Fans in Taiwan "who showered Apple with 200,000 pre-orders while the company’s carrier partners expect about one-quarter that number will be available there by year’s end," reports "iPhonetouch.Blorge" (http://iphonetouch.blorge.com/2010/09/17/apple-greets-200k-iphone-4-pre-...). Although customers in the country ordered that many units, Apple’s three carrier partners -- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone -- only had 1,800 units on hand when the iPhone 4 went on sale. What's more the carriers only expect 45,000 to 50,000 units will be allocated to Taiwan by the end of the calendar year, adds "iPhonetouch.Blorge."

Einstein (http://code.google.com/p/einstein/) is a platform developed by Paul Guyot to get the NewtonOS running on other operating systems. On the Mac platform, it requires Mac OS X and an iPhone, iPod or iPad. It was written and released by Paul Guyot several years ago, but got a shot in the arm earlier this month when Matthias Melcher got it up and running on iOS and posted a video of himself running it on his iPhone, notes "Panic Blog" (http://www.panic.com/blog/2010/09/newton-never-dies/). So what's a Newton? It was the first personal digital assistant proposed by then-Apple CEO John Sculley in 1987; the Newton project was initiated in 1990. The Newton prototype was announced two years later. In 1993 the Newton MessagePad was announced just shortly after Sculley resigned. Unfortunately, the MessagePad ended up as the butt of many jokes (including a famous “Doonesboro” cartoon) because the handwriting recognition, a vital part of the device, didn’t work properly and would often...

Arrr, mateys, mark Sunday, Sept. 19, on your calendar. Tis International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD). Though not exactly government sanctioned, it was launched in 1996 by John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy) -- pictured -- who proclaimed Sept. 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate. They came up with the idea during a racquetball game. You can read the history of the origin of ITLAPD at http://www.talklikeapirate.com/faq.html . What started as an inside joke between Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy has gained momentum. The holiday gained exposure when John Baur and Mark Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to the American syndicated humor columnist Dave Barry in 2002. Barry liked the idea and promoted the day. So what's the Apple connection. Steve Jobs is once reported to have said, "I'd rather be a pirate than join the navy," and Apple flew a pirate's flag outside its Cupertino headquarters. Okay, that's...

Several U.S. tech companies -- including Apple, Google, Intel, Adobe, Intuit and Walt Disney's Pixar unit -- are in advanced talks with the Justice Department to avoid a court battle over whether they colluded to hold down wages by agreeing not to poach each other's employees, reports the "Wall Street Journal" (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870344060457549618252755267...), quoting "people familiar with the matter." The article says some companies more willing to settle to avoid an antitrust case than others. If negotiations falter, both sides could be headed for a defining court battle that could help decide the legality of such arrangements throughout the U.S. economy, notes the "Journal." Spokespeople for Google, Apple, Intel, Adobe and Intuit all declined to comment, to the newspaper. Pixar had no immediate comment. A Justice Department spokeswoman also declined to comment.

French newspaper "Le Figaro" -- as noted by "Mobile Business Briefs" (http://www.mobilebusinessbriefing.com/article/orange-t-mobile-telefonica...) -- reports that Stephane Richard CEO of France Telecom-Orange, has invited the heads of Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Vodafone to discuss the possible creation of a common platform for mobile devices. The talks are set to take place on Oct. 8 in Paris. "Mobile Business Briefs" says they're motivated by a view that Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems have become a “Trojan horse” for these companies to establish their own relationships with mobile customers, reducing the significance of the operators in the value chain. While operators globally have moved away from a closed ecosystem to support products and services from Apple, Google and other companies from the computing and Internet industries, these new partners have been gradually increasing their influence in the mobile space, at the expense of operators and their...

Apple is shipping its 27-inch LED Cinema Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution and 60% more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. It costs US$999. Featuring a built-in iSight video camera, microphone and speakers, powered USB 2.0 hub, and universal MagSafe connector, the new LED Cinema Display is designed as a companion for the MacBook family or a Mac desktop. The screen uses the same 16:9 ratio panel as the 27-inch iMac.

Metakine has released Hands Off! (http://www.metakine.com/products/handsoff/) for Mac OS X 0.6.4 and higher. It's an US$19.95 application to monitor and control the access of applications to your network and disks. When connected to the Internet, applications can send any information stored on your computer to whoever they want without you ever knowing. Using Hands Off!, you can monitor and control Internet connections from all applications as to expose hidden connections and prevent them from sending data or phoning home without your consent, according to the folks at Metakine. Applications present on your computer can freely read, store or erase information on your computer without your knowledge. Using Hands Off!, you can monitor and control disk access from all applications as to prevent them from obtaining confidential information, erasing your data or storing cookies.

Regular Rate and Rhythm Software have announced Rowmote Pro 3.2 (http://rowmote.com), an update to the $4.99 remote control solution for Mac OS X and Apple TV. The upgrade adds three and four finger gestures support. Rowmote Pro emulates the Apple hardware remote control. It controls and switches between over twenty popular applications, from music applications like iTunes and PandoraJam to video players such as DVD Player, Hulu Desktop, Plex, and Front Row, to presentation tools such as Microsoft Powerpoint and Apple Keynote. In addition, Rowmote Pro allows complete control over the Mac with its trackpad and optional keyboard. It supports landscape full-screen mode, two finger scrolling and right clicking, dragging, and accented and international characters. These remote control facilities have been enhanced with the 2.0 release to boast native to near-native speeds, according to the folks at Regular Rate and Rhythm Software. Rowmote Pro requires iPhone or iPod Touch 2.0 or later....

In an effort to find out the impact of the iPad on journalism, RJI Program Director for Digital Publishing Roger Fidler and the Reynolds Journalism Institute have launched a National iPad survey. With iPad sales expected to hit 28 million in 2011, more than personal computers, consumers are accessing their news direct from their tablets.  What does this mean for the journalism industry. "The results from the survey will help journalists, journalism educators and other media practitioners better understand how the widespread adoption of the iPad and similar mobile devices may influence the future of the news media," says Fidler. He's conducting the survey and making it available to all iPad users. The survey is available until October and can be found at http://rji.ipadsurvey.sgizmo.com/s3/ .  By completing the survey, you may be eligible to win iTunes gift cards by signing up to participate in follow-up surveys next year.

Flying Meat has updated Acorn (http://flyingmeat.com/acorn/)h, a layer-based bitmap image editor. A free update for registered users, to version 2.5. The new version adds support for layer masks and the ability to set a matte background color for transparent images via the program’s Web export tool. There are also new Automator actions for using Acorn to watermark, crop, and manipulate images with JavaScript. With Acorn, you can take screenshots and edit them immediately. You can chain together image filters to create effects. You can make new images and layers using your built-in iSight. Acorn offers layer-based image editing and image and canvas resizing, just by changing the size of your window. The software works with drawing tables. Plus, you can write plug-ins using the Python scripting language, as well as in Objective-C. Acorn is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4.9 or higher. It costs US$49.95, but version 2.5 is a...

Savant Systems (http://www.savantav.com), having delivered the first Apple-based home automation and control system, has announced the introduction of their Logitech Squeezebox user interface, giving users access to continuous music via free Internet radio stations and subscription services anywhere in the home.   Savant’s new Squeezebox user interface provides an array of content streamed over a home network either via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, giving listeners numerous delivery options. For example, you can play jazz in the study, wake up to local radio in the bedroom or use an online music service to create customized playlists. Savant’s Squeezebox user interface also provides access to a variety of streaming music from services such as Pandora, Rhapsody, Last.fm, Sirius and others.     In addition to streaming content, homeowners also have the option to enjoy Savant’s iTunes digital media server throughout the home via Savant’s multi-room audio solution. It combines the personalized...

LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has introduced its first network-attached storage solution to feature Wi-Fi. The LaCie Wireless Space can operate as a file or media server for multiple Mac and PC users, from anywhere in the home – making it the most compatible and multifunctional network hard drive on the market. Leveraging Wi-Fi technology, the Wireless Space can connect to your existing Wi-Fi network, allowing you to access files wirelessly throughout the home, and can serve as a central storage solution for your back-ups. If you wish to increase your Wi-Fi performance, the Wireless Space can also act as a B/G/N access point, and even serve as a router. For users with a large media library, the Wireless Space can also act as a media server. It’s compatible with UPnP/DLNA and iTunes, and you can stream music, movies and photos from a central location and play them on any device. Additionally, the Wireless Space is Time Machine compatible. Designed exclusively for LaCie, Neil Poulton’s...

Werck BV today announced the release of a localized version of itsCheckout Point of Sale for Mac in Canada. Checkout is point of sale software for retail stores that use Macs to run their business. The Canadian version of Checkout includes new sales tax features that allow for the setup of different tax rates for sales and purchases, improving support for GST, PST, and HST when buying and selling goods. Checkout is networkable, allowing up to 20 Macs to be connected on one network, and it plays well with others, integrating with AccountEdge for Canada. Checkout allows users to process credit card payments directly within the software, connect to a cash drawer, barcode scanner and receipt printer, and even integrate with the new Checkout web store, Enstore, to sell products on the web.  Available on the web at http://www.checkoutapp.com and through Apple resellers throughout Canada, Checkout is priced at US$499.

Smith Micro Solutions (http://www.smithmicro.com) has released Stuffit Deluxe 2011 for the Mac, which introduces StuffIt Destinations, a new drag-and-drop toolbar application designed to help users securely transfer files quickly and easily, according to Matthew Covington, senior director, Product Management of Smith Micro Software. StuffIt Destinations helps users transfer videos, presentations and other large files from one location to another using a file compression workflow that's simple and intuitive, he adds. Whether the user is looking to backup files to a DVD or deliver a project to a customer’s FTP server, tasks can be accomplished with a single click on the toolbar button. StuffIt Destinations provides support for email, FTP and iDisk file transfers, and also allows files to be burned to CD/DVD or moved to a local or network folder. Users can zip files prior to transfer and have Destinations send an email notification once the task is complete. The StuffIt X file format...

Tension Software has released Url Extractor X 3.2 (http://pomola.com/products_urlextractor/urlextractor.html). Url Extractor X is a Mac OS X app for extracting emails address and generic URLs from files on the HD or directly from the web using a list of "starting" web addresses and working unattended after the startup. You can now retrieve and start search from web pages using keywords from various international Google sites. Url Extractor can extract thousands of URLs from the web starting from a single web page and using "cross navigation" and extraction. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher and costs US$50. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Version 3.2 is a free update for registered users of version 3.0.

Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/) has released a preview version of Flash Player "Square" that enables native 64-bit support on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows operating systems. Adobe says they've made this preview available so that users can test existing content and new platforms for compatibility and stability. Because this is a preview version of Flash Player, don’t expect it to be as stable as a final release version of Flash Player. Use caution when installing Flash Player "Square" on production machines.

Olive Media (http://www.olive.us) has announced the US$999 Olive O3HD music server for home stereo systems. Based on the Olive O4HD, it requires no software installation, networking setup or virus protection. It features a 24-bit/192 kHz DAC, dedicated storage and color touchscreen navigation, allowing you to store and access your complete music collection right at your stereo system. The new Olive O3HD stores your music collection right at your stereo system, so networking problems are a concern of the past, says Dr. Oliver Bergmann, co-founder and CEO of Olive. The 24-bit DAC with 192 kHz up-sampling delivers your music in a quality that has never been heard before on a product in this price category, he says. Olive even has a free mobile application that will turn your iPhone or iPad into an Olive remote control. Designed for music lovers with large music collections, the O3HD stores up to 1,500 CDs or 5,000 HD songs in a box no bigger than a standard CD player. Olive offers a CD...

PFiddlesoft has released UI Browser 2.1.1 (http://pfiddlesoft.com/uibrowser/), an update to the assistant for GUI scripting with AppleScript on Mac OS X. The new version adds Help buttons to many alerts and fixes a number of dead links in the UI Browser Help book. UI Browser helps you to explore, manipulate, and monitor the user interface of most Mac OS X applications running on your computer. With the push of a button, it also generates AppleScript statements to control any application using GUI Scripting, even applications that are not otherwise scriptable. UI Browser is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. A full-featured 30-day trial version of UI Browser 2.1.0 is available for download. New customers may purchase UI Browser 2.1.1 for US$55, with quantity discounts available. It's free upgrade for registered owners of UI Browser 2.0.x and for customers who purchased version 1.4.1 or older on or after Jan. 1,...

Bernstein Research analysts Toni Sacconagh and Pierre Ferragu told clients in a research note that Apple needs a Verizon iPhone if it's serious about warding off the Android threat. As noted by "Barron's (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/09/14/apple-to-ward-off-an...) the analysts say that the daily run-rate for Android phone sales has more than tripled in the last seven months, to 200,000 phones a day from 60,000. Sacconagh and Ferragu estimate that 53 million Android phones will ship this year. With that in mind, the Bernstein analysts think the Android installed base could exceed that of the iPhone in a little over five quarters. One of the main reasons for the Android’s momentum is the fact that the iPhone is still selling through just one carrier in some countries, including the U.S., where AT&T (T) remains the exclusive carrier. Sacconaghi says Apple needs to add versions of the phone for the large carriers that don’t currently sell it, including Verizon...

Eltima Software has released Flash Decompiler Trillix 4.2 (http://mac.eltima.com/swftofla-converter.html) for Mac OS X. It's an update of the SWF to FLA converter designed to help users decompile Flash movies and convert SWF elements into multiple formats. Version 4.2 offers Adobe Flash CS5 support, P-code view of ActionScript 3.0 and a fixing mechanism for third-party SWF files that don't satisfy the Adobe SWF file format specification. The software lets you extract all SWF objects from the file (images, sounds, videos, shapes, morphs, fonts, texts, sprites, etc) and save them in various formats. Eltima added the ability to choose resources to extract and process several files simultaneously. Also, Flash Decompiler Trillix lets you export ActionScripts, which can be searched through later. The new interface of Flash Decompiler Trillix 4.0 provides users with navigation and preview options for SWF files and their elements. Flash Decompiler Trilli runs under Mac OS X 10.4 or higher...

Group Logic (http://www.grouplogic.com) has updated ArchiveConnect, its File System Archiving (FSA) solution for Mac desktops. Version 1.1 extends its s integration with Symantec's EnterpriseVault and CommVault's Simpana to include new usability enhancements and support for network-based home directory environments with active enterprise FSA deployments. Together, these new features measurably boost productivity for Mac users of Symantec and CommVault FSA systems, according to Brian Ulmer, product manager for ArchiveConnect at Group Logic. " "The Mac's inability to differentiate between online and offline files the same way Windows can present serious challenges. In an archiving environment like EnterpriseVault or Simpana, the Mac's file previewing features trigger unintended requests to restore archived files automatically.," he says. "For just about any archiving system, this can cause severe performance impacts. In fact, many IT organizations are forced to segregate Mac users...

The "San Jose Mercury News" (http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_16076242?) is reporting that Apple is expected to announce soon a new subscription plan for newspapers, "which hope tablets like the iPad will eventually provide a new source of profit as media companies struggle with declining print circulation and advertising revenue." Not surprisingly, Apple wouldn't comment to the newspaper. However, Roger Fidler, head of digital publishing at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute in Columbia, Mo., told "The "News" that Apple probably will take a 30% cut of all subscriptions sold through the company's Apple App Store, and as much as 40% of the advertising revenue from publications' apps. Apple has agreed to provide an opt-in function for subscribers to allow the company to share with publishers their information, which includes vital data that news organizations use to attract advertisers, industry sources told the "News." Publishers "want the data of their customers so...

PowerProduction Software has released Martini QuickShot Creator (Martini), the first plug-in for post-production visualization. Designed to work within Apple’s Final Cut Pro, Martini (http://www.martiniquickshot.com) lets editors direct additional shots and sequences. With Martini’s dynamic power, editors no longer need to use black slugs with text explaining what “shot goes here, says PowerProduction Software Chief Technical Officer Paul Clatworthy. From single shots to multi-shot sequences, Martini helps directors and editors create a better final film, he adds. Loaded with classic and unique shot styles, Martini's interface guides editors through the quick creation of composite shots. Editors can select a style, such as basic over-the-shoulder shots, two and three shots, and close-ups as well as fight scenes, chase scenes, and other pre-composed multiple shot sequences. Then, editors can choose a location from hundreds of pre-loaded interiors, exteriors, and custom digital...

dB Logic (http://www.dblogic.com) has announced what it says the world’s first family of no-battery-required, ultra-low distortion sound pressure level limiting headphones and earphones for teens and adults. The headphones and earphones with SPL2 technology are designed to help protect users from long-term hearing damage, according to the folks at dB Logic. In addition, the company is also launching “dB Logic for Kids,” the first family of headphones with SPL2 technology designed for children. dB Logic’s proprietary sound pressure level (SPL) limiting technology, SPL2, limits volume levels and provides consumers with a low-distortion listening experience. Additionally, dB Logic headphones and earphones integrate a SPL2 monitoring circuit that regulates the volume where needed, while still keeping the musical content largely unchanged. dB Logic headphones and earphones for adults will be available in early November on the dB Logic web site and from selected retailers with manufacturer...

Targus (http://www.targus.com) has announced three new cooling devices designed for the traveler, gamer and casual user, as well as new iPad accessories. The US$59.99 HD3 Gaming Chill Mat (pictured) is designed specifically to cool up to 18-inch high-performance gaming laptops. Its cooling system features three quiet fans with sealed shafts. An adjustable fan speed dial features tactile control for adjusting the cooling level without taking your eyes off of the laptop screen, while airflow straighteners reduce air turbulence for more efficient cooling. The non-skid elastomer feet provide a stable grip The $29.99 Travel Chill Mat is sized specifically for travel, fitting in a laptop case or backpack. It uses dual fans to disperse heat and provide ventilation. Its ergonomic work surface is designed to cushion your lap and provide a pain-free typing angle while rubber stops prevent slippage. The Travel Chill Mat. The $39.99 Lap Chill Mat in silver is the latest version of the original...

Sound ID (http://www.soundid.com) has announced three additions to their 5 Series product line: the Sound ID 520 Bluetooth headset, the Sound ID 512 Bluetooth headset and the Sound ID 500 Bluetooth headset. The Sound ID EarPrint app offers personalized audio performance for Phone, Media (A2DP) and Pass Thru modes. It offers EarPrint compatibility with the iPhone, select BlackBerry devices and Android 2.1/2.2 devices. The Sound ID EarPrint app is available for free from the Apple App Store on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and compatible with iPad in media (A2DP) mode with the 2X option. The Sound ID 520, 512 and 500 will be available in the fourth quarter and range in price from US$79.99 to $129.99. All units come with a small Universal AC travel charger, USB charging cable, three sizes of RealComfort EarLoops and an Ear Hook for an alternative over-the-ear wearing option. The 520 and 512 also come with a clip holster carrying case.

In the second quarter of 2010 (2Q10), the International Data Corp. (http://www.idc.com) found year-over-year revenue growth of 26.4%, and more modest 2.4% growth over a strong first quarter, for enterprise wireless local area networks (WLANs). The market enjoyed a strong performance across all regions and key product segments, especially for 802.11n technology. "The continued strength in the WLAN market in the second quarter was very encouraging with all regions and both the enterprise and retail-class market segments making a contribution," says Rohit Mehra, director, Enterprise Communications Infrastructure at IDC. "Specifically, growth in 802.11n deployments continues to accelerate in 2010, with 65.9% of all access point revenue being "n" based, up from 56.1% in 1Q10, and up from 45.6% in 2Q09." Ratification of the 802.11n standard in September last year continues to boost enterprise WLAN deployments, attracting new and existing customers who were hesitant earlier to move forward...

Apple is hiring a number of experts on amorphous metals, as the company looks to create hardware constructed from a newly licensed, super-durable custom metal alloy known as "Liquidmetal," reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). The web site discovered a number of new job listings this week. Apple is looking for an amorphous metal development manager and two metal process development engineers to work at its Cupertino, California, corporate headquarters, says "AppleInsider." Apple has struck a deal with Liquidmetal Technologies (http://www.liquidmetal.com/technology/default.asp), a California-based company that holds patents on new metal and alloy designs, for essentially access to all of its intellectual property. According to the LiqudMetal Tech web site, its alloys are a" revolutionary class of materials that redefines performance and cost paradigms." The superior properties of Liquidmetal alloys are made possible by revolutionary scientific and technological...

Kingston Digital (http://www.kingston.com) is shipping its first USB 3.0 Flash drive. The Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 Flash drive takes advantage of the faster USB 3.0 specification that has up to 10 times the data transfer rates of the current USB 2.0 specification. The DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 has a read speed of 80MB/second and a write speed of 60MB/second. It's available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities. To ensure backwards compatibility, Kingston is also including a Y cable as some USB 2.0 ports require it to initialize USB 3.0 drives. And you'll need it for Macs as they currently don't support USB 3.0.

Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com), the nation’s largest consumer electronics retailer, today says it will expand availability of the Apple iPad with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi +3G models to all 1,093 U.S. stores beginning Sept. 26. Best Buy is a preferred channel partner for the Apple iPad, now selling the popular device online (for in-store pick-up) and through Apple Shop locations within 673 Best Buy stores. “Technology is becoming more and more personal, and our customers say they really value visiting a Best Buy store to touch and try the iPad for themselves,” says Wendy Fritz, senior vice president of computing at Best Buy. “We’re delighted that we’ll soon make that opportunity available to everyone who’d like to come see us, and experience this device in any Best Buy store nationwide.”

Nemetschek Vectorworks has released 2011 versions of its Vectorworks line (http://www.vectorworks.net/2011) of design software, including Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks. According to says Dr. Biplab Sarkar, chief technology officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks, the 2011 version of Vectorworks software delivers several major improvements, including: °  2D/3D integration. Vectorworks software has now, more than ever, a true 3D modeling environment. 2D planar objects can be created and edited within a planar context, where they display with all their attributes. Users can work in Top/Plan view as usual, or switch to a 3D view and continue working in the same way, with the same tools and operations. ° Improved Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities. The Vectorworks Architect program is even easier to use, and its new tools and features help get the job done faster and better, while communicating and exchanging files with...

Paradigma Software has announced iValentina (http://www.valentina-db.com/), a free, mobile database management tool for working with the columnar database system, Valentina, for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It will arrive next month. With it, users of iValentina are able to do many of same functions accessible to users of Valentina Studio, the desktop application for creating and managing Valentina databases. iValentina runs on the iPhone iOS and was built using xCode, Valentina for Cocoa and the free Valentina for iPhone Client library. With iValentina features ; you can: log in remotely to any Valentina Database Server; ceate new and modify existing databases, database schema, tables and more; run complex queries on Valentina Server and see the results, including picture preview; monitor an unlimited number of Valentina Server installations; and store and save complex queries as favorites that can be run again at any time.

LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has released what it says is the first RAID storage solution to incorporate the new USB 3.0 technology: the LaCie 2big USB 3.0. In addition to the 2big USB 3.0, LaCie also announces the availability of its single-disk professional solution with a USB 3.0 port -- the LaCie d2 USB 3.0. Unfortunately, it will only run at USB 2.0 speeds on the Mac since there are no Macs with USB 3.0 support yet. The LaCie 2big USB 3.0 is available in up to a 4TB capacity; pricing starts at US$349.99. According to Clement Barberis, product manager for LaCie’s Professional Desktop Solutions department. you can transfer a 50GB Blu-ray disk in less than five minutes, which is six times faster than USB 2.0. The 2big USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0. The 2big USB 3.0 includes two 7200 rpm hot-swappable hard disks and features three RAID modes. You can choose the “Fast” mode (RAID 0) to enjoy the full speed and capacity of the 2big USB 3.0, or choose the “Safe” mode (RAID...

CoreMelt has announced Lock & Load Express (http://www.lockandloadx.com/lock-and-load-express.html), an addition to its line of video effects software tools. It harnesses much of the key functionality found in Lock & Load X, including rolling shutter reduction, but in a simplified version that caters primarily to videographers and prosumers using DSLR cameras and working on Apple's Final Cut Express editing suite. L The gang at CoreMelt says that while Lock & Load X has gained considerable praise as a tool to improve video quality for users on higher end editing software applications, there are videographers utilizing DSLR and CMOS sensor based cameras running on Final Cut Express, which does not have a built-in image stabilizer (Lock & Load Express is currently the only stabilizer designed for Final Cut Express), who don't need access to every control in processing their footage, but need a reliable tool to stabilize footage featuring rolling shutter artifacts at a...

Nulana LTD has released NuKit 1.1 (http://nulana.com/nukit), an update of the productivity and timesaving toolkit for Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6. The upgrade includes a dictionary and abbreviation search in the Launcher, speed improvements, shortcuts to anything, and three new language versions. NuKit combines different utilities such as a launcher, tweaker, shortcut editor, window mover and advanced calculator. It costs US$19.99, though version 1.1 is a free update for registered users.

"Consumer Reports" (http://www.consumerreports.org) says it still can't recommend the iPhone 4. The product testing company/mag says Apple still hasn't adequately addressed the issue of when your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side if the phone is being used in an area with a weak signal. Apple has discontinued its free-case program for the iPhone 4 effective Oct. 1, but says it will still provide a case to the "small percentage" of buyers who will need one due to the phone's "antenna attenuation issue." The company says "we now know" that the antenna issue is "even smaller than we originally thought." 
That move is "less consumer-friendly in several respects," says "Consumer Reports." Here's the organization's take: "First, if you are 'experiencing antenna issues' with your iPhone 4, Apple says, you'll need to call the company to request a case. And where the current program allows owners a choice of seven cases, including some from third-party manufacturers...

Apple has launched a new online help system called Express Lane (https://expresslane.apple.com/GetproductgroupList.do;jsessionid=BKRfMQFfsNQLlJ9GDZy4nhQKmk7j9yV8BLSkMLSrXmppt2YdZHT5!1929009106) for diagnosing problems with Apple products. It's designed to streamline the customer service process and troubleshooting system. It lists these categories: Mac & Software; iPod; iPhone; iPad; iTunes; More Products & Services. Once you begin using the service, it offers "My Products" and "Case Lookup" features.

Sorenson Media (http://www.sorensonmedia.com) has released Sorenson Squeeze 6.5, which adds greater encoding, publishing, pre-processing and filtering functionality to theonline video encoding product. The Squeeze 6.5 update is free to current Sorenson Squeeze 6 users. Among the new capabilities in Sorenson Squeeze 6.5, is the ability to decode the AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) format. AVCHD records high-definition video to DVD, hard drives, or flash memory cards as .m2ts, .mts, or .m2t files and is the most common recording format for high definition video cameras at the prosumer and high-end consumer market. Other benefits of Sorenson Squeeze 6.5 include three new filters: enhanced de-interlacing, image rotation and optimized color conversion. The new deinterlacing filter works automatically as a default setting to increase encoding quality and speed and is faster than any previous version of Sorenson Squeeze, says Randon Morford, director of product management for...

FileMaker consultant and authorized training provider, The Support Group, has announced a new addition to their FileMaker training classes: Scripting with FileMaker Pro. This one-day class introduces scripting to those already familiar with FileMaker Pro who seek to develop more useful solutions, says Chad Novotny, principal and vice president, technology for The Support Group. Students will learn to employ scripts to automate common searches, edit data, generate reports, and send emails.  The class covers dialogs, logical branching, looping, script triggers, variables, and script parameters. Students will receive detailed handouts, participate in active discussions, and try out what they learn on the computer. Tuition for the new FileMaker training class, Scripting With FileMaker Pro is US$199. Details are at www.supportgroup.com/training/scripting-with-filemaker-pro/ . Scripting With FileMaker Pro is offered monthly at The Support Group's training facilities in Boston, Los Angeles...

Graphic.ly (http://www.graphic.ly) will begin offering single issue sales of Marvel comic books on its desktop reader; Graphic.ly becomes the first desktop digital comic reader to be able to offer single issue sales of Marvel comic books to its desktop community, including members in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, as well as include Marvel comics on select mobile platforms. Prior to this, Marvel comics have been available on the Graphic.ly iPad application. Additionally, readers are able to purchase books on Graphic.ly and read them on any device. Graphic.ly will be carrying many of the popular Marvel titles in its store, including Iron Man; Kick Ass; Amazing Spider Man; Captain America, and Astonishing X-Men, to name a few of the titles.

Dingo Games (http://www.dingogames.com) has released Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds, an US$19.95 game for Mac OS X and Windows systems. In Back for Seconds players control a ball of goo with the ability to eat anything smaller than itself. The more it eats, the bigger it gets. By the end of the game, players are able to eat the entire world (and more). Here's how the game is described: "Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds is the sequel to Dingo Games' well received original game, Tasty Planet. As with any sequel, Back for Seconds has quite a few improvements over the original. Levels can now span vastly different object sizes; players can grow from the size of an amoeba to the size a galaxy within a single level. The game also adds a two player cooperative campaign mode in which each player controls their own goo. This mode is local only, so you'll have to huddle around the keyboard to take advantage of it. "The game's story begins with the goo eating a time machine, causing him to be sent...

IDG World Expo is collaborating with the GSMA to bring Macworld Mobil‚Ñ¢, a developer conference specifically for iOS developers, to the GSMA's Mobile Asia Congress 2010 and Mobile World Congress 2011 events. The company will add its Apple market expertise to the GSMA's events in the form of Macworld Mobile.\ The Macworld Mobile iOS Developer Conference will provide full-day, in-depth training on this critical platform, with technical sessions targeting tools and applications specifically designed for mobile application developers and engineers. Additionally, Macworld Mobile will provide developers with market development and networking opportunities, both within the iOS development community as well as the broader international mobile products and services marketplace. Macworld Mobile will be held at Mobile Asia Congress, on November 17, 2010, in Hong Kong, as well as at the industry-leading Mobile World Congress, on February 17, 2011, in Barcelona, Spain. For more info go to http://...

Agile Web Solutions has updated 1Password (http://1password.com), a password manager for Mac OS X, to version 3.4. The upgrade adds new tools for detecting and resolving conflicts for all Sync modes, including Dropbox Sync. It also brings partial support for the Firefox 4 betas and more. 1Password 3.4 is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6. It's a free upgrade for users of version 3.x. For new users the cost is US$39.95 for a single-user license and $69.95 for a family license (five users).

There's a rumor going around that iPads will soon be on sale at Target outlets. "Device Magazine" (http://www.devicemag.com/2010/09/13/apple-ipad-rumored-to-start-selling-...) reports that the retail chain is said to be gearing up to put on its sales racks a new product and the prices being elaborated make it look like the unnamed product that the retailer is talking about is the iPad. Six price points have been revealed, and  they are the same as what the iPad has been selling at. The prices band for the iPad ranges from $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only model, to $829 for the 64GB model with 3G.

Adobe has released the Adobe HTML5 Pack for Adobe Illustrator CS5, its vector graphics software used extensively by designers of mobile device and web content. This pack provides initial support for HTML5 and CSS3 and extends the scalable vector graphics (SVG) capability in Illustrator on both Mac OS X and Windows. The HTML5 Pack lets web designers and developers take advantage of the latest advancements in HTML5 through enhanced integration between Illustrator CS5 and Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 software, according to Lea Hickman, senior director, Creative and Interactive Solutions at Adobe. SVG generated by Illustrator can be displayed directly in compatible browsers and Illustrator can be used to generate CSS code for styling of HTML content. The HTML5 Pack for Illustrator CS5 is immediately available on Adobe Labs as a free download, at http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/illustrator_html5.html . The HTML5 Pack for Illustrator provides features that enable users to take advantage of the...

Movea says its US$79.99 Gyration Air Mouse Elite with MotionTools (http://www.gyration.com) is now available for Macs using Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6. Mac users can now benefit from the ergonomic Air Mouse Elite with SmartMotion technology, "bringing the intuitive simplicity of motion to their lives: from the living room, to the boardroom, to the classroom," according to Bryan Hoadley, EVP of worldwide sales and General Manager of Movea. With the Air Mouse Elite, natural hand movements drive more powerful presentation delivery, more interactive classroom lectures, more immersive game play, and more convenient access to online and home media center digital entertainment, he adds. The device has a 100-foot rangeand no line-of-sight requirements gives presenters the freedom to move around the room to captivate and engage audiences. The Air Mouse Elite is also equipped with Movea’s MotionTools software -- a suite of effects and tools that allow users to customize, activate and control with...

Maintain has released Cocktail 4.7.7 (Snow Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail (http://www.maintain.se/c) for users running Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). It adds Mac OS X 10.6.5 compatibility, adds ability to restore horizontal window controls in iTunes 10, adds Dock menu and contains other minor user interface improvements. This version also fixes compatibility issues with iTunes 10 and Safari 5 extensions. It also adds the ability to disable the “This file has been downloaded from the internet.” Finder warning and ability to view .asl and .crash logs. This version also fixes minor Mac OS X 10.6.4 compatibility issues and contains updated Automator actions. Cocktail 4.7.7 (Snow Leopard Edition) requires Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server 10.6 or later and is tested for compatibility with Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server 10.6.3. Cocktail (Leopard Edition) for Mac OS X 10.5 and Cocktail (Tiger Edition) for Mac OS X 10.4 are available for download from the Maintain web site....

After new versions of the iPod were recently launched, the portable media playing devices have been voted "most prized possession" among Facebook users, coming out just on top ahead of the Blackberry and closely followed by iPhones and laptops.   Meanwhile, only 1% of respondents regarded their wedding ring as their most prized possession, while cars were the favorites of only 4% of people on the social network. Dogs got 9% of the vote, and cats received 5%.   The survey was carried out in August on behalf of insurance firm Protect Your Bubble (http://www.protectyourbubble.com), with 12% of the 500 respondents voting for their iPods as their most prized possession, just outdoing the Blackberry, which received 11.5% of the votes.   The first iPod launched in 2001 and the devices are still hugely popular despite the massive surge in purchases of smartphones in the last 12 months, with new versions of the iPod nano and iPod touch recently hitting the shelves alongside the iPod shuffle...

A version of the iPad with a built-in video camera and support for the new FaceTime video conferencing standard has already progressed to the advanced testing stages, says “AppleInsider” (http://www.appleinsider.com), quoting a “person with proven knowledge of Apple’s future product plans.” When might such a device arrive? Perhaps in time for holidays, but no later than March 2011, the article says. And the move, if it happens, would be as much about FaceTime as the iPad. “It’s also believed that Apple may striving to embed FaceTime within its entire mobile arsenal before making good on a promissory to open up the standard to the rest of the world, thereby mitigating the market opportunity for rival tablet devices that could incorporate the technology,” says “AppleInsider.” FaceTime is video calling that uses Wi-Fi. Apple says that using FaceTime is as easy as making a regular voice call, with no set-up required. On the iPhone 4 and fourth gen iPod touch, you can instantly switch to...