Mamut Software (http://www.mamut.com), an European provider of business software for small and medium businesses (SMBs), today announced that it will be launching two new products, Mamut AccountEdge and Mamut AccountEdge Plus, for the Mac platform. The new products will launch in the UK in April 2010 and will be released as part of a multi-year partnership with Acclivity, global developers of the AccountEdge series of accounting software. In April 2008, Mamut acquired the UK Business Division of MYOB, and under the agreement Mamut gained distribution rights to the MYOB and DOSH brand names and product range in the UK. Mamut AccountEdge builds on the success of MYOB's Mac products, and will include a new streamlined interface, offering improved navigation and appearance over previous MYOB offerings, says Bryan Richter, UK Country Manager for Mamut. It includes several new innovations such as a Business Insights feature which allows users to easily view information about business...

RadTech (http://www.radtech.com) has released the ProCable for the iPhone and iPod. IT's a 30-oin to USB and 3.5mm line-out audio cable. The US$19.95 ProCable is designed to let you tap the high-fidelity line-out audio from an iPod or iPhone and feed it directly into a home or auto sound system. This cable also allows you to charge and power said iPod or iPhone via a standard USB port. You can combine it with RadTech's ACpower USB charger for home set-ups, or with our AutoPower in-vehicle charger when using the cable in a vehicle.

.com Solutions has announced FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 5.35 (http://www.fmpromigrator.com/services/fmpro_servoy_service.html) with enhancements to the Servoy Migration feature. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition enables Servoy developers to realize productivity gains by re-purposing existing Microsoft Access and FileMaker Pro solutions into the Servoy development environment. The FmPro to Servoy Migration Service incorporated within FmPro Migrator Developer Edition provides a fixed-price conversion service for converting Microsoft Access and FileMaker Pro database files into Servoy Eclipse projects. This service includes the conversion of layouts, scripts, relationships, and value lists within a predefined budget. According to the folks at .com Solutions, enhancements to the FmPro To Servoy Migration Service include: ° Conversion of tab controls -- FileMaker and Access Tab Controls are converted into Servoy Tab Panels, including all embedded objects. Each Tab Panel is created as...

Version 4.0 of aTV Flash (http://www.aTVFlash.com) -- an US$49.95 USB flash drive that inserts into the Apple TV and will upgrade it to do various kinds of new things -- has been released. This version adds compatibility for the latest 3.x. AppleTV software Also, in aTV Flash 4.0, Couch Surfer Pro has been updated, and now features full iPhone Remote app integration. Users can browse the web on AppleTV using their iPhone or iPod touch as a touch-pad and keyboard. Also included is an improved USB storage option. Users now have the option of using an external USB hard drive for storing their synced iTunes media. As always, aTV Flash includes support for additional media formats that are not typically supported by the AppleTV. These formats included DivX, Xvid, AVI, WMV, VIDEO TS (DVD files) and many more. Additionally it adds a fully integrated WebKit based web browser, and the ability to expand the storage capacity through the use of an external USB hard drive.

Speck (http://www.speckproducts.com) has released SeeThru and SeeThru Satin cases for the 13-inch "unibody" MacBook. These customized, form-fitting hard shell cases have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$49.95. The cases are designed to protect the MacBook from drops as well as regular wear and tear. Both the SeeThru and SeeThru Satin cases add extra stability via integrated rubber feet, which were omitted from the new MacBook model in place of a flat rubberized, scuff-able bottom panel. Glossy translucent SeeThru hard shells are now available for the new 13-inch white unibody MacBook in clear and in shades of red and pink, and the soft-touch and frosted-looking SeeThru Satin is available in black, purple and red tones.

L-Soft (http://www.lsoft.com) has released LISTSERV 16, an update of the Mac compatible email list manager. The new version offers a newsletter gallery system that includes HTML newsletter templates. Also included in the latest LISTSERV software version is the capability for senders to schedule their deliveries in advance and send test messages of newsletters to their own addresses before posting, which is particularly useful for HTML newsletters as HTML standards are supported unevenly across email clients, says Eric Thomas, L-Soft Founder and CEO, who developed LISTSERV in 1986. LISTSERV 16 also features an advanced content analysis check, because no one can afford to waste. LISTSERV 16 senders get an instant score indicating the likelihood of an email getting flagged as spam - especially important because more and more legitimate email is not being delivered because of overzealous spam filtering. In addition, the SpamAssassin system highlights specific details about an...

MacSpeech (http://www.macspeech.com) has released MacSpeech Dictate 1.5.8, an upgrade to the speech recognition solution for the Mac. It addresses an issue with audio input that only impacts the new iMacs with Core i5 and i7 quad-core processors. MacSpeech Dictate requires Intel-based Macintosh hardware and Mac OS X 10.5.6 or higher. New MacSpeech Dictate solutions, with a choice of headsets, are available starting at US$199. Registered customers of MacSpeech Dictate are eligible to purchase MacSpeech Dictate 1.5.8 at a special upgrade price of $54.95.

FileMaker has released an update (3.0.2) for its personal database application, Bento (http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/overview.html). The update resolves an issue related to importing a template with a sorted related records list. It also resolves an issue related to checkboxes and smart collections and fixes other user-reported issues. Bento is a personal database from FileMaker. Designed specifically for Mac OS X 10.5.4 Leopard (or later), Bento helps Mac users organize their lives by giving them one place to put their important information from contacts and calendars to projects and events. Bento can organize activities related to work, home, school and community Bento costs US$49 -- or $99 U.S. for a family pack of five licenses, and is available on the FileMaker Web store (http://store.filemaker.com). Version 3.0.2 is a free update for registered users of version 3.x.

FileMaker Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has announced new dates and a new headquarters hotel with a lower room rate for its 2010 Developer Conference. The 15th annual FileMaker Developer Conference will be Aug. 15-18, 2010, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, San Diego, which offers a limited number of rooms for DevCon attendees at US$149 per night. DevCon attendees are strongly urged to make reservations at the Sheraton (1-877-734-2726) before low-priced rooms sell out. A $200 savings on conference registration is available for a limited time. You can register for DevCon at http://www.filemaker.com/devcon before May 21, 2010, to take advantage of these savings. The FileMaker Developer Conference is the world's largest gathering of corporate and independent FileMaker developers, consultants and trainers. It provides developers with creative solutions, technical ideas, and a wide array of events. The conference offers in-depth workshops and seminars led by...

The new Workgroups 2010 Collaborative Process and Productivity Suite from MetaCommunications now extends native Adobe InDesign and InCopy CS4 collaborative publishing workflows with automatic email notifications, alerts, reminders, scheduling, visual statuses, web-based dashboard worklists for all stakeholders, integration with a comprehensive project and productivity management suite, and more. Robert Long, executive vice president of MetaCommunications, says the new support extends the capabilities of the native Adobe CS4 collaborative publishing workflows in several key ways: ° Integrated support for multiple parallel publishing workflows and projects; ° Automatic email notifications, alerts, and reminders to keep everyone up-to-date and production documents out of email; ° Automatic and manual routing of assignments and tasks; ° Support for document versioning; ° Timelines, due-dates, and scheduling for all tasks and activities; ° Built in collaborative review and approval...

With a goal of improving the overall character creation and animation experience for 3D professionals, game artists and animators, Mixamo has announced a partnership with TurboSquid, an online 3D marketplace, to offer "Mixamo-certified" models assured to work with the entire collection of motions found on the Mixamo web site (http://www.mixamo.com). Users can now easily apply any high-quality Mixamo motions to a growing list of TurboSquid character models that can be viewed directly within the Mixamo interface, without uploading. While the Mixamo online animation service is compatible with most 3D models, these "Mixamo-certified" models in the TurboSquid marketplace have been internally tested and are guaranteed to provide the user seamless integration with Mixamo animations, says Stefano Corazza, co-founder and chief technical officer of Mixamo. After purchasing a "Mixamo-certified" model on TurboSquid.com, users can then select a desired animation from Mixamo's extensive collection...

Hostway Corp. (http://www.hostwayenterprise.com), a hosting and web applications provider, has expanded its existing hosted storage solutions with the availability of an Enterprise-Class Shared SAN (storage area network) product. Shared SAN will augment existing hosted storage offerings that include direct and network attached high performance storage arrays, For customers with high volume and/or high performance requirements, the range of add-on storage solutions can cost effectively augment the internal storage available with each dedicated or virtual server, according to aid Todd Benjamin, director of Enterprise Hosting. Hostway's shared SAN is an upgradeable solution that lowers the cost of storage, because the high performance, enterprise class array is shared among multiple customers, eliminating upfront capital expenditures, he adds. The SAN is fully managed and maintained by Hostway, freeing customers to focus on running their businesses. Storage can be acquired on a demand...

Workamajig (http://www.Workamajig.com) has released Global Search, Visual Import and Mass Update features. Also included are enhancements for Mac OS X 10.6.2 ("Snow Leopard"), all in the recently released version 10.5.1.3. The Global Search feature makes it faster to find things in the database. For example, if a user wants to look up a contact, project, they can now simply start typing part of the name in the global search box and all records in the database that match that name will show up. Then, all they have to do is double click the record to open it up, says Ron Ause, Workamajig's director of marketing. As for the Visual Import, Creative Manager's importing capabilities were good, but not easy, he adds. The old way required users to meticulously format their import files with columns with specific headers and column order. The new visual import in Workamajig lets users easily pick a file to import and simply drag and drop the mapping of which columns go where, Ause says. This...

Enhance Technology (http://www.enhance-tech.com), a data storage designer and manufacturer, has announced full support on the latest Hitachi Ultrastar 2TB 7200RPM hard disks (HDDs) to enhance the performance of its storage systems and populated storage solutions. Storage capacities are now increased to 16TB on the 8-disk desktop & rackmount storage arrays and as much as 32TB on its flagship 16-disk UltraStor Professional Storage Systems, which is expandable to 160TB through SAS storage expansion. Enhance Technology was among the first group of technology partners to receive the new Hitachi 2TB HDDs when they were released. Based on the laboratory test results, the new Hitachi 2TB HDDs tested with Enhance's JBOD and RAID storage systems yielded an impressive 20% read/write performance increment, the company says It purportedly reduces the power consumption for the same capacity with 25% more storage spaces than 1.5TB HDDs.

Axiotron today released the second beta version of its handwriting recognition application, Quickscript. The takeaway: Quickscript now supports Mac OS X version 10.6 (Snow Leopard) in addition to 10.5 (Leopard)! Other enhancements include improved Chinese character recognition and persistent writing pad settings. Quickscript offers handwriting recognition in 26 languages to Mac users with pen tablet devices and users of Axiotron's Modbook. Its highly accurate recognition technology enables users to write in almost any application that accepts text input such as Pages and Microsoft Word. Also included with Quickscript is the Kopernikus digital assistant feature which lets users run applications and control their computer via written commands. More information about Quickscript and a free download of the application are available at http://www.axiotron.com/quickscript .

TuneWear (http://www.tunewear.com) has released the US$39.95 Prie Ambassador Smart case for the iPhone 3GS/3G. It's made from leather and is available in black with red stitch, black with white stitch and white with pink stitch. A wrist strap included with each Ambassador Smart. The strap matches both the color and stitching of the case and attaches to the loop located on the bottom of the case. If you prefer, you use the loop to attach another strap of your choice or your favorite charms. With the iPhone safely inside the Smart, you still have access to all the ports, the dock connector and button controls. The camera hole on the back allows the taking of pictures, plus TuneWear has added a small reflective mirror next to the lens for those times when you are taking a self portrait and want to make sure you are still in the shot.

Google has released a beta version of its Chrome browser for the Mac (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/google-chrome-for-holidays-mac-li...). Google says it took "great care" to make Google Chorme a native application for the Mac. For example, they integrated the Keychain into Google Chrome for Mac, and incorporated Mac-style animations when you open the Bookmarks bar.

Stairways Software (http://www.stairways.com) has released Keyboard Maestro 4.0, the new version of its productivity enhancer for Mac OS X. The upgrade is ready for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). This release has an entirely new and modernized user interface fit for Snow Leopard (while retaining compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5). The new interface draws on familiar Mac OS X applications to get you quickly devising your own macros. 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...

Active Media Products (http://www.activemp.com), manufacturer of SSDs and USB drives, has released a new model of their ultra-tiny 16GB Wink USB drive in pink. It's available now in 16GB capacity, and will be available in smaller capacities later this month. The drive, model number MC16G-PINKWINK, is listed on now Amazon for about US$39. According to Jerry Thomson, vice president of sales at Active Media Products, "the Wink drive has been enormously popular, but the number one request from customers is for a warmer color. In response to customer requests we're happy to launch the Pink Wink, which should arrive in time for the holidays for customers who order now."

Landru Design (http://www.landrudesign.com/VWPlugIns.htm) has released two new Vectorworks software plug-ins: VideoScreen 4 and SoftGoods. The former is a suite of plug-in objects that enables users to insert 2D and 3D models of video devices (such as projection screens, plasma televisions, and CRT monitors) into Vectorworks drawings -- complete with customizable screen images. Using the Vectorworks Object Info palette, video device formats and other parameters can be defined and changed on the fly. Screen sizes can be changed as projects evolve. VideoScreen 4 places projectors based on screen size and on projector lens rating, or gives lens estimates based on screen size and users' projector placement. The "Plus" version adds edge-blending and LED array capability. The prices for the plug-ins are US$40 for VideoScreen 4 Basic and $80 for VideoScreen 4 Plus. Upgrade pricing is available for users of previous VideoScreen versions. SoftGoods is a plug-in object that allows users to...

AppleXsoft Software (http://www.applexsoft.com) has updated Photo Recovery to version 3.5.1. The new version is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). Photo Recovery for Mac lets you recover deleted photos, video, music and files from all types of media including SmartMedia, CompactFlash, Memory Sticks and any other removable media. Version 3.5.1 also adds the support to recover HD vide and recover files from SanDisk Compact Flash. Photo Recovery requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's available worldwide in 22 different languages. The software sells for US$49.95; a demo is available for download.

Tycoon Games (http://www.tycoongames.eu/) has released Heileen 2: The Hands Of Fate, the sequel to Heileen. The US$19.99 game is compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux systems. Here's how Celso Riva, game designer/programmer of the game, describes Heileen 2: "The game takes place on a mysterious Caribbean island where Heileen was shipwrecked at the end of the first game. Her ex-slave friends Robert and Ebele will help her survive, but when Heileen discovers a deck of tarot cards representing the seven deadly sins and the seven godly virtues, she realizes that the power of the cards can help her unlock the secrets of her past and shape her future. With the tarot cards, she can escape from the island, find her true love, meet pirates, or do nothing at all. Will Heileen be a Saint, or a Sinner? It's all in the hands of the player." The game also features an advanced version of the Quest System present in the first title. There are more than 20 quests to solve, some spanning multiple...

Canto (http://www.canto.com) has released Canto Cumulus 8.1, built upon technological and usability advances made possible by the new Cumulus 8 system architecture introduced last May. "The Cumulus 8 architecture has freed Canto to take Cumulus in exciting new directions, and Cumulus 8.1 offers just a glimpse of what's to come," says Canto CEO Ulrich Knocke. Among the new capabilities are a standalone version of the Cumulus Client, which enables users to create and work on local catalogs, connect to Cumulus Server catalogs, and update assets and metadata between the two. This enables traveling professionals to work with catalogs even when Internet access isn't available. New report types include assets cataloged during a period, check-out "time spent" reports, asset inventories by format, and the ability to use search queries as the means for selecting report assets. Reports can now be saved to PDF format and automatically emailed. A new image comparison mode makes even subtle...

Playrix Entertainment (http://www.playrix.com) -- a developer of such games as Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey, Call of Atlantis, 4 Elements, Fishdom and others -- has announced the release of the online version of its Gardenscapes game, which was previously available via web download only. Here's how the game is described: "Gardenscapes is a perfect blend of three different genres: hidden object, time management and sim. Players earn cash as they progress through hidden object levels and spend it to buy garden accessories to customize the garden to their taste and compete in the 'Best Garden' contest." Gardenscapes includes over 1,000 items to find, 15 rooms to comb for hidden objects, lots of garden accessories to choose from, and a customizable environment. It also sports a bonus screensaver featuring your garden

Mark/Space (http://www.markspace.com/android), creator of desktop and handheld synchronization software, has released The Missing Sync for Mac and Windows systems. It's an all-in-one desktop sync solution for phones powered by the Android OS, such as the T-Mobile myTouch and HTC Hero. The Missing Sync for Android synchronizes contacts and transfer media files between an Android phone and a computer running Mac OS X, Windows XP or Windows Vista, says Mark/Space CEO Brian Hall. He adds that you'll be able to sync s automatically and wirelessly whenever the phone is near the computer. The Missing Sync for Android syncs with applications Mac and PC users already know: Microsoft Outlook, Entourage, Mac OS X Address Book, iTunes, Windows Media Player and iPhoto. Keep contacts in sync wirelessly via Wi-Fi. Install music playlists, ringtones, photos, documents, and videos on an Android phone fast via USB. Android OS 2.0 phones, like the Motorola Droid from Verizon, are supported for media...

Booq (http://www.stores.booq.com) has released the Taipan shadow for laptops, blending a messenger bag style with a professional appearance. It's available in small, medium and extra-large sizes for US$79.95, $89.95 and $99.95, which will fit 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch laptops, respectively. Booq's exterior design keeps the bag looking professional and polished, according to the folks at Booq. Once opened, Taipan shadow provides room for magazines, business cards, keys, laptop accessories, as well as a densely padded laptop compartment with a soft interior. The Taipan shadow features a luggage trolley pass-through. This feature unzips across the back, allowing the user to slide a luggage handle through the bag for transportation when handling multiple pieces of luggage. To ensure 360-degree laptop protection, a plush "bumper" is sewn along the inside of the laptop compartment's high-end YKK zipper, keeping zipper and your laptop separated at all times.The Taipan shadow comes...

Epson announced has introduced the US$299.99 PictureMate Show (http://www.mypicturemate.com), a two-in-one digital photo frame and 4 x 6-inch photo printer. It boasts a seven-inch, 16:9 tilt digital photo display with 800 x 480 dpi (dots per inch) WVGA resolution. The PictureMate Show also offers 12 slideshow formats for digital images, as well as a remote control to conveniently view and display photos in your home or office. Epson says it offers the highest maximum print resolution in its class (5760 x 1440 dpi). According to Stacey Tieu, associate product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson Americ, additional features of the PictureMate Show include: ° 270MB of internal memory to automatically store hundreds of photos, run slideshows and reprint images any time; ° The ability to print from all popular memory cards via built-in card slots, USB thumb drives, PictBridge devices, and PDAs or digital cameras with an optional Bluetooth adapter; ° Durable, smudge, scratch, and water...

WinMagic (http://www.winmagic.com), which specializes in disk encryption, today launches SecureDoc v4.9 for Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard. SecureDoc v4.9 will support Snow Leopard in both 32 and 64 bit kernel modes. With SecureDoc v4.9 for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, organizations can take advantage of the efficiencies of the 64 bit kernel to make it easier than ever before to protect all data stored on desktops, laptops and removable media with transparent, full-disk sector by sector encryption. In response to numerous requests from government customers, SecureDoc v4.9 for Mac OS X Snow Leopard will also support both the DoD Common Access Card (CAC) and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) security cards widely utilized by government agencies and contractors. "We developed SecureDoc for Snow Leopard to ensure that organizations migrating to the latest Mac OS experience continued protection of their valuable data," said Thi Nguyen-Huu, CEO and President of WinMagic Inc. "The latest...

Star Coloring has launched Animals Coloring Book (http://starcoloring.com/coloring-books/animals-coloring-book), a computer-based educational development program aimed at children of 4-13 years old. The web site-based activity course is designed for parents who want to familiarize their kids with computers without exposing them to violent computer games and dangers of the Internet. Animals Coloring Book features 25 three-dimensional pictures that strike a balance for different skill levels. Once Animals Coloring Book has been opened, there's a simple tip for every tool and button (e.g. how to clear the picture, how to return to the previous color, etc). The program features nine basic colors and a palette for blending them. Animals Coloring Book is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X and costs US$19.95 (all updates are free). User group members will receive a discount.

SmileOnMyMac (http://www.smileonmymac.com) has updated TextExpander, a Mac OS X utility that lets users define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, to version 2.8. The upgrade adds support for rich text and image expansion in web-based tools such as Gmail. The update also adds support for making selections using %\ in a snippet in conjunction with %| cursor positioning. With TextExpander, users can define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, also known as snippets. When an abbreviation is typed, it expands automatically to the full snippet. The regular cost is US$29.95 for a single user license or $44.95 for a five-pack family license. A 30-day fully-functioning demo of TextExpander can be downloaded at the SmileOnMyMac web site. TextExpander 2.8 is a free update for registered users of TextExpander 1.x and 2.x.

TeamViewer GmbH, a leading provider of solutions for online communication and collaboration, has just launched the next generation of their premium solution - TeamViewer 5. The latest in video conferencing technology adds a personal touch to remote support, online presentation and webinar sessions. Single-click connection, convenient partner lists and browser-based access have made TeamViewer the desktop sharing tool of choice for over 60 million users. The cutting-edge software now combines VoIP, webcam streams, enhanced database synchronization and improved presentation control, providing a host of new features to this innovative tool. Engineered with the professional supporter in mind, TeamViewer 5 VoIP allows supporters to speak directly with clients, addressing issues quickly and easily. Supporters and clients can initiate an optimized VoIP conversation with the click of a mouse, and begin speaking immediately, to ensure trouble shooting is effective and turnaround is fast...

The Harmon Kardon (http://www.harmankardon.com/pages/localeselector.aspx) GLA-55 high-end speaker system is now available in the UK. It has a retail price of £749.99 and can be purchased from Apple in the UK. The two-piece speaker system sports a stylized clear glass design, Atlas woofers and CMMD tweeters. According to the folks at Harman Kardan, the GLA-55 features many proprietary technologies to provide the highest quality sound possible; including: ° The CMMD drivers provide accurate high frequencies, but are capable of low-frequency extension to four octaves; the Atlas AL drivers are capable of nearly 2,5 cm peak-to-peak travel for tight, accurate bass reproduction. Their pairing provides a full, rich frequency response, from the lowest bass to highest highs. ° Slipstream port design: the GLA-55 port minimizes boundary layer separation, providing high-output bass with low distortion. ° COE (Computer-Optimized Equalization) -- the system equalization is computer-optimized to...

STOIK Imaging has announced the availability of a beta version of STOIK PanoramaMaker for the Mac (http://www.stoik.com/PanoramaMaker_Mac/). Yep, the Windows panorama making tool is now available for our favorite operating system. Professionals and enthusiasts are invited to join the free open beta test. STOIK PanoramaMaker for Mac has a special algorithm (Object-Preserving Blending) designed to stitch the exposures error-free. Among available features are lens and geometrical compensation, manual matching of images. Minimizing uneven brightness, double-edge defect and curves in the picture are the application's commons. The workflow purportedly takes only three steps: adding images, selecting the stitching mode, and obtaining the result. The automatic image transformation, alignment and color blending are optimized to correct differences in brightness, color balance, and camera tilt angle. The application automatically assembles horizontal, vertical, 360-degree and tiled panoramas....

Native Instruments has introduced Scarbee Jay-Bass (http://www.native-instruments.com/scarbee-jaybass.info), a new software instrument that purportedly provides an authentic rendition of the Fender Jazz Bass. Jay-Bass is based on the Scarbee Red Bass library, and is the latest release in the partnership between Native Instruments and sampling expert Thomas Hansen Skarbye, complementing the available Pre-Bass and M-Bass instruments. Powered by the Kontakt engine and playable both via the full Kontakt 4 sampler and the free Kontakt Player, Scarbee Jay-Bass recreates the full sonic spectrum of the Jazz Bass in both slapped and fingered playing styles. All four strings of the original instrument have been sampled in nine velocities, resulting in over 4,000 individual studio-grade samples. Jay-Bass takes advantage of the scripting features of Kontakt. Articulations and playing techniques include hammer-ons, pull-offs, grace notes, various trills, mutes, harmonics, pickup hits, fret noises...

babyTEL (http://www.babyTEL.net), which specializes in social VoIP, has released the next generation of its �Telephone� which gives Facebook's 300 million users the ability to speak live with or send voice messages to friends directly from their Facebook page. The soul of the application is the �eggphone, a web-based Java softphone that can be called up from cyber-space to any Mac, Windows, or Linux computer. All friends are automatically loaded in the directory and placed in groups that the user sets up, ready to be called, voice messaged or IM'd, without ever leaving the Facebook environment. For '"all-in-one" communication freaks, aside from calling and voice messaging, �Telephone� provides IM that also connects the user to Yahoo, MSN, AIM and Google Talk, according to babyTEL CEO Stephen Dorsey. Users who wish to extend the functionality of the eggphone, allowing them to make and receive calls to or from the public network or to forward their calls to their cell phone,...

REAL Software -- the creator of REALbasic, a cross-platform development tool for creating software for Mac, Windows and Linux -- has begun shipping REALbasic 2009 Release 5. This release continues with a focus on quality and addressing the needs of their customers by adding 68 improvements and 17 new features, according to Geoff Perlman, REAL Software founder and CEO. It also introduces support for Linux distribution Ubuntu 9.10 and includes an updated SQLite version. The complete list of improvements and new features in REALbasic 2009 Release 5 can be found in the release notes in the product download section at http://www.realsoftware.com/download . REALbasic Personal Edition for Windows, Linux or Mac is priced at US$99 and is geared for hobbyists and students. REALbasic Professional Edition, required for cross-platform compilation, is $299. REAL Studio, made for full-time developers, costs $995. All editions of REALbasic and REAL Studio are now available and can be downloaded...

Nokia has released Qt 4.6 (http://qt.nokia.com/whatsnew), the latest version of the cross-platform application and UI (user interface) framework. The upgrade features new platform support, l new graphical capabilities and support for multi-touch and gestures. Qt 4.6 includes support for the Symbian platform for the first time, and also adds Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"), Windows 7 and the upcoming Maemo 6 to the list of Qt supported platforms. Also available is community support for real-time operating systems QNX and VxWorks. Support for Maemo 5 is also currently in development, with the second technology preview being released today. Qt support for Symbian and Maemo creates the first opportunity for developers to target both of these platforms from the same codebase, according to Sebastian Nyström, vice president, Application Services and Frameworks at Nokia. Also released today is a technology preview of new Qt APIs from the Qt Mobility project. These cross-platform APIs (...

Boris FX (http://www.borisfx.com) has announced that a new Boris Continuum Unit, Image Restoration, is now available. The Boris Continuum Image Restoration Unit includes the Smooth Tone, Pixel Fixer, and DV Fixer filters from Boris Continuum Complete 6. BCC Smooth Tone is an "electronic makeup" tool for saving shots with skin blemishes or substandard makeup while preserving sharpness and full image detail. BCC Pixel Fixer removes bad pixels resulting from a faulty digital camera sensor or dust on a camera lens. Up to 10 bad spots can be repaired with a single filter application without any degradation of image quality or sharpness. BCC DV Fixer removes jaggies and DV compression artifacts from footage originated on consumer DV cameras. Boris Continuum Image Restoration supports Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Final Cut Express, Apple Motion, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Premiere Pro. The Image Restoration Unit is the latest addition to previously-released Boris Continuum Units: Chroma...

MetaCommunications (http://www.meta-comm.com) has released Approval Manager 2010 with integrated support for Dalim DiALOGUE proofing. "For those customers that require high-end color-accurate proofing capabilities, there is no doubt that the combination of Approval Manager and Dalim DiALOGUE provides the leading solution for the efficient review of print-ready proofs," says Robert Long, executive vice president of MetaCommunications. The new DiALOGUE support is built in to Approval Manager 2010, which is available for immediate purchase and download. Additional proofers supported by Approval Manager include Spark!, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Reader, and other third-party "native" viewers. With Approval Manager 2010, any workflow you can schedule can accommodate DiALOGUE as an integrated document proofer for all reviewers and stakeholders. In such workflows, DiALOGUE provides color-accurate SWOP certified soft-proofing, extreme zoom capabilities of up to 5,000,000%, JDF compliance, data...

Aquafada (http://www.aquafadas.com ) has has updated BannerZest, a flash presentation tool for professional and amateur web designers, to version 2.1. The upgrade offers direct access to your music library/iTunes from the media manager. Now you ocan preview your banner with music and search for exactly the right track to match your banner style. BannerZest 2.1 also sports a new them: 3D Wall, as well as minor bug fixes. Additionally, the wiki at wiki.aquafadas.eu as been updated to discuss how to get the best results when publishing an alternate banner for iPhone. With BannerZest you can turn your pictures into a flash slideshow. BannerZest doesn't require you to know or even possess Flash, according to the folks at Aquafadas. It uses the concept of themes, which work like templates. BannerZest comes in two versions: a standard edition (US$49) and a pro version ($129). The Pro version has all the features of the standard version, plus some advanced editing options, workflow...

Spiderweb Software has released Avernum 6 for Mac OS X(http://www.avernum.com/avernum6/index.html); it's the final game in the epic, award-winning Avernum series. Avernum 6 is set in the world of Avernum, an enormous series of caves far below the surface of the world. Here's how the game is described: "Avernum is a world underground. It is a nation of people living in an enormous warren of tunnels and caverns, far below the surface of the world. Once a prison colony for rebels and thugs, it is now a wild frontier, full of adventurous souls looking for wealth, fame, and magical power. "And then the Blight came. Almost overnight, the mushrooms Avernum needed to feed itself withered and died. Then the denizens of the low tunnels, the savage, reptilian Slithzerikai, emerged. Sensing weakness, they struck, destroying much of a weakened Avernum and creating waves of hungry, desperate refugees. This final set of disasters threatens to destroy your homeland in a spasm of famine and warfare....

Roland Corp. (http://www.RolandUS.com) has released the SP-404SX Portable Sampler, which has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$465. This update to the SP-404 purportedly offers 44.1kHz/16-Bit sound quality, improved DSP effects, a more versatile pattern sequencer, and easier data management. The SP-404SX includes 29 DSP effects, including filter, delay, unique voice effects, subsonic, and looper. There are 12 trigger pads, three control knobs, and a Sub Pad for rapid triggering. The built-in microphone and optional battery operation enable recording with the SP-404SX anywhere. You can also import samples and utilize the effects onboard for sound design or unique live performance purposes. The pattern sequencer now includes an improved quantize mode with a new shuffle feel.

Berkeley Varitronics Systems (http://www.bvsystems.com) has made several enhancements to their YellowFin WiMaxDemodulating Tablet Analyzer. New enhancements for Individual Preamble Analysis for the YellowFin WiMax Tablet Analyzer in version 1.30 are: ° CINR vs. Time display has been added. ° Multiple RSSI filtering/averaging options have been added. ° Multiple CINR filtering/averaging options have been added. Also included in the enhanced version is a new Data Comparison capability. Also,a combined CINR/RSSI vs. Time display has been added.

QuickerTek now offers solar power for the entire Apple line of laptops. The initial Apple Juicz Solar Charger worked with the MacBook Air only; now the company powers the entire MacBook/MacBook Pro line including the 13.3, 15 and 17-inch unibody Pros and the white MacBook. There are two Apple Juicz models available: 27 watt (US$700) and 55 watt ($1,200), to match your performance needs. They fold up for easy transport. The Apple Juicz Solar Charger also comes complete with all cables to let you "go solar." You gain additional power options through a 2.5mm connector allowing access to other QuickerTek power products from solar cells to external batteries. Like most QuickerTek products, the Apple Juicz Solar Charger is backed with a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Additional information is found at http://www.quickertek.com/products/apple_juicz.php .

MacTech Ultimate Black Friday Offer: FREE! Extended through Cyber Monday We've all come to expect great Black Friday offers. This year, as MacTech has again had its best year since the dot com days, we want to give back ... and give you the ultimate Black Friday/Cyber Monday Weekend offer. FREE. No strings attached ... just free. For the first 100 people to respond, you will get a free six month subscription to MacTech Magazine. Not in the first 100? No worries, we'll get you a free copy of MacTech delivered to your door. Supplies are limited, and ends Monday night, November 30th, 2009 at 11:59pm. So act now -- don't wait. Go to: http://www.mactech.com/offers/2009-UltimateBlackFriday.php

Wondershare Software has updated DVD Creator (http://www.imediacreator.com/mac-dvd-creator.html), its professional DVD creation Software, DVD Creator 2.0 for the Mac, to version 2.0. The update adds support for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). DVD Creator enables users to burn almost any video file to DVD, while providing options to edit the video including trim, crop, flip, making personalized DVD menu and adding special effects for DVD. Several supported formats include AVI, MOV, FLV, MPG, WMV, M4V, MPEG, DAT, VOB, 3GP, HD video files. With DVD Creator for Mac, users can not only trim the video to choose what specific sections they want but adjust the brightness, contrast or saturation of the video as well. It also allows users to apply different movie styles like Negative, Old Film and Black/White etc. Additionally, users can make custom DVD menu with the dynamic and static menu templates come with it. The software provides users with four options of output formats (DVD Disc, ISO,...

Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has announced File Courier 1.0, an US$29.95 digital delivery solution for Mac OS X (10.4.2 and higher) with timesaving options. File Courier delivers files and folders to FTP and local destinations and sends automatic e-mail delivery notifications. The e-mail messages are based on variable templates and contain the detailed info about the item and its location. The software can also create a low-res version of a PDF file and attach it to e-mail, compress folders and protect deliveries with password. File Courier is designed to automate and simplify the process of preparing, sending and confirming delivery to free up users from time consuming, tedious manual tasks which can also lead to mistakes and miscommunication between a sender and a recipient, according to the folks at Zevrix. With File Courier, users only need to drop a file or a folder on the program's icon, and the rest will be done automatically.

Big Nerd Ranch Europe will hold The Beginning iPhone Bootcamp in Germany on Jan. 23-29. The class with instructor team of Matthias Fricke and Alexander von Below will be taught in English at the historic monastery "Kloster Eberbach" near Frankfurt, Germany. Class students can apply for the early bird fee and save Euro 200 when signing up before Dec. 18. The class covers everything a student needs to know to begin developing applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, according to the folks at Big Nerd Ranch. The first two days, taught by Matthias Fricke, are devoted entirely to teaching students Objective-C 2. This portion of the class is designed to be accessible to programmers without any experience in C or object-oriented programming. The rest of the week builds on the foundation supplied by the Objective-C instruction and delves deep into iPhone development. The Cocoa touch portion of the class, taught by Alexander von Below, promises to teach students how to write complex...