Is the iPad's popularity hurting sales of other Apple products? Yes. And no. As with many things in life, it depends on whom you ask. According to a survey by Alphawise, Morgan Stanley's internal research team, and investment bank Piper Jaffray, almost 44% of iPad owners would not be buying a notebook, and 24%said the notebook they wouldn't buy would have been a Macbook, while 20% said it would have been a PC, reports the "International Business Times" (http://macosg.me/2/s3). Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster of 448 iPad buyers found that 99% of respondents hadn't considered either an iPod touch or iPhone before making the purchase. However, stock analysis firm Trefis said the Apple tablet doesn't appear to be cannibalizing the company's Mac sales so far. He told "IBT" that he expects Apple to sell around 10 million iPads in all of 2010 even as the company gained 4.19% of the computer market in the second quarter of 2010, up from 3.49% in the...

Canon U.S.A. (http://www.usa.canon) has released the EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera. For the first time on an EOS camera, the EOS 60D DSLR boasts a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, EOS Full HD video recording with manual overrides including audio level control, and in-camera functionality for RAW image processing -- plus Creative Filters to manipulate images after taking them. Designed primarily for advanced amateurs, the EOS 60D replaces the EOS 50D and boasts a broad array of new features designed to make it easier for photographers to add personal creativity to their images. With the camera you can do things like capture an overhead shot on the Vari-Angle screen at a graduation ceremony or convert a color image to black and white for a nostalgic look. The 60D camera features a LCD screen with 1,040,000 dot/VGA resolution plus anti-reflective and smudge-resistant coatings. Another first for the EOS system is the EOS 60D camera’s new Multi-Control Dial, which places a Multi-...

Sonnet Technologies has announced SDXC card support for its US$29.95 Multimedia Memory Card Reader & Writer ExpressCard/34 adapter, enabling users with MacBook Pro and Windows laptop computers equipped with an ExpressCard slot to use these extended-capacity cards designed for the latest high-megapixel digital cameras and digital video camcorders. The new format SDXC cards (starting at 64GB) surpass previous-generation SDHC cards 32 GB maximum capacity. Sonnet's Multimedia Memory Card Reader & Writer ExpressCard/34 moves files from memory cards to a notebook computer's hard drive, with no cables required. This handy device inserts flush inside a MacBook Pro or Windows notebook's ExpressCard slot so it can be carried inside the computer slot even when not in use. The Sonnet multimedia reader supports the most popular memory card formats used in digital cameras, cell phones, and other electronic devices, including Memory Stick, MMC (Multimedia Card), SDHC (Secure Digital High...

XtraLean Software has released DataLore 1.1, an update to the front end to Spotlight hat makes it easier and faster to search and share files both locally on one's own computer, and on the network. This update adds more than a dozen enhancements to the interface to simplify browsing. Faster search algorithm and improved interface also make it faster to find and display files, and easier to narrow down and display the search results. A new Filters tab allows users to add more filters to their search in order to further narrow down and customize the search results to their specific needs. Other features new with this update include the ability to use DataLore as a Finder, and "exclude files" has replaced the former "exclude folders"feature for faster narrowing down of results. DataLore's developer, Hagen Kaye, says the app uses a "Search-as-You-Type" technology for finding files fast. It also employs "Text Shorthand" and "Special Characters" for highly defined or more complex search...

Intuit (http://www.intuit.com) and mophie has released the Complete Credit Card Solution, an all-in-one product that enables small businesses to process credit card payments via theiPhone. It integrates Intuit’s GoPayment credit card processing app and quick-to-activate merchant account with the mophie marketplace iPhone credit card reader. This package is now available in Apple Retail Stores and soon on Apple.com. As part of this solution, Intuit GoPayment offers an application process designed to let merchants start processing credit cards on their iPhones in as few as 15 minutes, according to Chris Hylen, general manager of Intuit’s Payment Solutions division. As an option, GoPayment is also compatible with QuickBooks Mac to help save time in keeping business financial files up to date, he adds. GoPayment has been on the market for more than a year. This latest version offers the ability for customers to sign their bill via the iPhone touch screen. It’s also possible to now add...

SmartFish Technologies (http://www.getsmartfish.com) has released the ErgoMotion Mouse. It's an US$49.95 laser mouse ethat sports a patented swivel mechanism that promotes a fluid movement, allowing the mouse to adapt to the user’s hand position.  Smartfish’s ErgoMotion technology enables forward, backward and lateral wave-like movements for the wrist every time the mouse is in use.  This helps to relieve discomfort from repetitive stress injuries related to extended computer usage, according to Dr. Jack Atzmon, president and CEO of Smartfish Technologies.  The ErgoMotion Mouse boastsboth left and right click, four-way scroll wheel and a discreet wireless USB plug-in. The device is compatible with Macs and PCs, and features an ambidextrous design for both right and left-handed users. 

Apple CEO Steve Jobs doesn't expect any upcoming Apple TV refresh to be a hit of iPad proportions, because most consumers aren't ready to cancel their cable TV or stream content from iTunes, reports Peter Burrows of "Bloomberg Businessweek" (http://macosg.me/2/s0). Apple will hold a special media event on Wednesday, Sept. 1, but "look for CEO Steve Jobs to focus on the ability for customers to watch their favorite TV shows and movies on their iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches," the article adds, quoting a "person familiar with the plan." Burrows says that company will announce that customers can rent many TV shows for 99 cents. Also, look for Jobs to show off a new iPod touch that features a high-resolution screen like the one in the iPhone 4.

Red Giant Software (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com) has released Light Factory 2.7, an update of its plug-in that now supports Adobe CS5/64-bit processing along with new tools. Knoll Light Factory is a motion graphics tool best known for its high-fidelity simulations of light effects called flares, which simulate reflections from a bright light source as seen through a camera's lens. It was created by John Knoll, Photoshop co-creator and "Star Wars" effects guru. You can buy Light Factory 2.7 for US$399. If you own a license of Knoll Light Factory Pro version 2.5 or later, you qualify for a free update. Upgrades for registered users of prior versions are $99.

Texas students can now download podcasts, videos and other multimedia lessons directly from iTunes through a new online program aimed at providing free, supplementary coursework that can be accessed anywhere, state officials announced Tuesday. The Texas Education iTunes U channel allows teachers to upload material from their classes to help students understand new concepts or do more research in a specific subject area. Students and parents can access the material through home or school computers, and those with iPods can download the information to the handheld devices. The state first met with Apple about three years ago. The governor's office and the Texas Education Agency began working on the project in November, finding and culling existing teacher training videos and programs for students, said agency spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe. "A lot of that content may already be out there, but it's either overlooked or hard to access," Gov. Rick Perry told about 50 students at Sharpstown...

Even with a flood of rival products in the works, Apple's iPad is unlikely to face a viable competitor until 2011, allowing the company to maintain a dominant share in the tablet market at least through 2012, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp. (http://www.isuppli.com). The iPad will account for an overwhelming 74.1% of global tablet shipments in 2010, with the remaining 25.9% consisting of a mix of older PC-type tablet products and competitive slates, says the research group. Despite the arrival of the first real iPad competitors in 2011, Apple still will maintain a prevailing 70.4% share of shipments, iPad research from iSuppli bears out.  Even in 2012, the iPad will continue to control nearly two-thirds of shipments, at 61.7 % as the competition strives to develop ecosystems of tablet apps and content that can match up with those of Apple. “Although the iPad has been on the market for only a few months, powerful interests throughout the technology business are...

Apple is expected to host a special event to introduce new products for music and television, including a 99-cent TV show rental service, as well as new iPods, reports "MacRumors" (http://www.macrumors.com). Rumors have it that the revamped Apple TV may be redubbed the iTV, cost US$99 and would allow users to stream video, such as rentals, to their TV sets. Customers currently can pay to download electronic copies of many cable and broadcast shows, often for $1.99 each for the standard version, to view on iPhones, the iPad, Apple TV or other devices. Kaufman Brothers analyst Shaw Wu told clients in a note on Wednesday that the revamped Apple TV would move to an ARM architecture processor running the same iOS software that powers the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The current version uses an Intel x86-based chip, running a "light" version of Mac OS X and its Front Row software. "Bloomberg" (http://macosg.me/2/rn) says the 99-cent rentals will help Apple fend off rivals such as Netflix...

Keynote Zone (http://www.keynotezone.com/) has released a new Framework theme for Keynote, the presentation component of Apple's US$79 iWork suite. The theme includes 40 layouts, custom designed charts and tables. Framework is available in both Standard and HD versions. The standard version theme comes in two sizes (800 x 600, 1024 x 768) and is available for US$16. The Framework HD version theme comes in five sizes ((800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 720, 1680 x 1050, 1920 x 1080) and costs US$20. The Framework theme requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later and iWork '08 or iWork '09. The Keynote Zone Collection 9 is available for download for $69.

Before Dawn Solutions (http://www.beforedawnsolutions.com) has acquired Braxton's Link Tester -- a Mac OS X link tester -- from its original author, Braxton Sherouse, effective immediately. BLT, renamed Better Link Tester, will join the skEdit editor in Before Dawn's development tools offerings. In fact, the company has already announced BLT 1.0.4. The main new features in the release are: an integrated error reporting mechanism; an integrated application updates; and a new licensing mechanism. All current users will receive a free upgrade; you will receive an email with instructions on how to update your license to work with the new version. For new users the cost is US$24.95. Starting immediately, use the bltsupport@beforedawnsolutions.com email address for support and purchasing issues and questions. Starting immediately, customers will contact Before Dawn Solutions directly for support and purchasing issues and questions. The BLT website has been integrated into the Before Dawn...

Aestiva Software (http://www.aestiva.com) has debuted of a new web-browser-based help desk management software called Aestiva Help Desk. The software is designed to help organizations improve internal operations via improved controls over internal problems, according to the folks at Aestiva. The workflow tool allows requests to be submitted, approved and posted online from anywhere via the web or company intranet. Features include on-screen help ticket histories, automated email alerts with remind-until-done controls, issue prioritization and performance reporting to ensure issues are properly tracked and rapidly serviced. Installed on standard servers or hosted on the cloud, Aestiva Help Desk is 100% web-browser native and requires no special desktop software. It's scalable for deployment in global enterprises. Users can access the application via an Intranet or the Internet from any browser (Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer,, Opera, and others) running on any end-user computer...

Adobe today announced the immediate availability of Adobe Photoshop Express Editor, Photoshop Express Organizer, and Photoshop Express Uploader, a free set of integrated online apps for editing, organizing, syncing, and sharing photos. Available atPhotoshop.com, these renamed and redesigned apps are faster and more intuitive to use for uploading and organizing photos for easy access anywhere, applying quick fixes and fun effects, and sharing albums and slideshows online with family, friends, and colleagues, according to Matt Domenici, director of product management for online and mobile digital imaging at Adobe. These online apps also integrate tightly with our recently released Photoshop Express apps for iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, so customers can truly interact with their photos anywhere they happen to be, he adds. While registering for a free Photoshop.com account is a requirement for storing photos online, creating and sharing galleries and albums, the Photoshop Express...

Apple has released Security Update 2010-005 for Mac OS X 10.5.8, Mac OS X Server 10.5.8, Mac OS X 10.6.4 and Mac OS X Server v10.6.4. According to Apple, it's recommended for all users and improves the security of Mac OS X. You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app.

Apple is in "advanced talks" with News Corp. to let iTunes users rent TV shows for US$0.99 cents and is in discussions with other media companies about similar deals, three people "familiar with the plan" told "Bloomberg" (http://macosg.me/2/rj). Purportedly, viewers would be able to rent programs from News Corp.’s Fox for 48 hours, said the people ("who declined to be identified because discussions aren’t public"), the article adds. CBS Corp. and Walt Disney Co., where Apple CEO Steve Jobs is a board member and the largest shareholder, also are in talks about joining the effort, says "Bloomberg." The article says Apple is counting on video content to increase the appeal of the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The a la carte rental plan follows an abandoned effort to create a subscription television service and goes along with the rumored Apple TV revamp. Media companies didn’t want to endanger revenue from cable providers such as Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable, adds "Bloomberg."...

China Unicom is set to launch Apple's iPhone 4 on the mainland September 16, a source from China Unicom told "Caixin Online" (http://macosg.me/2/rf). According to the source, customers that want to buy the iPhone4 from China Unicom will need to order the phone online ahead of the launch date. China Unicom, the exclusive provider of iPhone in China, launched the 8G version of the iPhone 3GS on Aug. 9. "Caixin Online" says the iPhone 4 is expected to suffer from the same issues related to signal reception in China. However, China Unicom will be offering iPhone cases to customers as a free gift.

Federal agents found more than US$150,000 in cash when they searched the house of Apple manager Paul Devine earlier this month, prosecutors said in court Monday, according to the IDG News Service (http://macosg.me/2/r9). Devine, an Apple global supply manager, has been accused of trading confidential Apple information in return for more than $1 million in payments, bribes and kickbacks "He had over $150,000 stored in shoe boxes," Department of Justice Attorney Michelle Kane said, as she argued with a defense lawyer over the possible terms of Devine's release. Devine had a further $20,000 worth of foreign currency in his possession, she said, arguing that it was possible that the Apple executive might have other hidden sources of cash. "We have identified a significant number of accounts overseas and a significant amount of money," Kane said.

JVC (http://www.jvc.com) has announced two new pocket cameras for making and sharing videos and photos: the US$199.95 PICSIO pocket cameras, models GC-WP10 (US$199.95) and GC-FM2. Both feature Full HD video, low-light performance, a three-inch touch screen and compatibility with Eye-Fi cards for Wi-Fi connectivity. And the PICSIO GC-WP10 is waterproof. PICSIO’s CMOS image sensor captures stills at up to five-megapixel native resolution without interpolation. It also records up to 1920 x 1080p/30 fps Full HD video with image stabilization for enjoyment on an HDTV via the camera’s HDMI output. Users can select from four different recording resolutions: Full HD 1080 (1920 x 1080/30p), HD 720 (1280 x 720/60p), iFrame (960 x 540/30p) and Quarter High Definition (960 x 540/30p). The new PICSIO cameras also offer time-lapse recording.

Next Jump (http://www.nextjump.com), a company that specializes in ecommerce and advertising technology, has announced the appointment of Sandeep Gupta as vice president of Mobile Engineering, effective Sept. 7. Gupta, 41, will be responsible for overseeing all of Next Jump's mobile engineering efforts, including iPhone, iPad and Android applications. He will become a member of Next Jump’s Senior Engineering Leadership Team and report to Next Jump Chief of Engineering Tom Fuller. As part of the appointment, Gupta will be relocating from Silicon Valley to Next Jump’s New York City headquarters. Gupta brings over 18 years of application software engineering and technical leadership experience to Next Jump. Most recently, he served as senior director of Application Development at Yahoo!, and was responsible for overseeing every aspect from conception to delivery of mobile and tablet applications. He and his teams launched Yahoo!'s iPhone apps for Flickr, Fantasy Sports, Yahoo! Finance, ...

Apple is set to open a new retail store in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 10 am (Eastern). Apple Store Ross Park will be located at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Apple Store Haywood Mall will be the company's 303rd retail store. Apple plans to open another 185 or so during this fiscal year, with about half of those outside the U.S.

In just over three years, iTunes U downloads have topped 300 million and it has become one of the world’s most popular online educational catalogs, according to Apple. Over 800 universities throughout the world have active iTunes U sites, and nearly half of these institutions distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store.
 New content has just been added from universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and Singapore, and iTunes users now have access to over 350,000 audio and video files from educational institutions around the globe, according to Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet Services. "iTunes U makes it easy for people to discover and learn with content from many of the world’s top institutions," he says. "With such a wide selection of educational material, we’re providing iTunes users with an incredible way to learn on their computer, iPhone, iPod or iPad.: Created in collaboration with colleges and universities, iTunes U makes it easy to extend learning...

Smartphones and tablets such as the iPad are poised to play a greater role in health care as doctors and patients embrace the mobile Internet, panelists at a mobile health technology conference in Boston said last month, as reported by "Computerworld" (http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/351320/Doctors_Warming_Up_to_Mobi...). In a poll of 2,000 U.S. physicians by Manhattan Research LLC, 71% of the respondents said that a smartphone is essential to their practice, and 84% agreed that the Internet is critical to their jobs The iPhone is popular with many young doctors, and there are signs that the iPad tablet has a future in health care, the article adds. Kaweah Delta Health Care District in Visalia, Calif., already has 25 company-owned iPads and expects that number to grow to 100 in the next few months, according to Nick Volosin, director of technical services. In addition, he said that about 50 doctors have bought iPads themselves.

Softpress Systems has released Freeway 5.5 , a new version of its web design products, Freeway Express and Pro. Versions of both Freeway Express and Freeway Pro are available from the Softpress web site (http://www.softpress.com) According to Softpress Managing Director Richard Logan, alongside Freeway's extensive existing feature set, Freeway 5.5 has a range of new functionality including: ° Freeway Showcase: Showcase offers even absolute beginners thousands of fully-customizable options so that they can effortlessly build professional, feature-rich galleries and slideshows from scratch in just minutes, he says. You can import images for use into the application via drag and drop from the Finder, or from iPhoto/Aperture libraries displayed in the app itself), or by direct import. A variety of appearance and layout options are available including borders, shadows, reflections and more. Freeway Showcase supports common web image types as well as TIFF and native Photoshop files. ° ...

The latest title in Apress's Made Simple series, "iPhone 4 Made Simple" (http://www.apress.com/book/view/1430231920) is a go-to guide for the latest and greatest version of the iPhone. This 750-page book includes over 1,000 screen visuals and instructions that illustrate both basic and advanced features of the iPhone 4. It costs US$29.99 for the print version and $20.99 for the ebook version. The authors are Gary Mazo and Martin Trautschold.

PowerSurge Publishing has just released iWisdom 2.10 for Mac OS X and Windows. The new version adds the ability to import quotations from WikiQuote.org. This new feature can import quotations from both author and work (i.e., book and movie) pages, and supports multiple languages.    iWisdom is a program that manages a collection of quotations or other brief insights. The program tracks a set of data fields concerning each bit of wisdom, including author, source, year of publication, title and category. iWisdom allows you to view wisdom in a list view (with optional sort fields), a category view, an edit view, and a display mode, which you can use to randomly display a new quotation at set intervals. iWisdom stores its data in the wisdom XML format, and can publish a wisdom collection in HTML using a series of included XSL templates and cascading style sheets. A demo version of the program can be downloaded from the PowerSurge Publishing web site (http://www.powersurgepub.com)....

Apple needs another carrier to maintain the iPhone's current rate of growth in the U.S., says Kaufman Bros.'s Shaw Wu in a note to clients Monday -- as reported by "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/08/23/verizon-and-apple-at-loggerheads/...) -- but it doesn't necessarily have to be Verizon -- though that's the company that most folks expect to become the second US carrier. According to Wu, Apple's share of AT&T's 90-million subscriber base is approaching saturation. Verizon, with 93 million subscribers, would be the logical next step. But between them, Sprint with 48 million and T-Mobile with 34 million, would get Apple into the ballpark. "From our checks with industry and supply chain sources and a recent SEC 10-Q filing by AT&T mentioning that exclusivity with "a number of attractive handsets" could end, we have conviction that the iPhone could likely finally be at another carrier besides AT&T here in the U.S. in 2011 and potentially at Verizon in 2011 or...

Only 2% of US homes which do not currently own an Apple device intend to buy an iPad during the next 12 months, compared to 18% of Apple-owning households, according to a new survey of 2000 US consumers by Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com). The report, “Apple's iPad: Identifying Early Adopters and Intentions to Buy,” finds that ownership of another Apple product -- such as an iPod, MacBook or iPhone -- is the strongest indicator of intention to buy an iPad. For example, nearly a third of iPhone users in the US plan to buy an iPad during the coming year. In total 90% of iPad sales are expected to come from existing Apple device owners. “Apple’s iPad is preaching to the converted,” says the report’s author, David Mercer, principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. “Many iPhone, Apple computer and iPod owners have snapped up their first iPad in the first few months since it was launched, and many of those who haven’t plan to follow suit over the coming year.” The study...

Code by Kevin has updated PortAuthority (http://www.codebykevin.com/portauthority.html), an open-source application that provides a graphical user interface for the DarwinPorts package management system for Mac OS X, to version 3.1. It now uses the Mac OS X Keychain to store password.‚Ä® PortAuthority 3.1 also now supports clickable links in data display and native printing. You can now access the Services menu. Version 3.1 provides port searches as a service. Finally, the Satus icon in menubar show operations in progress.‚Ä® PortAuthority a command-line tool for installing and updating a variety of Unix-based applications for the Mac. The goal of the software, according to its developers, is to bring the power of DarwinPorts to the traditional Mac user by providing a user-friendly graphical interface to the DarwinPorts system. PortAuthority costs US$24.95, though version. A 30-day demo is available at the product web site. PortAuthority is a Universal Binary product so runs natively on...

MediaBeacon (http://www.MediaBeacon.com), a provider of digital asset management and rich media solutions, has announced a relationship with Aysling Digital Media Solutions for an "author once, repurpose many" solution. WoodWing's Digital Magazine Tools coupled with Adobe's InDesign technology enable publishers to create content for the web, mobile and Apple iPad in almost the same way they produce content for print. Because these tools present themselves simply as new panels in InDesign, the layout staff is easily able to use them without special training, according to Patrick Becker, CEO of Asyling Digital Media Solutions. The Digital Magazine Tools are an extension to WoodWing's Enterprise publishing system, which is already being used by numerous publishers around the world for their print publications. With this initiative, MediaBeacon’s digital asset management platform is now integrated with the WoodWing Suite of products to better manage, search and re-purpose all types of...

Akai Professional has released the the AkaiConnect SDK (software development kit), which allows third-party developers access to put all the professional controls and capabilities of Akai Pro’s SynthStation25 keyboard controller to work in conjunction with their music apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. To coincide with the availability of the new SDK, Akai Pro also launched a special web site at http://www.synthstationapp.com with the latest information about the SynthStation25 keyboard, SynthStation app, and the new AkaiConnect SDK. App developers can also apply to become an Akai Pro developer free of charge. Akai Pro’s SynthStation25 is a 25-key MIDI keyboard, featuring a built-in dock for the iPhone or iPod touch. It gives users two octaves of velocity-sensitive, synth-action keys, pitch and modulation wheels, and physical buttons for the most commonly used controls, including octave up and down. The SynthStation25 also features a stereo pair of RCA line outputs and a headphone...

Optimus, Orange’s Portuguese brand, is getting set to release iPhone 4 but the price they want for a network-locked device will make it one of the most expensive places in the world to buy one, reports "TiPb" (http://macosg.me/2/r5). The iPhone 4 16Gb Black will cost 679,90€, and the iPhone 4 32Gb Black is 769,90€. That’s a 70€ price bump, notes "TiPb."

After two years of inflated prices, NAND flash memory at the end of 2010 is set to return to the key US$1 per gigabyte level considered a key threshold to drive adoption of Solid State Drives (SSD), but the cost reduction may come too late to help the struggling SSD market, according to the market research firm iSuppli Corp. (http://www.isuppli.com). Pricing for 1GB of 3-bit per cell (TLC) NAND flash memory will average $1.20 for the entire fourth quarter and then decline to $1.00 at the end of the year. This represents a precipitous drop from the first quarter of 2010, when pricing for TLC averaged $1.80 per gigabyte and 2-bit per cell (MLC) flash was at $2.05, iSuppli memory pricing and forecasts indicate. It also marks the first time NAND flash pricing fell below the $1 threshold since the fourth quarter of 2008, when MLC pricing averaged 90 cents per gigabyte. “When NAND pricing first fell below the $1 level at the end of 2008, many observers opined that its would sound the...

Toon Boom Animation (http://www.toonboom.com) has announced the upcoming release of Toon Boom Studio 6, which offers, among other features, a Bone Rigging System for new bone rigging animation capabilities. Features in Toon Boom Studio 6 include: a Skeleton Effect Layer in the timeline; a Bone Level for segmenting an animating a character; setting of rotation, length and position of the bones; manipulation of the bones in the timeline; transformation of vector shapes; transformation of pixmap textures; more accurate region of influence to move objects; real-time preview of Bone Effect; full QuickTime Export of Bone Effect; SWF export of Bone Effect (vector shapes only); and software improvements and bug fixes. You can buy Toon Boom Studio 6 now at the special pre-launch price of US$299.99, instead of $329.99; this is valid until Sept. 1. The first 100 customers who place an order for a new Studio 6 license will receive Flip Boom Classic 4 as a bonus, a value of $49.99. Upgrades from...

Sonoma Wire Works (http://www.sonomawireworks.com) has launched the USS$79.95 HigginsPack DrummerPack for DrumCore. Terence Higgins, drummer for The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, brings DrumCore users New Orleans marching style drum loops, variations, fills and drumkit sounds with a dash of hip hop, funk, R&B, and soul. HigginsPack was recorded by the original Submersible Music team, and was pre-configured by them with metadata for use with the DrumCore search engine, which will help you find content based on feel (straight, shuffle, etc.), time signature, tempo and other criteria. Songwriter-friendly "GrooveSets” group related beats, variations and fills to serve as a construction kit for song creation. All audio is 48kHz/24-bit and created in a pro studio using digital (ProTools HD3) and analog (Neumann, Neve, etc.) recording equipment. DrumCore works with all the major audio applications and supports dragging audio and MIDI directly to tracks in applications such as Logic Pro 8 and...

Sonnet Technologies has updated its MacCuff mini (www.sonnettech.com/product/maccuffmini.html), the back-of-monitor mounting system for mini computers, has been updated for the latest Mac mini line. MacCuff mini provides users a practical way to mount the Mac mini to the back of an LCD display (or under a desk or table) while retaining full access to its power switch, the SD card and optical disc slots, and all of its ports.  Sonnet helps cut the cable clutter by providing a 13-inch HDMI to DVI-D monitor cable that connects the Mac mini to the monitor, without ever touching the desk. Included cable ties secure the power cord and other cables to the bracket to prevent accidental disconnects. The MacCuff mini can just as easily be installed under a desk or shelf, according to the folks at Sonnet. Regardless of the mounting method, MacCuff mini's design leaves the computer's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® antennas uncovered to allow normal operation. MacCuff mini can also help secure the Mac mini...

This week's "People" app is the first to be free to subscribers, and "Time," Sports Illustrated" and "Fortune" are expected to follow, according to a "Fortune" article (http://macosg.me/2/qx). And it "signals the end of a four-and-a-half-month impasse that put the digital dreams of every major magazine publisher on hold," the article adds. Until now, the iPad versions of these mags have cost the same as the newsstand price -- US$3.99 for each issue of People, $4.99 to $5.99 each for the rest -- even if you were are already paying to get the paper edition in the mail. Now the "People" app is free to People subscribers, and the rest of Time Inc.'s flagship magazines are expected to adopt the same pricing structure within the next 30 days. "Now that Apple has made it possible, other magazine publishers will presumably follow suit," says "Fortune." "Now that Apple has made it possible, other magazine publishers will presumably follow suit. It's not clear what took so long. Publishers who...

Aqua Connect (http://www.aquaconnect.net/), a provider of the only enterprise grade Mac terminal server, is at this week's FileMaker Developer’s Conference in San Diego, exhibiting their remote access solutions. Aqua Connect expands the capabilities of FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server especially in lower bandwidth situations. FileMaker’s Volume Licensing Agreement program makes it easy to link FileMaker Server to Aqua Connect for robust remote connectivity, according to Renee Mehrian, executive vice president of Aqua Connect. This year marks the first time Aqua Connect will be demonstrating their solutions to increase the performance of FileMaker for remote users. Aqua Connect Terminal Server allows you to edit and manipulate databases without sending all of the data over the network. Aqua Connect will be demonstrating the latest release of the Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.5. The Aqua Connect Terminal Server delivers MacOS X desktops to PCs, thin clients, legacy Macs and...

NewBay Media, a publisher of digital content creation media, today announced conference program details for next month’s Digital Video Expo (http://www.dvexpo.com) being held at the Pasadena Convention Center Sept. 28-30. The event will gather thousands of content creation professionals for three days of comprehensive education sessions, training, networking, and exhibitions. Produced by the editors of "DV" and "Videography" magazines, along with partner publications "Broadcasting & Cable," "Multichannel News" and "TV Technology, "Digital Video Expo offers attendees a multi-tiered educational program that will focus on a number of key topics critical to the success of video professionals. Events include: Apple color training; a full day lighting workshop, a full day HDSLR filmmaking workshop; a full day digital cinematography workshop; a Web & Mobile Video conference track; a 3D Production conference track; "Where 3D Meets Hollywood," a television industry leadership session...

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston have found that hearing loss in adolescents has increased dramatically over the past 15 years, and suggest that music and devices such as the iPod may be the reason, reports "TG Daily" (http://macosg.me/2/qq). "Some risk factors, such as loud sound exposure from listening to music, may be of particular importance to adolescents," say the authors. The researchers looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of 12- to 19-year-olds. They found that a fifth had some evidence of hearing loss, while one in twenty had at least mild hearing loss. Looking at the data from 1988, the team found there had been a 30% increase in the prevalence of any hearing loss, and a 70% increase in mild or worse hearing loss in the past 15 years.

Worldwide computer microprocessor unit shipments and revenues in the second calendar quarter of 2010 (2Q10) increased 3.6% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2010, according to the latest PC processor study from International Data Corporation (IDC). The average sequential change in unit shipments between a calendar year's first quarter and its second quarter is an increase of 1.6%. For revenues, the average sequential change is a decrease of -2.8%. So, these increases represent better performance than usual for a second calendar quarter. "Such a sequential increase in PC processor shipments alone would have been enough to conclude that the first half was strong for the market," said Shane Rau director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC (http://www.idc.com). "However, a modest rise in revenues, too, points directly to a rise in average selling prices. System makers bought more and higher-priced computer processors in 2Q10 than in 1Q10. Digging a...

TinyPlanet Software (http://tinyplanetsoftware.com/) has updated Knapsack, a personal travel organizer for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"), to version 2.0. The new world map let's users view their trip's destinations at any level of detail. They can get an overview of their entire trip across countries and continents or zoom in to street level to see all the parking lots near their hotel. The new Map Search feature in Knapsack 2 lets users find places, addresses, and even points of interest anywhere in the world. Users can now locate cities, hotels, museums, airports, and more. Map Search uses an extensive online geographic database that is constantly improving. Knapsack gives users the tools to plan, organize, and relive their travel adventures with features such as map pins with location postcards, an itinerary planner, trip checklists, and printed itineraries. Knapsack 2 costs US$39.95 for a single-user license and $59.95 for a five-user family pack. A 30-day...

Verizon has unveiled a series of new video application, including an upcoming iPad app that will allow FiOS subscribers to watch the same linear programming that's available on their TV screens on their tablet devices, reports "GigaOm" (http://macosg.me/2/qi). The new app is expected to be rolled out early next year and Verizon expects to have all of its content partners on board by the time the app launches, the article adds. At first, subscribers with an iPad will only be able to watch linear programming within their own home, which allows Verizon to authenticate and make certain that the users have access to whatever content they’ve paid for, notes "GigaOm." Verizon CIO Shaygan Kheradpir said in a press briefing that the iPad app takes advantage of Verizon’s architecture, which he characterized as “cloud TV.” The experience is reportedly similar to what’s available today on FiOS set-top boxes, and takes advantage of the same software that Verizon uses for its set-tops.

SmileOnMyMac has changed its name to Smile. Originally a developer of software for Mac OS X exclusively, Smile now develops software for iOS devices as well. "We've developed software for the Mac for seven years," says founder Greg Scown. "Now that we have TextExpander touch for iPhone and iPad, we've outgrown the SmileOnMyMac name. The company website is now available at http://www.smilesoftware.com ; the company also has a new tagline: "Software that's just right."

Wondershare (http://www.applemacvideo.com/) has updated Video Converter and DVD Ripper for the Mac to versions 2.0. You can now convert DVDs, general video, video recorded from HD camcorder to files viewable on portable devices, including the Apple TV, Final Cut Pro, the Xbox 360, and mobile phones. A new Mac-style interface has been optimized with more efficient workflow. And the program's main codec libraries have been upgraded to support for SWF, 5.1 surround sound in AAC and AC3 output format. Support for atch conversion and multithreading has also been added. If you/re a registered user of Wondershare Video Converter or DVD Ripper for Mac, you can upgrade for free to version 1.9.5.9 by contacting sales-hm1@wondershare.com ; for new users the cost is US$39.95 per app.

Eternal Storms (http://www.eternalstorms.at) has updated their flickr client, flickery, for Mac OS X 10.5 or higher to version 1.9.1.5. Items in photosets and galleries can now be sorted. "Key" images can now be set for galleries and photosets by dragging the wanted image onto the photoset or gallery. In flickery 1.9.1.5, comments now show users' buddy icons and these user's photostreams can be shown right from comments. The new version auto-detects crash logs for easy submission to Eternal Storms Software, and Location data can be changed any time after upload as well With flickry, you can browse flickr's photos, view and comment on pictures of your friends, or upload and manage your own photos and favorites. flickery offers three ways of viewing photos: the miniature-overview of the photos where you can see multiple pictures at a time; the full-window-view, which lets you view one photo at a time in detail; and the full-screen view. You can upload photos to your flickr.com account,...

Korea Telecom (KT), the provider of the iPhone in South Korea, says it's received a total of 110,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4 in nine hours. "MobileCrunch" (http://macosg.me/2/qe) notes that, by way of comparison, when the 3GS came out in Korea, the company reportedly registered just between 60,000 and 65,000 pre-orders in the first week. The iPhone 4 will launch in South Korea next month.

Digital Music Doctor has announced results of the "Music Software Internet Popularity Index (http://www.digitalmusicdoctor.com/reviews/musicblog/) for the second quarter of 2010. Apple Logic and GarageBand both place in the top 10 most popular music software apps. During the second quarter ImageLine FL Studio traded places with Steinberg Cubase for the second and third positions. Interest in Ableton Live decreased causing it to drop four positions to tenth place. Both Cakewalk Sonar and Adobe Audition showed upward trends, and Audition increased its standing by two positions to rank in the sixth slot. Both MOTU Digital Performer and Sony Sound Forge increased their showing by two positions to rank eighth and ninth respectively. The ten most popular music software products on the Internet, based on recent search engine activity, are: Avid Pro Tools, FL Studio, Steinberg Cubase, Cakewalk Sonar, Apple Logic, Adobe Audition, Apple GarageBand, Sony Sound Forge, MOTU Digital Performer and...