated its Xprotect malware list for the Mac that includes the Mac.BackDoor.iWorm malware. First introduced with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Xprotect watches for signatures from known malware threats and works to stop them from invading your computer.
Apple's updated definitions list can identify two iWorm variants. Xprotect definitions are updated automatically.
Adobe takes creativity mobile at MAX 2014
At the Adobe MAX 2014 creativity conference, Adobe announced it's shipping a new release of Creative Cloud that "transforms how creatives work across desktops and devices."
This release includes feature updates to 13 CC desktop tools that link to a new family of integrated mobile apps. Central to this release is an all-new Creative Profile that drives deep connections between CC desktop tools and nine new mobile apps that extend the power of the Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator and Premiere franchises onto mobile devices.
Adobe also launched a public beta of a Creative SDK [software developer kit] that enables the delivery of mobile apps that connect to Creative Cloud. The company also introduced Creative Talent Search, connecting creatives around the world with job opportunities from top brands and companies.
Today’s updates to Creative Cloud are expected to be available to Creative Cloud members by the end of the day as part of their membership at no additional cost. The new and...
NuMac Solutions announces BluDrive Plus for the Mac Pro
NuMac Solutions has announced BluDrive Plus, an optical disc burning and 2TB storage solution for Apple's new Mac Pro. It's compatible with Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later.
It supports reading and writing of Blu-Rays, DVDs, and CDs, as well as 2TB of storage connected via USB 3.0. Built with a aluminum enclosure and non-skid base, the BluDrive Plus is designed to sit directly beneath the new Mac Pro, so it takes up no additional desk space.
With both power and data being transferred via the USB cables, there's no need for a power adapter or extra cables at your workstation. Because of the slot load design, the BluDrive Plus has no tray to get in the way or break off. Just slide your media right in and start burning.
The BluDrive Plus features 2TB of storage connected via USB 3.0. It also features Quad Layer burning support for Blu-Ray discs. This technology allows the burning of discs up to 128GB in capacity when using a quad-layer Blu-Ray Disk. The BluDrive Plus can burn single and double...
Koingo Software updates AirRadar for Mac OS X to version 3
Koingo Software has updated AirRadar, a Wi-Fi scanning and graphing tool for Mac OS X, to version 3.0.
New features are an improved graph, the ability to join enterprise networks, 802.11ac support, network card switching, 100% Apple-native WiFi frameworks, enhanced smart collections, "official" Keychain integration, streamlining of the interface and more.
Upgrades are free for buyers ordering AirRadar 2.x within the past 6six months. All previous customers wishing to use 3.x must use the upgrades form on the Koingo website (www.koingosw.com). This form will either automatically issue a free upgrade, or redirect to a shopping cart with the paid upgrade pricing. Paid upgrades are US$7 for customers outside of the free upgrades policy. For new users the cost is $9.95. A demo is available for download.
iPhone pre-orders surpass four million in China
Pre-orders for new iPhones have surpassed four million in China since September 30, including more than two million pre-orders through JD.com, reports Tencent Tech — as noted by BrightWire (www.brightwire.com), a global investment newswire.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus surpassed two million in China on the first day of sales, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom took pre-orders for a combined one million units, while retailers took the rest, reports Tencent Tech, the technology news section of Tencent, a major Chinese web portal.
RoGame Software releases Space 2048 for Mac OS X
RoGame Software (www.rogame.com) has released Space 2048 for Mac OS X (10.6.6 and higher). It costs US$3.99 and is available at the Mac App Store.
Here's how the game is described: "Space 2048 recreates the 2048 game in outer space with amazing visuals, animations and the universe as background. It has great sound effects, includes a soundtrack and has you move entire planets to get to your score in style, surrounded by asteroids, suns and galaxies. Space 2048 is the full game - no add ons needed and it makes for great entertainment for the entire family."
Apple to hold next big media event on Oct. 16?
A new rumor says the next Apple media event will be held on Oct. 16
Sources tell Code/red (http://tinyurl.com/kbp4k9y) that Apple will hold its next special event on Thursday, Oct. 16 — not Oct. 21 as previously rumored. Also certain to be unveiled at the event is Mac OS X Yosemite and new iPad Airs and minis.
Other possibilities are a new Mac mini, a revamped Apple TV, a Retina display iMac, a 12-inch iPad Pro, and a 12-inch Retina display MacBook Air. Code/red says the event will be held at Apple’s Town Hall Auditorium in Cupertino, CA.
17,000 Macs reportedly infected by botnet
Researchers at Russian anti-virus company Dr Web think they've uncovered a new botnet, which has recruited thousands of Macs, according to Graham Cluley (http://tinyurl.com/okynns3).
A botnet is a collection of Internet-connected programs communicating with other programs to perform tasks. This can be as harmless as keeping control of an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel, or it could be used to send spam email or participate in distributed denial-of-service attacks.
According to the Dr Web report (http://bit.ly/1rTbNzf), the sophisticated malware – which they have dubbed Mac.BackDoor.iWorm – has infected more than 17,000 computers running OS X. Unfortunately, what isn’t documented is how the malware spreads. Check out the Dr Web and Graham Cluley websites for more info.
Crackdown on corporate tax avoidance in Australia could target...
Companies such as Apple and Google could soon have their accounts put under the microscope in Australia as part of a crackdown on corporate tax avoidance, according to CNET (http://tinyurl.com/pe65u9y).
The upper house of the Australian parliament voted to refer the matter to the Parliament's Economics References Committee for inquiry, in order to address "tax avoidance and aggressive minimisation by corporations registered in Australia and multinational corporations operating in Australia." The Committee is due to report back in June 2015.
The issue was raised by Senator Christine Milne following revelations in a report that, of Australia's largest 200 companies, 14 percent have an effective tax rate of 0%. In addition, the report found that a further 29% of these companies have an effective tax rate of 10%, significantly less than the Australian company tax rate of 30%.
Bill Gates praises Apple Pay
In an interview (http://tinyurl.com/ox9s3qx) with Erik Schatzker of Bloomberg, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates praised Apple Pay, calling it a "real contribution"
As noted by TUAW (http://tinyurl.com/plj98pf), he said: "Well, Apple Pay's a great example of how a cell phone that identifies its user in a pretty strong way lets you make a transaction that should be very, very inexpensive. So the fact that in any application I can buy something, that's fantastic. The fact I don't need a physical card anymore, I just do that transaction and you're going to be quite sure about who it is on the other end, that is a real contribution.
Gates added that it's only a matter of time before similar functionality becomes available across all mobile platforms.
"And all the platforms, whether it's Apple's or Google's or Microsoft, you'll see this payment capability get built in," he said. "That's built on industry standard protocols, NFC. And these companies have all participated in getting those...
CEO Tim Cook sends Apple employees memo just before third...
Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent a memo to Apple employees ahead of the third anniversary of Steve Jobs' death, reports iClarified (http://tinyurl.com/mjrl6de). The memo reads:
"Team,
"Sunday will mark the third anniversary of Steve’s passing. I’m sure that many of you will be thinking of him on that day, as I know I will.
"I hope you'll take a moment to appreciate the many ways Steve made our world better. Children learn in new ways thanks to the products he dreamed up. The most creative people on earth use them to compose symphonies and pop songs, and write everything from novels to poetry to text messages. Steve’s life’s work produced the canvas on which artists now create masterpieces.
"Steve’s vision extended far beyond the years he was alive, and the values on which he built Apple will always be with us. Many of the ideas and projects we’re working on today got started after he died, but his influence on them — and on all of us — is unmistakeable.
"Enjoy your weekend, and thanks...
Default Folder is ready for OS X Yosemite
St. Clair Software (http://tinyurl.com/l5wtxoj) has delivered Default Folder X 4.6.9, an update to their utility for Mac OS X. The new version adds compatibility with Mac OS 10.10 Yosemite and the capability to decompress zip archives.
Default Folder X enhances the file dialogs in all Mac OS X applications. Its custom keyboard shortcuts put your favorite and recent folders at your fingertips. It provides fast navigation to your files, convenient previews, integrated Spotlight tagging, and more.
Default Folder X 4.6.9 is a free update for existing version 4 users. It costs US$34.95 for new users.
Maintain serves up Cocktail 7.6.1 (Mavericks Edition)
Maintain has served up Cocktail 7.6.1 (Mavericks Edition), the latest maintenance update for users running OS X Mavericks.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Macs. Cocktail's features are arranged into five categories that helps you manage various aspects of your computer. Version 7.6.1 addresses compatibility issues with OS X Mavericks 10.9.5. The software is now also signed with v2 signature to conform with the latest version of Apple's Gatekeeper.
Cocktail 7.6.1 (Mavericks Edition) requires OS X Mavericks 10.9 to run. Cocktail (Mountain Lion Edition) for OS X 10.8, Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7 and Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.6 are available for download from Maintain website (http://www.maintain.se). Cocktail costs US $19 for a single user license.
MaBaSoft releases Currency Assistant 3.2 for Mac OS X
MaBaSoft (www.mabasoft.net) has revved Currency Assistant, a Mac OS X tool that lets you convert between 174 world currencies (all major circulating
currencies plus the 18 Eurozone legacy currencies), to version 3.2. It's ready for the upcoming OS X Yosemite.
Currency Assistant 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 the software, you can create multiple converters and manage currencies, import and convert series of amounts, calculate and convert the result of expressions, and log, save, export, and print your conversions.
Currency Assistant requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. It's currently being offered for US$8.95 for a single-user license. That's 50% off the usual price.
Apple has sold more than one million iPhones in India since the...
According to a new report from the Hong-Kong based research group, Counterpoint Research, Apple has sold over one million iPhones in India since the start of the current financial year. This is considered “a significant milestone for a company that wasn’t considered to be a serious contender in the South Asian market until relatively recently,” according to Cult of Mac (http://tinyurl.com/peukylb).
The sales data hasn’t been released, but research agencies put the figure at 1.02 million between October 2013 and August 2014, with a total of 1.1 million units projected by the time the fiscal year ends on September 30.
“The strong Apple brand and backward software compatibility has allowed Apple to sell even three to four year old models such as iPhone and 4S in a healthy and profitable Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 range whereas affluent urban consumers are flocking to buy more expensive and newer iPhone 5C and 5S,”Neil Shah, research director for devices and ecosystems at Counterpoint...
Wide Angle Software releases Duplicate Remover software for Mac...
Wide Angle Software (http://www.wideanglesoftware.com/) says its Windows duplicate file remover application, Duplicate Sweeper, is now also available on Mac OS X (10.8 or higher). It's designed to make finding, selecting and removing duplicate files on your Mac quick and easy.
Duplicate Sweeper enables you to search for duplicates of all file types, such as your photos, videos, music or documents and you can select which folders to search for duplicate files in. For even more control, search preferences can be added so that only files matching your given criteria are searched. Duplicate Sweeper can ignore files that are larger than and/or smaller than given sizes. It can also ignore files with the given file extensions so that any important file types can be left out of the search.
Once Duplicate Sweeper has found all of the duplicates in the given folders, it allows you to select which files from the duplicates you wish to remove. Duplicate Sweeper has a built in document viewer so...
Altium releases TASKING ARM Cortex-M embedded development tools
Altium (www.altium.com) — which specializes in smart system design automation, 3D PCB design and embedded software development — has released its TASKING VX-toolset for ARM Cortex-M for Mac OS X.
Traditionally embedded software development tools have been available exclusively for the Windows operating system and Altium has a long history in providing its TASKING cross compilers and debuggers for running on Windows, including its TASKING VX-toolset for ARM Cortex-M. With ARM Cortex-M based microcontrollers becoming popular in broad market consumer applications, especially with wearable electronics and electronic systems that can be controlled from the iPhone, it is apparent that embedded software engineers want to use the Mac as their development platform, according to Harm-Andre Verhoef, product manager TASKING.
To serve this development community, Altium has developed a native OS X port of release v5.1r1 of its TASKING VX-toolset for ARM Cortex-M, bringing its C compiler suite with...