HEX expands iPad offerings with Code Folio
HEX has debuted its initial offering for the new iPad: the Code Folio. The folio, which is also compatible with the iPad 2, offers consumers a case that brings glamour to the gadget and substance to style, and reflects the brand’s roots of merging design with tech functionality, says Dan Maravilla, vice president of HEX.
The Code Folio was designed to enhance the iPad’s capabilities as a standalone device. It sports a custom molded soft-touch bed.
While the folio improves protection from accidental bumps and drops, the case is functional, offering two document pockets, card slots and a pen holder. The built-in hinge feature and molded stops allow for multiple viewing angles of the screen.
The Code Folio is made of genuine leather and comes in three classic colors: black, British Tan and red. It's available for pre-order on ShopHEX.com for US$79.95 with expected delivery beginning April 2.
Kensington introduces four new keyboard cases for tablets
Kensington Computer Products Group has announced three new products for the new iPad. They include the:
° Kensington KeyFolio Expert Multi Angle Folio and Keyboard (US$109.99) for the New iPad with one-touch Bluetooth pairing. The multi angle folio (pictured) adjusts from a low-angle for working comfortably while on your lap. The secured frame holds your new iPad in place when in use or in transit. The durable and light folio with integrated magnets adjusts to multiple angles and snaps closed with microfiber interior to protect your tablet from wear and scratches.
° Kensington KeyFolio Expert Multi Angle Folio & Keyboard for New iPad, iPad 2 and iPad ($109.99): The multi-angle folio adjusts from a low angle to enable working comfortably while on your lap. The multi-suction grip pad allows flexibility with forward and backward compatibility and supports landscape or portrait viewing. The durable and light folio with integrated magnets smartly adjusts to multiple angles and snaps...
Griffin announces case line-up for new iPad
Griffin Technology has announced the compatibility of several of its cases with the new iPad. The collection includes:
° Survivor Military-Duty Case (US$79.99): The Survivor (pictured) is Griffin’s most protective case, designed to meet or exceed US Department of Defense Standard 810F. It's built on a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame and clad in shock-absorbing silicone. The case is available in pink and black.
° Intellicase ($59.99). The Intellicase features protective polycarbonate for added durability in back, with flexible TPU to protect the tablet’s Multi-Touch display. The case folds into a two-position upright or inclined workstand. Integrated magnets hidden in the cover automatically wake the iPad when the flap is opened and put it to sleep when closed. IntelliCase for iPad is available in peacock, black, midnight, and dark red.
° Elan Folio ($49.99). The slim, one-piece folio flips open for access to the Multi-Touch display and closes like a book for privacy and...
Kanda releases Memory Lane for the Mac
Kanda Software has released Memory Lane for Mac OS X 10.7and higher. It's a free download at the Mac App Store.
Memory Lane is a stand-alone companion application that pulls notes content from Evernote and third party notebooks and presents it as a continuous walk down the Memory Lane on the users’ screens. Evernote is designed to help its users remember anything and everything that happens in their lives.
Memory Lane works with Evernote to present all varieties of notes and reminders.
It reads user-selected notebooks and presents its contents as a scrolling slideshow as wallpaper, screen saver, or in a resizeable window in an interactive mode.
Memory Lane pulls text notes, photos, web pages, to-dos and shopping lists, and PDFs, and represents them insnippets back to the user. The software is automatically updated whenever the user’s Evernote account is updated so the contents are always up-to-date.
GroupLogic debuts enterprise file sharing solution
GroupLogic has introduced activEcho, an enterprise file sharing and file syncing solution designed for the security, control and deployment options required by enterprise IT.
ActivEcho is the industry's only Enterprise File Sharing solution that balances the need for simplicity for the end user, and the security, management and flexibility required by the enterprise, according to GroupLogic CEO Chris Broderick. Both individuals and teams can share and sync files securely with one another and access those assets on multiple devices, including desktops, tablets and smartphones.
Features of activEcho include:
° Integration with Active Directory for ensured security and user permissions;
° Support of multiple deployment options including on-premise;
° Configuration of user blacklists and whitelists to ensure file and sharing access follows enterprise security and compliance requirements;
° Install and rapid deployment on multiple platforms;
° An end-user experience that purportedly...
StrandVision digital signage software gets OS X support
StrandVision Digital Signage has announced support for the OS X operating system that enables Mac computers to be used as StrandVision Digital Signage players. This new application for the Mac is being added to StrandVision’s support of Microsoft Windows and Linux digital signage players.
"This new electronic sign platform for Apple gives our StrandVision Digital Signage software subscribers another option to work with our digital signage network," says Mike Strand StrandVision founder and CEO. "Our cloud-based, SaaS service offers tremendous flexibility as well as a variety of digital signage display options. Now, virtually anyone with an Internet connection can take advantage of StrandVision’s free digital signage software or one of our more robust subscription plans."
StrandVision offers Internet-based digital signage services that include text, graphics, video and audio, including background music and advertisements. Its flexible setup allows deployment of a single digital sign or...
Apple shares hit all-time high
Shares of Apple hit a new all-time high Tuesday -- approximately US$560. The stock is up 5% since the company debuted the iPad last week.
Apple's stock price has outpaced the increase in profit projections from the start of the year. According to data from Thomson Reuters, analysts were expecting Apple to earn $34.67 a share for the fiscal year ending in September. The consensus forecast is now $42.86.
That's an increase of "only" 23.6%, notes "CNN Money." For more info go to http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/13/technology/thebuzz/index.htm?section=mon... .
FTC subpoenas Apple in Google investigation
According to a "Bloomberg" report (http://macte.ch/XWNV0), the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has subpoenaed Apple as part of its antitrust probe of Google, seeking info on how the computer maker uses the search engine on the iPhone and iPad.
The agency’s request for documents includes the agreements that made Google the preferred search engine on Apple’s mobile devices, according to the article quoting unnamed "people familiar with the matter." Google rivals such as Microsoft have criticized these agreements as anticompetitive.
Google has been the default search engine for the iPhone since Apple introduced the smartphone in 2007 and on the iPad since its 2010 roll-out. The FTC is examining whether Google unfairly increases advertising rates for competitors and ranks search results to favor its own businesses, such as its social-networking site Google+.
LTE poised to gain 4G smartphone share this year
According to The NPD Group (http://www.npd.com, a leading market research company, the fourth-generation (4G) smartphone market grew from 6% in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2010 to 35% in Q4 2011.
The most popular 4G network technology in smartphones was HSPA+, at 22% of smartphone sales. The only 4G network technology offered by AT&T until 2011 and still the only 4G technology offered by T-Mobile, HSPA+ received a tremendous boost in Q4, because it was the only 4G technology supported by the popular iPhone 4S, says The NPD Group.
One year after Verizon’s launch of the first commercially deployed LTE network, LTE-enabled handsets accounted for 7% of the smartphone market; however, consumers are exhibiting a strong association between LTE and 4G. More than a quarter (26%) of consumers who purchased LTE phones were specifically seeking 4G technology in 2011, compared to just 9% of all smartphone buyers.
"HSPA+, which has combined high throughput with practical power efficiency, has...
Forecast increased for media tablet shipments (especially the...
Worldwide media tablet shipments into sales channels rose by 56.1% on a sequential basis in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011 (4Q11) to 28.2 million units worldwide, according to the IDC research group (http://www.idc.com).
That represents an increase of 155% from the fourth quarter of 2010. The market experienced stronger-than-expected growth across many regions and at many price points, leading to a full-year 2011 total of 68.7 million units. Based upon the markets' strong 2011 finish, and the clear demand expected in 2012, IDC has increased its 2012 forecast to 106.1 million units, up from its previous forecast of 87.7 million units.
Despite an impressive debut by Amazon, which shipped 4.7 million Kindle Fires into the market, Apple continued to see strong growth in the quarter, shipping 15.4 million units in 4Q11, up from 11.1 million units in 3Q11. That represents a 54.7% worldwide market share (down from 61.5% in 3Q11). Amazon's shipment total put the company in second place...
Apple: Proview's iPad claims is misleading and unfair
On Tuesday Apple said that Proview Electronics' insistence that it still owns the mainland China iPad trademarks is misleading and unfair, according to the "Associated Press" (http://macte.ch/AzqiA).
Proview Electronics insisted on the terms of the 2009 purchase of the iPad brand name with the understanding that the mainland Chinese-registered trademarks were included in the worldwide rights to use the name, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said in reading the statement.
"Proview is misleading Chinese courts and customers with claims that the iPad trademarks cannot be transferred, or that mistakes were made in handling the transaction," the statement said. "We respect Chinese laws and regulations, and as a company that generates a lot of intellectual property we would never knowingly abuse someone else's trademarks," it said.
Apple has threatened to take legal action against the Chinese tech firm known as Provide Technology for inflaming an ongoing dispute over the iPad trademark. For...
Tablets to become fourth-largest semiconductor market by 2014
Led by the iPad, tablet computers will become the fourth largest semiconductor market by 2014, according to new data by the iHS iSuppli research group (http://www.isuppli.com). That's up from the 35th position in 2010.
Sales of semiconductors for use in media tablets are expected to skyrocket to US$18.2 billion in 2014, up from $2.6 billion in 2010, the year that Apple kicked off the market with the introduction of the iPad. In 2014, sales of semiconductors for tablets are expected to be exceeded only by mobile handsets, mobile computers and desktop computers. In contrast, media tablet semiconductor sales in 2010 ranked lower than the relatively small-scale applications of workstations, USB flash drives, mobile wireless broadband wireless access devices and flat-panel monitors.
"The speed of the media tablet’s rise from near insignificance to top-tier prominence is unprecedented in the history of the global semiconductor industry," says Dale Ford, head of electronics &...
Tim Cook sells 37,500 RSUs awarded to him by Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook took possession of 37,500 shares and converted them to cash (approximately US$11 million) using the rest of the shares to pay off the tax and other expenses of the transactions, according to a filing (http://macte.ch/YZMeI) with the Securities and Exchange Commission -- as reported by "The Register" (http://macte.ch/53tqz).
He sold the 37,500 shares on Monday as part of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that lets major shareholders of companies set up scheduled trades to avoid accusations of insider trading. Cook was awarded the shares in 2010 for his performance as interim CEO when Steve Jobs was on medical leavel.
As well as those RSUs [restricted stock units], Cook held 13,754 shares in Apple as of December 17, 2011 and a further 362,500 unvested RSUs, according to another filing (http://macte.ch/cRb5p).
'iTV' to start production in May?
Jeffries analyst Peter Misek says in a note to investors -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- that overseas suppliers have begun to ship parts for the rumored Apple HDTV (the "iTV") set as the company gears up to begin production as soon as May.
The analyst forecasts commercial production of the television set to begin in May or June, with between two million and million units built initially. He expects the iTV set to launch in the fourth quarter of calendar 2012.
iPad demand shakes up corporate market
A recent ChangeWave Research (http://www.changewave.com) survey of 1,604 business IT buyers shows the new iPad is already having a powerful impact on the corporate tablet market.
Better than one-in-five companies (22%) say they’ll be purchasing tablets for their employees during the second quarter of 2012. The percentage reporting they’ll buy Apple iPads has jumped to the highest level of corporate iPad demand ever seen in a ChangeWave survey.
The impending release of the new iPad is also having an impact on business purchases of tablets made by other manufacturers, according to the research group. The ChangeWave survey shows an across-the-board decline in next quarter buying of tablets from other manufacturers.
Among the competitors, Samsung (8%) is down two points and continues to remain a distant second in planned tablet buying. Oher tablet manufacturers showing a decline in corporate tablet share since the previous survey include H-P (4%; down one point), Asus (3%; down one...
Verizon, AT&T to offer new iPad on March 16
Verizon Wireless and AT&T say they'll offer the new iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G nationwide on Friday, March 16.
Verizon Wireless will offer all models of the iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G with a range of data plans. For complete details on pricing and availability please visit www.verizonwireless.com/ipad.
AT&T will offer all models of iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G with a range of data plans that will allow customers to connect to the AT&T 4G LTE network. For details on pricing and availability go to http://www.att.com/ipad .
The Darkness II coming to the Mac
TransGaming has partnered with 2K Games (http://www.2k.com/) to bring The Darkness II, to the Mac. This represents the first title in The Darkness franchise to be made available to the Mac gaming community.
Here's how the game is described: "The Darkness II continues the story of Jackie Estacado, head of a New York crime family and wielder of an ancient and brutal force of chaos and destruction known as the Darkness. Introducing unique Quad-Wielding combat and four-person cooperative gameplay distinct from the first-person campaign, The Darkness II breaks the mold of traditional first-person shooter titles."
The Darkness II will be available soon on TransGaming’s digital distribution site for Mac games, GameTreeMac.com and many of 2K Games’ distribution channels including Steam.
Looky offers live view of your Mac's camera on the desktop
Binary Formations has released Looky 1.0 for Mac OS X (10.7 and higher). It's available for US$0.99 in the Mac App Store.
Looky is an utility that displays a live view of your Mac's camera on the desktop. The window is customizable, and the software offers three modes: Float, Stealth and Ego. Looky can be used for things like seeing what's behind you without turning around, as an instant mirror for a quick crumb or makeup check.
Trilobyte Games releases 7th Guest on the Mac App Store
Trilobyte Games has announced The 7th Guest 7.0 for Mac OS X (10.6 and higher). It's available in the Mac App Store for US$9.99
Here's how the game is described: "In the world of The 7th Guest, you are an active and mysterious entity known only as 'Ego.'The house of The 7th Guest is filled with 19 devilishly clever puzzles that will test your wits and scare you out of them as well. To complete the game you must solve every puzzle in the house. Only then will the secrets of the madman Henry Stauf be revealed to you."
The 7th Guest features 20 puzzles full motion video scenes and more. Additional content includes the "Making of The 7th Guest" video.
New Kawasaki book looks at Google+
The original Apple evangelist and entrepreneur, Guy Kawasaki, has a new book: "What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of US" (http://www.guykawasaki.com/what-the-plus/). The US$2.99 ebook is available on iTunes and for the Kindle.
"1987 was the last time I wrote a book about a product ("The Macintosh Way"). After using Google+ for a few months, I felt the need to write another product-oriented book. This book explains 'what the plus' makes Google+ as special as Macintosh," says Kawasaki. "My goals are to help you to derive as much joy and value from Google+ as I do. My topics include: How to circle people, how to perfect your profile, how to craft effective posts, how to comment, how to respond to comments, and how to share photographs."
Google+ is the service from Google designed to make connecting on the web more like connecting in the real world. It's based on sharing with "circles" of friends, business acquaintances, etc. that you establish.
Apple reportedly performed safety inspection shortly before...
Workers injured in an explosion in Shanghai last year at a supplier factory producing iPads claim Apple had inspected the plant's safety just hours before the blast occurred, according to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). Twenty-five people were injured.
The article adds that Zhang Qing, a worker at the factory, said on the day of the incident, the plant's managers had told employees to clean up dust because Apple's inspectors were coming through. According to Liu Hengchao, another worker who was injured in the explosion, the inspectors wore white gloves to check for dust.
Nova media unveils USB-powered 3G WiFi router in USB stick
Nova media (http://www.novamedia.de/index_e.html) has unveiled the XYFI, a 3G wireless router built by the Belgium company Option. The router -- available now for approximately US$235 -- offers Wi-Fi access for up to eight users simultaneously and supports a 3G Internet connection with up to 14.4 Mbit/s download speeds.
XYFI is powered by any given USB port with at least 5V/1 amp output power, e.g. by a smartphone power adapter or by an USB port in a car. A dedicated software or driver installation isn't required to configure or use the XYFI.
"The XYFI is configured through any web browser," says Jan Fuellemann, nova media spokesperson. "For smartphones and tablets, a customized web interface is provided. In addition, the XYFI can be used as a standard 3G modem or WiFi modem for OS X and Windows computers."
The built in 3G modem allows connections with up to 14.4 Mbit/s download and up to 5.76 Mbit/s upload speeds. The router isn't SIM locked and can be used in all 3G networks with...
Apple readies its web site for the new iPad's Retina...
Apple is revving parts of its website with high-resolution images designed for the new iPad's Retina display. The images can currently be found on the Apple.com homepage, as well as the iPad section of the site.
Though it was previously believed that users needed to enable HiDPI resolutions with developer tools on their Mac to view these images; however, there's a workaround. You can read more at http://macte.ch/xYTGj .
Mac OS X software updates for March 13
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps.
Houdah Software has released Type2Phone 1.4. The software -- available at the Mac App Store -- turns your Mac into a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Type2Phone 1.4 brings AppleScript support.
Fortunate Bear has announced Illuminate 1.1, an update to their window switcher for Mac OS X. Available at the Mac App Store, the 1.1 update adds support for Safari tabs, sports user interface improvements, integrated help, and stability improvements.
Apple works to streamline legal battle against Samsung
To speed things up in the legal battle against Samsung, Apple has removed a number of claims relating to two owned patents and dropped one patent entirely, according to "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/8WtNE).
Apple has dropped U.S. Patent No. 7,863,533 on a "cantilevered push button having multiple contacts and fulcrums." This is the only patent on which Samsung won the claim construction battle, notes "FOSS Patents."
The article says Apple has also dropped claims 1-3, 11, 12, 15, 16, and 21-27 of U.S. Patent No. 7,789,697 on "plug detection mechanisms,", and claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 7,479,949, commonly referred to as the "touchscreen heuristics patent" (co-invented by Steve Jobs). Claim 3 of the touchscreen heuristics patent relates to the determination of which user interface object is selected when two user interface objects have overlapping hit regions.
The two companies have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. A German court on Friday...
Apple, Motorola have discussed lawsuit/s settlement?
Apple held talks with Motorola Mobility at the end 2011 on a potential cross-licensing settlement to end a dispute over smartphone patents, according to a European Union document -- as reported by "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/pSRDQ).
The two companies had discussions in late 2011 to license each others’ patents “possibly to the benefit of all Android” smartphone manufacturers, according to the document (http://macte.ch/lboft) on the EU’s website, referring to Google's operating system for smartphones and tablets. The companies “also discussed the scope of any potential settlement” after Google completes its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
This is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (mostly but not exclusively...
Intel planning optical cables for Thunderbolt
Intel says that optical cables for Thunderbolt ports that enable faster data transfers over longer distances on computers will be available later this year. The Mac is the main computer platform currently supporting the technology, which was co-developed by Intel and Apple.
What's more, Intel is working to boost data transfer speeds with a faster pipe on Thunderbolt, according to "PCWorld" (http://macte.ch/AUaDd). Currently running at 10Gbps, Thunderbolt technology can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds, according to Mooly Eden, general manager, PC Client Group, Intel, which co-developed the technology with Apple. The vision for Thunderbolt technology (formerly codenamed “Light Peak”) is to move media faster, simplify connections between devices, and foster new and exciting ways to build and use computers, says Eden.
Intel plans to support the PCI-Express 3.0 protocol to shuttle data faster between host devices and peripherals, an Intel spokesman told "PC World...
Apple stock crosses $550 mark
Apple crossed the US$550 mark Monday morning, reaching a new all-time high of $551.86. The stock has gained approximately 58% for the last 12 months.
Even after the gains, Apple trades at a Forward PE of 11.54. This means that the stock is still inexpensive compared to Google and the Nasdaq100, according to "Forbes" (http://macte.ch/HNeBL).
Apple releases Safari 5.1.2
Apple has released Safari 5.1.2, an update of its web browser. You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app.
According to Apple, Safari 5.1.2 contains various improvements, including fixes that: improve stability; address issues that could cause hangs and excessive memory usage; address issues that could cause webpages to flash white; and allow PDFs to be displayed within web content. It's a 47.1MB download and requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or higher.
EU regulators open to settlement with Apple, ebook publishers
EU regulators are open to a settlement with e-book publishers owned by Lagardere, News Corp. and three other firms if they offer concessions to resolve competition concerns, according to European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia.
The European Commission has been investigating whether the publishers fixed prices with Apple for electronic books. This might have blocked rivals such as Amazon and hurt consumers, according to the "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/9hJTS) news service.
Under the Commission's settlement procedures, companies could offer concessions to avert a fine of up to 10% of their global sales. Regulators would then drop their investigation without the companies admitting to any wrongdoing, per "Reuters."
Some, but not all, studios onboard moves in iCloud
Apple is offering the option of viewing movies on a range of its devices as part of its online iCloud service, under agreements with Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Co., Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. However, the company has yet to reach similar accords with two other big studios -- Universal and Fox, notes "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/KuA6o).
Record labels and television studios agreed to participate in iCloud when Apple launched it in 2011; however, movie studios, weren't involved at the time. Apple had wanted to get all the major studios on board before launching its movie service but decided to proceed with the deals it had, according to the "WSJ," quoting an unnamed "person familiar with the matter."
One major roadblock for Apple has been Time Warner's pay-TV channel HBO. Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures and News Corp .'s Twentieth Century Fox license their movies to the channel, in...
Apple: Samsung didn't comply with court order
Apple has accused Samsung of failing to comply with a court order handed down last year, after Samsung was forced to hand over the source code to Apple relating to its patent infringing devices, like the Galaxy Tab 10.1, reports "ZDNet" (http://macte.ch/F4RF1).
Samsung "only partially complied with" a previous court order, Apple said in a filing in a San Jose, California federal court, after only one of the devices’ source code was handed over to the technology super-giant for inspection, the article adds. The deadline for handing over the code was December 31, but with a trial date set for August 25, it doesn’t give Apple enough time, the filing said.
This is yet another round in the global, ongoing brouhaha between Apple and Samsung involving patent disputes. The two companies have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. A German court on Friday dismissed two cases brought by Apple and Samsung against each other as part of an ongoing legal battle.
Personal cloud replacing personal computer as digital life center
The reign of the personal computer as the sole corporate access device is coming to a close, and by 2014, the personal cloud will replace the personal computer at the center of users' digital lives, according to the Gartner research group (http://www.gartner.com).
Gartner analysts said the personal cloud will begin a new era that will provide users with a new level of flexibility with the devices they use for daily activities, while leveraging the strengths of each device, ultimately enabling new levels of user satisfaction and productivity. However, it will require enterprises to fundamentally rethink how they deliver applications and services to users, says the research group.
"Major trends in client computing have shifted the market away from a focus on personal computers to a broader device perspective that includes smartphones, tablets and other consumer devices," says Steve Kleynhans, research vice president at Gartner. "Emerging cloud services will become the glue that connects...
Accellion unveils kitedrive, 'Dropbox for the enterprise...
Accellion (http://www.accellion.com/) has announced what it says is secure mobile file sharing solutions for enterprises, businesses and individuals that include kitedriveT file synchronization capabilities to enable business users to be connected to their files anytime, anywhere.
It's designed to address security concerns related to BYOD, and the use of free consumer file sharing applications within enterprise organizations, according to Yorgen Edholm, CEO of Accellion. Kitedrive sync offers a new file sharing capability from Accellion that enables business users to synchronize files across devices, including the iPad, iPhone, Android gadgets and BlackBerries. This provides secure anytime, anywhere access to information, while providing IT and Security teams management over mobile access to content, says Edholm.
Accellion mobile file sharing for a single user with 2GB cloud storage is free. For business and enterprise pricing, contact Accellion.
MDB Explorer available at the Mac App Store
GrandSoft has released MDB Explorer on the Mac App Store for US$4.99. It's a Mac OS X (10.6 and higher) tool designed to provide a quick way to view MDB files without a Microsoft Access license on your Mac.
With MDB Explorer, Mac you can open tables from multiple MS Access databases and see table structure described in term of column, index and relation. Data can also be exported into the formats including CSV, TXT, XML and XLS.
In addition, user will be able to generate SQL file that is compatible with database systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQLite and SQL Server. A 10-day demo version is available at http://www.mdbexplorer.com/download.html, so you can try it before you buy it.
Driver rolls onto the Macgamestore
Ubisoft's Driver San Francisco is now available at the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com). It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later and costs US$34.95.
Here's how the game is described: "Driver San Francisco is the return of the established action driving video game series that has sold 14 million copies worldwide. Play as John Tanner, a hardened detective involved in a relentless manhunt throughout the City by the Bay.
"With crime lord Charles Jericho now on the loose, San Francisco faces a terrible threat. Only one man can stand against him. He has driven the streets of a hundred cities and spent his whole life putting criminals behind bars. But to take Jericho down, there can be no turning back, and he knows that this may very well be his last ride. His name is John Tanner. He is the DRIVER."
More renderings released of Apple's 'spaceship'...
The City of Cupertino, California, has released updated plans and renderings for Apple's Cupertino campus project providing additional views of the proposed facility. You can read more at http://macte.ch/R9twn .
Apple submitted a proposal Apple to the City of Cupertino in December 2011 for its planned "spaceship" campus. Six thousand species of trees will adorn the entire campus, as implemented by the senior arborist from Stanford hired for the project.
Located on a former HP property, Apple wants to build a spaceship-looking headquarters that will hold 12,000 employees. According to "TechCrunch" (http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/07/steve-jobs-cupertino/) key facts about the new Apple campus are:
° The design will include a courtyard in the middle and curved glass all the way around.
° Apple will transform an area that’s 20% landscaping to 80% landscaping by putting most of the building’s parking underground.
° There are 3,700 trees in the area at the moment, Jobs has hired an arborist...
Customer response to new iPads 'off the charts'
"Customer response to the new iPad has been off the charts and the quantity available for pre-order has been purchased," Apple tells "USA Today" (http://macte.ch/YernT) in a statement. "Customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date."
Apple's website shows March 19 as the earliest ship date for online orders of its popular tablet computer. There's a limit of two per customer on the number of tablets that can preordered.
Consumers hoping to get their hands on an iPad on March 16 launch will have to visit one of Apple's retail stores or select Apple resellers. While the Apple site still says models will be available in stores come Friday, there are unconfirmed reports that shipments worldwide could be delayed from three days to three weeks, notes "USA Today."
Apple sells out of iPads for March 16 launch date
Apple has sold out of its launch day iPad allotment in its U.S. online store, with all 18 models now offering shipping estimates of March 19 for new orders, reports "MacRumors" (http://www.macrumors.com).
The original arrival date was Friday, March 16. Orders already placed are still expected to arrive at that time. Accounting for shipment time, customers placing orders now shouldn't expect them to arrive until the middle of the week following the device's launch next Friday, notes "MacRumors."
Apple brings in 73 Korean-American contract attorneys
Apple has brought in 73 Korean-American contract attorneys and 20 reviewers to sift through "tons of Samsung documents," reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/eeVuq).
"Through two of the law firms it's already working with, Apple now has access to 73 additional, apparently Korean-American, lawyers as well as 20 document reviewers of the same ethnicity," the article adds. "And in one of the federal lawsuits, Apple was given a chance to take second depositions of up to ten Samsung witnesses since it previously didn't have a fair chance to sift through late-produced documents in time for the original depositions."
This week Samsung filed another lawsuit against Apple, this time in South Korea. The company alleges that the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 are violating three patents, according to "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/W4d9V). Samsung says the new suit -- filed on Tuesday to a Seoul court -- covers three utility patents and involves methods of displaying data, the user interface, and short text...
iWork.com to be phased out in July
Apple says the iWork.com public beta will be discontinued on July 31. After this you can no longer publish new documents to iWork.com from any iWork application on your Mac or iOS device.
Documents already shared on iWork.com will not be available to you or to those you shared documents with. Moving forward, Apple says you should use iCloud to share documents between your Mac and your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Apple to create 3,600 new jobs in Austin, Texas
Gov. Rick Perry today announced that Apple will expand its presence in Texas with an US$304 million investment in a new campus in Austin that will create more than 3,600 new jobs.
The new campus will more than double the size of Apple's workforce in Texas over the next decade, supporting the company's growing operations in the Americas with expanded customer support, sales and accounting functions for the region. In exchange for Apple's commitment to create these new jobs in Texas, the state has offered Apple an investment of $21 million over ten years through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF).
"Apple is known for its bold innovation and game-changing designs, and the expansion of their Austin facility adds to the growing list of visionary high-tech companies that have found that Texas' economic climate is a perfect fit for their future, thanks to our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulations, fair legal system and skilled workforce" Gov. Perry said. "Investments like this...
Intel plans for faster Thunderbolt
Intel is working to boost data transfer speeds with a faster pipe on Thunderbolt, according to "PCWorld" (http://macte.ch/AUaDd).
Currently running at 10Gbps, Thunderbolt technology can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds, according to Mooly Eden, general manager, PC Client Group, Intel, which co-developed the technology with Apple. The vision for Thunderbolt technology (formerly codenamed “Light Peak”) is to move media faster, simplify connections between devices, and foster new and exciting ways to build and use computers, says Eden.
Intel plans to support the PCI-Express 3.0 protocol to shuttle data faster between host devices and peripherals, an Intel spokesman told "PC World" in an email. Computers with Thunderbolt interconnect currently communicate with external devices using the older PCI-Express 2.0 technology. The company will incorporate PCI-Express 3.0 in Thunderbolt, but didn't provide a time frame for when it will be accomplished, notes "PCWorld."
iPhone is top mobile phone in Japan
The iPhone captured the largest share of mobile phones shipments in Japan for the first time in the October-December quarter, accounting for 26.6 %, due to the popularity of the iPhone 4S smartphone model, reports "The Mainichi Daily News" (http://macte.ch/rYa99), citing info from the IDC Japan research group.
Fujitsu, which took over the mobile phone operations of Toshiba , came second with an 18.3% share and Sharp ranked third with 15.7%. Total shipments in Japan surged 15.2% from a year earlier to 10.65 million units; smartphones accounted for 64.7% of this number.
Security firm publishes info on Safari vulnerabilities
Danish security firm Secunia has published information on two unpatched vulnerabilities in Apple's Safari 5 browser on Friday, after the consumer-technology firm allegedly failed to provide status updates on the patch process, reports "InfoWorld" (http://macte.ch/6O6wT).
Secunia reported the two vulnerabilities -- one of which could result in remote exploitation of a user's machine under certain circumstances -- to Apple more than six months ago, Secunia says. You can read more at http://secunia.com/blog/310/ .
"In this specific case, Apple had six months to look into the coordinated vulnerability - and 8.5 months looking into another Safari vulnerability also published this week," Secunia sys. "As both vulnerabilities were subject to our old disclosure policy, Apple had up to one year to issue fixes as long as they could provide proper status updates. Our new disclosure policy published in 2012 provides a six-month semi-hard deadline."
Apple Configurator lets you deploy large numbers of iDevices
Apple has released Configurator, a free tool designed to help organizations configure and deploy large numbers of iPads and iPhones. It's available for free at the Mac App Store.
Apple says Configurator makes it easy for anyone to mass configure and deploy iPhones, iPod touches and iPads in a school, business or institution. Up to 30 devices at a time can be configured.
"Configurator can be used by larger organizations and businesses to set up new devices, install enterprise apps, and enroll each device with a Mobile Device Management solution for remote management by an IT administrator," says Apple. "It is perfect for the classroom or student lab where devices need to be quickly refreshed and kept up to date with the correct settings, approved policies, apps and data. Apple Configurator can also be used to personalize devices with data and documents for specific users."
iTunes Digital Copy movies go to iCloud
iTunes Digital Copy movie files now show up under the Purchased tab of Apple TV and iOS devices and can be re-downloaded through iCloud, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).
iTunes Digital Copy was introduced in 2008 by Apple and Twentieth Century Fox. Just like movies purchased from the iTunes Store, an iTunes Digital Copy can be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a Mac, PC, iPod touch, iPhone, iPad or Apple TV.
Once a customer buys the DVD or Blu-ray disc, they insert it into his/her computer, enter a unique code into iTunes and iTunes automatically copies the movie to their iTunes library. Customers own the iTunes Digital Copy of the movie and it has the same viewing options as other iTunes Store video content.
Tablet demand may exceed desktop computer demand in 2013
Global demand for tablet computers will rise to 130 million units in 2013, possibly exceeding that for desktops, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/6O6wT), quoting unnamed Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
"Since more tablet PC hybrids will appear in 2013 with some even featuring traditional PC functions, the tablet PC market is likely to enjoy surging growth similar to that of the smartphone market, helping its shipments to trail closely behind global notebook shipments," the article says. Worldwide tablet shipments reached 60 million units last year; Apple's iPad accounted for 40 million units. Tablet shipments worldwide are expected to reach 90-95 million units in 2012.
China Telecom now selling the iPhone 4S
China Telecom, a Chinese carrier, is now carrying the iPhone 4S at 2,850 retail outlets, as well as electronics retailers. So far, the company has received more than 200,000 pre-orders, reports "M.I.C. Gadget" (http://macte.ch/D9GZF).
The CDMA version of the Apple smartphone is finally available for sale through China Telecom, after the carrier announced an agreement with Apple last month. This will double the potential sales for the iPhone, say "M.I.C. Gadget."
Zacks updates Apple rating to 'outperform'
After a stellar first quarter, Zacks Investment Research (http://www.zacks.com) has upgraded Apple from Neutral to Outperform with a price target of US$654.
Apple reported robust revenues, driven by strong holiday season sales based on the ramp in demand for the new iPhone 4S. Better-than-expected sales from the iPad and Mac series also helped Apple to register a stupendous first quarter 2012.
Apple is widely recognized as a leading innovator in the consumer electronics market, according to Zacks. After successfully rolling out the iPod, iPad and iPhone, the company launched its iCloud services in October 2011. Currently, Apple's cloud strategy is focused on developing storage and streaming services.
In Zacks' view, Apple has a loyal customer base and products launched by Apple have been extremely successful historically. Given Apple's significant brand equity, the company has been able to create and maintain a dominant position in nearly all its served markets, the research group...
