Small Tree to introduce new GraniteSTOR abcSAN System for Pro
Small Tree (http://www.small-tree.com), designer of networking and
shared storage products for professional video and audio editors,
will introduce the newest version of its GraniteSTOR abcSAN for Pro
Tools users seeking a fast and economical alternative to maximize
their workflow. Small Tree's GraniteSTOR abcSAN will be on exhibit at
Macworld Expo 2010 (booth 647).
Utilizing iSCSI technology, GraniteSTOR abcSAN offers Pro Tools users
working on Mac Pro systems real-time performance over Ethernet cable
for as low as US$750 a terabyte, according to Corky Seever, president
of Small Tree. Robust, easy to set up and even easier to manage,
GraniteSTOR abcSAN eliminates headaches and cost inefficiencies
associated with existing storage solutions, he adds.
Providing performance for up to 96 audio tracks at 96kHz with
consistent performance from your standard Ethernet network,
GraniteSTOR abcSAN is deployable as either a NAS or a SAN solution
and is available in 6TB, 12TB or 24TB...
Vvidget for Mac OS X upgraded to version 10.6.3
VVI (http://www.vvidget.org) has released version 10.6.3 of Vvidget,
a point and click graphing solution for Mac OS X. The upgrade offers
a new manual, easier install, freestanding deployment and free
development and deployment.
Also, with the Vvidget Code Plug-in for Apple's Interface Builder
developers can now immediately drag and drop graphs to their Cocoa
application projects. The Interface Builder Attribute Inspector
includes a button that, when clicked, brings forward the
comprehensive manual explaining detailed use of all components.
Subsequent programming is a matter of following the cookie-cutter
illustrations given in the manual.
Vvidget includes an Apple's Interface Builder Plug-in so that all
Apple developers gain immediate access to common 2D and 3D graph
types This latest version improves interoperability with the Vvidget
system and purportedlly provides an even better experience for
integrating graphs into any Cocoa application.
With Vvidget, documents can have built-in...
Beta version of Bombax web app development platform for Mac OS X
Bombax (http://www.bombax.com), a new Mac OS X web application
development platform, has been released today in beta form.
It's been developed specifically for the Mac OS X operating system
and is the only web platform to take full advantage of Cocoa, Apple's
highly regarded, Objective-C based programming framework for Mac OS
X, according to Dominic Blais, creator of Bombax. It significantly
improves web development productivity and is efficient --
outperforming other platforms such as Java EE, ASP.NET and LAMP in a
series of benchmark tests, he adds.
"If you have developed an iPhone or OS X application, then you
already have the skills and experience necessary to create Bombax web
applications," Blais says.
Bombax also delivers advantages for administrators with a
sophisticated, easy to use server administration application that
makes it straightforward to install and configure web applications
developed using Bombax, he adds.
Monsoon Multimedia introduces convergence device with four
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Monsoon Multimedia --
which specializes in video convergence technologies and maker of the
HAVA place-shifting products -- has announced Volcano, its next
generation home video convergence device.
Volcano incorporates features of TiVo (time shifting), Slingbox/HAVA
(place shifting), Roku (Internet video such as Netflix movies) and
new functionalities that support streaming and recording video to
smartphones, all in one box. It also supports all major smartphone
and computer operating systems such as Mac OS X, iPhone, Android,
BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile and Windows.
Volcano allows consumers to schedule and record any of their familiar
TV channels remotely from a smartphone to the Volcano's hard-drive
and watch the video at the same time or transfer the stored content
to a smartphone for later viewing. This can be accomplished through a
3G or Wi-Fi connection from anywhere in the world including
airplanes, cars, trains, offices or...
FolderGlance update for Mac OS X introduces Hover Previews, full
Yellow Lemon Software has updated FolderGlance
(http://www.scsc.no/products/folderglance/), a utility for browsing
files and folders directly from the Finder's contextual menus, to
version 2.6. The new version adds two major new features: Hover
Previews and full Finder context menu integration.
Hover Previews enable users to automatically preview files while
browsing the context menu created by FolderGlance, without using the
keyboard. By allowing the mouse cursor to linger over a file shown in
one of FolderGlance's context menus for a brief amount of time, a
preview automatically appears on-screen. This new preview-mode is
designed for quickly browsing a collection of pictures, documents or
other files, without resorting to using the keyboard.
Previous versions of FolderGlance have resorted to placing the
Finder's context menu items in its own submenu. As of version 2.6,
FolderGlance and the Finder's own items can coexist in the same menu,
easing the use of the Finder's own items and...
RadTech releases OmniStand
RadTech (http://www.radtech.com) has released the OmniStand, an
US$59.95 laptop stand. It offers an adjustable desktop and/or low
counter stand, as well as a cooling aid that doesn't require power or
tie up a USB port.
The OmniStand has a compact form factor that can be stowed in most
any computer sleeve, bag or pack. Constructed from heat-dissipating
6013 Aluminum alloy, it allows a notebook computer to be used as a
desktop. OmniStand's four discreet height adjustments provide a total
of seven ergonomically-correct working positions that purportedly
eliminate neck, back, arm and wrist strain in a variety of work
environments. The height adjustments also allow for alignment with
external displays.
The OmniStand folds flat, adding less than one centimeter. Also, it
only weights 454 grams.
New Take Control ebook helps Mac 'take control of easy...
Take Control has released "Take Control of Easy Mac Backups" by
author and backup guru Joe Kissell.
He explains how to create a complete backup system for Mac OS X 10.5
("Leopard") or 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") that includes versioned backups,
a bootable duplicate, and an offsite backup. Readers will learn how
to identify backup hardware that best matches their needs and budget,
and find instructions for using Time Machine as well as alternatives
for nine situations where Time Machine lacks crucial features.
Kissell walks readers through every step of the way, from setting up
a backup drive or Time Capsule to explaining how to recover precious
data in case of a deleted or corrupted file, a dead drive, or a
stolen laptop. The 108-page book costs US$10 in PDF or $19.99 in
print and is available for immediate download at
http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/backup-easy-mac
Kissell has written numerous ebooks in the Take Control series. He's
also a senior contributor to "Macworld" and senior editor...
Sumo Messenger Bags unveiled at CES
Mobile Edge has released four new Sumo Camo Messenger Bags
(http://www.sumocases.com) at this week's Consumer Electronics Show
(CES). The exterior material utilizes a mix of the Sumo logo in
various sizes and colors to create an urban camouflage pattern.
Unclasp the main flap of new Messenger Bag Collection and you reveal
an ergonomic full length pocket, angled similar to the front pocket
of your jeans. The adjustable padded computer compartment allows you
to tailor the bag to carry a nine-inch netbook or up to a 17-inch
MacBook Pro.
Other features include a padded shoulder strap that is adjustable on
both sides of the bag. This means it does not matter if you are left
or right handed, you can adjust the strap on the go without taking
the bag off your shoulder.
The Sumo Messenger Bag Collection comes in four colors: blue, red,
silver and pink camo, all with a suggested retail price of US$79.99
Black Cat Systems Releases RF Toolbox version 3.8.0
Black Cat Systems (http://www.blackcatsystems.com) announces that RF
Toolbox version 3.8.0 has been released The latest version adds a
resistor calculator, which computes the required series and parallel
combinations for a desired resistance.
RF Toolbox is an antenna design package for amateur (ham) radio
operators, and other radio enthusiasts, as well as those in the
communications professions. It's available for Mac OS X and Windows.
RF Toolbox costs US$19.99; a demo is available for download.
Phone plugins 2.3.3 now supports more than 260 mobile phones
Nova media updated Phone plugins to version 2.3.3, featuring support
for additional 20 phones.
Phone plugins is a utility to send text messages and to call numbers
right from the Mac through a connected Bluetooth-enabled mobile
phone. As of version 2.3.3, it now supports more than 260 phone
models from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
Phone plugins is available for US$9.95 on nova media's web site
(http://www.novamedia.de). A demo is available for download. The
update to version 2.3.3 is free for current owners of a Phone plugins
license.
Phone plugins requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.x and a compatible
cell phone from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung or Sony Ericsson.
CEntrance announces DACport USB headphone amp
TRENDnet launches the 150Mbps Mobile Wireless N Router
TRENDnet (http://www.trendnet.com), a wired and wireless networking
hardware brand, has launched the 150Mbps Mobile Wireless N Router,
model TEW-655BR3G. It connects to the Internet either using a
traditional hard wired connection, or by cutting the cables and
connecting with a compatible USB modem from a 3G/4G Internet service
provider such as SprintTM, AT&TTM, or Verizon.
Designed for people on the go, this compact router connects to the
Internet from any 3G/4G cellular phone signal. No installation is
required, you simply plug the 3G/4G USB modem into the router to
share an Internet connection with up six times the speed and three
times the coverage of a wireless g solution, according to Sonny Su,
technology director at TRENDnet.
Now you can share the Internet at a job site, while carpooling to
work, in between flights at the airport, and even while on vacation
with the family. Consumers only need to have an active Internet plan
with their respective third party 3G/4G Internet...
Delkin announces 420X CompactFlash line
Delkin (http://www.delkin.com) has expanded its lineup of
CompactFlash card storage by announcing four new 420X PRO cards
capable of transfer speeds up to 63MB/second.
The new UDMA enabled flash memory comes with a lifetime warranty, and
is available in capacities of 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Every card is
manufactured with high grade NAND flash, advanced controller design,
and quality control guidelines based on ISO:9001 standards, according
to Eric Findley, Delkin's Customer Service supervisor.
Additionally, built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) automatically
detects and corrects any errors that might occur during data
transfer. Delkin's 420X CF cards are fully compliant with current
CompactFlash specifications with support for Ultra DMA (UDMA) mode 6.
These high-speed cards are able to instantaneously store
high-resolution images and HD video.
Kensington announces new iPhone accessories
Kensington Computer Products Group (http://www.kensington.com) has
announced eight new products to help mobile professionals navigating
and communicating with their iPhone and/or iPod in the car.
The products include: a GPS car kit, two car mounts offering
personalized positioning on a windshield, vent, or dashboard, a car
mount with quick release capabilities, an anti-glare screen, two AUX
audio cables, and a 2-in-1 car charger with audio cable. Go to the
Kensington web site for details.
The GPS kit and car mounts make companions to boost iPhone and iPod
performance and connectivity, while also improving interactions with
key navigation applications by amplifying their sound, according to
the folks at Kensington. The company's new audio accessories also
support mobile professionals in need of better quality sound in their
everyday in-car environment, they add.
As business users spend more time in their cars, their personalized
smart phone performance is essential to get the most out...
MonkeyBread Software starts plug-in development for REAL Server
Monkeybread Software (http://www.mbsplugins.de/)
has started plug-in development for REAL Server,
the SQL database sever from REALsoftware. In this
very first version of our plugin, they have
functions:
° SoundExMBS(text as string) as string; returns
soundex string for the given text;
° RemoveAccentsMBS(text as string) as string;
returns text without accents. for example é to e;
° RemoveAccentsCaseInsensitiveMBS(text as string)
as string; returns text without accents. for
example é to E and Ä to A;
° ReadBlobMBS(data as blob, path as string) as
blob; returns the blob if it is not null or reads
the file from the given path and returns the
content as blob;
° WriteBlobMBS(data as blob, path as string) as
string; writes the blob to the given file path.
On success returns the path. On failure returns
error. Path must be native path and should only
contain ASCII characters.
This plug-in is still in development and can be
used for free until March 31. It's been tested
with REALserver 2009...
M Cubed Software releases Minim 2.0
M Cubed Software has updated Minim
(ttp://www.mcubedsw.com/software/minim) a Mac OS X app that lets
musicians and songwriters organize and share their compositions, to
version 2.0. The new version is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow
Leopard").
Minim tracks your songs by letting you add metadata and lyrics; audio
and multimedia files associated with the song; and collaborators for
multiple-author pieces, with iChat integration. It also allows you to
create albums, group your songs with the appropriate album, and add
cover artwork. When you're finished, a single click takes you to
iCompositions.com, a community for independent, Mac-based musicians,
where you can upload your creations.
Minim costs US$38 and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher. A
demo is available for download that limits you to adding 10 songs, 10
podcasts and two shows.
Just Mobile introduces the Mtable, AluPad
Just Mobile (http://www.just-mobile.com) has released two new Mac
products: the Mtable and the AluPad.
The Just Moble Mtable is a is an US$79.99 solid stand, designed to
let you slide a MacBook or MacBook Pro underneath and put a Cinema
Display on top. You can also put iMac or MacBook on it and store your
keyboard below. Made of 100% aluminum, it matches the metal finish on
the Mac computers. The back structure is designed for better air
circulation.
The Alupad is a $49.99 mouse pad with an anodized aluminum surface
ensuring lasting durability with style. The pad supports all optical
mice for precise movements. The sleek design complements Mac desktops
and laptops. What's more, non-slip feet keeps Alupad staying secure
on your desk.
Vuzix to Introduce augmented reality wrap 920AR Video Eyewear at
Vuzix Corp. (http://www.vuzix.com) -- which makes video eyewear for
the mainstream consumer, defense and low vision markets -- is
debuting the US$799.99 Wrap 920AR eyewear complete with a stereo
camera pair that "looks" into the world, bringing mixed and augmented
reality content to life at this week's Consumer Electronics Show
(CES).
With the new Wrap 920AR, users can view the real-world environment
and computer-generated imagery mixed together, "allowing video game
characters to jump out of the TV and come to life in your living
room, or magazines and books with animated links back to the web in
real time," according to Vuzix CEO Paul Travers. The stereo camera
pair delivers a single 1504 x 480 side-by-side image that can be
viewed in 3D stereoscopic video, while the video eyewear provides a
67-inch display as seen from 10 feet. The Wrap 920AR also includes a
Six Degree-of-Freedom Tracker, which allows for accuracy of roll
pitch and yaw and also X, Y and Z positioning in 3D space.
"...
WoodWing's releases Enterprise 7 Publishing System
WoodWing (http://www.woodwing.com) has released its Enterprise 7
Publishing System. Unveiled and demonstrated during IFRA 2009,
Enterprise 7 comes with a variety of improvements for magazine,
newspaper, book and corporate publishers, says Hans Janssen, CEO of
WoodWing Software.
The Enterprise 7 publishing system is backed by new versions of
Content Station (WoodWing's multichannel publishing tool for content
producers) and the Smart Connection plug-ins for Adobe InDesign and
InCopy. The focus of the version 7 release has been on new Search 2.0
functionality, refinement of cross-media and social media publishing,
as well as usability improvements and extended platform support.
"Content Station has been designed to play a pivotal role in the
publishing process," says Erik Schut, President of WoodWing. "The
editorial staff, often burdened with assorted systems to get content
published to both print and online channels, will see Content Station
as a relief.
All relevant activities -...
Griffin Technology announces products at CES
Griffin Technology
(http://www.griffintechnology.com) -- maker of
Mac, iPod and iPhone accessories -- has announced
products debuting at this week's Consumer
Electronics Show (CES). The Griffin 2010 line-up
includes:
° iFM is a compact FM radio receiver designed to
fit into the dock connector of iPod or iPhone.
Plug it into a Click Wheel or menu-driven iPod
and it wakes up the embedded Apple radio control
software on the iPod. Plug it into an iPhone or
iPod touch, and use the Multi-Touch display with
Griffin's iFM Radio Controller app (a free
download from the Apple App Store). It's
available in March and will cost US$39.99.
° Hands-free Mic with Audio Cable -- due in March
for $29.99 -- combines a 35.4-inch stereo audio
cable with a high-sensitivity microphone. Users
can listen to music from their iPhone through a
car stereo and talk hands-free with a single
cable. When a call comes in, click the cable's
inline switch to answer and talk while keeping
your eyes on the road and hands...
Slacker Radio to include ABC News in Personal Radio Service for
Slacker (http://www.Slacker.com) has announced the coming addition of
ABC News to the Slacker Personal Radio service for the Mac, web,
iPhone, iPod touch, a Slacker-enabled TV and other devices. Slacker
listeners also have access to music, artist profiles, album reviews
and album cover art.
Slacker will also feature segments from programs, including "Good
Morning America" anchored by Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos,
Juju Chang and Sam Champion, "Nightline" anchored by Terry Moran,
Cynthia McFadden and Martin Bashir and more. In addition to featuring
top quality news stories, the ABC News station will enable Slacker
listeners to skip over segments, similar to the song skipping on
music stations, for a more personalized experience.
Listeners to the free Slacker Basic Radio service will be able to try
the news service for a limited time at no cost. Slacker Radio Plus
subscribers will have unlimited access to the new content.
Slacker Personal Radio enables listeners to create their...
LaCie introduces LaCinema Mini HD
LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has announced the LaCinema Mini HD, an
all-in-one Wi-Fi High Definition media center. It's designed to bring
your HD movies, photos and music collections to your widescreen TV in
full 1080p resolution.
LaCinema Mini HD bridges the gap between the computer and
entertainment worlds in full HD quality, according to Salem Tirane,
digital home product manager, LaCie. Featuring built-in high-speed
802.11n Wi-Fi, LaCinema Mini HD brings a DLNA media player and server
to your home without wires.
Transferring content to the LaCinema Mini HD is accomplished through
the bus-powered USB connection for maximum transfer speeds, or by
connecting the drive to a home network. Users can load files
wirelessly from their computer or via the Ethernet connection.
Playing movies is as simple as connecting the included HDMI video
cable and selecting the wireless network, says Tirane. The drive is
instantly ready to play content stored on its internal hard disk,
attached USB drive...
Technocel reveals new iPhone carrying cases
Technocel (http://www.technocel.com) has announced their latest line
of cases for iPhone, Palm and BlackBerry users including Slider
Skins, the Holster/Shield Combo and the Rib-Cage. Providing a stylish
design that blends into your handset. These cases are currently
available for US$19.99 (Slider Skins), $39.99 (Holster/Shield Combo)
and MSRP $29.99 (Rib-Cage Shields).
The Slider Skins feature a high gloss water resistant smooth
material. They'll be available in a variety of colors and designs for
the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, Palm Pixi and most Blackberry phones.
The Holster/Shield Combo combines a hard-plastic accent shield with a
matching holster for Blackberry Curve 2 and Storm 2 phones. Both
pieces come wrapped in your choice of two materials, leather or
carbon fiber.
The Rib-Cage Shields are high impact plastic shields featuring
interchangeable faceplates for protecting the Blackberry Curve 2. The
shield body is available in either transparent or soft touch black
and the...
Aleratec pledges full support for Snow Leopard
Aleratec (http://www.aleratec.com) -- a developer and manufacturer of
solutions for the USB, Flash, HDD, Blu-ray, DVD CD, duplicating, and
DVD/CD publishing markets -- says it's putting its full support
behind Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") by offering a software upgrade
application program that integrates the leading LightScribe
duplicators.
The Aleratec RoboRacer LS Duplex Win/Mac is a fully-automated, DVD/CD
publisher that allows the user to "Burn, AutoFlip, Burn" the disc
using Aleratec's LightScribe technology. The input and output hoppers
can handle up to 100 DVD or CD discs. It's capable of multiple
unattended direct to disc LightScribe labels and disc copies. Just
load it with 100 blank LightScribe discs, use your computer to select
the disc image and label with the Aleratec Disc Publishing Suite.
Enter the number of published discs needed and DVD/CD RoboRacer LS
Duplex will automatically produce DVD/CD copies with silk screen
quality labels and no operator intervention.
For...
LaCie unveils new USB keys with Wuala online storage
LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has announced the LaCie CooKey and LaCie
WhizKey, design by 5.5 Designers. The new USB flash keys are modeled
after the LaCie iamaKey.
Both are made with "sturdy" metal, making the surfaces tough and
dependable, according to Minh Le, marketing director for Lacie.
Additionally, the Gold SIP connector on the USB keys are both water-
and scratch- resistant, making them some of the thinnest and most
durable flash drive choices on the market, Le adds.
The LaCie CooKey and LaCie WhizKey offer more than a resilient
surface and up to 32GB of storage. What's more, they integrate an
extra 4GB of online storage through Wuala (http://www.wuala.com.
Now LaCie offers up to 4GB for two years on all LaCie flash keys --
and 10GB of Wuala online storage for one year in combination with its
hard disk storage products. The LaCie CooKey and WhizKey will be
available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities through the LaCie
Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner,...
Tunebug delivers surround sound speaker for helmets
Tunebug (http://www.tunebug.com) has unveiled a new line of surround
sound speaker products. Using the company's patented technology,
Tunebug's line of products generates sound waves that pass through
the surfaces it rests on, turning those surfaces into speakers.
One of the first sound generators from their line to be showcased
includes the Shake, a small attachable device for bike, ski and
skateboard helmets that create surround sound inside of the helmet by
"exciting" the entire helmet surface which then becomes a speaker.
Tunebug is also releasing the Vibe, an ultra portable SurfaceSound
speaker for your desktop, tabletop, and other available surfaces.
The Shake has a rechargeable battery with about five hours of
playtime and charges via the included USB cord. It will go on sale
Jan. 30 for US$119.95
Notable Solutions AutoStore document capture platform adds
Notable Solutions, a developer of distributed
content capture and workflow solutions, has added
support for Lexmark MFPs to its AutoStore product
family. According to Mike Morper, NSi's vice
president of marketing, AutoStore, a server-based
application which orchestrates the capture and
secure delivery of paper and electronic documents
into business applications, delivers the
following functionality to 24 models of Lexmark
MFPs:
° Scans to workflow, email or business
applications -- including over a dozen leading
content management systems;
° Scans once and delivers to multiple destinations;
° Personalizes scanning, workflow and output
options based on user authentication;
° Audits scanning operations for security,
regulatory compliance and efficiency;
° Automates document indexing by recognizing bar
codes, handwriting or machine-printed characters;
° Recognizes full text and convert documents into
PDF, Microsoft Office file formats and more.
AutoStore 5.0 supports 10 devices...
Ear Vibe headset vibrates with the music
Technocel (http://www.technocel.com), an accessory solution provider,
has announced the Technocel Ear Vibe, a stereo headset that vibrates
to the beat of your music. It will literally vibrate when your tunes
hit the low frequency bass.
The Ear Vibe includes a microphone for hands free voice calls. It's
compatible with most mobile phones that have music playing
capability, as well as all MP3 players including the Apple iPod. The
Ear Vibe will be available starting Jan. 15 at a manufacture's
suggested retail price of US$29.99.
iDAPT unveils universal charging station product line
IDAPT (http://www.idaptweb.com), a Spanish company specializing in
mobile energy technology, is announcing its portable charging systems
product line for 2010. The three models in the IDAPT line -- i4, i3,
and i2 -- will be showcased at this year's Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas.
IDAPT charging stations have an interchangeable tips system that
allows users to charge up to four devices at once without the mess of
four different tangled wires, or the need for more than one outlet
plug. The i4, which is the highlight of the product line, has four
points of charge, including a USB port. The i3 and i2 offer three and
two points, respectively, and use the same interchangeable tips as
the i4.
The IDAPT interchangeable tips are compatible with over 3,500 devices
(Apple, Garmin, Blackberry, Sony, Nintendo, etc.). They also sport a
two-button "quick release" feature to the tips, which allows for safe
and easy ejection, according to Jeremy Patay of IDAPT.
Tthe IDAPT universal charger...
Eye-Fi announces 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2
Eye-Fi Inc. (http://www.eye.fi) has developed what it says is the
next generation Eye-Fi experience, which includes an entirely new
platform and more flexible sharing options. The 8GB Eye-Fi Pro X2 is
powered by Eye-Fi's proprietary X2 engine.
Photo enthusiasts will benefit from increased storage capacity, Class
6 performance for faster read/write speeds, faster-than-ever wireless
photo and video uploads and increased Wi-Fi range, according to Jef
Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. Eye-Fi Pro X2 users will also benefit from a
new feature, Endless Memory mode, which enables the Eye-Fi card to
automatically make space available after photos and videos are
uploaded. Last, Eye-Fi is introducing Eye-Fi Center, a new desktop
application that gives users more options in sharing their digital
memories.
The Eye-Fi Pro X2 wirelessly uploads JPEG and RAW images and videos
from the camera to computer and one of 25 online photo and video
sharing sites, such as Flickr, Picasa or Facebook. It also allows
users...
Western Digital announces USB 3.0 drives
Western Digital has introduced its fastest My Book external hard
drive ever. The new My Book 3.0 desktop external drives are among the
first devices certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface.
With an interface that's up to 10 times faster than the
previous-generation USB 2.0 interface, the high-performance My Book
3.0 drive significantly reduces the time it takes to open and save
large files, according to Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing
for WD's branded products group. Offered standalone, or in a kit that
includes a USB 3.0 PCIe adapter card, the 1TB My Book 3.0 drive is
available now at select retailers and http://www.shopwd.com. The 2TB
model is expected later this week.
The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides
transfer rates of up to five gigabits-per-second, allowing users to
open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0. The new My
Book 3.0 drive is compliant with the USB-IF SuperSpeed USB 3.0
standard to provide compatibility...
BoinxTV optimized for Snow Leopard
AppZapper ready for Snow Leopard
AppZapper.com has updated AppZapper (http://www.appzapper.com) --
which lets you uninstall virtually any application, widget,
preference pane and plug-in by drag and drop -- to version 2.0. The
update sports a fresh new design for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
AppZapper works with Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. Individuals can
purchase AppZapper for US$12.95, and a new Family Pack registers all
members of the same household for $18. A demo version allows you to
zap five times prior to purchase.
Macally announces new Mac, iPhone, iPod accessories
Macally (http://www.macally.com) has announced new accessories for
the Mac, iPhone and iPod. Pricing hasn't been announced on most of
the products, which are coming soon.
The TunePalPro is a set of stereo earbuds with a remote control on
the cord. The Macally Minibud is a min-earbud with retractable cord.
The 1-port Micro CLA is a cigarette lighter charger for the iPhone
and iPod. The 2-port USB Travel Charger will let you charge your
iPhone or iPod anywhere there's an available USB port.
The ReSyncCable lets you sync and charge your Apple device. The
AmpTune is a stereo speaker system for iPods and iPhones that offers
vertical or horizontal docking. The FMport is a full channel FM
transmitter for the iPhone and iPod. The PowerGo is a three-in-one
battery charger-USB, AC and car charger kit for the Apple devices.
The Antibacterial iPhone Overlay Film offers a protective, clear
screen plastic overlay with antibacterial properties. The TuneFan is
a 2.1 stereo speaker system (US$99.99)...
Lexar launches Echo line of flash-based backup drives
Lexar Media (http://www.lexar.com), a provider of memory products for
digital media, has launched its Echo line of flash-based, backup
drives: the Lexar Echo SE and Lexar Echo ZE. The line is designed to
protect valuable data on netbook and notebook computers.
The Echo SE is a portable drive that plugs into a computer's USB port
to perform automatic backup and transfer of files, at read speeds up
to 28MB/second and write speeds up to 10MB/s. The Echo ZE, with its
low-profile size and plug-and-stay design, provides a means to
automatically back up essential file.
Both drives are Mac and Windows compatible. They include built-in
Echo backup software. Features include targeted file backup, which
stores only specified files and reduces wasted disk space, and file
versioning, which backs up a history of files and allows the
retrieval of previous versions. Additionally, the software offers
optional AES 128-bit encryption, enabling protection in the event of
drive loss.
The Echo SE backup...
iWave announces new Urban Collection line of electronic
The new Urban Collection from iWave (http://www.iwaveaudio.com/),
manufacturers of electronic accessories, offers a selection of
street-inspired headphones, earbuds, iPhone/iPod cases and speakers.
"The Urban Collection was designed to match the hottest styles and
latest sneakers to create a cohesive modern look for anyone with a
desire to stand out in a crowd and make a statement," says Steven
Scaba of iWave. "The bright, bold colors in the Collection really
speak to our customers who want to bring their street style to their
favorite technology pieces."
They'll be available at nationwide retailers in the second quarter of
the year. The Urban Collection features earbuds and iPhone/iPod cases
(US$9.99 to $29.99), headphones ($14.99 to $39.99) and speakers
($19.99 to $29.99).
iLuv debuts Tatz series of headphones and earphones
iLuv (http://www.i-luv.com) has debuted the Tatz, a new line of
headphones and earphones.
Each series includes three headphone and four earphone models. The
"Impressionz" series sports a red colored option for those who like
to stand out of the crowd. The "Broken Heartz" series is for girls
who want to rock out in pink hues. The "Scarz" series is a black
colored option for the tough but cool music lover. Tatz will be
available starting in late January.
Technocell unveils PowerPak XT, PowerPak Duo for iPhone, other
Technocel (http://www.technocel.com), an ccessory solution provider,
has announced the Technocel PowerPak XT and PowerPak DUO, two
portable battery and home charger all-in-one solutions that work with
the iPhone and other mobile devices.
Both new versions feature larger batteries than their prior model and
the PowerPak DUO will feature dual USB ports. These powerful
recharging solutions are designed to replace all your chargers with a
single universal .
The PowerPak XT has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of
US$49.99 and the PowerPak DUO will be available for $59.99. Both will
go on sale Jan. 31.
Apple App Store downloads top two billion
Apple says that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from
the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/), the largest
applications store in the world. There are now more than 85,000 apps
available to the more than 50 million iPhone and iPod touch customers
worldwide and over 125,000 developers in Apple's iPhone Developer
Program.
"The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users
downloading a staggering two billion apps in just over a year,
including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone," says
Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "The App Store has reinvented what you can do
with a mobile handheld device, and our users are clearly loving it."
Today, iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries worldwide can
choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including
games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.
Canon announces new PIXMA printers
Canon U.S.A. (http://www.usa.canon.com ) has announced the latest
additions to the PIXMA Wireless Office All-in-One (AIO) series. Added
features range from sleek designs to improved functionality.
The PIXMA Wireless Office AIO products feature a new and improved
operation panel enabling users to perform basic functions by simply
pressing the Mode key, according to Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice
president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.
Users can select an operation to perform and navigate through menus
and functions easier than ever before, he adds.
A new addition to these printers is the Auto Document Fix feature,
which simultaneously helps deliver scan results for sharing and
repurposing while sharpening and blackening document text to increase
readability. When scanning documents, such as magazines or
newspapers, Auto Document Fix removes the background and the show
through from the other side of the page making it easier to view.
The Auto Photo Fix II...
iHome to debut new models from its Studio Series at this week...
iHome (http://www.ihomeaudio.com) will announce new products for its
Studio Series line at this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in
Las Vegas.
The new iP2 Home Audio System for iPhone/iPod and the iP49 Portable
Rechargeable Audio System with Alarm Clock & FM Radio for iPhone/iPod
are the next wave of products to incorporate DPS technology, giving
users new hardware options while maintaining the same high standard
of audio quality set by the original Studio Series offering, the
award-winning, says Evan Stein, vice president of marketing, iHome.
The iP2 and iP49 are equipped with the patented Bongiovi Acoustics
DPS technology. Stein says it's a complex, chip-based algorithm,
custom-tuned to each and every product. The processor involved is
active, meaning it constantly scans the program material in real time
and effectively improves transients and harmonics that results in
amazing highs, lows and clarity across all frequencies and volume
levels. .
The Studio Series product...
Canon introduces newVIXIA line-up
Canon U.S.A. (http://www.usa.canon.com) has introduced a new line of
nine VIXIA high definition flash memory camcorders. The 2010
high-definition lineup includes Canon's flagship VIXIA HF S-series,
the compact VIXIA HF M-series and a new entry-level VIXIA HF R-series.
Some new features enhancing Canon's 2010 lineup include a new touch
panel LCD with an advanced tracking feature helping keep any subject
-- such as people, pets, or cars -- in focus and properly exposed.
Canon's new VIXIA lineup also includes an enhancement to its image
stabilization system and an all-new HD-to-SD Downconversion feature
allowing video to be easily uploaded to the web or burned onto DVDs.
Select 2010 VIXIA camcorders are compatible with Eye-fi SD Memory
Cards, allowing for wireless uploading of video content to a computer
or favorite video sharing site via the Eye-fi card's wireless
capabilities.
All of the new 2010 VIXIA High Definition camcorders retain Canon's
proprietary imaging technologies: a...
Technocel debuts the T360 Bluetooth headset
Technocel (http://www.technocel.com), an accessory solution, has
announced the T360 Bluetooth Headset, an entry-level headset
featuring Bluetooth version 2.1 technology for cell phone users. The
T360 will be available starting Jan.30, at a manufacturer's suggested
retail price of US$39.99.
Small and lightweight in size, the T360 is constructed with a black
high-gloss finish. It purportedly offers five hours of talk time and
150 hours of standby time. It's packaged with ear gels of multiple
sizes.
The T350 offers
call waiting, answer, reject and end functions. Plus, Technocel
offers a free technical support line.
Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) adopts Adobe Flash
Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) has selected the
upcoming Adobe Flash Access software as one of the first approved
content protection solutions required for premium video in devices
that support DECE.
DECE is a consortium of leading content providers, consumer
electronics companies, technology vendors and service providers
working to enable improved consumer access to entertainment content.
The Adobe Flash Pplatform is a system of integrated tools,
frameworks, clients and servers for the development of web
applications, content and video that runs consistently across
operating systems and devices. Adobe Flash Access 2.0, a key
component of the Adobe Flash platform, is a scalable, flexible
content protection solution that enables the distribution and
monetization of premium content.
Adobe Flash Access 2.0 provides a way to combine the reach and
interactivity of the Adobe Flash Platform with robust security and
flexible usage rules so that businesses can enforce necessary...
Sanus adds HDMI Cables with
Sanus Systems (http://www.sanus.com) -- a provider of audio/video
mounts, furnishings and consumer electronics accessories -- has added
pivoting HDMI cables to its Sanus Elements product offering. The
cables are y available in 2.5, 5 and 10-foot lengths.
Sanus Elements ELM402-G1, ELM405-G1 and ELM410-G1 Pivoting HDMI
Cables offer a feature not found on standard HDMI cables -- a
connector that pivots 180 degrees. This is designed to make it easy
to connect to hard-to-reach ports in tight places and behind TVs
mounted on low-profile wall mounts.
The connector is less than one inch deep. It's gold plated to
optimize signal transfer for the highest quality audio and video. The
cables are made from a flexible material that bends during
installation. The cables are available for a list price of $29.99
(ELM402-G1), $39.99 (ELM405-G1) and $49.99 (ELM410-G1).
Sanus will be showing the HDMI Cables at this week's Consumer Electronics Show.
iWave introduces eco-friendly tech accessories
iWave (http://www.iwaveaudio.com) will introduce its Grass Roots
Collection at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The
collection will include a selection of accessory options, including
headphones, earbuds and cases for the iPhone/iPod, all made from
reusable, environmentally friendly and fully recyclable materials
like plastic, wood and bamboo, according to Steven Scaba of iWave.
The main design characteristic of the Grass Roots Collection is the
subtle contrast between the rustic wood grain finish and the smooth
earthy tones, bringing technology products into a whole new dimension
for nature-enthusiasts, he adds. The rich wood accents of the earbuds
and headphones add that little element of worldly appeal for any
music listener, according to Scaba.
The Grass Roots Collection will be available at nationwide retailers
in the second quarter of the year. It will include iPhone/iPod cases
and earbuds (US$9.99 to $29.99) and headphones ($14.99 to $39.99).
be.ez launches sleeves for Wacom tablets
be.ez (http://www.be-ez) has launched a range of sleeves for Wacom
tablets. Designed for the Wacom Intuos4 and Bamboo ranges, the be.ez
LA robe Tablet range of sleeves provide protection in a sleek design.
Designed in black with a contrasting green interior, the be.ez LA
robe Tablet range is made from soft, lightweight low resilience
polyurethance shape-memory foam (LRPu). The sleeve is 5mm thick,
adding very little bulk or weight when carrying the tablet around.
It features an inner lip for storing the pen and pen tips to avoid
misplacing them or causing any damage to the tablet. The sleeves can
be carried alone or tucked away in a bag to ensure protection from
knocks, dust and scratches.
The LA robe Tablet Creativa for Bamboo small sizes is US$19.99, while
the LA robe Tablet Artista for Bamboo medium sizes costs $24.99. The
LA robe Tablet Sketch2 for Intuos4 small is priced at $24.99, while
the LA robe Tablet Studio2 for Intuos4 medium goes for $29.99
Avenza announces 2010 MAPublisher training schedule
Avenza Systems, producers of MAPublisher cartographic software for
Adobe Illustrator and Geographic Imager spatial tools for Adobe
Photoshop, has announced the 2010 schedule for its two-day
MAPublisher training course.
The class offers in-depth MAPublisher training. MAPublisher training
is offered in hands-on computer labs at locations around North
America. Training is also available onsite at customers' locations
and online in which case certain aspects of the course will be
tailored especially for the specific organization and workflow.
Features of the 2010 round of MAPublisher classes include content on
creating interactive data-rich Flash maps, geospatial PDF export and
MAPublisher LabelPro advanced text placement. The cost is US$1,000
per person. Discounts are available for three or more attendees from
the same organization. For details -- including locations and times
-- go to the Avenza web site (http://www.avenza.com).
QNAP releases Atom processor iSCSI Turbo NAS
QNAP Systems (http://www.qnap.com) has nveiled its new series of
Turbo NAS servers: the TS-259 Pro, TS-459 Pro, TS-659 Pro and TS-859
Pro (a QNAP exclusive), which have been certified as compatible with
VMware's vSphere4 (ESX 4.0) virtualization platforms. They're
designed for departmental file sharing, storage, and advanced server
applications in the office environment.
VMware's vSphere is purportedly the industry's first cloud operating
system that offers a way to reduce IT costs and increase
responsiveness. Shared networked storage is a component of a Cloud
Computing infrastructure. The new Turbo NAS series incorporates the
Intel Atom D-510 dual-core processor.
The new Turbo NAS series comes with new version 3.2 of the QNAP NAS
management software, which supports lots of class-leading new
features such as iSCSI service. There's support for SPC-3 Persistent
Reservation for clustering in VMware and Windows Server 2008. MPIO
and MC/S are also supported, as well as new DFS support (...
Radioshift for Mac OS X updated to version 1.5
Rogue Amoeba has released Radioshift 1.5
(http://www.rogueamoeba.com/radioshift/), an update of the Internet
radio player and recorder. The new version brings support for
thousands of web streams previously only available via web players.
Hundreds of new streams in Windows Media Pro and QuickTime streaming
formats are now supported. Streaming reliability has also been
improved, and Radioshift will now restart streams when they err --
and use back-up streams where available as well. Other improvements
in Radioshift 1.5 range from an improved interface to support for
streaming with Airfoil to fixes for dozens of minor bugs and crashes.
With all this, Radioshift 1.5 is far and away the best version of
Radioshift ever made.
Like a personal video recorder (PVR) for radio, Radioshift enables
internet and AM/FM radio to be recorded automatically and listened to
at any time. The built-in Radio Guide lets you subscribe to programs
with a single click. Radioshift then runs in the background,...
Axiotron to kick off 2010 with Modbook discount promotion
Axiotron has announced a 2010 kickoff promotion for its Mac tablet,
the Modbook (http://www.axiotron.com/modbook). Under the promotion,
customers can convert their MacBook base systems into a Modbook for
US$699 (regularly $899) or get a Modbook based on a
new dealer-supplied 2.13GHz MacBook base system for $1,649 (regularly
$1,849).
The promotion, which extends a holiday discount initiated in
November, runs through March 1, 2010.
ArtOptimizer for Illustrator updated to version 2.3.2
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has updated ArtOptimizer,
its workflow automation solution for Adobe Illustrator, to version
2.3.1. The new version addresses a critical issue that could prevent
ArtOptimizer from processing files on certain systems.
ArtOptimizer eliminates the excess image data of document links and
performs image adjustments, reducing the size of an Illustrator job.
In order to eliminate excess image data, the app automatically scales
the images in Photoshop to match their dimensions in Illustrator,
changes resolution according to the target resolution specified, and
reimports images to Illustrator at 100%.
In addition, ArtOptimizer can automatically convert image colors,
apply sharpening filters, merge and delete layers, and run Photoshop
Actions during processing. ArtOptimizer 2.3.1 can be purchased from
the Zevrix Solutions web site at a 20% New Year sale discount for
US103.96, as well as from authorized resellers. A demo is also
available for download....
9th Annual San Francisco SuperMeet to offer free educational
Final Cut Studio, Adobe and Avid editors and digital filmmakers from
around the world will gather together for the Ninth Annual San
Francisco SuperMeet (http://supermeet.com/), to be held on Friday,
Feb. 5, 2010 at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center in San
Francisco, California.
Free educational workshops will be offered during the day by Canon,
Adobe, Autodesk and Red Giant. Bay Area filmmakers will have a chance
to screen content in the SuperMeet Digital Showcase featuring over 30
software and hardware developers.
Doors open to the "SuperMeet Digital Showcase" at 3:30 pm, featuring
over 30 exhibitors including Avid, Blackmagic Design, Footagehead,
G-Tech, Matrox, Maxon, Noise Industries, Red Giant and others. The
SuperMeet stage show begins at 7 pm and concludes at 11 pm with the
"World Famous Raffle" featuring prizes including the Canon EOS 5D
Mark II HDSLR, AJA KiPro, NLE software, plug-ins and more. The San
Francisco SuperMeet promises to be the single largest Bay Area social...
TopXNotes for Mac OS X ready for Snow Leopard, gets new, modern
Tropical Software (http://www.tropic4.com/) has updated TopXNotes,
the note organizer for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard"), to version 1.5. The
upgrade is ready for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") and has sports a
new, modern toolbar.
TopXNotes (pronounced "Top Ten Notes") allows people to create,
collect, store, and retrieve bits and pieces of information. Its
interface allows notes to be both categorized and grouped, and allows
the user complete control over the appearance of a note's content.
Notes can also be synchronized with Classic iPods for handy retrieval
while away from the computer. The company is working on support for
the iPhone and iPod touch.
This update is available for US$14.95 exclusively to registered
users. For new users the cost is $39.95. A demo is available for
download.
RadTech ships STM Convoy laptop backpack
RadTech (http://www.radtech.com) has released the US$99.99 STM Convoy
laptop backpack. It features a concealed laptop compartment and a
suspended foam cell to protect your laptop on all sides.
The STM Convoy comes loaded with utility pockets and compartments
with space for peripherals, books, folders and accessories. Convoy's
ergonomic harness system is designed to make a heavy load completely
manageable.
The laptop case is made of water resistant, light weight canvas and
is completely surrounded by chenille. A built-in, captive rain cover
deploys in seconds.
The Convoy is available in medium size, which fits most wide-screen
laptops with 15-inch and smaller display screens. It comes with YKK
zippers, duraflex buckle adjustors, high-density padding, load
bearing stitching, and high-strength nylon webbing.
NewerTech introduces Window Mount for Apple iPhone 3G and 3GS
Newer Technology (http://www.newertech.com) has announced the
NewerTech Window Mount for iPhone 3G and 3GS models. With an exact
fit cradle and super vacuum adhesion, the $19.99 MSRP NewerTech
Window Mount keeps an iPhone 3G or 3GS securely in place for safe
operation and viewing.
Specifically designed for iPhone 3G/3GS models, the NewerTech Window
Mount offers 360 degree viewing of an iPhone 3G or 3GS in autos,
trucks, SUVs, and boats, as well as on desktops, airplane tray
tables, and on any other flat surface. Its flexible neck combined
with super vacuum adhesion eliminates any sags, drooping, or
vibration drawbacks, according to the folks at NewerTech.
Gefen bringing new product line to CES
Digital connectivity solutions provider, Gefen
(http://www.gefen.com), will demonstrate several upgrades to existing
connectivity solutions and a brand new product line designed to ease
home entertainment system installations at the upcoming CES 2010.
"While we continue building a strong back-end for high definition
audio/video systems, we are also focusing on further enhancing
already proven technologies," says Hagai Gefen, president and CEO,
Gefen "This has led us to the development of a new product line,
Gefen ToolBox, for installers working in the field."
The ToolBox offers compact installation tools for plug and play
system installation and operation. Products come in metallic
enclosures that can be mounted on any wall where hi-def audio/video
systems are implemented.
These "mini" solutions include all connection cables for immediate
installation, with HDMI connectors equipped with a locking mechanism
to eliminate cable disconnects. Initial products packaged under the
ToolBox...
HDRsoft introduces Photomatix Light, a HDR photo software
HDRsoft (http://www.hdrsoft.com) has released Photomatix Light, a
stand-alone HDR (high dynamic range) photo processing application for
Mac OS X 10.5 and higher.
Based on the same internal HDR processing engines as Photomatix Pro,
Photomatix Light merges bracketed photos and processes them with HDR
tone mapping or exposure fusion methods. After selecting the source
photos, users can adjust the processed image by changing various
settings, or choose from built-in presets such as Painterly or Grunge.
Photomatix Light automatically aligns bracketed exposures, allowing
hand-held photographs to be used as well as tripod-mounted shots. One
license of Photomatix Light costs US$39. It's free for licensed users
of Photomatix Pro.
Barcode Producer ready for 2010 industry changes
Apparent Corp. has updated Barcode Producer
(http://www.itsapparent.com/barcodeproducer/), its barcode creation
software suite for Mac OS X, to version 5.7. The upgrade has been
revved for 2010 barcode industry standards, including GS1 DataBar
requirements for coupons. It also updates the software's integrated
Symbology Guide and documentation for the new year's standards.
Barcode Producer is a tool for creating barcodes visually, with
one-click export for Adobe Creative Suite products, including
Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat Distiller. It's
Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
Barcode Producer for Mac OS X and Windows is immediately available
online with digital and physical CD-ROM delivery. It costs US$199.
Plug-ins and accessories include the GS1 DataBar generation tool
($299), Automator batch barcode generation system ($299), and
IntelliScanner Pro barcode scanner for testing printed output ($299).
Site licenses are available, and Mac...
SyncMate syncing software for Mac OS X updated to version 2.5
Eltima Software has updated SyncMate (ttp://www.sync-mac.com/),
software for syncing data between a Mac to Windows Mobile handheld
devices, to version 2.5. The upgrade adds the ability to sync your
Mac with Windows Mobile devices via Bluetooth (USB and Wi-Fi
connections are also supported). It also adds an autosync option and
real-time synchronization.
The new version enables all Mac users to synchronize their Macs with
Windows PC, Sony PlayStation(R) Portable (PSP) and USB flash drives,
as well as with other supported devices (Windows Mobile devices,
Nokia phones, other Macs, online storage and Google account).
SyncMate lets you synchronize Favorites, Contacts, Calendar, Notes in
mobile device with Bookmarks, Address Book, iCal, Stickies on Mac OS
X. The software enables Internet sharing between the Mac and the
mobile device. The connection can be made via USB cable or Wi Fi.
SyncMate is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and
Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or...
Econ Technologies offers three free Mac apps
Econ Technologies (http://wwwecontechnologies.com) is offering three
free applications for your Mac: Portraits & Prints, DayChaser, and
ImageCaster are now free applications.
Econ previously released and sold all three of these applications but
have decided to concentrate on backup and synchronization
applications. Instead of discontinuing them, theye updated all three
applications for Snow Leopard and now offer them free of charge.
"We decided to concentrate on ChronoSync and some future Backup
applications. Since we did not plan any any future updates for
Portraits & Prints, DayChaser, and ImageCaster we did not want to
charge for them anymore. So we updated all three for Snow Leopard and
fixed a few bugs," says Joe Japes, marketing director of Econ
Technologies. "They are all great applications and we're happy to
offer them for free to Mac users. I personally use Portraits & Prints
all the time and will continue to need it."
Portraits & Prints lets you print your...
Winter Wolves announces Spirited Heart Deluxe
Winter Wolves (http://www.winterwolves.com), developers of several
award-winning simulation and roleplay games, has announced the
release of Spirited Heart Deluxe. The deluxe version is purportedly a
major improvement over the original game, featuring a completely new
interactive job system based on a game of dice.
Players are challenged to get as close as possible to a target number
without going over by rolling up to four dice. This gives the player
more control over their fantasy alter ego as they now have a direct
influence on job results.
Other features include the ability to earn titles upon reaching
certain high level skills, the extension of playing time up to 30
in-game years, romance encounters that can be toggled on and off, an
optional easy mode, revised text, and three new Goddess endings in
which players earn a blessing by completing a task ordained by a
Goddess.
The deluxe version replaces the old version and existing users can
get it for free simply by redownloading...
Akvis releases Magnifier 3.0 for Mac, Windows
Akvis has released Akvis Magnifier 3.0 for Mac and Windows. It's an
update of the tool to resize digital images. Featuring advanced photo
resizing algorithms, Akvis Magnifier enlarges digital pictures to
"super-high" resolution. Version 3.0 is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6
("Snow Leopard").
The program is available as a plug-in to a photo editor, as well as a
standalone edition. Version 3.0 offers a new interface and improved
compatibility. Support for 64-bit has been added to the plug-in
version (now compatible with Adobe Photoshop CS4 64 bit). It also
adds compatibility with Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 and Windows 7.
Plus, Magnifier 3.0 adds new measurement units to specify the size of
the output image. In addition to pixels and percent, it is now
possible to set the size in centimeters, millimeters or inches.
Upgrade for registered users is free.
A 10-day demo is available for download
(http://Akvis.com/en/magnifier/index.php). Registered users of
Magnifier can update their version...
Insider Releases Smasher 1.8
Insider Releases Smasher 1.8 with Snow Leopard Compatibility
Utility Assures Proper Font Operation in Mac OS X and Creative Applications
December 21, 2009 [Los Gatos, Calif] - Insider Software, the makers of
FontAgent® Pro, today announced the immediate availability of Smasher
version 1.8, which enhances the preventive maintenance utility's support
for Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system release. Smasher
works automatically to eliminate corruption to font caches and temporary
files, the #1 cause of font-related problems and workflow interruptions.
Necessary Protection for All Mac Graphic Designers
Smasher fixes common font problems such as garbled text, erroneous font
substitutions, fonts not appearing in application menus, printing problems
and font-related crashes. While some font utilities manually clear specific
kinds of font caches, Smasher remains the only solution that maintains the
health of many kinds of caches as it runs automatically with
set-it-and-forget-...
MacTech: 25 years old, Seeking memories
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MACTECH'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY: SEEKING COMMUNITY MEMORIES
- 25 years in print, Second oldest Mac publication
- 15 years online: new web site soon to be unveiled
- Now tagged "The journal of Apple technology"
December 22, 2009 -- WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- MacTech Magazine today
kicked off it's 25th Anniversary celebration. The magazine is seeking out
great stories and memories from those who have them to share. Now through
the end of the year, MacTech is offering up free subscriptions to new
subscribers (they pay only the postage).
The first issue of MacTech was released in November/December of 1984 and
titled "MacTech". For the balance of the first 7 years, the magazine was
titled "MacTutor" before it returned to its original title of "MacTech".
With its 25th Anniversary now here, the magazine has evolved to be "The
journal of Apple technology."
Originally a programmer-only magazine, the magazine transitioned to an "all
Mac tech" magazine in 2004, and never looked...
Playrix launches Fishdom: Frosty Splash for Mac OS X
Playrix Entertainment (http://www.playrix.com) has launched its
winter-themed title Fishdom: Frosty Splash for the Mac. This
Universal Binary game runs on Mac OS X 10.4 and later.
Fishdom: Frosty Splash is a match-3 sequel of the flagship game. It
sports aproximately 100 winter-themed fish and accessories, an
unlimited number of tanks to create and design, "Relaxed" and
"Against the Clock" game modes and a bonus screensaver.
Fishdom: Frosty Splash normally costs US$19.95, but it's available
for $9.98 for a limited time. A demo is available for download.
Syncro Soft releases Oxygen XML Editor, Oxygen XML Author 11.1
Syncro Soft (http://www.oxygenxml.com/) has released version 11.1 of
its XML Editor and XML Author containing a set of tools supporting
all the XML related technologies.
Oxygen combines content author features like the CSS driven Visual
XML editor with a XML development environment. It has ready-to-use
support for the main document frameworks DITA, DocBook, TEI and XHTML
and also includes support for all XML Schema languages, XSLT/XQuery
Debuggers, WSDL analyzer, XML Databases, XML Diff and Merge,
Subversion client and more.
Version 11.1 of XML Editor improves the XML authoring
capabilities, the support for XML development and also a number of
core features. The visual XML authoring now uses schema information
to provide intelligent editing actions.
The new compact representation of tags and the quick up/down
navigation features improve the ergonomics and the usability,
according to the folks at Syncro Soft. can use any XQJ
compliant XQuery processor for XQuery transformations,...
Adobe releases final Camera Raw, Lightroom, DNG Converter updates
Adobe has announced the availability of Lightroom 2.6, Photoshop
Camera Raw 5.6 and DNG Converter 5.6.
Originally posted as release candidates for community testing on
Adobe Labs, these final versions include raw file support for 20 new
camera models, including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s. Additional
DNG support has been added for the Leica M9 and Ricoh GXR camera
models.
The updates also provide a fix for an issue affecting PowerPC
customers using the final Lightroom 2.5 and Camera Raw 5.5 updates on
the Mac. The issue, introduced in the demosaic change to address
sensors with unequal green response, has the potential to create
artifacts in the highlight area while using the Highlight Recovery
tool in raw files from Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and various medium
format digital camera backs.
Lightroom 2 software is a digital photography workflow solution,
allowing photographers to import, process, manage and showcase
images, and the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in provides access within...
EditShare qualifies Snow Leopard for multi-channel ingest, shared
EditShare (http://www.editshare.com), which specializes in cross
platform collaborative editing and shared media storage systems, has
announced compatibility for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). The
EditShare multi-channel ingest, shared storage and archiving
solutions offer special project sharing capabilities for broadcast,
postproduction and DI editing workgroups.
Thanks to EditShare's patented bin-locking/project-locking framework,
Mac-based editors using Apple Final Cut Pro and Avid editing
applications can see, copy or revise the work of colleagues with the
assurance that a bin, sequence or project will never get accidentally
deleted or overwritten, according to Andy Liebman, president and
founder, EditShare. Via a file-manager type interface, editors can
see all the bins and project files being used by all editors in their
group. Bins and projects belonging to other editors are automatically
opened as "Read Only," and control can easily be transferred from one
editor to another...
Synology launches DiskStation DS210j crossover NAS for home,
Synology America Corp. (http://www.synology.com) has launched the
two-bay DiskStation DS210j in North America, a new cross-over NAS for
home and small business users. It's designed to be the central hub of
the home or office digital network.
"With the DiskStation DS210j we're able to offer Synology customers
more power and functionality than they have ever had at this price,"
says Doug Self, product specialist at Synology America Corp. "The
DiskStation DS210j allows even entry-level businesses an affordable
solution for reliable centralized data protection, file sharing
across a network, email, web and print server hosting and even a
surveillance system without having a full-time IT staff person on
board to manage it or a big IT budget."
The DiskStation DS210j is one of Synology's new designs that are
cable-less, which means that installation of hard drives is
effortless, he says. Each bay is capable of supporting up to 2TB HDDs
(up to 4TB total). The design of the DiskStation...
LaCie partners with Symwave for USB 3.0 dual-drive storage
LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) and Symwave, a supplier of systems
solutions for SuperSpeed USB devices, have announced the industry's
first dual hard disk RAID storage solution based on the new
SuperSpeed USB (3.0) standard.
LaCie's 2Big USB 3.0, a dual-disk RAID 0/1 storage solution, powered
by Symwave's USB 3.0 standard-compliant dual SATA and RAID bridge
controller, reaches the highest throughput ever achieved in a USB 3.0
external storage product, according to John O'Neill, vice president
of marketing at Symwave. The 2Big USB 3.0 will be available in up to
4TB capacities and is bundled with award-winning backup software for
both Mac and PC users.
Developed for users that require sizeable data flow and fast storage
products - such as video professionals who needs high bandwidth, the
2Big USB 3.0 will let users transfer a high-definition uncompressed
video at speeds up to 275MB/s burst read transfer speed, or perform
real time streaming and editing of multiple HD files simultaneously...
iDive update for Mac OS X offers Final Cut, Avid format
Aquafadas (http://www.aquafadas.com) has updated iDive, its digital
video catalog for Mac OS X, to version 2.0. The upgrade lets you
export directly from iDive and offers integration with Avid and Final
Cut formats.
It also adds DV capture and recapture features. You can now download
only the video footage required in an instant, says Claudio Zimmer,
Aquafadas chairman. The new DV Recapture function allows for faster
and easier footage selection and requires less storage space and
processing power from your Mac, he adds.
In iDive 2, the latest video file formats are now fully supported
such as MPEG2 and AVCHD. There are also interface and navigation
improvements, allowing users to search and index footage faster and
easier.
iDive is a central hub for your movies and clips. iDive is the ideal
cataloguing solution for all your video files. The program will
subsequently catalogue any file QuickTime can open. iDive allows you
to keep track of your videos on CDs or DVDs. For the first time...
Red Giant Software releases beta of Knoll 3D Flare
Red Giant Software (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com) has released a
beta of Knoll 3D Flare a new free set of tools that allows you to
easily create Knoll Lens Flares in After Effects 3D space.
This add-on for Knoll Light Factory Pro 2.5 in After Effects includes
features like Edge flare-ups, color linking, Z-depth intensity, and
full 3D obscuration. These tools are available free to all Knoll
Light Factory Pro 2.5 users. Knoll Light Factory is an award-winning
product used in movies such as "Avatar," "Transformers" 1 & 2, "The
Day After Tomorrow," the Star Trek series, and "Dreamgirls."
NewerTech announces new USB Video Display Adapter
NewerTech (http://www.newertech,.com) has announced today the
NewerTech USB Video Display Adapter for adding an additional HDMI,
DVI, or VGA display with up to 2048 x 1152 resolution via any Mac or
PC computer's standard USB 2.0 port.
Functioning like a bus powered (no AC adapter required) "external
video card," the US$95.99 NewerTech USB Video Display Adapter enables
users to expand the display capabilities of desktop and laptop
computers that offer only one built-in display/video-out port while
eliminating the cost and hassle of installing a video card into the
computer, according to the folks at NewerTEch.
The NewerTech USB Video Display Adapter connects to HDMI, DVI, and
VGA equipped displays (including the latest HD flat panel LCDs,
standard CRT monitors, and projectors) in full 32-bit color at
resolutions of up to 2048 x 1152. Up to six adapters can be
configured to either extend the desktop or clone a primary screen and
provide greater visibility of more applications and...
RE:Vision Effect releases Twixtor OFX version for Foundry's...
RE:Vision Effects (http://www.revisionfx.com) has released Twixtor as
an OFX plug-in set; Foundry's Nuke and Autodesk's Maya Composite
(Toxik) are currently supported.
Other OFX hosts will be added to the list of supported applications
once Twixtor is verified to work properly within them. Twixtor
enables you to retime your image sequences. It synthesizes unique new
frames by warping and interpolating frames of the original sequence,
employing RE:Vision's proprietary tracking technology that calculates
motion for each individual pixel.
Twixtor has options to help prevent tearing and stretching of objects
as they cross or go out of the frame, including a smart blending
option for pans and zooms to prevent inappropriate streaking or weird
artifacts at frame borders. Twixtor also has an option to
automatically enhance dark imagery or imagery with poorly defined
edges. With the features, many pieces of footage that could be
difficult to track become well behaved.
What's in the Twixtor OFX...
Toon Boom makes Harmony available for pilot production
Toon Boom Animation has launched its Pilot Production Program for
anyone who has a concept and wants to pitch it to broadcasters,
producers, investors at industry gatherings such as Kidscreen,
Cartoon Forum, MIPTV or any others.
With the Pilot Production Program, Toon Boom offers professional
animators an opportunity to create their TV, web or film pilot using
their animation software. The Toon Boom Pilot Production Program
offers free access to Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Harmony
stand-alone licenses for up to three months and access to an in-house
expert dedicated to your animation project.
Certain conditions apply. Details can be found at
http://www.toonboom.com/pilot-production-program/ .
Tunewear releases GameHandle for iPhone 3G/3GS, iPod touch 2G
Tunewear (http://www.tunewear.com) has released the GameHandle for
the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and second gen iPod touch. The US$19.95
device is designed to provide a better grip on the Apple devices when
playing action and racing games.
It has a rubber coating on the surface that Tunewear claims is
comfortable and feels great to the touch. It also prevents your hands
from slipping when you're game playing.
An internal sound cavity system resonates the sound from iPhone or
iPod speakers inside the GameHandle body. It outputs the sound
through vents on the back for an overall improved audio experience.
'Mary Kay Andrews: The Fixer Upper' game coming in...
Digi Ronin Games has confirmed a Jan. 2010 release for "Mary Kay
Andrews: The Fixer Upper," and announced the start of a special
giveaway on the Digi Ronin Games Facebook fan page.
Based on the novel, "The Fixer Upper" by "New York Times" bestselling
author Mary Kay Andrews, "Mary Kay Andrews: The Fixer Upper" is a
hidden object casual game for the Mac and PC. Here's how the game is
described: "With its colorful, impeccably detailed scenes, charming,
cleverly woven story and vividly depicted characters, the game makes
its debut just in time to brighten and banish any post-holiday blues."
For an early start on the fun, players are invited to visit the Digi
Ronin Games page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/DigiRoninGames)
for a chance to win a copy of the game plus a copy of the book; look
for giveaway details under the "Discussions" tab, and sneak a peek at
new screen shots ("Photos").
FMC training options now include Final Cut Pro 7, Mac IT
Future Media Concepts (FMC) -- and authorized digital media training
organization for postproduction, broadcast, and content creators --
has announced new training options for their FMC|Online division.
Commencing in late December, the updated training catalog boasts
Adobe, Apple and Avid course enhancements, which include Final Cut
Pro 7 instruction and Mac IT training. FMC|Online utilizes the latest
in desktop sharing technology to provide live group classes conducted
by manufacturer certified trainers.
A counterpart to their classroom training, the new online courses
will continue to provide students with fundamental, hands-on
technology instruction to confidently assume most real-world
postproduction assignments, says Ben Kozuch, co-founder of FMC.
Registration is currently open for all upcoming FMC|Online courses.
To view course information, including pricing, dates and
availability, please visit: www.FMCTraining.com .
TwelveSouth releases SurfacePad for MacBook Pro
TwelveSouth (http://www.twelvesouth.com) has introduced the
SurfacePad, a soft, thin layer of leather that dresses up and
protects the keyboard deck/wrist rest area of MacBook Pro from
scratches, dirt and discoloration. It's available in smooth and
pattern styles for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro. The retail price
is US$39.99 for both sizes.
Along with protecting the surface around the keyboard, the black
leather SurfacePad completely transforms the look of a MacBook Pro,
"making it a standout in coffee shops, classrooms and boardrooms,"
according to Andrew Green, head of creative for TwelveSouth. It's
available in either a napa smooth finish or an embossed baroque
pattern. It also beautifully coordinates with the black keys and
black screen bezel on MacBook Pros, says Green.
The SurfacePad for the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a one-piece design that
covers the keyboard deck, with an opening for the trackpad and
keyboard. The SurfacePad for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is a two-piece
style...
Elgato launches EyeTV Live3G
EyeTV 3 users can now stream live television over a 3G connection to
an iPhone. With Elgato's new EyeTV Live3G web app, you can watch live
TV and EyeTV recordings anywhere.
The web app connects your iPhone to your Mac at home. It uses HTTP
Live Streaming technology to deliver video streams without
sacrificing battery life, according to the folks at Elgato. The
Live3G web app is available immediately at live3g.eyetv.com, and is
part of EyeTV 3.3, a free update for EyeTV 3 users.
The web app complements Elgato's recently introduced EyeTV app for
the iPhone, which delivers live TV to an iPhone over a Wi-Fi
connection. The EyeTV Live3G web app uses HTTP Live Streaming
technology introduced with iPhone OS 3.0, which relies upon H.264
video and AAC audio to deliver the highest possible playback quality.
Live3G takes advantage of the iPhone's hardware acceleration to
deliver higher performance and longer battery life, says Elgato.
The EyeTV Live3G web app uses Elgato's free "My EyeTV"...
Live Interior 3D adds ability to construct and work with roofs
BeLight Software (http://www.belightsoft.com) has released Live
Interior 3D 2.3, an update to its interior design software for Mac OS
X that lets users create house, office and apartment interiors with
3D walk-throughs. Version 2.3 adds the ability to construct and work
with roofs, acquires over 200 roofing materials, presents a new
walkthrough tool, and more.
Live Interior 3D is normally available in Standard (US$49.95) and Pro
($129.95) editions. However, BeLight Software has announced a 30%
discount on Live Interior 3D Pro and Standard. From now until Dec.
28, the Standard Edition is priced at $34.95 and Pro Edition at
$90.95. Version 2.3 is a free update for registered users of version
2.x.
Live Interior 3D is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC
and Intel Macs. It works with Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5.
Booq releases Mamba shift case for laptops
Booq (http://www.booqbags.com/) has released the US$149.95 Mamba
shift case for laptops. Its exterior peels open to reveal a padded
interior. The Mamba shift also has side pockets and quickly
accessible compartments.
It's designed with YKK zippers and side compartments, the cool black
Mamba shift is perfect for storing items you routinely need while on
the move. The shoulder straps come equipped with an elastic pop-out
iPhone pocket that keeps your phone protected and at your finger tips.
Once you unzip and peel back the black outer skin, Mamba shift opens
up to reveal a red interior that boasts multiple features to help
organize your stuff. The main compartment includes a document storage
pocket as well as a pen holder located at the top of the interior.
Diagonally overlapping interior pockets let see, search, and store
all your gear.
Booq has also included a separate zippered pouch for cables, hard
drives, and any other small accessory you would like to keep
protected. Located in a...
DAZ 3D, Gizmo merge
DAZ 3D (http://www.daz3D.com) and Gizmoz (http://www.gizmoz.com) have
announced a merger that "will create the foremost online marketplace
for high-quality and inter-compatible digital characters and
accessories," according to Eyal Gever, president of the merged
company and CEO and founder of Gizmoz.
With the largest community of active digital character artists, the
merged company will allow users to experience personalized digital
goods and identities across any platform, he adds. Gever says the
combination of Gizmoz's consumer-friendly, photo-realistic head
reconstruction and online personalization service with DAZ 3D's
sophisticated full-figure content, desktop software tools and
thriving community will provide creative professionals, gamers and
consumers alike with a substantially more expansive virtual goods
design center and marketplace.
The merger will enhance distributive capabilities as well: the custom
avatars can then be managed and transported to any virtual
environment...
HW Group releases Poseidon 4002 for rack mount environment
The HW Group (http://www.HW-group.com) has released the Poseidon
4002, a 19-inch 1U rack mount system for datacenter temperature and
environment monitoring.
The Poseidon presents the solution for monitoring of the racks and
computer rooms (temperature, humidity, electricity supply, access to
the room, detectors). The device alerts by e-mail, SNMP traps, SMS,
output relays.
Poseidon 4002 is designed to offer a complete system for environment
monitoring in a 19-inch rack, an entire server room or in a
datacenter. The 4002 model can be mounted as a 1U device, or outside
of the 42U space.
Eighteen sensors are supported (temperature, humidity, smoke, flood,
electricity supply status or failure, entry to the room, digital
inputs). The device is SNMP compatible. Two monitoring applications
(PD Trigger and HWg-PDMS) are included free of charge. Contact the HW
Group for pricing options.
Qoppa Software launches PDF Studio 6.10
Qoppa Software, which specializes in PDF tools, has updated PDF
Studio (http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html), a PDF editor, to version
6.10. The new version is based on a new PDF reader and parser engine
(entirely developed by Qoppa Software) that the company says is
faster and uses less memory allowing to open bigger PDF documents in
less time.
PDF Studio maintains full compatibility with the PDF Standard and
supports the latest PDF format. In version 6.10 you can: manage
digital IDs and trusted certificates for digital signatures; batch
preflight to preflight to verify PDF/X compliancy for multiple
documents at once; and batch crop to crop multiple documents at once
and change the margins for crop box, bleed box, trim box or art box.
PDF Studio now offers cloud annotation and a screenshot tool allowing
users to select a page area with a lasso and copy the image to the
clipboard or export the image to a file There's also support for
barcodes.
PDF Studio is available for Mac, Windows...
LaCie announces its smallest hard drive to date
LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has introduced what it says the most
compact 2.5-inch hard drive on the market -- the LaCie Rikiki, in
metal. Measuring 110cm, it holds up to 640GB of media, but can fit in
a pocket or purse.
Encased in brushed aluminum, the LaCie Rikiki, which means "tiny" in
French, sports an USB 2.0 interface and is compatible with a Mac or
PC. LaCie Rikiki also comes with a software suite for backup
management - enabling complete configuration in just a few clicks.
The LaCie Rikiki will be available in 250GB, 500GB, and 640GB
capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie
Corner. Pricing starts at the suggested retail price of US$74.99.
'Fully loaded' exhibitor booth packages offered for...
The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP),
organizers of Photoshop World Conference & Expo
(http://www.photoshopworld.com) , are now offering "fully loaded"
exhibitor booth packages -- cost-cutting options for vendors that
streamline the trade show planning and budgeting process.
These new exhibitor packages bundle everything from hotel
accommodations and discounted drayage, to electricity, standard
furnishings, pipe and drape, carpeting, and more for onepackage
price. Plus, every vendor who chooses a package gets a one-year NAPP
corporate membership for their company's own benefit and use.
NAPP drew from its own experiences in additional costs associated
with similar industry events when creating this concept and have come
up with two options, says Scott Kelby, Photoshop World conference
technical chair and president of NAPP. You can download a PDF of the
expo packages here:
http://www.photoshopworld.com/downloads/psw_exhibitor.pdf .
Agama launches new line of mice
Agama (http://www.agamazone.com), a new new consumer electronics
company, has announced the launch of a line of new mice with high
tracking precision for gamers and professionals alike. Each is small,
portable and can be stored for traveling.
The models include the M-300 Retractable Mini Notebook Mouse, M-500G
Gaming Mouse, M-900LS Laser Notebook Mouse and the M-905BT Bluetooth
Notebook Mouse. The US$10.99 M-300 retractable mini notebook mouse
has a 1200 dpi optical sensor, has a retractable cable and is
available in black or silver.
The $14.99 M-500G Gaming Mouse has a 1600 dpi gaming engine and can
be switched to 800 dpi, depending on the game. It touts 20G maximum
cursor acceleration and 68 inches per second maximum speed. The mouse
also has a blue fluorescent light that shines in dark environments.
The $24.99 M-900LS Laser Notebook Mouse has 2.4GHz digital cordless
technology that works up to 10 meters away. The 1600 dpi laser sensor
and advanced laser engine for high tracking...
Snow Leopard video training course now available from The MacU
Mac OS X Snow Leopard Overview, a video training course, is now
available at the The MacU. This video training course contains over
three hours of HD training videos covering everything from file and
folder basics to how to use applications like Mail, Safari, iCal and
more.
The videos are presented in HD and the course also includes a
searchable course contents PDF. Go to the MacU web site
(http://www.TheMacU.com) to learn more and view several free lessons.
This course is available as in individual download for US$15.
Also, from now until the end of January all video training at The
MacU is 15% off when the coupon code "MACU15" is entered during
checkout. This code will work with individual courses and course
bundles.
TechSmith announces public beta of Snagit for the Mac
TechSmith Corp., a provider of screen capture and recording
solutions, has released a public beta of Snagit for Mac. It's an app
for turning screenshots into visual communication tools.
Individuals who want to take part in the public beta can download
Snagit for Mac by visiting http://www.techsmith.com/snagitmac/ .
"When we released Camtasia for Mac earlier this year, we were
reminded once again just how much the Mac community also wants to see
Snagit on the platform," says Tiffany Wood, Snagit product manager at
TechSmith. "Starting today, the public beta of Snagit for Mac is
available. We're excited to receive feedback so we can deliver a
final release that meets the Mac community's expectations and get
feature suggestions that matter most to them for future releases."
Snagit enables computer users to take screenshots of exactly what
they see on their computer screens to communicate ideas faster,
explain concepts clearly, and archive electronic information with
point-and-click...
iFixit licensing all repair manuals for free under Creative
Effective immediately, iFixit (http://www.ifixit.com) is licensing
all its repair manuals under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license.
"To our knowledge, this is the largest free release of repair
documentation ever," says iFixit CEO Kyle Mike Wiens. "W are
committing to make our repair manuals available to everyone in the
world, forever, for free. My team has invested thousands of hours
documenting how to repair Apple hardware. Starting in 2004 with our
very first set of repair guides for the venerable PowerBook G3
series, we have steadily, inexorably, carefully, taken apart every
single Mac we could get our hands on."
iFixit now has manuals for 91 Mac models, 34 iPods, and a couple of
iPhones. Together, our media servers currently host 154,556 images
(including revision history and thumbnails) and over 1,000
step-by-step guides. iFixit will also be providing a XML data dump of
our repair manuals sometime in the middle of next year.
OWC offers memory upgrades for 2009 Mac Pro quad-core models
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com)
has announced third party 32GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC
memory upgrade for all Mac Pro quad-core Pro
models, including the newest 3.33GHz model
announced by Apple earlier this month.
OWC memory upgrades offer all Mac Pro users up to
double the original factory memory with kits of
up to 32GB for all Mac Pro dual-core, quad-core,
and 8-core Models. Pricing for OWC memory upgrade
kits for 2009 Mac Pro Quad-Core 2.66GHz, 2.93GHz,
and 3.33GHz models:
° OWC 12GB DDR3 ECC Memory Kit -- $467.99 (3 x 4GB matched memory modules);
° OWC 16GB DDR3 ECC Memory Kit -- $619.99 (4 x 4GB matched memory modules);
° OWC 24GB DDR3 ECC Memory Ki ---$1579.99 (3 x 8GB matched memory modules);
° OWC 32GB DDR3 ECC Memory Kit -- $2099.99 (4 x 8GB matched memory modules).
Pricing for OWC memory upgrade kits for 2009 Mac
Pro 8-Core 2.26GHz, 2.66GHz, and 2.93GHz models:
° OWC 24GB DDR3 ECC Memory Kit -- $929.99 (6 x 4GB matched memory modules);
° OWC 32GB DDR3 ECC Memory Kit...
HyperOffice announces beta of cloud-computing collaboration suite
HyperOffice (http://www.hyperoffice.com) has released a beta version
its cloud-computing software. The private beta is available
immediately to qualified customers and prospects upon request.
Farzin Arsanjani, president of HyperOffice, says that HyperOffice
integrates a range of software-as-a-service business applications
over the Internet: shared calendars and contacts, business-class
email, document and project management, web conferencing, databases
and web forms; forums, polls and wikis; project and task portals,
Intranets and Extranets; user rights, versioning, commenting, backup,
and more. Hosted online, the suite delivers to smaller and
medium-sized businesses the power and productivity of costly
corporate collaboration products - for a low monthly subscription fee
of about US$7 per month, per user, secure, and hassle free, he adds.
Under the hood, rebuilt from the ground up, Ajax and an array of Web
2.0 technologies power improvements in performance, scalability and
security....
Skydda Design introduces the BambooBook Case for the MacBook Pro
Skydda Design has introduced the BambooBook
(http://skyddadesign.com/products/bambooBook/bambooBook.html), a case
for 13-inch Macbook Pros. It's manufactured of bamboo and lined with
padded suede fabric.
The BambooBook measures 1 5/8 x 14 3/8 x 11 inches and weighs three
pounds, seven ounces. Even with the MacBook Pro inserted, users will
will have full operation of their laptop without having to remove it
from the case. Just set it down anywhere, open the lid and it's ready
to go. You can plug in the computer's AC adaptor and even access the
USB port while working within the case.
To protect the BambooBook's polished hardwood finish, the case ships
with a formfitting vinyl cover. The cover zips around each side of
the case up to the handle for access and has a pocket to store the AC
adaptor, iPhone and other accessories.
The BambooBook is currently offered at the introductory price of
US$149. To celebrate the launch of the BambooBook, Skydda Design is
also offering an additional $20...
TypeTrax unites project workflow, asset, font management
Insider Software and Moksa have announced the release of TypeTrax
(http://www.typetrax.com) for Cumulus 8, which manages Adobe InDesign
CS4 project workflows and associated fonts with Cumulus 8, Canto's
industry-leading digital asset manager.
As designers import InDesign projects into Cumulus, TypeTrax
automatically imports all the fonts and files required. Users can
preview fonts and their metadata with a few clicks. When users check
in an InDesign project, Cumulus and TypeTrax automatically preflight
the job to ensure that all required fonts, images and resource files
are included.
TypeTrax detects differences between fonts resident in projects and
on users' systems. In addition, users can track all checked-in
revisions, so they can revert to an earlier version of a project. The
app requires a Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later and Adobe
InDesign Creative Suite 4, as well as access to a server running
Canto Cumulus 8.0 or 8.1.
TypeTrax for Cumulus 8 is available immediately and...
QNAP expands capabilities of Turbo NAS servers with upgraded NAS
QNAP Systems (http://www.qnap.com), a
manufacturer of NAS servers, has announced an
update to the NAS management software that powers
its business-class Intel®-based Turbo NAS servers.
The NAS management software version 3.2, embedded
as firmware, provides an iSCSI target solution
supporting SPC-3 persistent reservation, MPIO and
MC/S allowing SMB and corporate customers the
ability to deploy the NAS as a storage server in
the virtualized and clustered infrastructure.
Additionally, the newly updated management
software also steps up its backup capabilities by
adding Apple Time Machine support and even
redundant backups to Amazon's S3 cloud storage
platform. In addition, IT administrators can also
benefit from the DFS support (Share Folder
Aggregation), import of user-list, and
customizable Daylight Saving Time.
What's more, the next-generation Internet
Protocol, IPv6, has also been incorporated for
future networking evolution. QNAP's Web File
Manager 2 features a redesigned user...
Michael Amorose releases Newsreader Xcode Project Template for
Michael Amorose has released Newsreader, an iPhone application
template project for Xcode. It provides a table-based starting point
project for creating new newsreader iPhone apps in Xcode.
Newsreader includes an application template, UITableView and
UITableViewCell subclasses, a tab bar controller, four table view
content views, four tab bar icons, a default app launch image, and an
application icon. Newsreader is free and can be downloaded from the
author's web site
(http://www.michael-amorose.com/software/cocoa_classes/index.htm).
Autodesk Smoke comes to the Mac
Autodesk has announced that it's ready to start
shipping Autodesk Smoke 2010 for Mac OS X
(http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=5561833&siteID=123112
), a software-only editorial finishing tool and
the first Autodesk finishing product designed to
run on the Mac.
Smoke software's proven editorial finishing tools
harness the 64-bit power of Snow Leopard to
provide an interactive, all-in-one finishing
experience, says Stig Gruman, Autodesk vice
president of digital entertainment. Autodesk
Smoke helped define editorial finishing by
combining the timeline workflow of a non-linear
editor with advanced visual effects tools, he
adds.
Customers have used Smoke to help shape such
television programs as "House," "NCIS," "CSI: NY"
and "Entourage" as well as popular Super Bowl
commercials, including Coke Zero "Mean Troy" and
Cash4Gold.com's "One Up." CCTV in China used
Smoke to help create its 2008 Beijing Olympics
packaging and promotions as well as for content
production during...
MacTech Releases Virtualization Upgrade Benchmarks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MacTech Labs Releases Virtualization Upgrade Benchmarks
- Over 400 tests performed to compare versions
- Two separate articles:
- VMware Fusion 2 vs. 3
- Parallels Desktop 4 vs. 5
December 15, 2009 -- WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- MacTech Labs
(http://www.mactechlabs.com/), part of MacTech Magazine
(http://www.mactech.com), today released a benchmarks studying the recently
released upgrades of the two major virtualization solutions running on
Intel-based Macs. MacTech's goal was to see how well the upgrades performed
compared to their predecessors.
The over 400 tests were performed on a current model MacBook Pro. The
tests focused on virtualization performance, computational performance,
file i/o, as well as graphics.
"MacTech Labs has been doing product evaluations and testing for over 20
years. Our focus is to help IT Pros not only in making tough decisions, but
with real-world and how-to answers. In this case, we wanted to help people
understand what to...