The Tolis Group (http://www.tolisgroup.com) has released BRU Server 2.0, an upgrade of the network backup solution. It supports networks of Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and many other Unix-platform systems. Enhanced functionality is delivered across multiple platforms. Enhancements include: the redesigned BRU Server Management graphical user interface, which is identical in functionality on Mac, Windows and Linux systems; new client-level user initiated backup and restore functions that don't require administrator intervention; an optional Encryption Module add-on for encrypted backups using any archival hardware; and more. Archives are still backwards compatible with all previous BRU Server versions, and as with previous versions, are also recoverable by any BRU product, on any platform BRU supports. The BRU Server 2.0 license once purchased may be used into perpetuity, regardless of the amount of data being protected. BRU Server 2.0 continues its support of D2D, D2D2T and D2T...

macProVideo.com (http://www.macprovideo.com), a company that specializes in training videos for Apple software, has announced pro-level training for the new Final Cut Studio suite of video editing applications including Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, and Color 1.5. Produced by Apple Courseware author Michael Wohl, these tutorials each run about five hours (15-hours combined duration) and show users how to use Final Cut Studio to create professional video productions. Wohl was also one of the original designers of Final Cut Pro. These newly released titles are available for download from the company's web site at US$49.50 per title. You can also subscribe to macProVideo.com's Online Tutorial Library for $25 per month and watch these (and all other macProVideo.com titles) online through your web browser.

Primera Technology (http://www.primera.com), a manufacturer of specialty printers, has released a number of hardware and software enhancements to its CX1200 Digital Label Press. Most notable among the changes is a new rewind/tensioning system. Utilizing Primera's exclusive IntelliTorque technology, the rewind mechanism automatically applies just the right amount of tension as the printed roll increases in diameter, according to Mark Strobel, Primera's vice president of sales and marketing. Improvements have also been made to software and firmware, including Primera's new RichBlack print optimization feature. RichBlack produces deep, highly saturated black printing on labels. The CX1200 Color Label Press delivers short-run, full-color digital label printing at a price of US$18,995. Existing CX1200 units in the field are being updated with all new enhancements at no additional cost.

Apple has announced an update to Final Cut Studio with more than 100 new features and new versions of Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Color and Compressor. Final Cut Studio features Final Cut Pro 7 which expands Apple's ProRes codec family to support virtually any workflow and includes Easy Export for one step output to a variety of formats and iChat Theater support for real-time collaboration. Motion 4 includes enhanced tools such as 3D shadows, reflections and depth of field for stunning motion graphics and visual effects, and Soundtrack Pro 3 features new multitrack audio tools to streamline audio post production. Color 1.5 includes better Final Cut Pro integration and support for full color resolution, and Compressor 3.5 adds new features that make it easy to set up and customize your export options. At $999, the new Final Cut Studio is $300 less than the previous release and is also available as an upgrade for $299. "With 1.4 million users and 50 percent of the market,...

Matterform Media has announced the 2.0 release of Yank, the universal uninstaller for Mac OS X. Yank 2.0 offers new features and is now compatible with Snow Leopard, Apple's forthcoming update to OS X. Yank is an all-purpose uninstaller for Mac OS X. Yank 2.0 monitors the hard drive for changes when new software is installed and creates a log of all files that were added or modified. This information can be used later to completely uninstall the software. Because Yank works at installation time, monitoring the file system in real-time, it is able to remove software more reliably than other installers that rely on limited search techniques. Yank 2.0 is compatible with Leopard and Snow Leopard and features a new Auto-Launch feature that automatically starts monitoring your hard drive as soon as you begin installing new software. Yank 2.0 is a free upgrade for users who purchased a Yank 1 license after September 1, 2008. Other licensed users can purchase an upgrade for $11.95. New...

Pixologic (http://www.pixologic.com) has just announced its GoZ for modo feature from Pixologic, which improves the workflow between ZBrush, Pixologic's premiere organic sculpting and texture tool, and modo, the 3D modeling, painting and rendering software from Luxology (http://www.luxology.com). The two companies worked closely together to optimize the mesh geometry transfer between these two computer graphics applications to give users a more seamless and combined workflow, says Brad Peebler, president and co-founder of Luxology. GoZ is a feature within ZBrush that automatically transfers mesh geometry and normal, displacement, and texture maps into modo and back again. This ability to move between two complementary applications offers tremendous freedom to artists, who use each product at different phases of the creative process, says Peebler. With GoZ, modo can be used to create a base model, such as a human head, to provide the basic anatomy. This model can then be instantly...

Sorenson Media (http://www.sorensonmedia.com) today announced several significant video management enhancements to its Sorenson 360 Video Delivery Network (VDN), providing video professionals with the ability to more fully control the functionality and branding of the Sorenson 360 video player. Users can now incorporate their own identities, including company logos, into Sorenson 360. Video professionals can also create unlimited players, and customize a variety of key settings for each player -- from screen modes to content sharing and specifying a particular branded player for each video. In addition, the update provides a seamless password-protected workflow. Video professionals can now use Sorenson 360 to manage and limit access to specific videos, using a separate password for each video. Sorenson 360's high-quality browser-based encoding capabilities have been further enhanced, enabling customers -- many of whom already use the industry-leading Sorenson Squeeze encoding...

RSA (http://www.RSA.com), the security devision of EMC, has released the RSA SecuID Software Token for the iPhone. It enables an iPhone to be used as an RSA SecurID authenticator, providing two-factor authentication to enterprise applications and resources. The RSA SecurID Software Token App is available on the Apple App Store at no charge. The required RSA SecurID software token seed as well as RSA Authentication Manager -- the software that powers the RSA SecurID system -- are both available for purchase at the RSA web site. The new RSA SecurID Software Token for iPhone is engineered to generate a one-time password that changes every 60 seconds, enabling secure access to enterprise applications and resources. The solution complements the existing range of authentication methods offered by RSA, giving customers a choice in the way they assure identities to a system, resource or information based on risk, cost and convenience. Through a simple download from the App Store, the software...

(img src="{filedir_1}boxskypecapwin_thumb.png" border="0" alt="image" name="image" class="left" width="85" height="94" /)SkypeCap has updated (a href="http://www.skypecap.com/SkypeCap_for_Mac/" TARGET="_blank")SkypeCap for Mac(/a), their Skype audio session recorder for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher), to version 3.0. The upgrade allows you to capture and record audio and video calls via Skype in real time, so that you could replay the records later and share them with other people. SkypeCap for Mac allows you to record audio conversation from Skype to audio mp4 file. It fully integrates the process into the Mac experience by allowing human interaction during recording. You can save your Skype sessions so that you could hear them again later or share them with someone else. You can use SkypeCap to record Skype Casts, teleconference calls, meetings, training sessions, announcements, interviews, group brainstorming sessions, telephone and cellular phone calls and more. SkypeCap costs US$49....

Managing Editor (http://www.maned.com), an Adobe premier development partner and a provider of software solutions for the publishing industry, hasy announced the release of the Integrated Production Suite 4.6, the latest version of the collection of MEI products for enterprise publishers. IPS's Macintosh components -- including IPS AdTrac, Mac File Agent and Doc Server -- now run natively on the Intel processor, for measurable performance improvements. The minimum operating system to support the components is Mac OS X 10.5.5. IPS 4.6 now supports Adobe InDesign CS4 and QuarkXPress 8.0 for design and Suitcase Fusion 2 for font management. Oher updates include enhanced AdTrac and WebTrac performance. IPS is used in demanding multi-site operations to streamline and distribute all facets of ad and page production. Contact MEI for pricing options.

Group Logic has announced the immediate availability of ArchiveConnect (http://www.grouplogic.com/products/ArchiveConnect/). Available now, ArchiveConnect enables organizations with Mac desktops to take full advantage of the benefits of file archiving and hierarchical storage management solutions. It provides end-users with a way to identify and access archived files. It also eliminates inadvertent recalls of archived files by Finder previews, Quick Look and Cover Flow, an issue that has impeded the adoption of file archiving, according to the folks at Group Logic. "Gartner expects that the file archiving and HSM markets will continue to grow quickly with a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 19.2 percent through 2012," says Carolyn DiCenzo, vice president of research at Gartner, Inc. "Note also that the recent market share gains of the Macintosh have made support for mixed Windows/Mac environments a deal breaker in many organizations. In the last year, I have seen the requirement...

Native Instruments has announced AUDIO 2 DJ (http://www.native-instruments.com/audio2dj.info), which it says is the world's smallest USB audio interface for DJs. Delivering the same audio quality and performance as the AUDIO 8 DJ, it sports a footprint no larger than a deck of cards. The bus-powered AUDIO 2 DJ is small enough to fit into a pocket. It touts studio-grade 24bit/96kHz Cirrus Logic converters and output amplifiers capable of delivering a +9.7dBu audio signal. It comes with low-latency drivers for Mac OS X and Windows systems. The dual stereo outputs of the AUDIO 2 DJ provide connectivity to route two decks separately into an external DJ mixer, or to output independent master and cue signals when mixing in software. There are two included RCA break-out cables. AUDIO 2 DJ will be available in September for a suggested retail price of US$119.

Recordare LLC has released version 5 of its Dolet plug-in for the Sibelius music notation program. Recordare's Dolet plug-ins serve as "universal translators" between music notation applications. The Dolet 5 for Sibelius plug-in saves MusicXML 2.0 files from Sibelius. This lets Sibelius users share files with people using other music programs with the highest possible accuracy. Dolet 5 for Sibelius supports the new plug-in and notation features added in Sibelius 6. New features saved from Sibelius 6 include transpositions, octave-transposing clefs, hidden staves on systems, system and page breaks, color, jazz articulations, comments, feathered beams, and enhanced chord symbols. Dolet 5 for Sibelius includes more than 30 improvements to the MusicXML exported from both Sibelius 5 and 6. It also runs about 20% faster than Dolet 4 for Sibelius. Current Dolet 4 for Sibelius customers have praised the improvements in the new version. "The MusicXML files output from Dolet 5 for Sibelius and...

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," iKlax Media (http://www.iklaxmusic.com/davidbowie), a global leader in interactive music, has partnered with EMI Music to distribute a special iPhone and iPod touch application that enables users to remix the audio tracks. It's available for US$1.99 at the Apple App Store. Consisting of four unique song versions, an EP purchase will also provide fans with eight additional multi-track audio files for even more material to edit into a custom remix. Users can either render a personalized remix using iKlax Creator software, available for the Mac and PC. Or, while engaging with the iPhone or iPod touch app, they can shake their device for a random stem selection. Reviewing the various individual audio tracks, fans can remix the vocals, acoustic 12-string guitar, drums and bass, mellotron, organ and guitars, guitar solo, strings and other orchestration on both the iPod touch, iPhone and desktop applications. In addition,...

Nova media (http://www.novamedia.de) has released Modem Mate, an external antenna and adapter that couples inductively with the internal antenna of most 3G modems. It's available for approximately US$57. "A better signal strength is often the difference between a slow GPRS connection and a super fast HSPA transmission," says Jan Fuellemann, Nova media spokesperson. "Modem Mate can increase the signal strength by up to 2 dBi." Modem Mate consists of a adapter with a fastening strip to attach to and detach from the 3G modem and an external antenna. The antenna can be clipped to a display in an instant for the best signal strength and transfer speeds.

Microsoft Corp.'s Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) hsa released Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2 (SP2) -- a midcycle free update designed to improve the Office 2008's speed, stability and compatibility. SP2 delivers requested features throughout the suite as well as a new tool, Document Connection for Mac, that helps improve access and browsing to documents on SharePoint Products and Technologies and Microsoft Office Live Workspace. According to Mike Tedesco, senior product manager for MacBU at Microsoft, highlights of the release include: ° Two new highly requested features in Microsoft PowerPoint 2008 for Mac: Custom Path Animation (which adds the ability to author motion-path animations; users previously could only play back motion paths) and Default Theme (which lets users define their default theme, including fonts, color scheme and slide layouts); ° Increased speed in Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac (launch and scroll times) as well as Microsoft Excel 2008 for Mac with...

Hyberbolic Software (http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com) has released Tidy Up! 2.0, the latest version of their disk, file and folder processing utility for Mac OS X. Tidy Up! can find duplicate files and packages using any criteria. The new version purportedly has over 50 new features. Among the key improvements are: ° A new Basic Search mode with over 90 predefined search types; ° EXIF information supported through new search criteria and Smart Basket criteria; ° The ability to exclude any supported applications (iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture and Mail) from the search, allowing for identification of items not included in their databases; ° Smart Basket capability to identify items belonging to a particular album, playlist or mailbox; ° Moved and trashed items may now be replaced with an alias or symbolic link; ° A new and improved interface, including additional information displayed when selecting a found item; ° New user manual. Tidy Up 2.0 requires Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") or higher...

The Retronyms have released the DopplerPad expressive touch instrument for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available at the Apple App Store (http://dopplerpad.com/itunes) at an introductory price of US$9.99. DopplerPad is a live performance music production application that was inspired by tools such as the Korg Kaosscillator, Yamaha Tenori-on, and DJ mixers. Synthesizers, samplers, and drum pads combine with visual displays to create a portable instrument that's purportedly still intuitive enough for recreational use. DopplerPad's interface imitates the standard DJ setup of a mixer with turntables on either side, but replaces the turntables with music-producing touchpads. The app launches to the mixer, where the user can access the two touchpads, their playback controls, a crossfader, and a loop bank that stores up to 14 loops. The framework for a loop on one of DopplerPad's velocity-sensitive touchpads begins by adjusting the tempo and number of beats. Thirty-seven instruments are...

Collins America (http://www.cinemaview.com) has announced a group of display and TV products engineered to radically expand the capabilities of the Mac. The new products include 24-inch and 47-inch HD LCD displays, both with native Mini DisplayPort connections, and a full featured headless TV system with full HD TV features, as well as Mini DisplayPort connections both in and out. The folks at Collins America say they believe "that tomorrow's graphics and video experiences simply are not going to be the same as yesterday's, and that Apple will continue to lead and define the path forward for consumer video entertainment." With Apple's implementation of Mini DisplayPort connectors on its computers, and with HDMI on its Apple TV, these two interfaces define the future of Apple-centric video, they add. The two new CinemaView displays have the 16:9 cinematic aspect ratio and 1920x1080 resolution that's well suited for viewing either movies, HD TV, or data. The 24-inch CinemaView routes...

Native Instruments has released Kontakt 3.5 (http://www.native-instruments.com/Kontakt35.info), a free update for its software sampler. The new version fully utilizes the capabilities of today's computer systems to overcome existing performance barriers, and includes many improvements that make Kontakt even more powerful and convenient, according to the folks at NI. At the heart of Kontakt 3.5 is a new sample engine with capabilities for sophisticated orchestral scoring and similar complex projects. On the Mac, Kontakt 3.5 introduces the new "Kontakt Memory Server," which can make use of up to 32GB of RAM on Mac OS X 10.4 and beyond. Kontakt 3.5 also uses a new "zero-memory" DFD technology for disc streaming with a reduced memory footprint. Multiprocessor support now enables additional performance benefits on modern multi-core and multiprocessor setups. To better accommodate its arsenal of third-party instrument content, the new Kontakt version displays all installed libraries and...

iLuv (http://www.i-luv.com) has debuted the iEP515 Premium Earphones and the iEP315 In-ear Earphones with microphone remote. They work with the iPhone 3GS and the iPod. The earphones feature drivers that create a balance of high and low frequencies for superior sound and a light, comfortable, sound isolating design with built in hands free iPhone and iPod functionality control, according to the folks at iLuv. The iEP515 earphones will be available in August at a manufacturer's estimated price of US$59.99 and the iEP315 earphones for $29.99. The iEP515 earphones give you iPhone and iPod control with the option to record voice memos and answer or make calls with the built-in mic. The iEP515s also feature a VoiceOver function that allows you to hear the title and artist of the song and allows you to move between playlists for the new iPod shuffle. The iEP515 earphones include small, medium and large ear tips for the perfect fit and are compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 2nd...

Workamajig (http://www.Workamajig.com), an integrated software for ad agencies and others in the creative and design industries, has released version 10.0.2.7 of its self-titled software, with a revamped CRM module, and improvements for Mac OS X 10.5.7 ("Leopard"). Also included are the links to the Strata Media Buying software's Interactive module, which was released back in April. The revamped CRM module is currently being rolled out in phases across the 20,000-plus user-base, which among other enhancements allows clients to arrange their leads and contacts in a variety of lists for direct mail and email marketing efforts, says Ron Ause, Workamajig's director of marketing. With the Strata interface, users enter their Interactive plan into the Strata media buying software, and Workamajig's interface sends the information over as insertion orders in Workamajig's integrated software. References to projects, tasks, etc. are all taken care of with one entry into the Strata system, so...

Global software development company Eltima Software has released SyncMate 2.0 (http://www.sync-mac.com/), software for multiple sync, which simplifies the process of all data synchronization between Mac and Windows Mobile devices, other Mac computers, Nokia S40 phones and online accounts. SyncMate is offered at two versions, Free and Expert, and provides all users with even more synchronization possibilities than before. SyncMate Free Edition enables you to sync Address Book and iCal entries in your Mac with their analogues in supported devices and back up these data to Online Storage Account. Google Contacts and Google Calendar synchronization is also available. Additionally to sync features, SyncMate Free Edition provides you with opportunity to read your SMS right from Mac OS X computer, share Internet between Mac and Windows Mobile devices and visually analyze detailed information of the Windows Mobile devices connected (battery state or memory usage). SyncMate Expert Edition...

CoSoSys has released My Endpoint Protector for Mac. This device control and data loss prevention service for Mac users and network administrators offers the ability to proactively manage device control use and prevent data theft, data loss and data leakage. It enables centralized device management for networks with Mac OS X and Windows (XP, Vista, 7) computers. My Endpoint Protector for Mac allows system administrators to proactively manage device use for a safe and secure working environment with portable devices. It helps companies: ° Monitor, control or block the use of portable USB, Firewire devices and CD/DVD use; ° Centrally manage all protected Macs and PCs online; ° Grant granular permissions to specific USB storage devices; ° Save time by requiring no server installation (Software as a Service model); ° Enforce offline protection when computers aren't connected to the Internet. My Endpoint Protector is available as a subscription service, with introductory prices as low as...

Griffin Technology has released iFM Radio Browser (http://www.ifmapp.com) for the Phone OS 3.0. It's a free download at the Apple App Store. The application, Griffin's first for the new OS, is designed to take full advantage of the platform's improved speed and performance. iFM Radio Browser connects users with radio through a real-time media browser interface. iFM Radio Browser, in the spirit of a cross-platform web browser, can work alongside any FM radio, whether in the car or in the home, and brings an interactive radio experience to iPhone and iPod touch, according to Paul Griffin, founder and CEO of Griffin Technology. The application connects to real-time data, provided by Mediaguide, to display a list of local FM radio stations within the US, as well as the artists currently playing on them, going beyond both RDS and satellite radio programming guides. Tapping a station in the list allows users to view song title, album art, artist biography, and upcoming concert events. iFM...

EZ Dupe (http://www.ezdupe.com) has introduced new Disk Lok duplication systems. They're designed to prevent unauthorized copying of DVD video material. The new systems embed copy-protection onto target discs during the duplication process. This proprietary technology provides layers of protection to videographers, law enforcement, defense contractors, government and others wishing to conserve the availability of the original material, according to EZ Dupe Vice President Howard Kopelson. Also packed into the Disk Lok is the ability to lock out the duplicated material from being played on computers. Kopelson says that these systems create a whole new business category for replicators, and camera retailers can now protect a major revenue stream for their videographer patrons. The Disk Lok incorporates the new SATA technology. Also every Disk Lok unit performs as a standard DVD and CD duplication system. EZ Dupe will additionally support Disk Lok with a two-year limited warranty and an...

SmileOnMyMac (http://www.smileonmymac.com) has updated TextExpander, a Mac OS X utility that lets users define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, to version 2.6.3. The upgrade can sort snippets by user-assigned label. The new release also fixes dead key handling and can now use certain characters with accent marks or Polyphonic Greek characters as abbreviations, for example. In addition, improvements have been made in preparation for Snow Leopard. With TextExpander, users can define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, also known as snippets. When an abbreviation is typed, it expands automatically to the full snippet. The cost is US$29.95 for a single user license or $44.95 for a five-pack family license. A 30-day fully-functioning demo of TextExpander can be downloaded at the SmileOnMyMac web site. TextExpander 2.6.3 is a free update for registered users of TextExpander 1.x and 2.x.

Eye Scream Factory, the Boston-based creative team providing automation design templates and royalty-free content for media hobbyists and professionals, today announced the availability of new DVD Template Theme Sets. Each DVD Template Theme Set includes main and chapter DVD menu templates in HD, NTSC, PAL, and DV along with matching disc labels, case inserts, and background images. Users can easily create new looks and styles by adjusting colors, changing text, and moving layers. Templates are provided as layered Adobe Photoshop files. Background images are provided as .JPGs. Three DVD Template Theme Sets are available immediately: * Corporate: 60 templates and 25 background images including Corporate City, Looking Up, Numbers, Pie Chart, and World Map. * School: 60 templates and 25 background images including Chalkboard, First Day, Graduation Silhouette, School Sign, and School Subjects. * Sports: 60 templates and 25 background images including Baseball Swing, Basketball City,...

Avenza Systems (http://www.avenza.com) has updated Geographic Imager, software that adds geospatial functionality to Adobe Photoshop, to version 2.5. It adds support for several new spatial image formats including ECW, MrSID and DEM. Geographic Imager enhances the Photoshop imaging environment by adding tools and technology to support the import, edit, manipulation and export of geospatial images such as aerial and satellite imagery. In addition to allowing the use of Photoshop and its powerful native imaging functions such as cropping, transparencies, individual pixel editing and brightness/contrast control, Geographic Imager adds the ability to import and recognize GeoTIFFs and other referenced raster formats, automatically mosaic and tile images, reproject and transform images, geo-reference images based on ground control points and re-export images with all spatial information intact. Version 2.5 adds: ° Import support for the following DEM formats: Arc/Info ASCII Grid &...

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 -- has announced today the availability of White InkJet Printable, high performance, Duplicator Grade BD-R 4x Blu-ray media. Aleratec Duplicator Grade media is optimized for use in demanding professional duplication applications, according to Perry Solomon, Aleratec President and CEO. "Not only is it high performance and duplicator grade, it has a white inkjet printable surface that allows printing on the hub of the discs," he says. "It is optimized for use with the Aleratec RoboJet inkjet printers that produce superior, professional quality, high resolution, labels in brilliant colors." The InkJet Printable BD-R 4x media is available in 25 packs for US$209.99. White InkJet Printable BD-R 4x Duplicator Grade Media is the recommended inkjet printable BD-R media for use with Aleratec BD-R duplicators and robotic inkjet...

Primera Technology, a manufacturer of CD/DVD and Blu-ray disc publishers, announced today its PTBurn software developer's kit (SDK) for Mac. This comprehensive SDK can be used with any of Primera's Bravo-series Disc Publishers. Bravo Disc Publishers automate the process of burning and printing CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. The PTBurn SDK for Mac: burns and prints natively on Mac OS X 10.5 or higher; includes a bundled print layout application that allows merged text and other data; comes with a native Mac frameworks that can be linked in to new or existing Mac applications; and includes a source code for a fully functional Cocoa-based burn and print application is included. "Mac users represent a large and growing segment of our customer base," says Mark D. Strobel, Primera's vice president of sales and marketing. "The availability of a Mac SDK further strengthens our commitment to the Mac development community. Our SDK provides all the tools necessary for developers to support our...

Playrix Entertainment (http://www.playrix.com ) has released Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey for the Mac The Universal Binary game runs on Mac OS 10.4 and late. Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey released in April 2009 skyrocketed to the top of the charts on the major gaming portals receiving multiple staff and editor picks, spectacular user ratings and favorable reviews. "We are very excited to bring Playrix's first hidden object game to the Mac audience," said Igor Bukhman, Playrix's Co-Founder & President, Products. "With multi-platform strategy being our focal point, we are eager to deliver Playrix fun to the Mac devotees and we hope they will immensely enjoy our brand-new title." A smooth combination of hidden object and sim, Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey takes players to the bottom of the sea to collect numerous hidden items to earn cash and build up their dream aquarium.

Ergonis Software (http://www.ergonis.com ) has announced the release and immediate availability of SharewarePublisher 1.1, an improved version of their new software submission tool and assistant for Mac OS X. The new version adds a new feature to automatically copy the product's category from the submission form to the SharewarePublisher database and delivers a number of other improvements and fixes. Developed specifically for shareware developers, vendors and media specialists alike, SharewarePublisher helps to semi-automatically submit software products to leading software listing sites and repositories. Developers can submit to 100+ sites within just a few hours, which would otherwise take several days. A native Cocoa application, SharewarePublisher ships with almost 200 pre-configured shareware sites (about 100 of them carrying Mac software titles), with carefully hand-tuned ratings/priorities. It provides functions to autolocate the listing and submission page for a product on...

Insider Software, the makers of FontAgent Pro, today announced the immediate availability of Smasher( version 1.7, the automatic, preventive maintenance utility for Macintosh applications. Version 1.7 improves support for Adobe Creative Suite 4, QuarkXPress 8 and Microsoft Office 2008, and adds performance enhancements to the utility. Smasher works unattended to eliminate corruption to font caches and temporary files, the #1 cause of font-related problems and workflow interruptions. Comprehensive OS and Application Maintenance With release 1.7, Smasher for Mac OS X now clears font caches as well as temporary files and preferences for: Adobe Creative Suite 2, 3 and 4; QuarkXPress 6, 6.5, 7 and 8; Microsoft Office X, 2005 and 2008; CUPS print spools; Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5 (Tiger, Panther and Leopard). Smasher eliminates common font problems such as garbled text, erroneous font substitutions, fonts not appearing in application menus, printing problems and font-related crashes....

A new eBook from Charles Rose, a programmer and author, was written to help iPhone app developers market their solutions: "Secrets Of iPhone App Marketing: How To Get Your App Noticed & Increase Your Sales." Rose has been a programmer and technical writer since 1983. The author of two books for programmers in the 90s, Rose sold his start-up dot.com business to Digital River in 1999. He enrolled in the iPhone Developer program in January 2009, and downloaded the iPhone SDK (software development kit). It became immediately apparent to Rose that he was going to need more than an exceptional app to be noticed among the growing pool of existing applications. He says when he looked online for iPhone app marketing resources, he came up short. It was this lack of information that motivated Rose to create his own resource. The purpose of "Secrets Of iPhone App Marketing: How To Get Your App Noticed & Increase Your Sales" is to teach App Developers the importance of a strong...

The Plugin Site (http://www.thepluginsite.com) has released version 2 of Plugin Galaxy for Mac OS X. Plugin Galaxy 2 is a plug-in for creating special effects and enhancing images with the help of more than 160 basic effects. It works in various graphics applications including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Fireworks, Photoline, GraphicConverter and Illustrator. It supports 8bit and 16bit RGB and grayscale images. Version 2 of Plugin Galaxy is now available as an Universal Binary that runts natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It offers all effects in a new resizable dialog and renders more than two times faster. The new Layers and Blend features lets you apply multiple effects to the image in one session and create effect combinations that the folks at The PluginSite say weren't possible before. The new batch processing option applies the same effect to hundreds of images with a few clicks. Saving and opening filter settings as preset files is now supported, too. Ten new effects...

Spiderweb Software has announced the upcoming release of Avernum 6 (http://www.avernum.com/avernum6/index.html), the final game in the Avernum series. Avernum 6 is set in the world of Avernum, an enormous series of caves far below the surface of the world. Here's how the game is described: "Travel into the strange subterranean land of Avernum, full of dungeons, labyrinths, and constant warfare. Avernum is a world underground. It is a nation of people living in an enormous warren of tunnels and caverns, far below the surface of the world. Once a prison colony for rebels and thugs, it is now a wild frontier, full of adventurous souls looking for wealth, fame, and magical power. "And then the Blight came. Almost overnight, the mushrooms Avernum needed to feed itself withered and died. Then the denizens of the low tunnels, the savage, reptilian Slithzerikai, emerged. Sensing weakness, they struck, destroying much of a weakened Avernum and creating waves of hungry, desperate refugees. This...

Trans International, a company known for "maximizing Macs," has announced the availability of the Pro Sled (http://www.transintl.com/store/prosled.cfm) -- Mac Pro hard disk drive sleds -- for 3.5-inch and 2.5"-inch SATA/SAS and SSD hard drives. The Pro Sled gives you the capability of unlimited swappable drives for your Mac Pro. Drives can be assigned and labeled for different clients, projects or backup. In a high volume professional setting, power users need more drives ready for easy replacement that can save time and avoid misplaced data. These drives once mounted on Pro Sled will plug directly into the Mac Pro. No power or data cables are required. They're available with different options; contact Trans for pricing.

Zensify (http://www.zensify.com) has released an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows users to aggregate, update, search and discover information across multiple social networks and web services. Zensify aggregates all your social networks into a single feed, which allows you to discover the trends and information across your entire social graph. A multi-functional product, Zensify enhances the social network "power-user" experience, by combining updates from the following services into one news feed: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Delicious, Photobucket and 12seconds. A social network aggregator, Zensify allows you to simultaneously update both Twitter and Facebook. It allows you to share videos, pictures and music across your entire social graph, making it a "lifestreaming" solution, according to the folks at Zensify. A built-in web browser enables the viewing of web sites and integrated video playback is available without leaving the application. Zensify...

Controlled Chaos Media has released Pocket Fish (http://pocketfishapp.com) for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available at the Apple App Store for US$0.99. In the game you select your favorite fish and teach it tricks, including barrel rolls, karate chops and air guitar. You can choose from four different Pocket Fish, each with their own unique personalities. With Pocket Fish you can change the aquarium's camera angle from the top, bottom or side at any time. You can transition between various times of day and listen to music. The folks at Controlled Chaos say there'll be new, downloadable content every few weeks to add new tricks and functionality. Pocket Fish has been optimized for iPhone OS 3.0.

Do we need another new browser? Apparently the folks at Newmium (http://www.newmium.com/) think so. The company says it will soon roll out a browser with complete HTML 4.xy compatibility, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2010, the Newmium iXBrowser(iXB) is an universal browser that interfaces with Mac OS X, Linus, FreeBSD, WinCE and Windows 32/64-bit operating systems. It has the same look and feel across each platform, so users know what to expect wherever they go for Internet access, according to the folks at Newmium. They say the iXBrowser(iXB) will support a whole spectrum of protocols, including HTTP 1.x, FTP, Telnet, WAIS, POPx, SMTP and more. It will also support XML 1.x, latest Document Object Model, and latest Cascading Style Sheets.

Pariahware has updated Elastic Window (http://www.pariahware.com/elasticwindow.php"), a set of classes for REALbasic developers that allows controls on a window to be resized proportionally with the window, to version 1.5. The upgrade adds support for TextField and TextArea controls. Using Elastic Window, developers can design windows with a particular look in mind and ensure it will maintain a uniform look no matter what size the user makes the window, says Christian Miller, president of Pariahware. The software uses a royalty-free, per-seat, licensing mechanism. This means that each developer using the Elastic Window in the REALbasic IDE needs to have a license. There's no fee for applications developed with Elastic Window. The list price for Elastic Window is US$195. Site licenses are also available. A free demo version of Elastic Window 1.5 is available at the Pariahware web site

DEVONtechnologies (http://www.devon-technologies.com) has released updates for the freeware find-find utility EasyFind and the menu bar application and file launcher XMenu. The updates add a number of features to the freeware utilities and fix some bugs. EasyFind 4.5 now supports Quick Look, highlights occurrences in file and folder names, and offers the same extended Boolean operators that are used by DEVONthink and DEVONagent. EasyFind 4.5 can conduct searches using fuzzy logic, ignores umlauted characters if desired, and comes with a standard toolbar now. XMenu 1.9 adds a new "snippets" menu that lets the user insert the contents of plain and rich text snippets, clippings, and Internet location files with a single menu choice. By using folders (creating sub-menus) users can store virtually unlimited numbers of text modules and still access them quickly and conveniently. New menu icons make the XMenu menus easier to distinguish, says Eric Böhnisch-Volkmann, president of...

Mark/Space, creator of award-winning desktop and handheld synchronization software, announced immediate availability of Release 1.0 of The Missing Sync for Palm Pre, for Mac. Synchronize contacts, calendars, music, ringtones, photos and more between a Mac and the new Palm Pre phone. And, a Windows Vista and Windows XP version is in development. The Missing Sync for Palm Pre makes your Pre and Mac close companions. Use The Missing Sync to keep contacts and calendars in sync between a Pre and a Mac. Easily transfer music, ringtones, videos and photos. Copy files and documents to a Pre to store and view. The Missing Sync for Palm Pre works with the applications Mac owners already know and use: Address Book, Entourage, iCal, iTunes, iPhoto and others. Mark/Space Proximity Sync technology can sync a Mac with a Pre via Wi-Fi - sync happens automatically and wirelessly whenever the Pre is near the Mac.(1) It works even when Pre is in a backpack or pants pocket. Address Book, Entourage and...

SurfBalance, a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch is available at the Apple App Store (http://itunes.com/apps/SurfBalanceSafeBrowserForKids). It costs US$14.99 and is compatible with all Apple devices running iPhone OS 2.2 through iPhone OS 3.0. SurfBalance combines a full-screen mobile web browser with features that go beyond traditional web site filtering to guide young web users to develop better web usage habits, says its developers. The browser lets parents guide, limit and verify their kids' web use, even if they're connecting to the web through mobile hotspots that typically don't limit site access. SurfBalance provides a catalog, which parents can modify, of more than 1,000 kid-friendly sites. The app tracks and displays total usage and usage by category. This feature helps kids understand how they spend time on the web and helps them find appropriate sites. SurfBalance provides category level filtering, individual site level controls, and daily and weekly web time browsing...

Small business software developer Acclivity tannounced the release of the long-awaited Canadian version of AccountEdge, their small business accounting solution for the Mac. The release marks the return of AccountEdge to Canada after an eight-year absence. "We've been wanting to re-introduce AccountEdge back into Canada for a long time," says Todd Salkovitz, product evangelist at Acclivity. "For years, the Canadian Mac small business community has been letting us know loud and clear that Canadians using Macs deserve world-class software and I'm happy to finally be able to say that we've made it happen." Acclivity acquired MYOB US and its development team from MYOB Limited of Australia in late November 2008, and named bringing AccountEdge back to Canada as a top priority. Acclivity brings two products to Canada today: AccountEdge, premium small business accounting software for Mac, and AccountEdge Network Edition, which adds multi-user networking to AccountEdge. The Canadian version...

St. Clair Software has updated Default Folder (http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html), its utility for enhancing Open and Save dialogs in Mac OS X, to version 4.2.1. This release adds pop-up previews of files in Default Folder X's hierarchical menus. It also refines its support for the OpenMeta tagging standard and improves the compatibility and feature set of our award-winning utility for enhancing Open and Save dialogs. Default Folder X 4.2.1 now lets you see the contents of your files by showing you preview images in its hierarchical menus. Visually browsing through folders full of files is now quick and easy, straight from your menu bar, according to the folks at St. Clair.This release also offers additional support for Path Finder, improvements to Default Folder X's "Rebound" feature and a number of compatibility fixes. Version 4.2.1 is also compatible with the latest developer release of Mac OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard." Default Folder X 4.2.1 is a free update for...

QuickerTek has announced the MacBook Battery and Charger Lite for MacBooks (http://www.quickertek.com/products/macbook_charger_lite.php). Users purportedly gain up to five hours of additional battery power beyond the power of the built-in MacBook battery. This MacBook External Battery Charger Lite charges the internal battery of the MacBook, MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air while in use. Tekserve is the exclusive stocking reseller for US$249.95. The machined aluminum anodized case is designed to match an MacBook. According to QuickerTek, it comes with a MacBook charger, an external battery charger and is built for three times the standard battery recharge cycles -- 1,000 full recharges.

BeLight Software has released Get Backup 2.2 (http://www.belightsoft.com/products/getbackup/overview.php) for Mac OS X. The upgrade introduces the ability to secure your backups using one of four encryption standards (AES-128, AES-256, Blowfish or Triple DES) to prevent unauthorized restore. The folks at BeLight say that Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) should be used as the highest level of protection, while AES-128 is a good alternative when faster encryption is required and lower security level is acceptable. Blowfish encryption is thought to be a happy medium by providing sufficient security and a quick encryption process. The update is free for all Get Backup users. For new users the cost is US$39.95. A demo is available for download.