Scott Kelby, g author and conference technical chair of Photoshop World Conference & Expo) announced that. for the first time, Photoshop World is adding a conference within a conference to its upcoming event in Boston, March 25-27: the Lightroom Conference. Lightroom instructors teaching at Photoshop World include: Katrin Eismann, Kelby, Julieanne Kost, Matt Kloskowski, Jack Davis, Martin Evening, Kevin Ames, Andrew Rodney and David Ziser . A complete list of all Photoshop World instructors can be viewed at http://www.PhotoshopWorld.com/instructors.html. The Lightroom Conference at Photoshop World offers sessions from morning to night all three days. The Lightroom Conference at Photoshop World is included in the conference pass, which is available at https://www.photoshopworld.com/register.html. Sponsored by Adobe and produced by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), the conference -- now in its 11th year -- is designed for photographers, graphic designers,...

solidThinking Offering Free 'sTudent' Software at Macworld Design students can download advanced styling software by attending solidThinking booth at San Francisco conference Leading industrial design/styling software company solidThinking, Inc. is providing a free personal-use version of its solidThinking 7.6 software -- the only industrial design software available to run on both Mac OS and Windows -- to industrial design, architecture and fine arts students who visit solidThinking's booth 3320 at the Macworld Conference & Expo 2009 in San Francisco, Jan. 5-9. Those enrolled in certified programs at colleges and universities can obtain a certificate this week at the Macworld solidThinking booth. Valid proof of student status must be presented. The validated certificate can then be used to download the free solidThinking software and run it on the student's personal computer. The personal-use "sTudent" version of solidThinking is the same software used around the world by top-...

ZiggySoft software company today announces the release 1.3.7 of iWeb Valet (release focus: MobileMe support), a tool to enhance and upload iWeb pages. What is iWeb Valet? Apple's iWeb is the easiest way to create and publish great-looking websites. You see what each webpage will look like as you work on it; you don't have to know anything about programming or web-authoring languages such as HTML. After you have created your pages with iWeb, instead of publishing your site to MobileMe, you can publish your site to a folder on a local destination (your hard disk, for example), then you can use iWeb Valet to enhance in many ways your iWeb pages, and finally have your website uploaded on a FTP server. iWeb Valet features will allow you to: * Personalize iWeb page titles by adding a prefix of your choice. * Add a favicon to your iWeb HTML pages. * Fool Spam Bots by encoding all email addresses in your iWeb pages, so that the email couldn't be picked up by these bots. * Add META tags to...

Aquafadas unveils version 2 of PulpMotion at Macworld and confirms that amazing slideshows animations are possible in just a few clicks Montpellier, France - January 8th 2009: Aquafadas is happy to announce the immediate availability of version 2.0 of its highly praised PulpMotion animation software. PulpMotion V2 comes with a lot of new features and more than 25 themes and 80 presets. With a simple drag and drop become a pro slideshow creator and share your best moment with your familly, friends or colleagues. PulpMotion V2 makes it easy to animate your pictures and video, and comes with an extensive set of export functionalities. As with any major update, you'd expect a long list of improvements and new features...and the list is long indeed. To pick a few: totally revamped user interface that is more intuitive and easy to use, ability to add several songs for the soundtrack, multi-document support, vastly improved performance, and of course, new exciting themes. All existing themes...

Cyberduck 3.1 Released Bern, Switzerland, Jan 08, 2009 I am pleased to announce the release of Cyberduck 3 for the Mac. This is an important milestone for Cyberduck, most notably introducing native support for uploading files to two major content distribution services in the cloud. Both Amazon CloudFront (in conjunction with Amazon S3) and Cloud Files from Rackspace can be easily configured from within Cyberduck. Additionally to these major new features, we continue to further improve the integration with OS X (see below) and enhance WebDAV interoperability. The changes in the release furthermore include: - [Feature] Amazon CloudFront Support (S3) - [Feature] Cloud Files Support (Mosso) [#2745] - [Feature] Pre-configured protocol settings for MobileMe iDisk (WebDAV) - [Feature] Send arbitrary commands over SSH using the 'Send Command...' interface (SFTP) [#3] - [Feature] Archive and unarchive files and folders (ZIP, TAR etc.) (SFTP) [#2376] - [Feature] Clickable URL fields - [Feature...

OWC Debuts New Mercury Rack Pro "Quad Interface" 4-Bay Rack Mount Hardware RAID Solution at Macworld Expo 2009 Selectable Hardware RAID 0/1/5/10 with up to 6.0TB of Performance Capacity Plug & Play data interoperability with FireWire 800/400/USB 2.0/eSATA January 7, 2009, San Francisco, CA -- Other World Computing (OWC) http://www.macsales.com, a leading Mac and PC technology company, debuted the new OWC Mercury Rack Pro "Quad Interface" rack mount RAID solution today at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, at the OWC Booth # S-2218. Designed For Demanding A/V Production and Data Centers Specifically designed to meet the performance demands of Audio/Video production and data/network operation centers, the Mercury Rack Pro "Quad Interface" expands on OWC's existing Mercury Rack Pro FireWire 800/USB 2.0 "dual interface" and eSATA only interface models with higher capacity of up to 6.0TB additional, new Hardware RAID selection flexibility. With its easily accessible rear panel selector...

SoftRAID, LLC announces SoftRAID 4.0, with Fast Mirror Rebuilds and SnapShot Disks Mill Valley, CA SoftRAID LLC is pleased to announce SoftRAID 4.0, a major upgrade to its acclaimed RAID management software for Mac OS X. SoftRAID 4.0 will be demonstrated at MacWorld 2009, in San Francisco, January 5th to 9th, at booth 342. SoftRAID 4.0 will be released by the end of Q1, 2009. SoftRAID 4.0 brings new enhancements to RAID which make it an even better solution for backing up volumes on both workstations and servers the backup process. SoftRAID Mirror volumes have been the central part of the backup strategy for Mac users for over a decade. Users have taken one of the mirror disks to a secure location as part of a mirror backup. Periodically, the mirror disk gets brought back to the Mac to be rebuilt (resynchronized) with the volume. With 1 TeraByte volumes, this rebuild process can take several hours. Now SoftRAID 4.0 introduces Fast Mirror Rebuilds. With Fast Mirror Rebuilds, SoftRAID...

POINT IN SPACE ANNOUNCES FILEMAKER PRO 10 HOSTING ON FILEMAKER SERVER 10 ADVANCED CARRBORO, NC, January 7, 2009 - Point In Space Internet Solutions today announced immediate availability of FileMaker Pro 10 database hosting on FileMaker Server 10 Advanced. "FileMaker Pro 10 provides major new features and updates to the FileMaker product," says John May, Point In Space's President. "By hosting on FileMaker Server 10 Advanced, all of these new features are available to our clients - including Instant Web Publishing and ODBC/JDBC connectivity." Point In Space is offering FileMaker Pro 10 hosting, available immediately, at the same price as their other FileMaker accounts. Current Point In Space clients should contact the company directly regarding special offers for migrating from previous FileMaker versions. For complete details on Point In Space's FileMaker Pro 10 hosting, visit http://www.pointinspace.com/filemakerpro10hosting/ About Point In Space Internet Solutions Point In Space...

Macintosh Business Unit: 25 Years of Connecting Mac Users to Microsoft Productivity MacBU upgrades Entourage and delivers new ways to collaborate with PC and Mac colleagues. SAN FRANCISCO -- Jan. 6, 2009 -- Twenty-five years after Microsoft Corp. launched Word 1 for Mac, the Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) continues to improve connections for Mac users to core Microsoft Office systems and servers. Office for Mac users will soon have simplified and efficient collaboration through Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies and Microsoft Office Live Workspace with the Microsoft Document Collaboration Companion for Mac Beta. The MacBU is also delivering Entourage for Exchange Web Services (Entourage EWS) Beta -- a more modern protocol that updates how Entourage e-mail client connects to Exchange Server for overall improved e-mail and calendaring support. These developments are a critical step in the MacBU's long-term commitment to deliver Microsoft software and services across...

Apple Introduces iLife '09 Major Upgrades to iPhoto, iMovie & GarageBand SAN FRANCISCO--January 6, 2009--Apple today introduced iLife '09, which features major upgrades to iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand, and includes iDVD and an updated version of iWeb. iPhoto '09 builds on the ability to automatically organize photos into Events by adding Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organize and manage your photos. iMovie '09 expands on the revolutionary super fast movie creation introduced in iMovie '08 by adding the depth users want through powerful easy-to-use new features such as the incredible new Precision Editor, video stabilization, advanced drag and drop, and animated travel maps. GarageBand '09 introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar with 18 basic lessons and optional lessons from top artists such as Sara Bareilles, John Fogerty, Norah Jones and Sting. iLife '09 is included with every new Mac purchase and available as a $79 upgrade...

Changes Coming to the iTunes Store * All Songs DRM-Free * Users Can Download Songs Directly Onto iPhone 3G Over Their 3G Network for the Same Price * In April 2009, Songs on iTunes Will be Available at Three Price Points SAN FRANCISCO--January 6, 2009--Apple today announced several changes to the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com). Beginning today, all four major music labels--Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group and EMI, along with thousands of independent labels, are now offering their music in iTunes Plus, Apple's DRM-free format with higher-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings. iTunes customers can also choose to download their favorite songs from the world's largest music catalog directly onto their iPhone 3G over their 3G network just as they do with Wi-Fi today, for the same price as downloading to their computer. And beginning in April, based on what the music labels charge Apple, songs on iTunes...

Werck Unveils Checkout Server, Checkout 2.3 at Macworld 2009 Macworld, San Francisco, CA (January 6, 2009) Werck BV today released Checkout Server, a dedicated server application for Checkout, their Point of Sale software for Mac OS X, at the Macworld Conference and Expo. Additionally, Werck released Checkout 2.3, an update which includes German, French and Dutch localizations and a new API to create custom reports. Checkout Server Many Checkout users asked for a way to keep their valuable store data on a dedicated computer. Checkout Server allows just that, with more simultaneous connections, better performance and improved security. With Checkout Server, up to forty computers can be connected to a store database at once. Users can schedule automatic store backups with Checkout Server that can run without interruption any time of day, even while employees are logged in to the store. Checkout Server can be administered with both a System Preferences pane and a command- line interface...

WD Extends Its Line of Mac Compatible External Hard Drives New Mac Formatted Drives Offer Simplicity and Value SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Macworld Expo Booth No. 211 - Broadening its storage solutions for Mac, WD (NYSE: WDC), the world leader in external storage solutions, today introduced two new external hard drives -- the My Passport for Mac portable drive and the My Book Mac Edition external hard drive. Pre-formatted for Mac and offering a simple USB interface, these drives offer the ever-growing Mac community reliable, easy-to-use storage. WD's latest Mac-ready drives work seamlessly with Apple Time Machine or other popular Mac backup software to provide protection for consumers' valuable digital photos and media. My Passport for Mac portable storage devices feature a sleek design in a shock-resistant enclosure and are available in capacities of 320 GB and 500 GB. The new My Book Mac Edition drives are equipped with power-saving WD hard drives with GreenPower...

INTEGO RELEASES CONTENTBARRIER X5, BEST PARENTAL CONTROL PROTECTION FOR MAC Dozens of New Features Keep Kids Safe from the Dangers of the Internet Austin, TX, January 6, 2009: When kids surf the web, they are confronted with a great deal of inappropriate material that they can stumble on by just clicking a few links on a web page. Intego, the Macintosh security specialist, helps protect children from the dangers of the Internet, and today announced a new version of its acclaimed ContentBarrier X5 parental control software. ContentBarrier X5 shields children from offensive content, and prevents them from stumbling on the dark side of the Internet. It protects children from adult web sites, predatory chats, suggestive e-mail and more. Parents choose which categories of content to block, and can block specific applications or protocols (peer-to-peer, instant messaging, e-mail, games, streaming audio and video, and more). Parents can also set up schedules with time limits so their...

LaCie Hard Disk MAX: Expanding More Than Just Capacity - Simple and efficient dual-disk USB storage - RAID for high-performance and maximum reliability - Hub port feature - Complete software bundle for easy formatting and backup Today LaCie announced its Hard Disk MAX high capacity storage system for users who want advanced RAID features with consumer-level ease of use and style. Designed exclusively for LaCie by award-winning industrial designer Neil Poulton, the Hard Disk MAX delivers 2 TB (terabytes) of ultra-reliable storage capacity in a stunning package that will satisfy high-performance requirements for the discriminating user. The Hard Disk Max includes two large-capacity disk drives that can be set in either a RAID 0 or RAID 1 configuration with the simple flick of a switch on the back panel. RAID 0 stripes data across both disks for the fastest data retrieval response time, while RAID 1 mirrors data exactly on both disks for maximum data reliability. "Our Hard Disk Max is...

SAN FRANCISCO (MacWorld) - Jan. 5, 2009 - .com Solutions Inc. Releases FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.56 With Support for FileMaker Pro 10, Bento 2 and Valentina Migrations. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.56 has been updated to add support for performing Table Consolidation projects and Bento 2 migrations with FileMaker Pro Advanced 10. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition's Table Consolidation feature performs an automated batch copy of tables/fields, TOs, relationships, layouts and scripts. Automated re-mapping of TOs is performed within each script and layout object. Script and layout dependencies are resolved during the automated two-pass processing of scripts and layouts. FmPro Migrator Developer Edition performs the automated conversion of Bento 1.x & Bento 2.x files to FileMaker Pro 10. Users of any version of Bento may upsize their database files to FileMaker Pro 10 for increased performance, multi-user and cross-platform compatibility. FileMaker Pro developers can use...

CDFINDER 5.5 RELEASED Langenhahn, Germany - January 5, 2009 -- CDFinder, the leading disc cataloging application for the Apple Macintosh, receives a massive update today. "The extended GeoFinder now uses an interactive map and Google Earth integration to make searching for photos taken at a certain place, using the GPS geotags in the photos, even easier. Also with improved cataloging speed and the new support for movie files and XMP metadata (Adobe Bridge), CDFinder again enhances the cataloging quality" said Norbert M. Doerner, chief developer of the CDFinder team. But the new release includes even more features, such as the unique support to catalog disk images contained on any disk as well. CDFinder for Macintosh is a Universal Binary and works with PowerPC and Intel-Macs. A Windows version is available, compatible to Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server and Vista. The demo version of CDFinder is unlimited in time, but restricted to 25 catalogues. A single user license is 29 Euro / 39 USD...

Humble Daisy releases ProfCast 2.3.0 for Mac OS X Ann Arbor, MI Jan 5, 2009 Michigan based Humble Daisy is pleased to announce ProfCast 2.3.0, a major update to their flagship lecture recording and podcast creation solution for Mac OS X. ProfCast is a versatile, powerful, yet very simple to use tool for recording lectures including PowerPoint and/or Keynote slides for creating enhanced podcasts. ProfCast offers an integrated workflow that makes creating, recording, and publishing podcasts easy. Version 2.3.0 includes numerous improvements and bug fixes. Ann Arbor, MI., January 5, 2009 -- Humble Daisy releases ProfCast 2.3.0 for Mac OS X Ann Arbor, Michigan - Humble Daisy is pleased to announce ProfCast 2.3.0, a major update to their flagship lecture recording and podcast creation solution for Mac OS X. ProfCast is a versatile, powerful, yet very simple to use tool for recording lectures including PowerPoint and/or Keynote slides for creating enhanced podcasts. ProfCast is perfect for...

MACTECH RELEASES NEW DVD WITH MACTECH VIEWER -- Almost 3100 articles from entire history of MacTech -- Over 280 issues of the magazine -- Content from over 850 industry experts Westlake Village, CA - January 5, 2009 -- MacTech Magazine, the Journal of Macintosh Technology, released a new MacTech DVD (version 24.12), with the MacTech Viewer. The new CD covers all MacTech content from the entire 24 year history of the magazine, through the magazine's December 2008 issue. In fact, there's so much content, it would no longer fit on a CD -- a feat for archives that are predominantly text. With almost 3,100 articles from over 850 industry experts in Macintosh networking, programming, and technology, the MacTech archives represents an incredible resource to the fundamental Apple technologies and an essential reference for Mac developers, IT Pros, Network admins and anyone interested in getting under the hood of their Mac. Running from 1984 through December 2008, the MacTech archives span...

HESS MEMORIAL MACWORLD EVENTS LIST - CHOCK-FULL! Boston, MA. 1/02/09 -- ilene Hoffman, Macintosh Consultant and writer, is pleased to announce that the incomparable and unique Hess Memorial Macworld Events List is ready for YOU. In its fourteenth year of publication, the Hess Memorial Macworld Events List is *the only* source for all events and press functions held during Macworld Conference & Expo week, Jan. 5 - Jan. 9, 2009. The list highlights over 100 events you probably did not know were happening at the show. Don't feel left out just because you're not in San Francisco, check the list for related Internet events and podcasts too! Companies and individuals are requested to make a $10.00 - $25.00 contribution to the Hess Events List from the Contribute links on the page. U.S. contributors who also fill out the Ilene's Machine Newsletter registration form are automatically entered into a gift drawing. Find the parties and events at: (http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml...

The 2008 Best App Ever Awards nominees have now been announced and the voting is open at http://bestappever.com. Sponsored by 148Apps, the inaugural competition is the first iPhone OS Application achievement awards to recognize the best iPhone apps and games released in the in Apple App Store in 2008. The goal is to help publicize the very best apps available, not just the best-selling apps. The nomination process lasted a little over two weeks and saw 17,758 nominations for 1,259 different apps submitted to the site. In addition to the public nominations, a committee of industry people and iPhone developers was gathered to help nominate apps. Five nominees from the public and 5 nominees from the committee were combined to come up with the nominees for each category. In addition to the individual overall application categories, the top 10 vote getters overall will be up for the award of Best App Ever. Voting is open from Dec. 31 through Jan. 6. Winners will be announced on Jan. 7 at...

Alesis (http://www.alesis.com), a manufacturer of professional audio equipment and studio electronics, has announced that the MasterControl audio interface and control surface is now shipping. MasterControl will be on display at the 2009 NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., Jan. 15-18, 2009. MasterControl is a professional audio interface and recording control surface, providing engineers with 44.1-- 92kHz-recording capability via low latency FireWire and full-featured control of HUI-compatible DAWs and external MIDI devices. It contains a swath of input and output connectivity, empowering studio owners and producers to connect nearly any source, processing or monitoring equipment. The input section consists of two XLR inputs with phantom power and channel inserts, six TRS line inputs and extensive expansion capability. Twenty six simultaneous inputs are possible with the optional S/PDIF and dual S/MUX ADAT Lightpipe inputs. Six analog outputs are configurable for use with 5.1 surround,...

Juice Wireless (http://www.juicewireless.com) has released Mirror and Vanity, two new apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. They're available for US$0.99 each at the Apple App Store. With the apps you always have your reflection at hand. They use a proprietary algorithm that instantly turns the screen black (for maximum reflection) while offering a choice of mirror frames. Each app comes with nine frames, ranging from "Sleek & Contemporary" with Mirror to the "Glamour & Glitz" of the more feminine Vanity Mirror.

Announcing the release of AppleScript 1-2-3, the new Apple Training Series book (ISBN-0-321-14931-9), authored by Sal Soghoian and Bill Cheeseman, two of the most knowledgeable experts in the Mac automation community. Published by Peachpit Press, AppleScript 1-2-3 is written in an easy-to-follow manner, guiding those new to AppleScript through an enjoyable step-by-step process of understanding and implementing the fundamental principles and techniques of this powerful Mac-only automation language. Based on ideas and scripts gleaned from years of hands-on seminars taught at the Macworld Conference, the book is designed to give those new to AppleScript an understandable way to make their computer lives easier through automation, and requires no prior knowledge of AppleScript or programming. Experienced scripters and programmers will like it too. An online copy of the first chapter is posted on the Apple AppleScript website at: (http://www.apple.com/applescript/firsttutorial). Sal...

The agenda has been set for the 8th Annual FCPUG "SuperMeet" to be held Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco, California. Doors open at 4:30 pm; presentations begin at 7 pm and continue until 10 pm. The economy might be struggling, but this year's SuperMeet will be the largest in its history with 24 companies showing off their wares. Scheduled to appear on stage (though this is subject to change) are: ° Apple, showing the latest on Final Cut Studio; ° JVC: Craig Yanagi of JVC will announce the world's first acquisition product developed especially for Final Cut post production; ° BlackMagic Design presents M. Dot Strange: filmmaker M.Dot Strange will bring his magic to the SuperMeet; ° Bruce Nazarian: Blu-Ray on the Cheap: how to build a compatible Blu-Ray Disk and burn it on DVD-R media without a Blu-Ray burner; ° Christine Steele: FCP tips and tricks; ° Eric Escobar, "Plug-Ins Won't Save You" :A plug-in package alone won't create the "...

Smith Micro Software's Consumer Group has released Manga Studio Debut 4.0 and Manga Studio EX 4.0, manga and comic art software used by professional artists and hobbyists to create professional, ready-to-publish comics and print cartoons from start to finish. The updates are available for Mac OS X and Windows systems. Manga Studio 4.0 offers an intuitive interface and a comprehensive suite of screen tones, content and special effects to satisfy comic artists at any level, according to Sarina DuPont, product manager for Smith Micro Software. Manga Studio Debut is designed for novice users and features a Beginner's Assistant and dynamic help to get started quickly. It also includes built-in drag and drop word balloons and a color palette. Manga Studio EX 4.0 is a solution for professional comic artists with new features including specialized color correction tools, millions of colors to choose from, enhanced filtering sets and special effects, new vector tools to create resolution-...

BeLight Software has released Get Backup 2 for Mac OS X (http://www.belightsoft.com/products/getbackup/overview.php), which sports an improved interface and "becomes a synergy of two tasks, the backup and synchronization." Now users can keep files and folder in-sync and up-to-date on their desktop and laptop computers. Version 2 also adds integration with Apple iPhoto, Mail, iTunes and Address Book. Other new features include: ° Window Flip toggles Backup and Sync views; ° SSchedule sync process to automate the process; ° One way and bidirectional sync available; ° Option to exclude particular files from being synchronized. The update is free for all Get Backup users. For new users the cost is US$39.95. A demo is available for download.

EuroSmartz has released Print (http://mobile.eurosmartz.com/print/), a printing application for the iPhone and iPod touch. With the app you can print any contact, web page or photo stored on the Apple devices. It's available for US$2.99 at the Apple App Store. With Print you can print via WiFi or cell network. You can print remotely back to your office or home printer. Print is also Mac and Windows compatible

Daz 3D has released Carrara 7.0 (http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/carrara?_m=d), the latest version of the 3D modeling, animation and rendering solution. New features include 3D paint, multi-pass rendering and assembly room vertex modeling for professionals, students and hobbyists within multiple industries including digital photography, illustration, creative design and videography. Carrara 7.0's export capabilities via Collada Export also allow accessibility to various applications including DAZ Studio and Photoshop. Additionally, according to Dan Farr, president and co-founder of DAZ 3D, the upgrade offers many new robust features which help to improve overall workflow and production speed, such as: ° Multi-pass rendering, which enables an artist to make changes to their renders without having to re-render the entire scene; ° 3D Paint, which enables textures to be selected, edited and painted directly onto an object. The tool also provides a variety of flexible and time-saving...

TLA Systems has announced a special free version of their PCalc scientific calculator. It's available to download today from the Apple App Store (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300311...) Available for a limited time only, PCalc Lite is a fully functional version of the scientific calculator for the iPhone and iPod touch. It includes an optional RPN mode, multiple undo and redo, unit conversions and constants, as well as two themes. The full version has many more settings and themes, a paper tape, engineering and scientific notation, and full support for hexadecimal, octal and binary calculations. In the continuing absence of demos or trial periods in the App Store, the idea behind PCalc Lite is to provide something useful and free that's better than the Apple calculator, but which will also drive interest in our full version. PCalc Lite is a great calculator, but PCalc is even better, says James Thomson of TLA Systems.

Retina-X Studios has released Mobile Spy for the iPhone. With it, users can silently monitor incoming and outgoing text messages (SMS) and call information of children or employees -- even if activity logs are erased. Mobile Spy had already been available for Windows Mobile and Symbian OS smartphones. Mobile Spy runs in total stealth mode and no mentions of the program are shown inside the iPhone, according to Retina-X Studios CEO James Johns. After the software is set up on the phone, it silently records the entire text of all SMS text messages along with the associated phone number. The software also records inbound and outbound call information with duration of the call. Immediately after activities are logged, they're silently uploaded to the user's private online account. Accounts can be checked online from any web browser without needing further access to the phone. The iPhone version of Mobile Spy can be found at http://www.mobile-spy.com/iphone.html; it costs US$49.97 for a...

Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced the availability of new performance upgrade options and same day to 48 hour shipping for the Axiotron Modbook, a Mac-based tablet computer that lets users draw and write directly on the screen. OWC is the exclusive US-based distributor for Modbook, as well as being fully certified to convert existing MacBooks into full-featured Modbooks via the Modservice program. For complete details on configuring and ordering a Modbook, or converting an existing MacBook into a customized Modbook via Modservice, visit: http://www.macsales.com/modbook

MotionWorks has released "Making It Look Great 5: Design, Production and Workflow Techniques for Adobe After Effects" (http://www.motionworks.com.au/2008/12/making-it-look-great-5/), the latest entry in its "Making It Look Great" series of tutorials for Adobe After Effects. It includes over seven hours of in-depth video training for Adobe After Effects and After Effects plug-ins. Host Jerzy Drozda Jr. -- a motion graphics and visual effects artist based in Warsaw, Poland -- guides you step--by--step through a range of motion graphics and visual effects looks and techniques. In the tutorial you'll learn how to harness the power of expressions in Adobe After Effects. Included with the 10 video tutorials are three bonus video tutorials plus free plug-ins and presets discussed throughout the lessons.

XChange International (http://www.xchangeuk.com) has released Exportools for InDesign CS4 as well as Exportools XT for QuarkXPress 8. Exportools automates the process of exporting individual pages, spreads or selections into separate files. The app can "intelligently" extract all the document text, and export to other formats such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG, Photoshop, PICT and HTML. Exportools comes with a smart name composition engine that allows users to specify variable placeholders, such as page or serial numbers, that change automatically to uniquely name each exported file. Exportools can also be configured to open each of the exported files with a post-processing application the user chooses. For example, they can select Adobe Photoshop to open the saved EPS files; or have Microsoft Word open the pages they just exported as text. Exportools keeps track of up to 50 recent post-processing applications the user has used. Exportools also provides the ability to export selections of items...

Izatt International has announced a new iPhone Development Course (http://www.izatt.com/training.html) to be held Jan. 20-23, 2009, at the Noah Building in Lindon, Utah. A consortium of iPhone developers representing prominent iPhone development companies such as Izatt International, Pixio, and InfiniteNIL have been assembled to cover topics ranging from XCode and Interface Builder to the Accelerometer, Core Animation, and Open GL ES. The cost is US$2,350. Early-bird pricing, available before Dec. 31, is $1,850. The iPhone course is being offered in response to an increasing demand for smart phone development skills in Utah's "Silicon Slopes" technology sector, says Jason Izatt, CEO of Izatt International.

Rogue Amoeba has released Radioshift Touch (http://www.rogueamoeba.com/radioshifttouch/stationBrowser.php), available exclusively on the iPhone and iPod touch devices. With Radioshift Touch, listeners can now tune in to thousands of Internet radio stations from almost anywhere in the world. At home or on the go, via Wifi, EDGE, or 3G, Radioshift Touch provides access to the world of Internet radio. You find the Internet stream for local AM/FM stations, check out what's popular, browse by genre, or just search for a favorite station. Like Radioshift on the Mac, Radioshift Touch features a built-in Radio Guide powered by RadioTime. RadioTime works to organize the world of online radio into one guide. The SmartStream feature provides the best audio quality possible, by automatically choosing the best available stream for the existing network connection. Radioshift Touch is available for purchase now for US$9.99, via the iTunes and iPhone App Stores. Radioshift Touch is compatible with...

Recreational Equipment (REI), an outdoor gear and apparel retailer, and Zumobi, a mobile media company, have released the REI Snow Report, a free application that lets iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Mobile users get instant information about conditions at ski resorts and mountains in the United States, Canada, Europe and elsewhere. Available now as a free download, the REI Snow Report also provides one-touch access to REI's web site, featuring winter sports products and helpful information on recreating outdoors. The REI Snow Report lets smart phone users select a slope and access information, including: temperature; new, top and base snow depth; snow conditions; and number of open lifts. Each listing includes one-touch access to the resort's contact information, as well as live webcam images where available. The REI Snow Report can be downloaded to Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices via the Zumobi web site (http://www.Zumobi.com_ or from their mobile browsers at rei.zumobi.com....

KACE (http://www.kace.com), a systems management appliance company, has released the KBOX iPhone Management Module, which it says is the industry's first appliance-based systems management solution for the iPhone. It lets IT organizations centrally deploy, manage, and track their investment of iPhones throughout the enterprise, reducing the time and effort required to support iPhones by eliminating hours of manual setup and tracking of managed devices, according to Marty Kacin, chief technical officer and co-founder of KACE. As an integrated element of the KBOX Systems Management Appliance, the iPhone Management Module complements KACE's comprehensive support for Mac systems. Kacin says that capabilities of the KBOX iPhone Management Module include: ° Asset discovery and reporting capabilities, allowing KBOX users to automatically track iPhones and better understand associated costs, such as carrier contract details, installed software, and reporting on asset growth; ° iPhone profile...

Intellicore has released ImageTouch 2.0 (http://imagetouch.intellicore.net) for the iPhone and iPod touch. The app lets you use the devices to "beautify your pictures and compose and send amazing compositions to family and friends." With ImageTouch you can: add pictures from your iPhone or iPod touch photo library; resize, move, rotate one or more pictures; switch pictures with a double tap; add a frame or a shadow to any picture with a long tap on the picture; change background color with a long tap on the background; export in high rez in the iPhone or iPod touch photo library; add and filter with tags, dates and locations to find your compositions; and locate your composition on Google Map. A special tab (More) provides information, a tutorial and the latest news about ImageTouch. Version 2.0 lets you create collages and send them by email to others directly from the application. These collages can be filtered by tags, dates and locations, and located on Google Map via the...

Newer Technology (http://www.newertech.com) has announced the NewerTech MAXPower 802.11g/b Wireless USB 2.0 Stick Adapter, a plug and play 802.11g/b wireless adapter that enables owners of USB 2.0/1.1 equipped Macs and PCs to upgrade their wireless home and office networking performance with up to five times faster data transmission rates over 802.11b standards. According to the folks at NewerTech, with full OS X support for Plug and Play operation straight from the box, the MAXPower 802.11g/b Wireless USB 2.0 Stick Adapter offers fast and stable wireless networking at home, at the office, and at mobile hotspots. It enables owners of USB 2.0/1.1 equipped Mac desktop and notebook computers, such as PowerMac G4, iMac G4, PowerBook G3/G4 and iBook G3 models that didn't include built in wireless or have a non-working AirPort card, to add wireless networking capabilities or upgrade their existing performance. The MAXPower 802.11g/b Wireless USB 2.0 Stick Adapter is compatible with Mac OS...

Sonasoft Corp. (http://www.sonasoft.com) has announced the availability of its new version of SonaSafe for SQL Servers. This release contains features including pre-defined templates for backup, new user interface, improved manageability, enhanced replication and recovery capability. Sonasoft provides a high-availability solution, protecting data from hardware/software failures and human errors. SonaSafe application maintains the redundant, standby server by continually updating the data with that retrieved from the primary system. The standby system can take over instantly in the event of primary system failure. The standby system can be on-site, or located at a remote site for protection against natural or man-made disasters. Users can configure pre-defined templates to meet their data protection and disaster recovery needs. Once created, these templates can be used over and over again. One of the key requirements from customers is the ability to use a SQL database for reporting...

Truphone (http://www.truphone.com), a global mobile service provider, has added Truphone Anywhere functionality to its iPhone application, enabling users to make international calls across the Internet for as little as £0.03/$0.06 [UK/Rest of World] per minute even when they're not connected to the Internet. Inbound Truphone calling on the iPhone is also added for the first time, making it possible to enjoy free Truphone calls between two iPhones. Truphone Anywhere works in 33 countries around the world. Truphone Anywhere doesn't require a user to remember what to do. Whenever an international number is dialed from outside Wi-Fi, Truphone Anywhere simply asks whether he/she wants to make a Truphone call. The user simply accepts, and Truphone connects the call. The second new key feature -- inbound calling for Truphone on the iPhone -- works in all countries. Using the new "presence" feature, iPhone users can see which of their other Truphone-using contacts are online, including...

RE:Vision Effects (http://www.revisionfx.com) has released its DE:Noise plug-in set for Nuke, Fusion and Toxik. DE:Noise is a plug-in set that removes excessive noise and artifacts in one tool. It's compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 and up, Windows 32 and 64 bit (XP or Vista) and Linux 32 and 64 bit. It handles spurious frame-to-frame defects ranging from fine digital and electronic noise to blotchy spots (e.g., dirt on the film). DE:Noise combines proprietary motion estimation (optical flow) techniques with feature-sensitive, edge-preserving spatial filtering methods to reduce the visual impact of various problems such as: noisy video (that can happen with low-light capture), excessive film grain, prefiltering noisy greenscreens before keying, CG renders affected by ray-tracing sampling artifacts, dust captured during film scan/transfer and printing, snow, drop-outs and many other defects. Features of DE:Noise include: ° Pre-processing contrast controls to help enhance the noise for...

OpenZone (http://www.openzone.com/s/index.php) has announced PlusOffice Mac, new productivity software with the native support for the Mac. PlusOffice Mac will be available for purchase in January 2009 for Intel-based Macs. PlusOffice is an open source software, sharing the code with OpenOffice.org and offering Mac OS X users the same functionality. PlusOffice incorporates all OpenOffice.org applications: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base and Math, as well as other features including: PDF export and import, full support for Open Document Format (ODF) 1.2 and possibility to open documents in MS Office Open XML. PlusOffice Mac will be available with technical support and upgrades.

Chronos (http://www.chronosnet.com ) has released SOHO Labels 4, an upgrade to its label, envelope, and letterhead software for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard"). This new version adds six new features and a free bonus. The new features are: ° One-click address formatting. You can change the address used on labels and envelopes on a contact-by-contact basis in Preview mode with one click; ° U.S. Postal FIM Support. You can print facing identification marks on envelopes to help orient and separate certain types of First-Class Mail. Support for FIM A, FIM B, FIM C, and FIM ° U.S. postal guidelines. Users can turn on U.S. postal guidelines to improve the deliverability of mail; ° A new Image Kit Browser for managing and searching artwork; ° Six new smart shapes for cropping photos; ° The new smart shapes for cropping photos; ° Multiple objects that can be resized together without being grouped. SOHO Labels 4 also includes Christmas a Hanukkah artwork as a bonus. SOHO Labels 4 is a US$19.99...

ATTO Technology (http://www.attotech.com), a provider of storage connectivity and infrastructure solutions for data-intensive computing environments, has announced the immediate availability of the ExpressSAS H608 and ExpressSAS H680, which the company says is the industry's only 6-GB/second SAS host adapters. Leveraging PCI Express 2.0 and 6-Gb/s SAS performance, the H608 and H680 deliver the fastest available connection to SAS/SATA storage (up to 8-GB/second full-duplex), powering data-intensive IT and digital media applications such as email compliance, tape backup, data warehousing, high-definition video post-production and digital film production, says Tim Klein, president and CEO of ATTO Technology. ATTO's next-generation ExpressSAS H608 and H680 offer native x8 PCIe 2.0 to 6-GB/second SAS connectivity ensuring compatibility with the latest in SAS and SATA technology. The ExpressSAS H608 offers eight internal lanes of connectivity, and the H680 offers eight external lanes of...

Tekkeon (http://www.tekkeon.com) has unveiled myPower for iPhone, a leather sleeve that purportedly doubles the iPhone battery life while protecting the iPhone from everyday wear and tear. A rechargeable, reliable and safe lithium polymer battery is hidden within the sleeve. What's more myPower also acts as a dock, enabling users to automatically sync and charge iPhone. It sports a capacity indicator that provides the power level in the battery. The battery can be charged via a computer, or USB power adapter. In the latter case the iPhone and myPower for iPhone can be charged simultaneously. myPower for iPhone includes an USB cable for connection to a computer or USB power adapter, and myGuardä screen protector for iPhone 3G. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is US$69.95. Pre-orders for this product are being accepted on the Tekkeon web site, and will begin shipping on Dec. 15.

iPresentee (http://www.ipresentee.com/), a developer of add-ons for Apple's iWork and iLife applications, has released free Christmas Mail Stationery templates to be used with Apple's Mail software. The new Mail Stationery package includes 10 templates: Santa Claus Letter, New Year's Day, Christmas Wreath, Merry Christmas, Gift, Snowman, Christmas Letter, Christmas Socks, Santa Claus and Christmas Tree. Creating an e-mail with Christmas Mail Stationery templates is exactly the same as creating an e-mail using the usual Mail Stationery templates. New Mail Stationery templates comes with an installer to make sure the templates end up in the right place and would be displayed in Apple Mail New Message Stationery menu automatically. Christmas Mail Stationery templates are offered free of charge and requires any Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and Leopard Mail.

Griptonite Games has announced the "Hall of Stein," the official winner's board for Ben Stein: It's Trivial, the trivia game currently available for the iPhone and iPod touch. To celebrate the launch, the first 100 players that successfully complete the game and steal Ben Stein's mansion will receive a diploma personally signed by Stein. And one winner will have the opportunity to play the game live against Stein himself. Here's how the game is described: "Ben Stein: It's Trivial features fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek gameplay and over 1200 ranked trivia questions. Alongside simian cohort Cheex the Monkey, players are up against the Master of Trivia himself to win points and prizes from Ben Stein's Estate." Players who complete the game can submit screenshots online at http://www.bensteinitstrivial.com. The first 100 players to do so will be inducted into the Hall of Stein, and will be mailed an official certificate commemorating the achievement. Of the first 100 submissions, one...