The folks at WristOffice (http:/www.wristoffice.com) say their WristOffice "hands-free" solution, iPhone users no longer have to hold their iPhone and worry about signal loss. WristOffice is a universal mobile device accessory (MDA) that attaches your cell or mobile device to your wrist, says company co-founder Walt Froloff. With WristOffice it becomes a hands-free and hands-on device while driving using the speaker phone or Bluetooth. WristOffice works with most mobile devices, he adds. It's available in a variety of colors. The WristOffice costs US$34.77.

Apple released Mac OS X 10.6.4 Update iMac (Mid 2010) for its new iMac models and has introduced the Magic Trackpad and Multi-Touch Update. Mac OS X v10.6.5 Update iMac Mid 2010 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1065) is recommended for all users of the new iMacs. This update contains all the applicable fixes from the Mac OS X 10.6.4 Update, plus the following specific fixes for iMac (Mid 2010): ° Resolves compatibility and performance-related graphics issues; ° Improves compatibility with large-format SDXC memory cards' ° Adds support for Magic Trackpad. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.3 or higher and is a 452.62MB download. The Magic Trackpad and Multi-Touch Update enables Magic Trackpad support on Intel-based Macs. It also adds inertial scrolling and three-finger drag gesture support to recent MacBook Pro and MacBook models. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.4. Both updates can be obtained via the Software Updates Component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app.

Apple has been accused of censoring the iPad book chart after four pornographic titles mysteriously disappeared from the bestseller list, according to a "Telegraph" report (http://macosg.me/2/lo). "Blonde and Wet, the Complete Story" was ranked first on the iPad in a top 10 that included three other erotic novellas Monday morning. But all four titles disappeared simultaneously and had been replaced with less risqué books, such as Peter Mandelson’s autobiography, by the afternoon, notes the "Telegraph." Book chart analysts told the publication it was unlikely that all the erotic titles could have dropped out of the list at the same moment without being deliberately removed. Of course, it's not the first time that Apple has faced accusations of censorship. The company embarked on a “great porn purge” in February, ridding its iPhone App Store of all “overtly sexual content," notes the "Telegraph."

Apple has unveiled a new Mac Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and purportedly up to 50% greater performance than the previous generation. It features the latest quad-core and six-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD). “The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in a press announcement. “With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50% , and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want.” At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and six-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems...

Apple has unveiled a new Mac Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and purportedly up to 50% greater performance than the previous generation. It features the latest quad-core and six-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD). “The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in a press announcement. “With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50% , and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want.” At the heart of the new Mac Pro’s performance are next generation quad-core and six-core Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 3.33 GHz. These multi-core processors use a single die design so each core can share up to 12MB L3 cache to improve efficiency while increasing processing speed. These systems...

Roxio has released Roxio Retrospect 8.2 for Mac, a key update to the company’s backup and recovery software that allows small and midsize businesses to protect critical data stored on Mac, Windows, and Linux servers, desktops, and notebooks. Retrospect 8.2, the first release since Roxio took over the product line in May, delivers as much as three times faster network backup performance, adds 64-bit addressing to enable the backup of volumes containing tens of millions of files, and includes user interface enhancements that workflow and management tasks.   Another major feature included in Roxio Retrospect 8.2 for Mac is the ability to restore from backups created with Retrospect 6. This feature addresses a key request from users who wanted to upgrade to the Retrospect 8 platform, but didn’t want to manage and maintain a version 6 install in order to perform restores of older archived backups.   First introduced in 2009, Retrospect version 8 was redesigned from the ground up with a...

Counting the iPad as a computer (and why not? it runs a specialized version of Mac OS X) Canalys (http://www.canalys.com) says Apple is now among the top five global personal computer vendors. According to a new report by the research group, Apple rates in the top five, following the iPad’s capture of approximately 6% of the portable computer segment during the second quarter of 2010. Yep, Canalys counts the iPad as a portable computer. “Apart from the ‘Apple effect,’ the iPad owes its success to a lack of advancement in other portable computing segments, such as netbooks,” Chris Jones, a Canalys principal analyst, said in a statement to "eWeek" (http://macosg.me/2/lm). "To capture share moving forward, PC makers will have to take the netbook to the next level or go after new customer segments with their own pads.” -- Dennis Sellers

Owners of the iPhone will be able to legally unlock their devices so they can run software applications that haven't been approved by Apple, according to new government rules announced Monday. The "Associated Press" reports (http://macosg.me/2/lk) that the decision to allow the practice commonly known as "jailbreaking" is one of a handful of new exemptions from a 1998 federal law that prohibits people from bypassing technical measures that companies put on their products to prevent unauthorized uses. The Library of Congress, which oversees the Copyright Office, reviews and authorizes exemptions every three years to ensure that the law does not prevent certain non-infringing uses of copyright-protected material. The new government rules, however, won't stop Apple from continuing its practice of disabling jailbroken phones with software upgrades, notes the "AP." That means owners of such phones might not be able to take advantage of software improvements, and they still run the risk of...

The Khronos Group has released the OpenGL 4.1 spec, bringing the latest graphics functionality to the cross-platform 2D and 3D graphics API (application programming interface). It's the sixth update to OpenGL specification in two years. This new version continues to maintain full backwards compatibility to enable developers to begin using new features whenever they choose, while portably accessing state-of-the-art GPU functionality across diverse operating systems and platforms, according to Barthold Lichtenbelt, OpenGL ARB working group chair and senior manager Core OpenGL at Nvidia. The OpenGL 4.1 specification has been defined by the OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) working group at Khronos, and includes the GLSL 4.10 update to the OpenGL Shading language and is accompanied by a number of extensions introducing cutting-edge functionality to the OpenGL standard. The full specification is available for immediate download at http://www.opengl.org/registry .

Visitors can now access internet anywhere in the UK without roaming costs or needing to find wifi hotspots. Through MifiClub (http://mificlub.com/tour), international travelers with iPhones, iPads, and laptops can go online anywhere in the UK without roaming costs or WiFi hotspots. MifiClub offers mifi device rentals online and sends it to the visitor's UK address such as their hotel. It purportedly only takes three minutes to order mobile WiFi and have it waiting for you in the UK. The mifi is a small device with a button on it. You push it and get WiFi. MiFiClub says they'll make sure your mifi is charged, loaded, and waiting for you at your hotel or friend's address. You'll get the small device and USB charger, along with a pre-paid return envelope. Drop it off at a postbox or hand it to a member of staff at the hotel on or before your last day. Visitors can have their own portable wifi hotspot for about £3.57 per day. MifiClub offers three day, one week, two week, three week...

Syncro Soft has released version 6.0 of its Mac compatible SVN client (http://www.syncrosvnclient.com). The new version sports a redesigned application layout, configurable working copy view, synchronized history view and guiding hints. Syncro SVN client license with a one year maintenance pack costs US$59. A Syncro SVN client site license with a one-year maintenance pack is $2,970. Volume discount rates are available starting with five licenses. Syncro SVN Client can be run on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and Solaris systems.

Apple's iPhone has been named the "Coolest Thing on the Planet" in an UK poll of 3,000 Brits by Costs Coffe To take top slot in the poll, the must-have phone beat off competition from things like the Aston Martin DB9, the internet and Johnny Depp, reports "Newslite" (http://macosg.me/2/le). Apple placed number two on the list, and the iPad came in at number 17. "It's been interesting seeing what the nation deems to be cool," says a spokesperson for Costa Coffee. "I's no surprise gadgets like the iPhone and supercars like the Aston Martin DB9 feature highly."

Apple’s iPhone 4 will be available in 17 more countries this Friday, July 30. On this date customers can purchase iPhone 4 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The iPhone 4 will be available for purchase through Apple’s retail and online stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. It's currently available in France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US for a suggested retail price of US$199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model. iPhone 4 will roll out to many more countries later this year and Apple will announce availability and local pricing for these additional countries at a later date.

Aimersoft Studio, has released its new upgraded video converter family products -- Video Converter, Video Converter Pro and Video Converter Ultimate -- which offer a more quick and simple way for users to edit and convert videos, rip DVDs and even download online videos for all mobile devices like smartphones, Apple devices and other portable players. The most noticeable changes for this upgrade include: ° The removal of DRM copy protection from WMV WMA, iTunes M4P M4A M4V AAC M4B ASF; ° The ability to download online videos from YouTube, Metacafe, Google, etc. directly; ° The ability to directly transfer songs & videos to portable players like iPod, iPhone, iPad and PSP, etc; ° The ability to rip DVD movies to common video/audio files; ° The ability to burn files to DVD disc, DVD folder or ISO files; ° The ability to edit videos by splitting, clipping, cropping and merging, etc. Besides these changes, the new Video Converter also simplified its interface and improved maximum user...

MacProVideo (http:www.macProVideo.com) has released new "Tips 'N Tricks" (TNT) tutorials for Cubase and Native Instruments Komplete. These two new tutorials provide users with up to 30 minutes of new tips and tricks tutorials every month. The first title, called "Native Instruments 303: NI Komplete TNT 1" provides monthly tips on using Native Instrument's flagship audio program. The second title, "Cubase 303: Cubase TNT 1" covers workflow techniques for Steinberg's Cubase software and is produced by Steinberg's y own product demonstrator Matthew Loel T. Hepworth. These tutorials are available from MacProVideo.com’s web site for both HD Download and streaming through the company’s extensive Online Tutorial Library.

LG Display may cut production of its liquid crystal displays (LCD) next month due to weak demand from TV makers but is unable to meet strong demand tied to Apple's iPad tablet computer, reports "Reuters" (http://macosg.me/2/l5). "We are now running at full capacity but we are considering production cuts in August," LG Display CEO Kwon Young-soo told reporters. "The level of reduction will be smaller than the industry average." LG is a suppler for the iPad, which has sold 3.47 million units since its April launch. Kwon said LG Display was unable to meet growing demand from Apple. "Demand (from Apple) keeps growing and we can't meet it all," he told reporters."Apple may have to delay launches of the iPad for some countries due to tight component supplies and strong demand. We are considering increasing production lines for iPad products but overall supply is likely to remain tight until early next year."

iPhone 4 owners can now order free bumpers from Apple. The bumpers are made by companies such as Speck, Belkin, Griffin and InCase. However, you'll have to download an app for their iPhone that handles the process. To request a free case, iPhone 4 owners must enter their Apple ID or iTunes Store account info into the app -- available at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/) -- before picking our their bumper or case. For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than Aug. 22. Otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase, says Apple.

Amazon says the iPad has helped boost its own e-reader, after Kindle sales rose every month since its rival's launch in May, reports the "London Evening Standard" (http://macosg.me/2/l1). "The iPad has made more people aware of e-readers," says Brian McBride, managing director of Amazon in the UK. "We're selling more Kindles, which means we're selling more Kindle books. Even when people buy iPads, they are downloading the Kindle app in pretty significant numbers. For every 100 hardbacks we've sold in the past three months, we've sold 143 Kindle books.”

Apple has released the second preview version of its Xcode 4 developer preview at the Apple Developer web site (http://developer.apple.com/). It sports a new interface, automatic code fixing as you type and includes iOS SDK 4. Xcode is the complete toolset for building Mac, iPhone, and iPad applications. Apple says that, with Xcode 4, the tools have been redesigned to be faster, easier to use, and more helpful than ever before. "The Xcode IDE understands your project’s every detail, identifies mistakes in both syntax and logic, and will even fix your code for you," says Apple. "Quite simply, Xcode 4 will help you write better code."

FileMaker, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has announced three special sessions focusing on FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad to the FileMaker Developer Conference 2010 schedule. The three workshops will provide exclusive information for FileMaker Pro developers about optimizing FileMaker Pro databases for iPhone and iPad. The conference, the largest annual gathering of worldwide FileMaker independent and corporate database developers, trainers, and users will take place at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina Aug. 15-18. Introduced just two days ago and now available on the iTunes App Store, FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad enable users to work with FileMaker Pro databases on an iPhone or iPad. With FileMaker Go, users can view, edit, and search for information in FileMaker databases on their iPhone or iPad. This year's FileMaker Develper Conference will feature more than 80 sessions and workshops, the most ever offered. You can learn...

Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced the OWC Multi-Mount custom engineered powder-coated aircraft grade aluminum bracket kits for securely installing smaller form factor (2.5-inch and 3.5-inch) hard drives and Solid State Drives (SSD) into larger sized (3.5-inch and 5.25-inch) drive bays in Mac Pro, Power Mac G5, and PowerMac G4 computers produced since 1999. Available in seven different adapter bracket kits from US$17.99 to provide drive size use versatility, the OWC Multi-Mount gives Mac Pro and Power Mac G4/G5 users, as well as PC tower users, the freedom to expand their computer’s drive capacity and configuration. The OWC Multi-Mount is available in seven different kits that come complete with all required installation hardware and a color installation manual for easy assembly. Two Mac Pro specific kits include power and drive connection cables.

Apple has released Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 Update (v.1.1). The 615.34MB update is recommended for all servers currently running Snow Leopard Server version 10.6. It includes Safari 5 and general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your server, as well as specific fixes for: ° CalDAV querying of email addresses with Active Directory and Open Directory servers; ° Stability and reliability accessing Wiki Server pages; ° The ability to view movies on Wiki Server with Safari on iPad; ° Accessing publicly accessible Wikis when logged in to the Wiki Server; ° Listing blogs on Wiki Server; ° Vacation mail notices that span across multiple days; °  Updates from Software Update Server viewable by clients; ° Stability and reliability to Software Update Server synchronization; ° Downloading of software updates by Software Update Server; ° Creating NetInstall images which include iLife updater packages; ° Addressing of issues copying, renaming, or...

I thought netbook sales were declining, but ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) says this isn't true. This year, almost 60 million netbooks are expected to ship worldwide. According to a new set of forecasts from the research group. This is almost double that number will be reaching global markets in 2013. This is the result of the rapid netbook market growth observed since the introduction of the new computer category in 2008, a trend which will only start to abate in 2014-2015, according to ABI Research. As the netbook market matures, market shares are beginning to shift among vendors. Half a dozen vendors commanded 78% of the market in 2009, says ABI Research. Acer and ASUS (which pioneered the whole netbook concept with its Eee PC) held almost equal one-third shares of the market in 2008, but ASUS didn’t maintain that lead and lost half of its market share in 2009. “Instead of having a preeminent two, it looks as if only Acer will continue to maintain its commanding lead;...

A flaw in the implementation of Safari's AutoFill mechanism can be exploited to grab Mac users' names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses. Apparently, the web browser will give away a user's Mac OS X Address Book data if asked by a malicious web site. Jeremy Grossman, the founder and chief technology officer of WhiteHat Security, says (http://macosg.me/2/kx) at the moment a user of Safari 4.x or 5.x visits a web site, even if they’ve never been there before or entered any personal information, a malicious website can uncover their first name, last name, work place, city, state, and email address. All a malicious web site would have to do to surreptitiously extract Address Book card data from Safari is dynamically create form text fields with the names from AutoFill, probably invisibly, and then simulate A-Z keystroke events using JavaScript, he says. When data is populated, that is AutoFill’ed, it can be accessed and sent to the attacker. "I have no idea when or if Apple plans to...

Apple is seeking to hire engineers in as many as a dozen U.S. retail stores to put together Apple-based computer systems for small businesses, according to the "Wall Street Journal" (http://macosg.me/2/ku), noting job postings on Apple's web site. The employees would implement computer systems for clients and are expected to be proficient in networking hardware and server platforms. "Thousands of businesses run on Apple products," the posting reads. "Many more would like to, and that's where you come in." Apple is targeting smaller, local businesses that it can reach through its chain of nearly 300 retail stores, according to two Apple employees familiar with the company's strategy, according to the "Journal." The new jobs could pay up to US$80,000 a year, one of them said.

Jeri Chandler, president of Dat-A-Syst (http://www.datasyst.net), announced today that her company has been designated as an “Apple Authorized Service Provider." A Charlotte, North Carolina, business for over 23 years, Dat-A-Syst has been servicing printers and plotters, maintaining computers and networks, iPods and even Sony game consoles and Xbox. Their location at 4035 South Boulevard is convenient to most of Charlotte. Because of the easy access and parking, dropping off equipment is not the challenge that occurs with other Apple service companies, Chandler says. As an Authorized Service Provider, Dat-A-Syst can provide Apple Care service and warranty work for Apple products.

Pomola Software has updated Mac Shutdown X (http://pomola.com/products_macshutdown/macshutdown.html), a Mac OS X utility for shutting down a Mac on a specified event or on a specified date and time, to version 1.5.3. It's a maintenance update with some bug fixes. Mac Shutdown X costs US$20. Version 1.5.3 is a free update for registered users. The software is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.

AT&T (http://www.att.com) has reported solid second-quarter results highlighted by double-digit earnings growth, an increase in consolidated revenues and improved margins. These results were driven by continued growth in mobile broadband, including a record quarter for iPhone activations, gains in IP-based and strategic business services and disciplined execution on cost initiatives. The company saw 3.2 million iPhone activations in second quarter. AT&T saw a 10.3% increase in wireless service revenues, with postpaid subscriber ARPU (average monthly revenues per subscriber) up 3.4%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2010, AT&T's consolidated revenues totaled US$30.8 billion, up $194 million, or 0.6%, versus the year-earlier quarter, marking the company's second consecutive quarter with a year-over-year revenue increase. Versus the first quarter of this year, consolidated revenues were up $278 million, or 0.9%.

Publicspace.net (http://www.publicspace.net/) has released A Better Finder Rename 8.6.3, an update of the renaming solution for the Mac. The upgrade improves the "rename from file list" feature with improved compatibility for Microsoft Excel exported file lists. A Better Finder Rename costs US$19.95. Business, family and enterprise licensing is also available. Customers may chose to include a "forever upgrade" with their purchase. A Better Finder Rename requires Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.

Tagtrum has released version 2.1.11 of beaTunes (http://www.beatunes.com), the iTunes add-on for Mac and Windows. The new release is a maintenance update that fixes some bugs. BeaTunes can detect various types of metadata, such as beats-per-minute and musical key, as well as find and fix typos and inconsistencies such as misspelled artists and rarely used genres. It analyzes the color and tempo (BPM) of your songs, intelligently creates playlists of matching songs, corrects your iTunes Music Library (typos, wrong genres, etc.), lets you blog about your playlists and more. A seven-day demo version is available at the product web site. Registration is US$31.95. Upgrades to version 2.1.11 from 1.x are $11.95 and free for registered 2.x users. beaTunes requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.

Despite the smaller screen, web video viewers stick around longer on mobile devices than they do on the desktop, according to data from MeFeedia (http://www.mefeedia.com), media search website that features videos, TV shows, movies, and music among other material that target the male demographic of age ranging 18-35. MeFeedia analyzed the habits of 125,000 unique mobile visitors to its site since July 1 and found on average, iPad users are sticking with videos for five minutes, Symbian users are sticking around for 4.1 minutes, Android users are lasting three minutes, and iPhone users last 2.4 minutes. "While those numbers sound rather small, in the world of web video, they're pretty good," notes "Silicon Alley Insider" (http://macosg.me/2/ko). In March, TubeMogul reported the average video view time was below two minutes, which means video viewing on mobile devices is higher, and in the case of the iPad significantly higher."

Twelve South (http://www.twelvesouth.com) has introduced Compass, an US$39.99 compact folding stand made exclusively for the iPad. It's designed to hold the iPad in two different modes. In the upright easel mode, Compass displays iPad in both portrait and landscape positions. The work mode positions iPad at an angle for typing. Adding to the convenience, Compass folds down to the size of a candy bar for easy portability. Silicone feet prevent it from slipping or scratching whatever surface it’s placed upon. Made of heavy gauge steel, the stand is purportedly easy to set up. Simply unfold the three legs, flip open the iPad supports, and it’s ready for use. To switch to work mode, flip open the secondary leg and lean it on a work surface to use. The stand can be used even if iPad is in a case like the Apple iPad Case.

A group of media and electronics companies have announced an agreement on an all-formats system called UltraViolet for digital downloads. The single standard will allow the consumer to purchase films to be viewed on any device -- a computer, smartphone, game console, Blu-ray player, and television. Backed by 48 companies, including film studios such as Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony and Fox, and tech firms like Microsoft, Toshiba, Panasonic as well as Intel and Comcast, the consortium, called the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) covers the spectrum of entertainment, software, hardware, and retail companies. The only holdouts are the Walt Disney Company, which has developed its own system called KeyChest, and Apple, according to "The Independent" (http://macosg.me/2/kl). Whether they will participate in the future is unknown. UltraViolet, a universal file format, could launch by the end of the year or in 2011, after the system is tested with an unnamed retailer. According...

Apple is poised to become the world's biggest buyer of semiconductors in 2012, as it rides the wave of strong demand for its iPad and iPhone, according to the iSuppli research group (http://www.isuppli.com). Apple s expected to steadily move up the rankings in chip spending, fueled by the success of the iPad and iPhone, which "have garnered tremendous sales on a scale unequaled by rival devices," according to a report by iSuppli. Apple, shares of which were up 3% in early trades, is expected to spend $12.4 billion this year, making it the third biggest chip buyer, behind HP and Samsung, notes "MarketWatch" (http://macosg.me/2/kk). However, the company is on track to surpass Samsung for the No. 2 spot in 2011, when Apple is projected to spend $16.2 billion. H-P is expected to be the top chip buyer with $17.1 billion.

During a conference with the press and analysts on Tuesday to discuss Apple's latest financial results, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said that the Mac is doing better than the industry average for computer sales -- and still has lots of room for growth. Cook also said that the iPad market is "very big" and could cannibalize PC sales (though it doesn't seem to be hurting Mac sales at all). In fact, Apple hopes the iPad will, like the iPod, have a "halo effect" and actually increase Mac sales. "Our guts tell us that the iPad market is very big, and if it turns out that iPad cannibalizes PCs, that's fantastic for us because there is a lot of PCs to cannibalize," Cook says. ""Historically, the iPod created a halo for the Mac and, in fact, as the iPod volumes took off we saw a dramatic change in Mac sales. So, could that happen on iPhone and iPad? We'll see." He adds that the Mac has lots of room for growth. Though it's outgrown the market for the past 17 quarters, the Mac...

Wulven Game Studios is working on Shadow Era (http://www.shadowera.com/), their upcoming collectible trading card game for the Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and Android systems. It's due this fall and is inspired by the more strategic trading card games. The initial download will be free while players will be able to earn new cards through gameplay or purchase additional booster packs. Packs of 15 cards will be able to buy for US$0.99, using in-game gold, or by completing special "trial offers" from SuperRewards. Shadow Era is inspired by the more strategic trading card games, bringing the traditional printed cards into into the digital realm and adding a rich backstory and RPG elements, according to the folks at Wulven Game Studios. You'll build a deck from a total of 200 unique cards and complete missions against the Shadow Warriors, or battle against other players to gain experience, and win new card packs each time you level up. The core card game features two enemy Heroes battling, and...

Tension Software has updated Cronette (http://pomola.com/products_cronette/cronette.html), a Cocoa task launcher for Macs and Mac servers, to version 1.3.1. It fixes a bug that in some situations can produce a wrong task execution order. Cronette lets you specify tasks to be launched automatically by the Mac. It can be used on unattended Mac Servers or also on regular Mac workstations for tasks to execute during the night or for recurring tasks to be performed on a regular basis. It provides different type of launch tasks: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. Any task can be specified to launch different type of execution: open applications or documents from disk; open different type of URL; execute different type of actions: restart, shutdown, sleep; sending a message to the log; execute a complex UNIX command. Cronette costs US$30 for a single user license, though version 1.3.1 is a free update for registered users. A demo is available for download. Cronette requires Mac OS X 10.5 or...

Panasonic (http://www.panasonic.com) has announced the LUMIX DMC-LX5, a compact digital camera sporting an ultra-bright F2.0 ultra-wide-angle 24mm LEICA DC Vario-Summicron lens. Its 24mm wide angle lens offers extraordinarily large viewing space and now the optical zoom is extended to 3.8x(90mm) making the LX5 even more versatile, according to David Briganti, senior product manager, Imaging, Panasonic. In addition to the newly-designed lens, the LUMIX LX5 features an image processing engine that combines technologies resulting in professional-quality photos, especially in low-light situations, he adds.Like its predecessor, the LUMIX LX5 features a 10.1-megapixel CCD, but it has an expanded dynamic range by increasing the sensitivity and the saturation. In addition to capturing high-quality still photos, the LUMIX LX5 can record HD videos in AVCHD Lite, a format that allows almost doubling the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. Creative...

When ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) first examined the media tablet market, neither Apple’s iPad nor any other multinational-branded tablet had been released. Six months later, the firm has revisited its forecasts, almost tripling the original estimate to reach about 11 million tablets expected to ship by the end of 2010. Its long-term estimates, however, remain basically unchanged. "Our forecast of 11 million media tablet shipments in 2010 is based both on the broader availability of the iPad and on the delayed introduction of competing products," says ABI Research principal analyst Jeff Orr. "Assuming that competing tablets from other vendors do arrive in the second half of the year as expected, we believe that the iPad will account for a significant portion -- but not all -- of the projected 11 million units. To capitalize on the usual fourth quarter sales boom, other tablets need to reach retailers’ shelves by early September." Orr suggests that the media tablet...

Cakewalk has released the free Rapture / Rapture LE 1.22 and Dimension Pro/Dimension LE 1.5 updates. They're compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") and Windows 7. The Rapture/Rapture LE Update is a available as a free download for registered customers along, with a comprehensive list of what is included in the update at: http://www.cakewalk.com/support/kb/reader.aspx?ID=2007013167 . The Dimension Pro / Dimension LE Update is a available as a free download for registered customers along, with a comprehensive list of what is included in the update at: http://www.cakewalk.com/support/kb/reader.aspx?ID=2007013166 .

For the fiscal 2010 third quarter that ended June 26, Apple shipped 9.4 million iPods, compared to 10.2 in the same period a year-ago. However, according to the latest info from the NPD Research Group, it still accounts for over 70% of the US market for MP3 players -- as it has for years. In fact, as Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer points out, the iPod is the top selling MP3 player internationally and growing in popularity in almost every country. Oppenheimer says that the iPod touch is going strong with sales growing 48% year-over-year. With its growth, the iPod ASP [average selling price] is up. The iTunes Store generated approximately US$1 billion in revenue, growing 25% year-over-year. Over 225,000 apps are now available -- with more than 11,000 just for the iPad, Oppenheimer says. Over five billion apps have been downloaded from the Apple App Store. Speaking of the iPad, Apple shipped 3.27 million iPads to customers in 10 countries through the end of the June...

For those of you who have forecast the impending demise of the Mac, well, forecast again. Fo the fiscal 2010 third quarter that ended June 26, Apple shipped 34.7 million Macs, beating their previous-best ever quarter by over 100,000. That's year-over-year growth of 33%, compared to 22% growth for the market overall, based on the latest stats by the IDC research group. Apple Chief Operating Office Office Tim Cook said that most Mac sales were still in the consumer market, but that there are signs it's gaining group in the business and enterprise markets. Apple saw double digit Mac growth in all geographies, lead by the iMac and the MacBook Pro. The company's computer sales outgrew the global market in both desktops and laptops. There were record Mac sales in the US education arena, despite continued budget restraint issues, says Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer. If you do the math, you'll see that the Mac accounts for 28% of Apple's revenue.

Amid indications that Apple Inc. is ratcheting up its iPad production targets to meet booming demand, iSuppli Corp. (http://www.isuppli.com) is ratcheting up its shipment forecast as well. iSuppli now predicts Apple will ship 12.9 million iPads in 2010, an increase from the previous forecast issued April 2 of 7.1 million units. Shipments will rise to 36.5 million in 2011 and 50.4 million in 2012, predicts the research group. “The iPad is shaping up to be the ‘Tickle Me Elmo’ of the 2010 holiday season, with product demand expected to vastly exceed available supply,” says Rhoda Alexander, director of monitor research for iSuppli. “Apple has hiked its iPad manufacturing goals to suppliers across Asia. As iSuppli stated in its initial forecast, the key to continuing success will be how quickly Apple responds to issues as they arise and whether the company can align suppliers to meet demand needs. Apple’s acceleration of its component demand indicates that the company has raised its iPad...

Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has released LinkOptimizer 4.4.2, an update of its workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The new version addresses an important issue related to resolution handling. LinkOptimizer lets you reduce InDesign job size and speed up processing by eliminating excess image data and performing essential image adjustments. LinkOptimizer Light 4.4.2 can be purchased from the Zevrix Solutions web site for US$259.95 , as well as from authorized resellers. LinkOptimizer works with Mac OS X 10.4.2-10.5 and InDesign CS-CS4. Version 4.4.2 is free for LinkOptimizer 4.x users and a $98.98 to upgrade from previous versions. A demo is available for download.

McAfee has launched McAfee Internet Security and McAfee Family Protection for the Mac (http://www.mcafee.com/mac).  McAfee Internet Security empowers consumers to surf the web safely, while McAfee Family Protection allows parents to filter inappropriate content from their children, says Todd Gebhart, executive vice president and general manager, consumer, mobile and small business at McAfee.  McAfee Internet Security for Mac includes the following features and benefits: ° McAfee SiteAdvisor technology protects users from malicious web sites, browser exploits and notifies users whether an ecommerce site has been scanned by McAfee for potential vulnerabilities. 
° SiteAdvisor technology provides site ratings in 22 search engines, and features advanced phishing protection that will alert users to sites that may try to steal personal identities or gain access to financial information. 
° Secure Search is a a dedicated search tool that allows users to search, explore and shop more...

GEAR4 (http://www.GEAR4.com), an UK iPod and iPhone audio brand, has expanded its presence in the U.S. market with the introduction of new portable audio solutions for the iPhone and iPod touch. They'll be available for purchase in the U.S. by Oct. 1.   The US$149 Explorer SP is a lightweight iPod/iPhone speaker that comes with a carrying case and a remote. It has a lithium-ion battery with a fast-charge feature, purportedly giving it 10 hours of continuous play after only two hours of charge. The StreetParty Size 0 is a slim and slender dock. Then there's teh StreetParty 4, a device dock that actually folds completely flat for storage. Both are powered with AA batteries, and manufacturer's suggested retail price is $99 and $69, respectively.   Rounding out GEAR4’s portable solutions, the StreetParty Compact is an option with a MSRP of $49. It's smaller in height than the other portable speakers.

Aquafadas (http://www.aquafadas.com) has updated PulpMotion and PulpMotion Advanced, slideshow and animation software for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") or later, to version 3.1. The new versions offers a new photo frame theme and a brand new version of animated books. With all these new features there are now more than 190 themes available in PulpMotion Advanced, including 30 new wedding themes. PulpMotion 3.1 costs US$129 for PulpMotion Advanced and $49 for PulpMotion Standard. Complimentary upgrades are available to customers who purchased PulpMotion on or after Jan. 1. Other upgrade options are available to existing PulpMotion customers who purchased before this date. Version 3.1 is a free update for registered users of version 3.0.

Centrify Corp., which specializes in securing and auditing access to cross-platform systems and applications through Active Directory, has announced availability of Centrify Express, a new set of free software applications and tools, content resources and community forums designed to help organizations improve security and compliance of data center and desktop systems. A subset of the company’s award-winning Centrify Suite of identity and access management solutions (IAM), Centrify Express is ideal for organizations interested in establishing a single sign-on experience for Mac and Linux users based on their existing Active Directory credentials. To download the free software, visit http://www.centrify.com/express .   Centrify Express comprises: ° DirectControl Express, which enables Mac OS X and Linux servers and workstations to participate in a Windows Active Directory domain and gives users Active Directory-based single sign-on; ° DirectManage Express, which automates deployment...

SQLabs has updated SQLLiteManager (http://www.sqlabs.com/sqlitemanager.php), a SQLite database manager tool for Mac OS X and Windows, to version 3.5. The upgrade adds a table editor with foreign key support and an advanced low level SQlite 3 database analyzer. SQLiteManager is a graphical user interface (GUI) database manager for SQLite databases. it allows you to open and work with SQALite 2.x, SQLite 3.x, in memory databases and REALSQL Server databases. It allows you to create and browse tables, views, triggers and indexes. SQLLiteManager enables you to insert, delete and update records and supports arbitrary SQL commands. It works with Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. A SQLiteManager single license is US$49, and a $20 discount coupon code is available for SQLiteManager 1.x registered users. Company and multiplatform licenses are also available. SQLLiteManager is a Universal Binary product, so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.