DJMixersoft (http://www.DJMixersoft.com) -- which specializes in DJ mixing and digital music technologies -- has released DJ Mixer Professional for Mac, an US$99.95 DJ solution for amateur and professional DJs alike. It enables you to mix digital music in various formats such as MP3, M4A, WMA, AAC, OGG, WAV or AIFF in real time. You can also mix video clips together with audios. The program has BPM detection that will help you synchronize your tracks. DJ Mixer Professional integrates with your iTunes library. It's compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. A 30-day demo is available for download.

Algoriddim (http://www.algoriddim.net), which specializes in next-generation music software for the Mac, and KB Covers (http://www.kbcovers.com) have announced the release of the djay Keyboard Cover, which converts any U.S. MacBook, MacBook Air or unibody MacBook Pro into fully-interactive DJ controllers. The cover offers a straightforward display of program shortcuts and commands. Each button is clearly coded with symbols and colors to help identify key functions and distinguish between djay's extensive shortcuts for both the left and right turntables. Consisting of soft, ultra-thin silicone, the djay Keyboard Cover has a smooth texture that won't slip off the keyboard and is non-restrictive to regular typing, according to Greg Sad, marketing director of KB Covers. It also helps to safeguard the MacBook from dirt, spills, wear and tear. The djay Keyboard Cover is available for purchase online at the KB Covers store and in select music/audio resellers for US$29, and beginning today...

WoodWing (http://www.woodwing.com) has announced the development of tools that allow publishers to take full advantage of Apple's new iPad. "Apple's iPad is most certainly going to boost the success of media consumption through handheld devices," says Hans Janssen, CEO of WoodWing Software. "This offers a host of possibilities for publishers to create new sources of income. It's our task as a software supplier to provide them with the right tools for that job." WoodWing developments have been taking place in two main areas. First, to facilitate the workflow to create interactive digital publications using the Enterprise publishing system; second, a native iPad App to enable the consumer to enjoy the interactive content. "WoodWing's Content Station -- which already allows content creators to plan, create, and publish any type of content -- has been extended to accommodate the extra functionality required to plan and produce this new kind of digital publications," says Erik Schut,...

Ten One Design (http://www.TenOneDesign.com) says its Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus -- a stylus compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook trackpads - are fully compatible with the 9.7-inch capacitive touch screen display of iPad, the new Apple tablet. The aluminum base and advanced material used on the tip of the Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch are what make them extraordinary and revolutionary for multi-touch displays, according to the folks at Ten One Design. The touch screen tool acts as a bridge by transferring the signal from the display to the user's hand. The Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus are designed for detailed graphic artwork and enhancing the canvas-like display of the iPad, especially when used with applications like the Brushes app demoed during the media event. The tip uses less surface area than a fingertip. The stylus easily glides across the screen and even keeps it free of smudges and grease, says Ten One Design. The Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch are both available...

Stairways Software (http://www.stairways.com) has released Keyboard Maestro 4.0.2, the new version of its productivity enhancer for Mac OS X. The upgrade resolves a number of minor issues, including issues related to command-Tab and command-shift-Tab, the hot key selection, parsing of ICUDateTime tokens, Dvorak keyboards, and 10.5 in 64-bit mode. Using Keyboard Maestro's macros you can: control applications, windows, or menus; insert text; open documents, applications or URLs; execute scripts; control the system or iTunes; and more, all with the touch of a key, click of the mouse, periodically or at specific times, when an application is launched or running, or even over the Internet using Keyboard Maestro's built in web server. Using Keyboard Maestro's Program Switcher and Window Switcher you can cycle through applications or windows, closing, hiding, launching, and more. The software lets you close or hide multiple windows or applications. Using Keyboard Maestro's Clipboard Switcher...

Raidon (http://www.raidon.com) is has announced the GearRAID GR7650-4S-WBS2, a RAID 5, triple interface storage solution in a 1U rack-mount form factor. It has a suggested manufacturer's retail price of US$480. It features the latest triple interfaces including two FireWire 800 ports, USB 2.0 and eSATA with port multiplication. The GearRAID GR7650-4S-WBS2 is hot-pluggable and is immediately recognized by Mac OS X and Windows systems with no extra software needed. The GearRAID GR7650-4S-WBS2 features a RAID 5 engine, delivering digital data to multiple discs simultaneously. When using the latest 2TB drives, the GearRAID allows for up to 6TB of usable storage in RAID 5 in a 4-bay, 1U form-factor. The GearRAID provides throughputs of up to 220 MB/second. In the event of hard drive failure, the GearRAID can automatically switch operations to the remaining drives and alert the user via its hardware system status indicator and built-in audio alarm. The GearRAID is capable of acting as a...

To no one's great surprise, Apple unveiled a new product at a special event in San Francisco today: the iPad. Yep, that's the name Apple is going with, not the rumored iTablet or iSlate monikers. Apple says the device is for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad's Multi-Touch display lets users physically interact with applications and content. The iPad is just 0.5 inches thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds -- thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The device includes 12 new apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the Apple App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting US$499. "iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price," says Jobs. "iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users...

Vector 3 (http://www.vector3.tv), a company that specializes in graphics and playout solutions, will showcase, for the first time ,at the CABSAT exhibition, held in Dubai from March 2 - 4, 2010 (UBMS Partner Stand ZC-11), the Vector Multi-Play playout solution alongside the company's flagship VectorBox systems. The new, multi-tiered MultiPlay product portfolio offers broadcasters a distributed architecture for optimizing multi-channel playout automation and redundancy. The controls in the new MultiPlay solution enable broadcasters to design smart redundant architectures that near eliminate mirroring through an innovative scan and assist technology, according to Roman Ceano, general manager of Vector 3. Vector's MultiPlay's product line is modular and includes a complete master control room, options for graphics and channel branding, and multi-channel ingest capabilities. Developed on the VectorBox engineering principles, the breadth and depth of MultiPlay features are packaged into a...

Big Nerd Ranch Europe (http://www.bignerdranch.com) is offering a five-day OpenGL Bootcamp at the old monastery Kloster Eberbach near Frankfurt, Germany, on March 15-19. It will be taught by Jay Anderson and his co-instructor Carsten Haubold. The five-day class will teach the ideas and techniques of OpenGL programming by focusing on advanced level visualization techniques and elevating the materials beyond simply video game development instruction. Students signing up before Feb. 5 can apply for the early bird fee and save €200. The Big Nerd Ranch incorporates intensive training classes for Unix and Mac OS X programmers in a retreat setting outside Frankfurt, Germany. Class price of €2800 (plus 19 percent VAT, if applicable) includes lodging, all meals, original instruction materials, 24-hour lab access, and transportation to and from the Frankfurt airport.

Singular Software, developer of automation applications for post-production, has announced that its flagship product PluralEyes 1.1 for Final Cut Pro has expanded its support for non-linear editing applications to include Sony Vegas Pro. Designed for time-conscious video professionals, PluralEyes offers workflow automation tools for analyzing media content and synchronizing audio and video clips, including DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera images. The new PluralEyes plug-in for Vegas Pro provides an array of features for managing multi-camera, multi-take, and dual-system audio productions; including a level audio option, preserving the order of clips, and clip locking for seamless integration into existing workflows, says Bruce Sharpe, CEO, Singular Software. The PluralEyes application accelerates the workflow for multi-camera, multi-take and dual-system audio productions, he adds. By analyzing audio information, PluralEyes synchronizes audio and video clips automatically,...

iPresentee (http://www.ipresentee.com), a developer of add-ons for Apple's iWork and iLife applications, has released Keynote Motion Themes HD 9.0, a package of five new themes to be used with Keynote. Keynote is Apple's presentation component of the US$79 iWork suite. New themes package includes: Blue Illusion, Red Illusion, Green Illusion, Black Illusion and Yellow Illusion. Forty seven more designs are carried over from the previous version. New Keynote Motion Themes are available in standard and HD formats. Keynote Motion Themes 9.0 requires Mac OS X with iWork 08 or iWork 09 installed. Each individual Keynote Motion Theme is priced at US$10. A package of 52 themes is available for $40.

Apple has announced financial results for its fiscal 2010 first quarter that ended Dec. 26, 2009. The company posted revenue of US$15.68 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $11.88 billion and net quarterly profit of $2.26 billion, or $2.50 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 40.9 percent, up from 37.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 58 percent of the quarter's revenue. Apple sold 3.36 million Macs during the quarter, representing a 33% unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The company sold 8.7 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 100% unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 21 million iPods during the quarter, representing an 8% unit decline from the year-ago quarter. During the quarter Apple elected retrospective adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board's amended accounting standards related to certain revenue...

Native Instruments (http://www.native-instruments.com/abbeyroad60sdrums.info) has introduced Abbey Road 60s Drums, the first instrument created in its collaboration with the iconic British recording studios. Recorded using engineering techniques and exclusive vintage gear, Abbey Road 60s Drums provides a versatile arsenal of classic drum sounds with absolute tonal authenticity, supreme playability and immense sonic flexibility. For use in the free Kontakt Player and the industry-leading Kontakt 4 sampler, it provides a resource for typical Sixties sound aesthetics as well as for modern pop, rock and urban music styles. Abbey Road 60s Drums features two quintessential drum kits of the Sixties era, a Gretsch and a Ludwig, which were recorded in painstaking detail utilizing Abbey Road's profound engineering expertise and outstanding arsenal of vintage equipment. Classic AKG, Neumann and STC microphones from the studios' famed microphone collection, the exclusive Redd.17 and EMI TG mixing...

AIA Basics has has released diabasics (http://www.derbrill.de/diabasics), new diabetes management software for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. It costs US$29.95. A demo is available for download. Diabasics logs blood glucose levels, carbs and fat eaten and -- if you're insulin dependent -- the amount of insulin you injected. It remembers which finger you have pricked the last time you monitored your blood glucose. This way, you can avoid pricking the same finger over and over again and keep your hands sensible. It calculates a suggested amount of insulin, depending on a flexible diabetic profile and also takes the amount of insulin that's still active into account. Diabasics also sports a large food database.

Upcoming AppleScript Pro Sessions will be the first to cover Apple's AppleScriptObjC technology, which gives "unprecedented access" to the power of Mac OS X, according to Shane Stanley, session co-leader. The sessions offer a full introduction to AppleScript, including the changes in Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") and are aimed at both beginners and advanced scripters. The classes are suitable for both new and experienced scripters, with the emphasis on practical skills that can be used across a range of applications, says Ray Robertson, session co-leader. The five-day sessions will be held at Dolphin Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida. A special conference rate offers a limited number of hotel rooms starting at US$99/night. Pricing starts at $1500 for any three days, with a special discounted package of $1,800 for all five days. The early bird rate is available through March 5, unless sold out earlier. For more details, visit the AppleScript Pro Sessions web site at http://www....

Twelve South (http://twelvesouth.com) has introduced the BookBook, a leather MacBook case that looks just like a vintage book. Designed exclusively for MacBooks, the BookBook features a hardback cover and a padded leather spine. Since it looks like a vintage book, BookBook also disguises your Mac, reducing the risk of theft, according to designer Andrew Green. The case for 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro models is available now for US$79.99. Along with handsome looks, this distressed leather case provides excellent protection, according to Green. Inside, the Apple laptop is stored within a soft, padded interior. Outside, your MacBook is protected between two rigid book covers. The vintage-looking spine provides structural integrity and crush protection. The BookBook is available in two overall styles; a classic-looking brown with a black spine (Black) and a brown with a red spine. Each BookBook is individually hand-distressed, ensuring that no two BookBooks are exactly...

Atsec Information Security (https://www.bsi.bund.de) has announced the successful Common Criteria Certification of Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") at EAL 3 (augmented for flaw remediation) with the Controlled Access Protection Profile [CAPP]. This certification includes both Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server. The certification of Mac OS X through the German BSI national scheme adds another operating system to atsec's portfolio of over 60 OS evaluations. Atsec has been involved with evaluating operating systems under Common Criteria for nearly a decade and our staff has had experience with ITSEC and Common Criteria since the 1980's. The evaluation consisted of the operation of Mac OS X in a networked environment with other instances of Mac OS X, as well as other well-behaved network systems and operating systems administered by the same management domain. All of the systems connected to the network were configured according to a defined common security policy. The main security functions of...

Digieffects, a developer of visual effects software plug-ins, has announced that Atmosphere (http://digieffects.com/product/atmosphere) is available for purchase for US$49. The Atmosphere plug-in for After Effects simulates atmospheric conditions such as haze and fog in your composition. Layers further away from the camera appear to be more deeply immersed in the haze/fog than layers closer to the camera. This also applies to parts of layers: if one edge or area of a layer is closer to the camera, this area will appear less immersed in the haze/fog than the pixels further away. You can simulate very realistic or very unrealistic types of atmospheric effects using the Atmosphere plug-in, according to Robert Sharp, president of Digieffects, " For $229 (a $19 savings) you can get Trapcode Lux and Atmosphere bundled together. Lux is a stylistic aid that adds volumetric lighting effects to projects that require realistic spotlights, point lights, or stage lighting of all kinds.

Future Media Concepts (FMC) -- a digital media training organization for postproduction, broadcast, and content creators -- has added two new courses featuring the Avid/Digidesign Pro Tools audio editing system; Pro Tools Operator Recertification and Pro Tools for Game Audio. The courses will launch in February. The two-day Pro Tools Operator Recertification course is available only to those previously Operator Certified in Pro Tools, enabling experienced students to expand their knowledge and skill-set in an in-depth, recertification course, according to says Jeff Rothberg, president and co-founder, FMC. Upon completion, students will be able to master the ins-and-outs of the new Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation platform featuring dozens of new virtual instruments and plug-ins, new scoring and MIDI features, and technically advanced workflows, he adds. The three-day Pro Tools for Game Audio course will expose students to core skills, workflows and concepts involved in producing...

Small Tree (http://www.small-tree.com/), designer of networking and shared storage products for professional video and audio editors, will preview its GraniteSTOR FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) product -- next generation SAN technology -- at Macworld Expo 2010 (booth 647). Taking advantage of 10 Gigabit over Ethernet's robust throughout capabilities, GraniteSTOR FCoE will provide post-production editors with maximum efficiency while easily handling 10 bit HD uncompressed video or next generation 8k video, says Corky Seeber, president of Small Tree. Designed for both Final Cut and Pro Tools users, Small Tree's FCoE storage technology produces exceptional system performance due to several new networking features; most important of which is OS X stack bypass, he adds. According to Seeber, further cost savings from FCoE will result as 10GBase-T becomes common in the marketplace. Previewing its FCoE technology for Mac OS X at Macworld, Small Tree expects its complete FCoE solution to...

Synology America has launched the five-bay DiskStation DS1010+, which boasts write speeds that are purportedly 250% faster than it's predecessor (the DS509+), includes the power of DSM open firmware, expands up to 10 bays and is specifically designed for businesses with growing storage needs. One Synology DiskStation can take the place of multiple other devices, according to Cheen Liao, president of Synology. The DS1010+ can cost-effectively replace computer file servers or other storage devices on the network and integrate into existing cross-platform environments, he adds. Designed with scalability in mind, the DS1010+ can expand its storage capacity horizontally from five bays to 10 bays whenever more storage is needed using the separate DX510 Expansion Enclosure. Furthermore, using RAID-1, 5 or six volume-types, disks can be migrated to larger-sized disks, without loss of data. Whether adding additional disks, or migrating to larger size disks, the DS1010+ with its companion...

Enhance Technology (http://www.enhance-tech.com), a data storage designer and manufacturer, has introduced the UltraShare NAS8000 P4, a new generation Linux-based and Intel Nehalem-powered all-in-one NAS plus iSCSI in a 2U storage server. It's available with either Single 10GbE or Quad GbE data portals that can be combined to provide load balancing, fault tolerance, and advanced security. The Linux based UltraShare NAS8000 P4 is designed for high-demand and high availability data intensive applications such as ISP to provide fast FTP access to web site contents or file sharing. It's also designed to be used for video archive and retrieval for IP surveillance cameras. The UltraShare NAS features the multiple connectivity capable of integrating into virtually any kind of networking environment from local workgroups, SMB networks to large corporate IT infrastructure which helps to lower the maintenance costs resulting in reduction on total cost of ownership. It supports file sharing...

Class on Demand, a provider of professional educational products for creative markets, has announced that Basic Training for Final Cut Studio" and "Complete Training for Final Cut Pro 7" are now available for pre-order. Apple's new Studio upgrade boasts such new features as Final Cut's expanded ProRes variations, a newly enhanced time saving and automated easy export, new speed change tools, improved XMC interchange and multi-touch gesture support. Led by Tom Wolsky, an expert in Apple video applications and operating systems, the new Class on Demand training courses guide users through task-focused lessons of all of the newest tools and features of the editing suite and its flagship non-linear editing application. The "Basic Training for Final Cut Studio" title includes four hours of instruction. The seven-lesson, project-focused training touches on suite elements ranging from system optimization to Color, Compressor, Motion and other Apple applications. "Complete Training for Final...

Quirky (http://www.quirky.com) has released The Space Bar, a community developed office accessory to help you maximize the use of your desk space. The Space Bar is designed to house your desktop clutter while also providing additional USB ports for your gadgets. You can use The Space Bar shelf to store any desk items you like, such as keys, digital camera, iPod, Split Stick, Cable Caps, sticky notes and more. At the end of the day, you can slide your keyboard into the designated space below the shelf. The device can stow a keyboard up to 18 inches long by 1.5 inches high/ The Space Bar also has six USB ports located in the front of the unit and one USB cable in the back to connect it to your computer. It's constructed of aluminum with durable hard plastic accents. The Space Bar and it is now available for sale in sets of three at quirky's online store for US$42.

Boris FX (http://www.borisfx.com), a developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, has announced a new Apple Final Cut Pro plug-in for MyMusicSource, a music licensing company for music supervisors, film companies, TV production companies, and other users of commercial music. The plug-in, developed and freely distributed by Boris FX, allows users to launch MyMusicSource directly from within Final Cut Pro and then find, license, and download music that automatically appears in a Final Cut Pro bin. Music license uses include everything from film & TV to wedding videos. Music pricing starts at US$5. Both instrumental and vocal music are available.

Redcort Software has released Virtual TimeClock '10, an upgrade to the Mac OS X compatible time and attendance software. The upgrade adds new break and lunch time capabilities. Complimenting the new employee time tracking functions, Virtual TimeClock '10 has enhanced the report writer with over a dozen new features. New features include enhanced daily and activity totaling, separate columns for unpaid and leave hours, an optional supervisor signature line, and printing timecard reports for inactive workers. New report level settings for page orientation, time display (decimal or hours), and salaried worker totaling enable employers to easily customize reports for a variety of formats and needs. Virtual TimeClock is designed to help businesses of any size manage their employee hours and overtime costs. A demo can be downloaded from Redcort Software's web site (http://www.redcort.com). Basic, pro and network editions of Virtual TimeClock are available. Pricing starts at US$79.

Equinux (http://www.equinux.com) has released VPN Tracker 6.1, the newest version of its IPSec-based VPN client for Mac OS X. The upgrade supports the SonicWALL TZ 100 and TZ 200, the latest additions of the TZSeries UTM appliances that are aimed at small to mid-sized businesses. Additionally, VPN Tracker now includes Mode Config support for additional VPN gateways and has greater interoperability with a range of other devices, making it simpler to configure and administrate Macs in a virtual private network. With help from a simplified certificate manager, system administrators can distribute and update current security certificates with out having to make any changes on the side of the client. VPN Tracker maintains data-integrity with the latest security standards: these include the addition of SHA-2 family of hash-algorithms, secure internet communication with Diffie-Hellman (DH) 14+ groups and integration with the Service Management Frameworks in Snow Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard...

Bare Bones Software has released TextWrangler 3.1 (http://www.barebones.com/support/textwrangler/current_notes.html), an update to the text editor. The new version introduces a new command-line tool, "twfind," which provides access to the app's multi-file searching from the Unix command line. In addition, FTP/SFTP browsers now feature a "New" button allowing for the creation of new files and folders directly within the browser window. Further enhancements include direct management of attached menu scripts in the Menus preference panel, improvements to the Java and Python language support, new support for the ability to browse Unix "tar" files in disk browsers, and the addition of an "Unlearn Spelling" command to remove learned words from a user's spelling dictionary, when running on Mac OS X 10.5 and later. Version 3.1 also offers enhanced handling of extended file attributes, improved syntax coloring and more. In addition, interface enhancements to the Find and Multi-File Search...

iSkysoft Multimedia has updated Video Converter for the Mac (http://videoconvertermac.blogspot.com) to version 1.5. The app is now ready for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). Video Converter converts most video formats. You can convert AVI, WMV, MP4, MOV, MKV, DVD, MTS, M2TS etc for Mac and all video format to another. And Video Converter supports such media players as the iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, June, Creative Zen, PSP, PS3, Xbox, etc. Video Converter 1.5 costs US$31. It's a free update for registered users of version 1.x.

AlpineSoft have released their vinyl-and-tape-to-CD-and-MP3 software, VinylStudio, on the Mac. It offers all the features of it's Windows-based stablemate, plus the ability to integrate with the iTunes Music Library. VinylStudio is a software solution for digitizing vinyl LPs and tapes. It records your records and tapes, splits those recordings into tracks, removes scratches, tape hiss and more and burns both audio and MP3 CDs and DVDs. You can also play your recordings on your computer. VinylStudio can look up track listings over the Internet and copy tracks to your iPod or MP3 player. VinylStudio comes with audio cleanup filters to remove clicks, crackles, tape hiss and more. All you need is a turntable (or USB turntable) hooked up to your Mac, or you can record cassettes using any cassette player. VinylStudio includes instructions on how to connect up your turntable and will take you through the entire process of digitizing your music step-by-step. VinylStudio costs US$29.95...

TheNonLinear Software has announced the premier of a new software application called appOmator (http://www.appOmator.com), designed to make it easy for bands, artists, and anyone else with a creative idea to quickly and cheaply design iPhone Apps to promote their albums and other products or services, according to designer and founder Martin Sitter. The appOmator software let's you drag and drop images, video, and audio files to create a multimedia presentation you can then output as your own custom iPhone app. The software lets you control how your application looks -- there's no templates or set design styles. You can create custom menus with buttons that link to tracks with audio, video, images, and chapter index markers for seamless playback of your albums, DJ mixes, or other multimedia presentations. With the appOmator software, you can design your app on your Mac, then upload your finished project to the appOmator.com web site for processing into a finished iPhone app. For a l...

Plustek Technology (http://www.plustek.com/usa) -- a manufacturer of consumer, prosumer, professional and office imaging devices (including portable scanners, sheet fed/flat bed scanners, wide format scanners and IP cameras) -- has announced an extension to their OpticFilm line of scanners with the launch of the OpticFilm 7600i SE and the OpticFilm 7600i Ai. These scanners are designed to take 35mm film and slides and convert them (at up to 7200 dpi resolution) into digital images. The new OpticFilm 7600i series uses a new LED based illumination system instead of the previous cold cathode system. This LED system provides more consistent illumination and uses up to 30% less power, according to the folks at Plustek. In addition, the OpticFilm 7600i models incorporate Infrared (IR) dust and scratch removal and Multiple Exposure (ME) to increase effective dynamic range of the image. The OpticFilm 7600i SE ships with LaserSoft SilverFast SE Plus, iSRD + ME scanning software. The...

Noteflight (http://www.noteflight.com) has announced the launch of Noteflight Crescendo, an online music notation service. It's the next generation of their Noteflight platform that enables individuals to write music online. Following the successful grassroots launch of their online music composition and score-writing platform in 2008, which resulted in tens of thousands of users in 130 different countries, Noteflight Crescendo delivers users a richer sonic experience and more advanced capabilities, according to Joe Berkovitz, president and founder of Noteflight. Built on the same interface, Noteflight Crescendo users gain access to a set of features including collaboration and a higher quality orchestral sound library provided by virtual instrument manufacturer, SONiVOX. Where the free version of Noteflight includes a basic set of instrument samples drawn from the public domain, the Crescendo instrumental palette offers over 40 professionally recorded wavetable instruments from...

Ableton (http://www.abelton.com) and Serato (http://www.serato.com) have announced The Bridge at NAMM 2010 in Anaheim, California. The Bridge spans the gap between music production and DJing, creating a l link between Ableton Live and Serato Scratch Live/ITCH. The Bridge provides Ableton Transport Control (ATC), giving DJs turntable-style control of their own multitrack productions. DJs can drag an Ableton Live Set onto one of the decks in Scratch Live or ITCH and use their turntables, CDJ or ITCH controller to control the transport. Also, The Bridge provides a mixtape creation tool. DJs can perform mixes in Serato Scratch Live or ITCH and save them as an Ableton Live Set. This way, the DJ can still perform the mix, but also has detailed editing options. The Bridge is free for anyone who owns registered versions of both Serato Scratch Live/ITCH hardware and Ableton Live 8 or Suite 8.

Ross Video (http://www.rossvideo.com) has released the QSP-8229, a quad split video processor. The QSP-8229 monitors up to four video inputs combined into a single quad split output with configurable quadrant labeling and bordering with transparency. The four configurable outputs can be assigned to be a quad output or a pass through of the input, with a full video proc, offering additional outputs for use elsewhere in a system. Eric Goodmurphy, RossGear product marketing manager, says that unique to the QSP-8229 is the passive looping inputs, allowing it to fit into any video path without the need for additional DA's reducing system complexity. Looping is performed on the back module ensuring the signal path is not lost even if the processor is removed.

Elixir Strings (http://www.elixirstrings.com) is announcing an expansion of its Elixir Cables line with the addition of a patch cable at this year's Winter NAMM show. With the addition of the new patch cable, players can experience the true voice of their guitar through their entire signal chain from guitar through the pedal board to the amp, according to Craig Theorin, Elixir Strings product manager. For further signal clarity, Elixir Cables feature a dual shield construction to protect against both EMI and handling noise. Whether in the studio or on tour, Elixir Cables are designed to withstand the rigors of repeated use, says Theorin. The new patch cables will be available in 6-inch and 12-inch lengths with a right-angle-to-right-angle plug configuration. The patch cable will be available starting in late January. Along with the addition of the patch cable, Elixir Strings has revamped the packaging for its entire cable line.

Globalstor Data Corp. (http://www.globalstor.com) -- an integrator of RAID, SAN and storage/video servers -- is previewing the latest version of its iTrax portable audio file storage device at Winter NAMM 2010. Offering sound professionals multi-user access to consolidated, centralized and fully searchable data, the new version of iTrax operates over a standard LAN or WAN network and comes in a portable "lunchbox"-style casing. The latest version of iTrax is designed for ProTools and similar audio post environments. Equipped with a solid-state 64-bit iSCSI and NAS operating system, it utilizes an iSCSI initiator to appear as a local disc drive on any computer connected to the LAN or WAN. Once the user plugs it into a networked device and the iSCSI initiators are loaded, every host system on the network can see and share all stored data. Engineers on separate workstations can simultaneously edit and mix different sessions stored on any iTrax server. With iTrax, audio professionals have...

SONiVOX (http://www.sonivoxmi.com), a virtual instrument manufacturer, has released Playa- Hip Hop Strings, a virtual instrument plug-in for Mac and PC systems. Playa - It's available now at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of U $149 and an introductory street price of $99. Playa - Hip Hop Strings is designed to provide hip hop, r'n'b, and pop producers a fast and easy way to add professional, top quality strings to their productions, according to the folks at SONiVOX. Hip Hop Strings' distinctive user interface affords integration of MIDI keyboards and MPC pad controllers, bridging the gap between MPC style music creation and the computer-based virtual instrument environment. It sports 8GB of instruments forged from the SONiVOX Symphonic String Collection, a library featuring players from the Boston Pops & Boston Ballet Orchestras, recorded and programmed by SONiVOX's sound design team.

Intego (http://www.intego.com), the Macintosh security specialist, has released release of VirusBarrier X6, the latest version of its antivirus and anti- malware software for Mac OS X. VirusBarrier X6 provides protection from both malware and network threats. It includes full antivirus and anti-malware protection together with a two-way firewall, network protection, anti-phishing, anti-spyware features and more. The latest version includes threat-detection techniques, improved methods of detection, combined detection protocols, proactive behavioral analysis, and a range of defensive functions. The priced of the app has been lowered to US$49.95. And the standard license now protects two Macs. Families with multiple Macs can now buy five-Mac family packs for $69.95. VirusBarrier X6 offers an integrated two-way firewall, phishing protection, anti-vandal and web threat protection, dynamic code monitoring, and fine-tuned scanning and security policies. Users can choose from a number of...

MetaCommunications has announced the immediate release and availability of Workgroups 2010 Package 162.3 upgrade, featuring built-in support for AutoCAD products. The new release continues to extend the capability of Workgroups 2010 within technical design groups. The built in integration with AutoCAD provides designers with a built-in interface for interacting with their Workgroups 2010 project workflow, management and collaboration systems. From within the familiar AutoCAD environment, designers can look up digital resource information, drill down to project information, and see information on placed files. Alternatively, designers working in Workgroups 2010 can find their files by project, location, or even by currently assigned activity. With Workgroups 2010, AutoCAD has the team collaboration, workflow, and project management tools that allow design teams to work together at maximum efficiency while keeping everyone on the same page, according to the folks at MetaCommunications....

Gurgaon, a provider of advanced data recovery and data protection solutions, has announced the release of a new software, Stellar Phoenix Oracle Recovery 1.0, that repairs and restores corrupted databases created using Oracle 9i. It repairs a damaged Oracle DBF file without any changes to its original content and view. The software uses database-aware algorithms to restore the repaired database in a new pre-created database. The free demo version of Stellar Phoenix Oracle Recovery is available for download from the company's web site. According to Sunil Chandna, Stellar Information Systems CEO, Stellar Phoenix Oracle Recovery 1.0: repairs Oracle 9i databases; recovers tables, table space, views, clusters and cluster tables; restores original database formatting; recovers triggers, schemas, user-defined data functions, stored procedures, synonyms, roles, indexes, sequences; recovers primary and foreign keys of tables; recovers packages, packages body; previews database content; and...

Noise Industries, developer of visual effects tools for the postproduction and broadcast markets, announced that new development partner, PHYX Inc., has released PHYX Keyer for the FxFactory platform. PHYX Keyer is a brand new collection of keying plug-ins designed to work inside Adobe After Effects CS3/CS4, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Apple Final Cut Express applications. PHYX Keyer offers five professional-quality plug-ins that allow artists to create mattes, extract precise keys, neutralize spill, and correct unevenly lit blue and green screens. PHYX Keyer includes five plug-ins that help create and refine keys using the most efficient algorithms for a variety of shooting conditions. According to Justin Bendo, president and CEO, PHYX, highlights include: ° Despill, which neutralizes excess green and blue spill without leftover magenta or yellow fringe artifacts; ° DiffKeyer, which creates a matte, based on the difference between two images, without the need to utilize a...

Sample Logic has upgraded Morphestra (http://www.samplelogic.com/morphestra.html) from 80GB hard drives to Glyph 160GB hard drives. This upgrade allows you to fit all of your Sample Logic products onto one portable drive. Morphestra a collection of organic instruments with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$699. It's derived entirely from orchestral recordings and psycho-acoustic sound design. In association with Kirk Hunter Studios and powered by Native Instruments' Kontakt Player 3, Morphestra is a collection of over 27GB and 1,200-plus instruments and multis delivered pre-installed on a pocket-sized Glyph hard drive. It's designed for film, TV, video games, electronic music, ambient music, multimedia genres and more. With it you can an entire production possible without the assistance of any additional third-party instruments and effects, according to Joe Trupiano of Sample Logic. Rather than reinventing the traditional orchestra, Sample Logic has created a modern-day...

ATTO Technology (http://www.attotech.com), which specializes in storage connectivity and infrastructure solutions for data-intensive computing environments, announced today that its 4Gb/s Celerity Fibre Channel Host Adapters have been qualified by EMC Corporation as E-Lab tested for use with the EMC CLARiiON and EMC Symmetrix networked storage systems. ATTO's 4Gb/s Fibre Channel HBAs provide SAN connectivity and multipathing and failover/failback functionality for EMC storage systems in Mac OS X environments. With E-Lab qualification, Mac users can now use ATTO HBAs and EMC storage to deploy a scalable, high-availability enterprise storage solution for the Mac market. The ATTO Celerity Fibre Channel Mac OS X multipathing solution provides load balancing and path failover for uninterrupted access to storage media. The combination of Celerity HBAs and EMC's CLARiiON storage systems provides customers with a solution that enhances workflow, improves storage utilization and simplifies...

Native Instruments has introduced Massive Threat (www.native-instruments.com/MassiveThreat.info), a new, US$59 Kore-powered instrument that specifically caters to cutting-edge electronic music styles. For use with Kore 2 and the free Kore Player as well as with the original Massive synthesizer, Massive Threat offers a palette of futuristic basses, leads, soundscapes and dynamic sequences. Massive Threat provides 200 KoreSounds with eight morphable Sound Variations each, resulting in 1,600 individual sounds. Parameter assignments allow for immediate, intuitive sound tweaking in Kore 2 and Kore Player, according to the folks at Native Instruments. Full musical metadata for all presets also makes Massive Threat integrate with any individual collection of Kore-Powered instruments.

PocketMac, the originators of several groundbreaking smartphone software tools, announces a new service that helps smartphone users save their digital life. Until now, when a smartphone was dropped in the toilet or was otherwise damaged, users' data was presumed to be lost forever. However, PocketMac's new service, RecoverMySmartphone.com, recovers that data from damaged smartphones and clones it to new ones. This saves countless hours reconstructing this information. Specifically, the service will rescue the following types of data from smartphones: contacts, photos, calendars, text messages, email messages, music, software, notes and more. Damaged smartphones are a much larger problem that is generally assumed. According to Gizmodo, 855,000 mobile phones are dropped in the toilet every year in the UK alone. That's one and a half percent of their population that either accidentally flushes or otherwise damages their phone. Additionally, Gizmodo says, 58,500 UK phones are damaged by...

Hamrick Software (http://www.hamrick.com), the developer of VueScan, the world's most widely used scanning software, has released it's latest version 8.6 - with more than 65 improvements and features added, 110 problems fixes and 80 additional scanners supported in the last 12 months, "With the release of Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6 (Leopard) our business has grown significantly. Many customers realize they don't need to buy a new scanner, and can use their existing scanners with VueScan. It is nice to see VueScan meeting new needs, since many scanner manufacturers haven't supported their older scanners on Windows 7 or Mac OS X 10.6 (Leopard)." says Ed Hamrick, President of Hamrick Software. VueScan 0.1 was first released in 1998 with support for a single scanner on Windows only. Within 5 years VueScan supported more than 400 scanners, and had acquired a good reputation through word of mouth. After 11 years of development, VueScan now supports over 1200 scanners on 3 operating...

Ten One Design, LLC - a New York-based design firm specializing in solutions for the mobile lifestyle - is thrilled to announce its newest application for use with MacBook trackpads, Inklet. It provides professional graphic designers and beginner sketchers alike the opportunity to practice and fine-tune their artistic skills without the high costs associated with premium drawing tablets. Inklet conveniently works with Photoshop and other common drawing programs. Features include: ° Adjustable pressure sensitivity for thicker or thinner strokes; ° Hover ability allows users to find their positioning before any lines are drawn; ° Operation with a finger or Pogo Sketch; ° Customizable workspace size and shape; ° Hotkeys for quick and easy control; ° Customizable color detail/stokes; ° Advanced algorithm detects unwanted/accidental trackpad touches; ° Works with handwriting recognition built into the Mac operating system. "Inklet, especially when used with our Pogo Sketch, gives our...