Amidio releases Star Guitar for the iPhone, iPod touch
Amidio (http://amidio.com/) has released Star Guitar, an US$3.99
iPhone/iPod touch application that enables the user to play automatic
guitar rhythms, both strumming and picking types. It's based upon
patented one-screen interface "StarChords," which allows immediate
selection of 144 chords.
Those chords can be strummed in a manual way (thanks to the
"SmartStrumming" technology), or automatically. All sounds are
generated in realtime with the new "SampleMagic" technology.
Almost any song can be played on Star Guitar with just 10-20 screen
taps, according to the folks at Amidio. There are 22 different guitar
rhythm patterns (pop, reggae, jazz, ballad) in Star Guitar 1.0 and
the library is extendable. There are three guitars by default:
Acoustic Silver, Mellow Jazz, and Electro Chorused.
Users can also use voice recorder and record guitar and voice
simultaneously. Among the features are: .WAV export; a built-in Wi-Fi
server; direct export to Intua Beatmaker; overdub recording; loading...
Bare Bones ships LottoCal for Mac OS X
Bare Bones Software today has released LottoCal
(http://www.barebones.com/products/lottocal/), a new Mac OS X utility
that adds the current winning lottery number and four-day forecast of
winning lottery numbers to iCal on the Mac and to the iPhone or iPod
touch.
LottoCal creates calendars that contain info on current and predicted
winning lottery numbers in user-specified locales. The LottoCal
system preferences panel allows the user to choose their favorite
U.S. locations.
Once set, LottoCal obtains the current day's lottery winner and four
days of winning lottery numbers, and presents the information in iCal
as all-day events, with additional details available in a single
click. These calendars and events can synchronize to other computers
or to your iPhone or iPod touch along with the rest of your iCal
data, using MobileMe (or iTunes) syncing.
Otto Matic: Alien Invasion comes to iPhone, iPod touch
Pangea Software (http://www.pangeasoft.net/") has released Otto
Matic: Alien Invasion is for the iPhone and iPod touch. Originally
developed for the Mac, Otto Matic is one of Pangea's most recognized
titles with over two million copies distributed worldwide. It's
available at the Apple App Store for US$4.99,.
Here's how the game is described: "The year is 1957 and a fleet of
flying saucers from Planet X have come to Earth. These saucers are
under the control of the evil Brain Aliens who are abducting helpless
humans and taking them away to strange alien worlds to become slaves
of The Giant Brain.
"Otto Matic the robot is given the job of saving Earth from the
attack of the Brain Aliens. His rocket ship will take you to each of
the alien planets where you must save as many humans as you can
before the Brain Aliens abduct them. Once The Giant Brain has been
defeated and peace has been restored to the galaxy, you will return
to Earth with your human cargo where they will be freed."
Quark partners with IBM
Quark (http://www.quark.com) has teamed with IBM Enterprise Content
Management (ECM) to enable the broad adoption of XML across the
enterprise by integrating Quark XML Author with IBM FileNet Content
Manager.
By eliminating barriers previously associated with the creation of
DITA-based XML, Quark makes it possible for any IBM FileNet Content
Manager user working in Microsoft Word to author intelligent content
that can be reused and delivered to multiple channels or formats,
says Ken Bisconti, vice president of Products and Strategy, IBM
Enterprise Content Management. "By integrating Quark XML Author into
IBM FileNet Content Manager we are helping enable customers to unlock
the value of their business content to reduce costs, increase
productivity, improve quality of service, and gain competitive
advantage," he adds.
Bisconti says the ability to author, manage, and reuse structured
content enables critical business needs, such as managing
intellectual property, complying with...
Quickoffice showcases office suite for the iPhone
Quickoffice, Inc. (http://www.quickoffice.com), a provider of mobile
office productivity software, will unveil what it says is the first
complete Office suite to provide native Microsoft Word and Excel
editing for the iPhone, Quickoffice for iPhone, at CTIA, April 1-3,
2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Quickoffice is the first iPhone application to include robust
document and spreadsheet editors, along with file access and content
management functionalities, according to Gregg Fiddes, vice president
of sales and strategic partnerships at Quickoffice. It offers a range
of functionality including font formatting, content selection,
bullets and cut, copy and paste within Word documents, he adds.
Users can also modify documents in landscape mode to leverage a wider
keyboard. With mathematical and statistical functions, including
advanced Excel formulas for spreadsheet processing, consumers can
revise inputs and recalculate, insert and resize rows and columns
within the application...
Opera browser adds Opera Face Gestures
Opera Software has unveiled its newest feature to be included in
Opera 10 -- Face Gestures. Opera Face Gestures enable anyone with a
webcam to control their browser moving only their face. Based on the
same architecture as Opera's Mouse Gestures, the technology grew out
of a collaborative project between Opera and the Norwegian
Intelligence Service (NIS) to create advanced facial-recognition
technology using only JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
"In 2001, we introduced Mouse Gestures in Opera 5.1. At that point we
knew we were on to something," says Jon von Tetzchner, Opera CEO. "We
already had keyboard shortcuts in the very first version of Opera,
but once we introduced voice control in Opera 8 we had only one input
mechanism left--the face. Opera Face Gestures represent the next
frontier in browser control."
Opera Face Gestures include more than 45 controls, from opening new
tabs to restoring sessions to navigating through a web page. Opera
Face Gestures are so advanced you can compose and...
Cocktail 4.3.3 (Leopard Edition) has been released
Maintain (http://www.maintain.se) has announced the release of
Cocktail 4.3.3 (Leopard Edition). This version contains major
improvements on the clear potentially harmful files procedure, adds
clearing of the latest (F and G) variants of the RSPlug trojan horse
and clearing of the Inqtana.C worm. The update is highly recommended
for all users of Cocktail (Leopard Edition).
Cocktail 4.3.3 (Leopard Edition) is distributed as a Universal Binary
and runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Cocktail 4.3.3
(Leopard Edition) requires Mac OS X / Mac OS X Server 10.5 or later
and is tested for compatibility with Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server
10.5.7.
Cocktail 4.3 (Tiger Edition) for Mac OS X 10.4.x and Cocktail 3.7
(Panther Edition) for Mac OS X 10.3.x are available for download from
our website.
Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X. It
is a smooth and powerful digital toolset with a variety of practical
features that simplifies the use of advanced UNIX...
Extensis Suitcase Fusion 2 adds Tiger compatibility
Extensis has released Suitcase Fusion 2 version 13.1, adding support
for Mac OS X 10.4 ("Tiger") to its single-user professional font
management product. Current Suitcase Fusion 2 users on Mac OS X 10.5
or higher will receive this maintenance update at no cost, which also
includes a variety of desktop, plug-in manager and other
enhancements.
All current users of Suitcase Fusion 1 (version 12) are eligible for
upgrade pricing. English, French, and German versions of Suitcase
Fusion 2 v13.1 are now available for download from the Extensis web
site (http://www.extensis.com/SuitcaseFusion2).
Built on the platform used for the Extensis Universal Type Client,
Suitcase Fusion 2 brings together "ground-breaking technology with a
sleek modern interface," says Brian Berson, general manager at
Extensis.
Suitcase Fusion 2 not only continues the tradition of professional
font management capabilities, but also focuses heavily on the
creative aspects of typography. By using Suitcase Fusion 2's...
DAZ 3D releases Girl 4 3D figure
DAZ 3D has unveiled a new version of its 3D figure, the Girl
4(http://www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/the-girl-4?cat=842&_m=d), complete
with customizable body shaping, increased texture map resolution and
improved joint rigging. Created from DAZ 3D's fourth-generation
Unimesh, the Girl 4 is fully compatible with all Victoria 4, Victoria
4 Elite and Aiko 4 head and body shapes, textures and poses.
Originally created by 3D graphics and games artist Kim Goossens, the
Girl is used by hobbyist and professional artists as a muse for
magazine and album covers, fan art and the like. In addition to her
vast compatibility with all DAZ 3D models and hundreds of add-on
products available in the DAZ 3D online store, the Girl 4 is fully
ready to animate within DAZ Studio, Carrara and Poser.
The Girl 4 base product is available for immediate download at the
DAZ 3D online store for US$29.95. DAZ Platinum Club members may
purchase the Girl 4 for $1.99. Corresponding product bundles range in
price from...
Zero260 announces three photo sharing apps for the iPhone
Zero260, a new mobile experience studio, has launched its first
family of iPhone applications around the concept of "Feedds." Feedds
are the a way for a mobile user to share and view photos with other
mobile users.
The Feedds debuted today include: PhotoFeedd, for people who like to
view and share their everyday life experiences; TravelFeedd, for
people who want to share their travel adventures; and CarFeedd, for
enthusiasts who like to view and share pictures of cool rides.
Built around simplicity, Feedds allow users to create a personal
topic and share their photos in less than a minute. All three are
immediately available from the Apple App Store
(http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304563...).
Blue Lamp Software releases PrintSprint 1.0 for Mac OS X
Blue Lamp Software (http://bluelampsoftware.com/printsprint/) has
released PrintSprint 1.0 for Mac OS X. It's a Mac OS X utility for
users who want prints from their digital photos and is being offered
at an introductory price of US$19.95.
According to the folks at Blue Lamp Software, PrintSprint makes it
simple to select photos, set the print size, quantity, and crop and
then generate your order. It never modifies your originals and it
works with your organizational system so it doesn't matter if you're
using iPhoto, Aperture or have your photos on your hard drives or CDs.
PrintSprint requires Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard"). A demo is available
for download.
Pepid comes to the iPhone
Clinical and pharmacological information can be accessed vya the
iPhone now that now that Pepid
(http://www.pepid.com/iphone/default.asp) has come to the Apple
device.
With Pepid, physicians need to look no further than their iPhone to
find the answers to critical questions like, "what are the possible
diagnoses?" "what's the recommended prescribed drug?" "what's the
recommended dose?" or "are there any possible drug interactions?" and
"what is the best evidence available for treatment?" Previously the
answers to these questions could only be found though memory or by
looking up information in textbooks, but now it's available literally
at their fingertips.
"The iPhone was revolutionary when it was introduced. Now with Pepid,
it's become the preferred point-of-care tool that doctors and nurses
rely on," says Pepid President, John Wagner. "Currently, there are
numerous channel applications available. Some contain drug
information, some have minimal disease profiles, some have several...
MacVector, Inc. announces the release of MacVector 10.6.
MacVector, Inc. (http://www.macvector.com) has just released
MacVector 10.6. This release sees the introduction of a Vector NTI
database import function that allows MacVector to directly read
sequence data from databases created by Vector NTI Advance v10 or
earlier, even if the database resides on a Windows machine accessible
over a network. MacVector 10.6 reads all of the standard features
and annotations associated with each sequence. Also, since MacVector
follows the Genbank format for the features table and is always kept
up to date with the latest Genbank release, it has the added benefit
of migrating any old and deprecated feature information contained in
the Vector NTI file into the current nomenclature. Also included in
MacVector 10.6 are enhancements and optimizations to the Align To
Reference and Assembler alignment tools.
MacVector, Inc's President, Dr. Kevin Kendall said "Over the past few
months we have had many customers asking us to import their Vector
NTI files...
NewPCgadgets.com introduces Laptop Flip for Apple laptops
NewPCgadgets.com has introduced the Laptop Flip
(http://newpcgadgets.com/products/laptopflip/index.html), anUS$18.95,
2-in-1 space saver and riser for your Mac laptop. Now you can store
your laptop in the vertical position when not in use creating
additional space on your desktop.
In use, the the Laptop Flip raises the back of your laptop by
1.25-inches and is designed to improve your viewing and typing angle
and increasing ventilation. It's made of lightweight acrylic with a
non-skid rubber surface.
Toon Boom announces Animate Pro, Manager apps
Toon Boom Animation (http://www.toonboom.com/main/) has announced two
new products: Toon Boom Animate Pro and Toon Boom Manager. Animate
Pro Toon Boom builds upon Animate's feature set and delivers also
2D-3D integration, as well as scanning options and full compositing
capabilities with 50 built-in special effects.
Toon Boom Manager provides full tracking capabilities to monitor the
production progress in real time. They're parts of the new,
modularized Harmony Solution, which is designed for creating
traditional, paperless and cut-out animation, all integrated in a
network environment.
As a turn-key solution, the Harmony Solution also includes
consultancy services for implementation, custom training, production
assistance and custom development. Consultancy services play a
critical role in maximizing the benefits of the Toon Boom pipeline
from the beginning, and delivering projects of all sizes within
budget and schedule, says Joan Vogelesang, president and CEO of Toon
Boom.
Toon...
Genius announces new noise-canceling headphone
Genius (http://www.geniusnetusa.com) has announced a new headphone
designed to block outside sound for entertainment fans. The GHP-04NC
touts a sound blocking feature that cancels out background
distraction noise an purportedly allowing only the music to be heard.
Built based on the "superposition principle," The GHP-04NC is
designed with an inverted version of the noise signal to cancel
outside noise when two identical sound waves combine. This result is
destructive interference, the most effective way to cancel noise from
low-frequency sources.
The GHP-04NC uses a 40mm unit driver. The padded swivel ear-cup can
be adjusted to fit any face contour and the soft headband sponge and
leather ear pad are designed for long time wear. It helps fade away
background noise for up to 50 hours of uninterrupted enjoyment on two
AAA Alkaline batteries. Priced at US$49.99, the GHP-04NC comes
complete with a 6.3mm dual-plug stereo adapter that can connect to a
variety of flight audio sources and a...
Sorenson Squeeze 5 bundled with latest Avid editing software
Sorenson Media today announced that Sorenson Squeeze 5 is being
shipped with the latest versions of Avid Technology's
(http://www.avid.com) suite of video editing applications, including
Avid Media Composer (version 3.5), Symphony (version 3.5) and
NewsCutter (version 7.5) software. Sorenson Squeeze 5 enables
independent editors, producers and filmmakers who use Avid video
editing software to deliver video in all of the most popular video
formats with advanced encoding options.
Sorenson Squeeze 5 makes it possible for users to output content in a
wide variety of formats, including Flash, QuickTime, RealMedia,
Windows Media, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. The software can also
encode in HD for MPEG-2, Flash, VC-1, and H.264 formats, says Peter
Csathy, CEO of Sorenson Media.
Through the Avid software interface, video editors are able to send
their video files directly to Sorenson Squeeze 5 for encoding and
compression without having to export intermediate files. The software
allows users to...
Envivio announces Elite Compression for optimizing mobile TV
Envivio (http:www.envivio.com), a provider of compression solutions
for Three Screens video convergence, has introduced Elite
Compression, an enhancement for its 4Caster C4 and M2 mobile TV
encoders. This new compression tier is tuned to optimize the media
playback experience on today's most popular mobile devices, according
to Boris Felts, vice president of Product Marketing at Envivio.
Elite Compression will debut at CTIA Wireless 2009 in Las Vegas from
April 1-3. It will be available to participants in Envivio's Mobile
Streaming trade up program, which offers discounts up to 35 percent
to operators who replace their existing software encoders with the
Envivio 4Caster C4 before May 31.
Elite Compression bridges the performance gap that currently exists
in the mobile streaming market by targeting the many mass market
mobile devices which use their central processor to decode media
content, says Felts. While H.263 and MPEG-4 Simple Profile
compression are well matched to the...
IDG World Expo announces new dates for Macworld 2010
Macworld Expo 2010 (http://www.macworldexpo.com) is scheduled to take
place February 9 - 13, 2010, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco,
IDG World Expo announced today. Responding to feedback from the Mac
community of exhibitors, attendees, media and fans of the show, IDG
World Expo is ushering in a new era for the event by shifting the
show dates away from their historical early January timing. The new
dates will give exhibitors and attendees more breathing room between
the busy holiday season and the world's largest event focused
specifically on Apple products.
"Macworld is the largest global Mac-centric event of the year, and we
are focused on making 2010 the most productive, efficient and
content-rich event possible for our community of exhibitors,
attendees and media," said Mary Dolaher, chief executive officer of
IDG World Expo, the owner of Macworld. "For 25 years, Macworld has
been the pre-eminent event focused solely on the Apple products
ecosystem, and, with the recent...
TNA Wrestling comes to iPhone, iPod touch
Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling and Longtail Studios have
announced TNA Wrestling
(http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/1397/84/) for the iPhone
and iPod touch. It's available for download immediately on the Apple
App Store forYS for $4.99.
Here's how the game is described: "Get ready to experience Total
Nonstop Action anytime, anywhere! Once players create their own
custom wrestler, they can jump into the ring against 15 TNA greats,
including AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe and Sting, and compete in
eight different match types such as Tag Team, Iron Man, Gauntlet and
Lumberjack. The goal is to make it from unsigned rookie to TNA World
Champion, while unlocking new moves, forging ring alliances, creating
rivalries and making decisions outside of the ring that will affect
what goes on inside of it."
AKVIS Sketch 8.6 released
AKVIS Softwareannounces the release of AKVIS Sketch v.8.6 for
Windows and Macintosh. The software converts photos to pencil
drawings and watercolor paintings. Version 8.6 improves the way a
photo is converted into a watercolor painting and fixes the
compatibility bug that caused the Sketch plugin to crash on Macintosh
computers+Photoshop CS3,CS4. It also improves plugin compatibility on
Windows and adds support of 32 bit images to the plugin (earlier
available only in the standalone version). Upgrade for registered
users is free.
AKVIS Sketch is an award-winning program for conversion of photos
into pencil sketches and watercolor paintings. Make any photo look
like a B&W or color drawing, imitate the technique of graphite or
color pencil, charcoal or watercolor painting.
The program works in an entertaining way. It allows observing the
conversion of a photo into a drawing/watercolor in real time and even
interrupting the process when the required result is achieved.
Once you...
Zevrix improves print queue handling in BatchOutput for InDesign
Zevrix Solutions today has released BatchOutput 3.5.1, a maintenance
update to its popular solution to automate printing and exporting
from Adobe InDesign. BatchOutput lets users accomplish their tasks
faster and with less resources by automating and simplifying the
output from InDesign. The new update allows changing the output job
name in printer queue when printing from non-admin accounts.
Toronto (ON), Canada - Zevrix Solutions announces the release of
version 3.5.1 of BatchOutput, its popular professional solution to
automate printing and exporting from Adobe InDesign. BatchOutput
automates and simplifies InDesign output workflow of printers, ad
agencies, service providers and publishing houses.
With BatchOutput, users only need to select the files to output and
adjust the settings, instead of opening and printing each document
manually. BatchOutput lets users accomplish their tasks faster and
with less resources. For example, BatchOutput can be left printing or
exporting...
MobileRiser is new kickstand for iPhone or iPod
The MobileRiser
(http://newpcgadgets.com/products/mobileriser/index.html) is a new,
US$4.95 kickstand for an iPhone or iPod touch. It stands up your cell
phone, iPhone, iPod or other mobile devices for viewing at a 75
degree viewing angle.
It's designed to let you watch movies on your iPhone or iPod or just
see who's calling faster. The MobileRiser is less than 1/16 of an
inch thick, so doesn't interfere with carrying cases.
MonsterQuest game released for Mac OS X
Macgamestore.com has announced the availability of MonsterQuest for
the Mac (http://www.macgamestore.com/detail.php?ProductID=1127)
through its web site and digital download service, Mac Games Arcade.
The game was developed by Canopy Productions and digitalBrandplay.
Here's how the game is described: "Now, fans of the smash hit series
on HISTORY will have the chance to become a MonsterQuest investigator
-- in a compelling and mysterious adventure in search of amazing and
elusive creatures.
"In the spirit of CSI and X-Files, the MonsterQuest team uses modern
investigative techniques to pull back the shroud of myth, rumor,
hearsay, and superstition to reveal the facts and truth concealed
within. The MonsterQuest game will place the player in the heart of
these probing investigations.
MonsterQuest requires a Mac with Mac OS X 10.4 or later. A free
60-minute trial version is available for download from either
Macgamestore.com or the digital download application, Mac Games
Arcade. The game...
LightWorks enhancements in latest TurboCAD release
LightWork Design has released TurboCAD Pro v16
(http://www.turbocad.com), from IMSI/Design. It incorporates new
updated LightWorks functionality.
The new product release was announced earlier this week and rendering
enhancements within the release include LightWorks global
illumination, final gather and ambient occlusion - which facilitates
a simpler and faster creation of more accurate and realistic
renderings - as well as the addition of numerous new material
shaders. David Forrester, Managing Director at LightWork Design
commented, "We are pleased to see the addition of the latest
LightWorks technology within TurboCAD Pro and to see the real
advances that this makes to the product. We look forward to seeing
more TurboCAD entries within our LightWorks image competition in the
months to come as users take advantage of these improvements."
Bob Mayer, Chief Operating Officer at IMSI/Design added, "LightWork
Design's development and support staff were instrumental in providing
advice...
equinux integrates CoverScout, SongGenie ore closely
If the new iPod shuffle's announcements consist of only "track 01"
and "unknown album", SongGenie can quickly help determine the missing
track information by using acoustic fingerprints. iPhones and iPods
with screens will benefit from CoverScout's album cover search by
displaying the correct cover in the Cover Flow view. equinux
(http://www.equinux.com) has updated CoverScout and SongGenie and has
integrated them more closely together giving users a greater ability
to improve their music libraries.
SongGenie 1.1 delivers for each identified song all available music
albums as a selection. It can now apply all the details of already
identified tracks in one go - automatically if desired. If the
artwork for a track is missing, SongGenie starts searching in
CoverScout with just one mouseclick.
If CoverScout cannot find a cover due to missing track information,
it can be found by SongGenie with a mouseclick. This way brushing up
one's music collection will be a walk in the park. Typos...
Nemetschek North America announces Service Pack 3 for Vectorworks
Nemetschek North America has released its third service pack for the
Vectorworks 2009 product line (http;//www.vectorworks2009.net). In
addition to addressing several user origin shift problems,
improvements were also made to stairs, framing member objects, IFC
export, referenced and sheet layer viewports (including section
viewports), interactive drawing operations, and many other areas of
the application.
Currently, Service Pack 3 is available only for professional licenses
as a downloadable updater. To install the Service Pack, go to the
About Vectorworks dialog box in the Vectorworks 2009 application and
click Check for Updates.
Vectorworks 2009 was released on Sept. 15, 2008. The Vectorworks 2009
product line includes Vectorworks Designer, Vectorworks Architect,
Vectorworks Landmark, Vectorworks Spotlight, Vectorworks Machine
Design, Vectorworks Fundamentals, and Renderworks.
Meadows Publishing releases DesignMerge VDP for InDesign CS4
Meadows Publishing Solutions has released DesignMerge Pro for Adobe
InDesign CS4, supporting both Mac and Windows platforms. DesignMerge
Pro (http://www.designmerge.com/aboutplugins) will provide Adobe
InDesign users with variable data publishing, personalized printing,
and document automation features.
The modules work within the InDesign application, enabling
mail-merge, variable data printing, and document automation features.
The entire process is database-driven. DesignMerge can support
variable text, picture, article, and even complete InDesign layouts
and master pages.
All of the features of Adobe InDesign are available when using
DesignMerge software, so features such as variable type-on-a-curve
are supported. DesignMerge also outputs the most popular variable
data printing formats, including PostScript, PPML, and Creo VPS. The
product is fully compatible with systems offered by Canon, Xerox, HP,
EFI, Ricoh, and Konica-Minolta, among others.
New ebook explains the Unix command line from a Mac point of view
For many Mac users, the Unix command line is a thing of mystery. It
offers unparalleled power, but forces users to give up the Mac's
graphical interface and requires a completely different mindset. To
enable Mac users to gain competence and comfort with the Mac's Unix
command line, the 111-page ebook "Take Control of the Mac Command
Line with Terminal" is now available.
Written by author Joe Kissell, the ebook starts with the fundamentals
and walks readers through more advanced topics as their knowledge
increases. To help readers put their new-found skills to use, Kissell
includes 40 real-life "recipes" for tasks that are best done from the
command line. The US$10 ebook is now available at
http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/command-line
Kissell has written many ebooks in the Take Control series, and he is
the author of "Take Control of Mac OS X Backups." He's also a
frequent contributor to Macworld and Senior Editor of TidBITS.
Freeverse to unveil Flick NBA Basketball for iPhone, iPod touch
Freeverse (http://www.freeverse.com) will launch Flick NBA
Basketball, the first NBA branded game available on the Apple App
Store during the 2009 NBA Playoffs which tip off April 18.
The new game, which is still in development, will feature dozens of
NBA players from all 30 NBA teams. By flicking a finger on the
touchscreen, players will have the opportunity to test their skills
in a variety of NBA style events and challenges. Choose your
favorite player, and compete against the computer or your friend.
Flick NBA Basketball promises to bring all the action and excitement
of the NBA to the palm of your hand!
Flick NBA Basketball will be the latest title in Freeverse's lineup
of Flick Sports games, joining Flick Fishing, Flick Bowling and the
upcoming Flick Baseball. Additional information on Flick NBA
Basketball will be available at launch.
WWDC 2009, June 8-12
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2009.
June 8-12 in San Francisco, Moscone West
The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is the premier technical
event for developers and IT professionals innovating with Apple platforms.
Over 1,000 Apple engineers will be at Moscone West to present the latest
Apple technologies and provide you with code-level guidance. You'll learn
how to harness the power of iPhone OS, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and Mac OS X
Server Snow Leopard in the most efficient and sophisticated way possible -
saving you time and accelerating your development. Bring your MacBook and
your imagination, and prepare to make your ideas happen.
Technical Sessions
At the heart of the WWDC experience are the technical sessions presented by
Apple engineers. Choose from a wide range of topics on developing,
deploying, and integrating iPhone OS and Mac OS X technologies. Sessions
cover introductory and advanced concepts so you can gain a solid foundation
if you are new to iPhone...
Mapajasi releases PocketFit Diet, Exercise products for the
Mapajasi has released PocketFit Diet and PocketFit Exercise for the
iPhone and iPod touch. They're available for US$1.99 each at the
Apple App Store.
PocketFit Diet
(http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308463...)
has 48 healthy meals and snacks to help you with your eating plan.
PocketFit Exercise
(http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308466...)
helps you plan you with a complete full body fitness workout and has
thousands of permutation.
Speck's Fitted case coming to the 2G iPod touch, 4G iPod...
Speck (http://www.speckproducts.com/content/fitted-cases) has
announced it's bringing its Fitted hard shell cases, already popular
on the iPhone 3G, to the iPod touch 2G and iPod nano 4G. Available in
a new assortment of female friendly materials, patterns and colors,
the new Fitted case series cost US$29.95,
The new patterns include BubbleSpotDot Aqua and CheeryPlum Purple for
the iPod nano 4G and the Lovely Roger White/Pink, Lovely Roger
Black/Grey and CheeryPlum Purple for the iPod touch 2G. The cases are
fashioned out of textured vinyl wrapped over a protective hard shell
case.
For a more dressed-up and refined look, Speck is also bringing the
Black Pinstripe, Tan Houndstooth and Black and White Plaid fabric
available in its Fitted for iPhone 3G case designs to both iPod
devices. Fabrics custom-tailored over a hard shell are used to create
a personalized appearance.
WD's My Book family of external hard drives now deliver 2TB
WD (http://www.westerndigital.com) expanded its My Book family of
external hard drives to include a 2TB capacity, the largest available
capacity in a single-drive system. The new 2TB My Book family
includes: My Book Studio Edition, My Book Mac Edition, My Book Home
Edition and My Book Essential Edition models.
Formatted for Mac computers, these drives are an ideal solution for
creative professionals and video editors, says Jim Welsh, senior vice
president and general manager of WD's branded products and consumer
electronics groups.The My Book Studio Edition is equipped with
FireWire 400/800, USB 2.0 and eSATA interfaces.
The My Book Home Edition is equipped with FireWire 400 and USB 2.0
interfaces. My Book Essential Edition offers an USB 2.0 interface.
The My Book Studio Edition, My Book Home Edition and My Book
Essential Edition 2TB external hard drives are available now at
select retail stores and online retailers. My Book Mac Edition 2 TB
external drives will be available next...
Omni Group announces OmniGraphSketcher forMac OS X Leopard
The Omni Group has announced OmniGraphSketcher 1.0
(http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraphsketcher/), a Mac OS
X tool that combines the data plotting power of charting applications
with the ease of a basic drawing program. It's specifically designed
for reports, presentations, and problem set.
The Omni Group recently acquired OmniGraphSketcher (previously known
as Graph Sketcher) when its creator, Robin Stewart, joined Omni as a
software developer. Robin Stewart will be giving a presentation on
the design of OmniGraphSketcher at next month's ACM Conference on
Human Factors in Computing Systems (http://www.chi2009.org/).
Existing Graph Sketcher customers are eligible for a free upgrade to
OmniGraphSketcher, and will receive notification of their upgrade
status via email. OmniGraphSketcher 1.0 is currently in beta, and
licenses are available for US$29.95. Educational and family pricing
are available.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.63 adds Value List, Custom
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.63 from .com Solutions Inc. has
been enhanced with support for copying Custom Functions and Value
Lists between FileMaker Pro Advanced database files when performing
Table Consolidation projects.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition makes it possible for developers to
save many hours of manual labor by automating the copying of Tables,
Fields, Relationships, TOs, Value Lists, Custom Functions, Layouts
and Scripts between FileMaker Pro Advanced database files. FmPro
Migrator Developer Edition utilizes QuicKeys(Mac OS
X)/WinAutomation(Windows) shortcuts to drive the FileMaker Pro
Advanced graphical interface to build the objects in the consolidated
destination database file.
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 creates both static and dynamic
Value Lists, with the custom...
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.63 adds Value List, Custom
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.63 from .com Solutions Inc. has
been enhanced with support for copying Custom Functions and Value
Lists between FileMaker Pro Advanced database files when performing
Table Consolidation projects.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition makes it possible for developers to
save many hours of manual labor by automating the copying of Tables,
Fields, Relationships, TOs, Value Lists, Custom Functions, Layouts
and Scripts between FileMaker Pro Advanced database files. FmPro
Migrator Developer Edition utilizes QuicKeys(Mac OS
X)/WinAutomation(Windows) shortcuts to drive the FileMaker Pro
Advanced graphical interface to build the objects in the consolidated
destination database file.
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 creates both static and dynamic
Value Lists, with the custom...
Cinemizer Plus gets first approval for iPhone
The Cinemizer Plus (http://www.zeiss.de/), which launches in May,
will purportedly be the first video eyewear to get the "Works with
iPhone" approval from Apple. Designed to work with the iPod, the
original Cinemizer bore the "Made for iPod" approval from Apple.
Further compliance with Apple requirements means that the new model
gains the "Works with iPhone" approval in addition to the "Made for
iPod" compliance, according to Andreas Klavehn, senior manager for
the Carl Zeiss Multimedia Devices at Carl Zeiss.
The Cinemizer Plus comes with clips to fit the iPhone (either
versions), or any video capable iPod. It then plays back any video
content you have thought the video headset. The built-in battery
means the iPhone battery is conserved, and will run the display for
up to four hours.
The Cinemizer combines LCD screens with individual diopter focus
adjustment (-3.5 to +3.5D). This means even if the user wears glasses
the screen image can be focused for crystal-clear viewing, Klavehn...
Southpaw ships Tactic 2.5 for Mac OS X
Southpaw Technology has released version 2.5 of Tactic
(http://www.southpawtech.com/en/product/index.html), its digital
asset management system for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux systems. The
upgrade indexes and tracks each component of every project to create
a streamlined workflow with an automated central repository of assets.
Created by users from the 3D and animation industry, Tactic 2.5
combines a server with a drag 'n drop web client to create a scalable
DAM system. It creates a central library of every media asset as a
byproduct of the production process.
Tactic 2.5 sells for a suggested retail price of US$895 per user.
This includes all software upgrades and technical support for the
first year. Ongoing upgrades and support may be purchased for $185
per user, per year. Tactic is licensed per "active user" -- meaning a
studio can assign as many user accounts as they need; only those that
are set as active by the Tactic administrator require a license.
Dover Studios releases 'Shake Compositing Workflow 2nd...
Dover Studios has released "Shake Compositing Workflow 2nd Edition,"
their latest visual effects training video. It provides an
introduction to node-based compositing for visual effects artists
working in the film and television industry.
In this video, visual effects artists, Andrew Hazelden and Russell
Hazelden, explore the Shake user interface and the workflow used to
composite images. The second edition has been completely updated and
features 1080p high definition video.
Topics include: loading footage into a Shake script with the FileIn
node, adjusting node parameters, layering images with the Over node,
using RAM and disk based Flipbooks to preview composites, working
with nodes and noodles, and rendering finished composites using the
FileOut node.
Advanced topics include: using proxies to work with high resolution
footage in real-time, relinking missing media, customizing global
parameters, viewing multiple color channels in the Viewer and in
Flipbooks, using horizontal and...
Lego Batman: The Videogame coming to the Mac on April 9
Feral Interactive will ship the Mac version of the action adventure
title, Lego Batman: The Videogame
(http://www.feralinteractive.com/?section=buy&language=english), on
Thursday, April 9, 2009. Developed by TT Games, the game will retail
in North America for US$39.95. It requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or higher.
Here's how the game is described: "Players can explore a richly
interactive LEGO Gotham City as Batman and Robin, capturing infamous
villains -- and even take control of the villains themselves. The
story unfolds with Batman's greatest foes escaping from Arkham Asylum
and creating mayhem throughout Gotham City. Tracking criminals,
including The Joker and The Penguin, players will utilize Batman's
gadgets as well as build and operate fantastic vehicles."
This game runs on all Macs with Intel processors including all
Intel-based Mac minis and MacBook models. Lego Batman is now
available for pre-order.
Numark ships Stealth Control DJ software
Numark (http://www.numark.com), a manufacturer of DJ technology, has
announced that Stealth Control, a new professional DJ controller the
comes with Native Instruments Traktor 3 LE and MixMeister Fusion Live
software, is now available for purchase.
Stealth Control's design is based around Numark's other control
surfaces, such as Total Control and Omni Control. Its layout mirrors
traditional "two decks and a mixer" set-ups. Stealth Control is
housed in a heavyweight metal casing.
Stealth Control ships with Native Instruments Traktor 3 LE and
MixMeister Fusion Live DJ software. Traktor LE is a dual-deck DJ
application that lets DJs mix with their library of music. MixMeister
Fusion Live takes many of the technical tasks such as beat matching
out of DJs' hand.
Stealth Control is available from DJ and pro audio retailers. It has
a U.S. retail price of $469, and can be found in stores at an
approximate price of $269.95.
Aspyr, Activision unveil Guitar Hero World Tour for Mac, Windows
Aspyr Media (http://www.aspyr.com) and Activision Publishing
(http://www.activision.com) have teamed for Guitar Hero World Tour
for Mac and Windows systems. Due later this year, it offers wireless
controllers to computer gamers, new online and offline gameplay modes
and a Music Studio feature for composing and editing original rock
and roll anthems.
Guitar Hero World Tour sports 86 on-disc tracks from music legends as
The Eagles, Van Halen, Metallica, Michael Jackson and The Doors. It
features in-game appearances by world famous artists such as Ozzy
Osbourne, Billy Corgan and Travis Barker.
Guitar Hero World Tour delivers more ways to play than ever before,
according to Ted Staloch, executive vice president, Aspyr
Media. Virtual musicians can live out their rock and roll fantasies
by playing either a single instrument in-game, or any combination of
instruments within the game, in addition to the full band experience.
Building on all of the online gameplay modes from Guitar Hero III:...
Native Instruments announces Traktor Duo and Traktor Scratch Duo
Native Instruments has announced Traktor Duo and Traktor Scratch Duo
(http://www.native-instruments.com/TraktorDuo.info), two new DJ
solutions that bring the functionality of the Traktor Pro platform
into a new price range. The new Traktor Duo software, which is also
at the heart of Traktor Scratch Duo, offers many of the advanced
features of Traktor PRO in a two-deck configuration.
It's based on the same performance-optimized user interface, and
offers a host of DJ features like auto-syncing, looping, integrated
EQs and filters, and more. Automatic beat-gridding in combination
with the "Sync Lock" function is designed to ensure that the tracks
in Traktor Duo never drift out of sync. The Crate Flick cover artwork
support also allows users to visually browse music libraries.
Traktor Scratch Duo combines the Duo software with the Audio 4 DJ
24bit/96 kHz audio interface into a time-code controlled DJ system.
Traktor Scratch Duo is based on the 2kHz high-resolution time-code
technology of...
LANrev Releases LANrev 5.1 for Mac OS X and Windows
LANrev LP today announces the immediate availability of LANrev 5.1
(http://www.lanrev.com/product/introducing-lanrev-51.html), an update
to their industry-leading systems lifecycle management suite for Mac
OS X and Windows. Affordable and easy-to-use, LANrev enables the
management of enterprise systems by automating patch and software
distribution, asset inventory, eco-friendly power management, license
monitoring and security configuration.
LANrev collects and reports hundreds of details about hardware and
software, monitors software license compliance, automates
distribution and installation of applications, updates and patches,
and helps remotely configure all managed systems. LANrev's clean,
intuitive interface and flexible architecture easily adapt to any
network environment.
LANrev version 5.1 adds new features, including extensive iPhone
management support, on-demand software installation for users,
customizable agent branding and enhanced power management reporting.
LANrev can...
Flash'in'App for Mac apps updated to version 2.0
Eltima Software has has released Flash'in'App 2.0
(http://mac.eltima.com/cocoa-framework.html), an update of the Cocoa
framework for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher) that lets load and fully
manage Flash movies within an application. This framework contains a
set of classes, which provide application with the ability to load,
play and manage any SWF files right within this application.
The apps can communicate with SWF file via an external application
programming interface, FSCommands and variables. Flash'in'App lets an
app into which it's integrated handle sounds, video and
images. Additionally, Flash'in'App allows creating custom-shaped
windows and running a Windows Flash-enabled application's graphical
user interface on a Mac.
End users will need at Mac OS X 10.4 or higher and Flash Player 8 or
newer to run applications that are developed with Flash'in'App. A
demo is available for download. Registration is US$399.95 for a
single user license.
Kena Kai introduces environmentally friendly laptop sleeves
Kena Kai (http://www.kenakai.com) is introducing a line of laptop
sleeves that protect computers while also protecting the planet. The
FELTtech sleeves are made with a fiber that is created from 100
percent recycled PET bottles and containers.
Polyethylene perepthalate (PET) is a common plastic used in beverage
bottles. Like most plastics, the bottles are non-biodegradable and
will just sit in landfills if we don't recycle them.
"We recognized that as the market for portable computers continues to
grow, so would the market for accessories such as sleeves, but we
knew that our offering had to be made from an eco-friendly
alternative fabric to the most common material used for computer
sleeves, which is neoprene," says Geb Masterson, president of Kena
Kai. "We really didn't think the world needed another petroleum-based
neoprene sleeve. We wanted to go the greener route, to give people a
better choice," added Masterson.
The TSA-friendly FELTtech sleeves feature a wide zippered...
QNAP Turbo NAS series now compatible with WD Caviar Green hard
QNAP Systems (http://www.qnap.com) has announced that the Western
Digital Caviar Green 2TB SATA hard drive is now supported by the
entire TS-109/ 209/ 409/ 509/ 439/ 639/ 809 /809U-RP and the latest
TS-119/ 219 Turbo NAS series.
QNAP has recently introduced an one-bay and two-bay NAS with iSCSI
TS-119 and TS-219 Turbo NAS for home, SOHO (small office/home
office), and SMB (small to medium-sized business) users. They are the
next generation NAS models that support Internet Small Computer
System Interface (iSCSI) target service (up to 8 iSCSI devices),
Online RAID Capacity Expansion and Online RAID Level Migration (2-bay
model only), 2 IP cameras for network surveillance, UPnP/ DLNA media
server, mail server (enabled by QPKG software expansion), and
high-speed BT/FTP/HTTP and eMule download, etc.
QNAP Turbo NAS series now compatible with WD Caviar Green hard
QNAP Systems (http://www.qnap.com) has announced that the Western
Digital Caviar Green 2TB SATA hard drive is now supported by the
entire TS-109/ 209/ 409/ 509/ 439/ 639/ 809 /809U-RP and the latest
TS-119/ 219 Turbo NAS series.
QNAP has recently introduced an one-bay and two-bay NAS with iSCSI
TS-119 and TS-219 Turbo NAS for home, SOHO (small office/home
office), and SMB (small to medium-sized business) users. They are the
next generation NAS models that support Internet Small Computer
System Interface (iSCSI) target service (up to 8 iSCSI devices),
Online RAID Capacity Expansion and Online RAID Level Migration (2-bay
model only), 2 IP cameras for network surveillance, UPnP/ DLNA media
server, mail server (enabled by QPKG software expansion), and
high-speed BT/FTP/HTTP and eMule download, etc.
Extensis to hold 'Digital Asset Management Forum for...
Extensis has announced its "Digital Asset
Management Forum for Creative Services"
(http://www.extensis.com/damforum) event to be
held on April 9 from 10 am to 3:30 pm in El
Segundo, California. This is a one-day conference
focusing on digital asset management strategies
and solutions.
According to the folks at Extensis, DAM seminar attendees will:
° Learn how Methodologie, a communications
strategy firm, is benefitting from a digital
asset manager;
° Learn DAM best practices to protect, organize and share digital assets;
° Participate in roundtable and workflow discussions.
The Digital Asset Management Forum for Creative
Services is presented by Extensis and features
Luis Antezana, IT Manager of Methodologie
presenting "Maximizing the Value of Rich Media
Assets in a Down Economy."
For those unable to attend the live event,
Extensis is offering a free webcast highlighting
Methodologie's DAM case study
(http://www.extensis.com/damwebcast). "Digital
Asset Management Webcast:...
Adobe Creative Suite 4 ROI study shows productivity as new
Adobe has announced benchmarking results from an independent research study conducted by Pfeiffer Consulting and commissioned by Adobe. According to the report
(http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/productivity/), features in Adobe Creative Suite 4 software can dramatically increase productivity, efficiency and return on investment.
Research shows that every unnecessary click has the ability to slow down users' productivity. Routine operations across Adobe Creative Suite 4 can be accomplished more quickly now than with previous versions, dramatically improving the user experience and saving hours every month, the study claims.
More than 100 benchmark tests focusing on design, print, digital imaging, web and interactive design, and video production were conducted. Tests covered workflow-related productivity measures as well as market-specific design and publishing activities. Key findings for design professionals include:
* Users can identify and eliminate production-level...
Elpical adds support for PhotoShop in Claro 6
generation of automated image enhancement and image management
solutions adds extended support of PSD files.
Elpical products, which integrate with automation tools like Enfocus
Switch, are available in North America through Tools4Media and its
distribution. The company says that unique to the new Claro version 6
technology is the option of optimizing different layers within PSD
files without losing the original layers.
By processing the compatibility layer on top of the existing layers,
Claro 6 allows enhancing the image without =touching the original.
Enhancements can be performed on the different elements of the image,
combining the best parts to create the best possible image.
Enhancing only the compatibility layer largely reduces the time spent
on an individual image and limits the number of different versions of
the same image in circulation, according to Elpical. Additionally, it
converts any image format to a PSD file.
This functionality is included in both Claro Single,...
ProVUE releases credit card processing for Panorama databases
ProVUE Development has released Panorama Authorize.Net Gateway
(http://www.provue.com/authorizenet), a plug-in software package that
adds merchant credit card processing to ProVUE's Panorama RAM based
database package.
With this package, custom Panorama database solutions can
automatically process all types of credit card transactions,
including charges, refunds, voids, and pre-authorization.
Transactions are processed through Authorize.Net, an Internet-based
payment processing network.
The Panorama Authorize.Net Gateway is available for either desktop or
web server applications. The product requires Panorama 5.5 and a
current account with Authorize.Net. It's compatible Mac OS X 10.4 and
higher. Pricing is either $239 for single user desktop use, or $399
for multi-user and/or web server applications.
Aspyr shipping Side Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition...
Aspyr Media has begun shipping Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold
Edition for Mac (US$49.99). Released in partnership with 2K Games, a
publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Civilization IV:
Gold Edition, featuring both Civilization IV and Civilization IV:
Warlords, will arrive on retail store shelves later this week.
Here's how the game is described: "Sid Meier's Civilization IV is the
ultimate strategy game offering players the chance to lead their
chosen nation from the dawn of man through the space age and become
the greatest ruler the world has ever known. Civilization IV: Gold
Edition takes this award winning experience to a new level by
combining both Civilization IV and the combat-focused Warlords
Expansion pack in one box.
"Sid Meier's Civilization IV comes-to-life like never before in a
beautifully detailed, living 3D world that expands the gameplay
experience. This latest installment takes the franchise to new
heights with the addition of new ways to play and...
Freeverse releases Commander Napoleon at War for Mac
Freeverse has released Commander: Napoleon at War for the Mac
(http://freeverse.com/games/game/?id=9001), the second in the
Commander line from the strategy captains at Firepower Entertainment
and Slitherine Software.
This installment of the Commander series places the player at the
brink of war in the Napoleonic era. Re-write history with the same
gameplay mechanics as Commander: Europe at War, but in a new setting.
New features include a deeper combat system, detailed victory
conditions, looting, razing, vassal states, and much more. Will you
lead Napoleon's France to an empire of infamy, or emerge as the
victor to quell his ambition?
The game includes eight campaigns, including the Grand campaign and a
number of small campaigns including France's assault on Austria in
1805 up to the 100 days campaign ending at Waterloo in 1815. You can
take control of Napoleon's forces or the Allied Coalition who opposed
him, including Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia. Commander:
Napoleon at...
Chronos releases Chronos Utility Suite
Chronos (http://www.chronosnet.com/) has released the Chronos Utility
Suite, a productivity bundle that consists of two applications: F10
Launch Studio and iClipboard. The suite is immediately available for
an introductory price of US$35 through March 31. After this date it
will cost US$49.99.
Launch Studio 2.0 sports a Smart Search that "intelligently and
adaptively" finds applications. A document sidebar shows related
application documents. Multiple docks can be customized with favorite
applications. Launch Studio 2.0 has editable shortcuts for custom
application launching, an animated interface and a redesigned
interface. It sports an unobtrusive Launch Pad that only appears when
needed, hot corners and hot key options for quick launching, and an
exclusion list so users can ignore unwanted applications.
iClipboard is a clipboard manager. It keeps a history of everything a
user copies to the clipboard from any application. When a user need
to go back and paste a clipping from the...
.com Solutions Inc. Releases FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4....
com Solutions has released FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.74 with
a FileMaker Pro Layout to HTML/JavaScript Conversion Feature. FmPro
Migrator Developer Edition enables FileMaker developers to realize
productivity gains by re-purposing layouts from existing solutions
into new web solutions.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition instantly converts FileMaker Pro
layouts into HTML/Javascript web pages. The generated HTML files are
suitable for use as a starting point for developing database enabled
web solutions using graphical development tools such as Embarcadero
Delphi for PHP or Adobe Dreamweaver CS4.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.74 features include: * Automated
Layout to HTML Conversion Process - Each FileMaker Pro layout is
converted into a separate HTML file, along with JavaScript and
embedded image files.
* Precise Object Positioning - FmPro Migrator uses CSS styles to
precisely position each HTML object to match its original size and
location within the original...
ATTO releases new SASA host adapters
ATTO Technology (http://www.attotech.com), a provider of storage
connectivity and infrastructure solutions for data-intensive
computing environments, has released a family of five 6Gb/s SAS host
adapters: the ExpressSAS H608, H680, H644, H60F and H6F0, to the
general marketplace.
As part of this release, ATTO unveiled what it says is the industry's
highest performing SAS/SATA HBA's available, the ExpressSAS H60F and
6F0, featuring two independent controllers, support for up to 512
physical devices, and 16 independent lanes of 600MB/s connectivity
for an aggregate throughput of up to 19.2 GB full duplex.
ExpressSAS 6Gb/s SAS host adapters offer: five distinct port
configurations; support for Mac, Windows, Linux and VMware
environments; compatibility with SAS, SAS 2.0, SATA and SATA II
devices; and a range of compatibility with leading drive, enclosure
and expander manufacturers. Contact ATTO for pricing options.
QNAP launches network surveillance system
QNAP (http://www.qnap.com), a network surveillance and storage
solutions provider, has unveiled the NVR-104, a network surveillance
system for SOHO (small office/home office) and SMB (small to
medium-sized business) markets.
The NVR-104 supports four-channel M-JPEG/MPEG-4 recording and up to
120-channel real-time monitoring with a multi-server monitoring
feature. It's a Linux-based, low power consumption, and high
performance network video recorder.
The NVR-104 supports up to 2TB storage capacity with the built-in
hard drive and an optional external SATA hard drive. It can be
adopted in different surveillance environment, e.g. home, office,
campus, community, traffic, shopping center, and chain store.
Survey: Mac integration a concern for organizations implementing
IT professionals at organizations across a wide
range of industries are concerned about having
native Mac support as part of their Distributed
File System (DFS) strategy and infrastructure.
This is according to the results of a new study
announced today by Group Logic
(http://www.grouplogic.com), a provider of
Mac/Windows connectivity solutions and a founding
member of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance, an
organization that supports the integration of
Macs into Windows-based environments.
Respondents cited the importance of multiple
aspects of DFS, including file replication and
flexibility in reconfiguring the location of file
shares between servers. The study, conducted with
eMedia USA, surveyed approximately 300 IT
professionals at a wide range of private, public
and non-profit organizations. More than a third
of all organizations (35 percent) said they have
implementation plans for DFS, or are already
underway.
Nearly three-quarters of these organizations (73
percent) have...
LaCie blue eye pro Proof Edition
LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has announced the blue eye pro Proof
Edition (US$430). Leveraging the success of the original blue eye
pro, it includes the UGRA-certified Test & Report function.
This feature allows the most demanding users in softproofing-based
workflows to perform color accuracy verifications based on the color
patches of the widely accepted UGRA/FOGRA Mediawedge, and produces a
certificate of suitability for softproofing according to ISO 12646
requirements, according to Daniel Mayer, LaCie Displays Business Unit
manager. This level of calibration is best suited for professionals
supporting the late stages of the "print" workflow, as well as
photographers or graphic designers implementing softproofing or who
have similar expectations in terms of color accuracy, he adds.
Users can specify any target colorimetric settings, such as
Whitepoint, Gamma, Brightness and Blackpoint, and the LaCie blue eye
pro software automatically calibrates the monitor -- creating and...
Luxology announces customized Collada plug-in for modo
Luxology (http://www.luxology.com) has announced a new customized
Collada plug-in for the soon-to-be announced modo 401. Introducing
new features for exporting from modo and a totally new Collada
importer, modo 401 users will be able to preserve key attributes of
their modo creations for file export and round-trip manipulation even
in complex 3D pipelines.
Luxology will be demonstrating its new Collada plug-in at the GDC
2009 Chalk Talk session called "New COLLADA I/O Plug-in for modo
401." Presented by Luxology's David Vasquez, the session will take
place at the Intel Visual Adrenaline Lounge from 1:30-2:00 p.m. on
Thursday, March 26.
An XML-based, open-source file format that enables 3D digital content
creation tools to exchange assets, Collada is used for streamlining
mixed-application workflows. Luxology has maintained the original
features of Collada, including support for animation and multiple
texture coordinate sets and the inclusion of metadata for search
operations. The...
MacRabbit releases new web development solution for Mac OS X
MacRabbit has released Espresso 1.0 (http://macrabbit.com/espresso/),
a new web development solution for the Mac. The app shares its DNA
with CSSEdit, MacRabbit's style sheet editor.
Espresso aims to focus Web development workflows into one streamlined
app, according to the folks at MacRabbit. Projects start out with an
organized one-window workspace, providing instant access to files,
publishing and more. From there, you have freedom in customizing your
environment: you can search for files, reorder often-used pages or
drag off tabs into their own window.
Espresso 1.0 ships with full-featured support for HTML, XML, CSS,
JavaScript and PHP, but its core was designed to be extended. There
are already third-party Sugars (plug-ins) available, allowing you to
add support for many new languages.
MacRabbit has added complete server syncing tools. With Espresso, you
can update, merge or mirror your projects to SFTP, FTP or S3. For
tweaks directly on the server, Espresso features a complete...
Jonathan Pickup, Tamsin Slatter publish new Vectorworks tutorials
Nemetschek North America has announced that Vectorworks tutorials
(http://www.vectorworks-training.co.uk) from both Jonathan Pickup and
Tamsin Slatter are now available for purchase. These tutorials focus
on a particular Vectorworks product.
They offer Vectorworks users a method of learning, with step-by-step
instructions and a conversational tone. The tutorials are based on
version 2009 but can be used successfully with prior versions of
Vectorworks.
A well-known Vectorworks user and author from New Zealand, Pickup has
created three tutorials: Vectorworks Architect Tutorial Manual, a
"project-based" training workbook; Vectorworks Essentials Tutorial
Manual, for new users; and Vectorworks Landmark Tutorial Manual,
comprised of a series of projects to teach concepts and techniques.
Each workbook retails for US$75.
Slatter, a garden designer in the UK and leading expert in
Vectorworks Landmark, has created Residential Garden Design with
Vectorworks Landmark, which covers the process of...
Cha-Ching now available for the iPhone, iPod touch
Cha-Ching by Midnight Apps (http://www.midnightapps.com/) is now
available for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available in the Apple
App Store for US$2.99.
Cha-Ching is a bill for managing your cash. Cha-Ching Touch can use
your iPhone or iPod touch's location to quickly enter most details of
a transaction for you. Once you have visited a place of business and
added a location to a payee one time, you will never have to type
that information again, according to the folks at Midnight Apps.
They say that with a few taps you can: enter new expenses; set up and
stick to a monthly budget; securely lock your data with a password;
track spending across unlimited custom categories; track income and
expenses across multiple accounts; and sync transactions to the
desktop with Cha-Ching 2 for Mac.
EarMasater ApS to release EarMaster Essential 5
EarMaster ApS will release a lighter version of its ear training
software EarMaster 5 on March 24. The new version will offer the core
features of EarMaster Pro, but at a lower price.
EarMaster Essential will be available in 21 languages for both Mac OS
X and Windows. The official introduction of the program will take
place at the 2009 Frankfurt Musik Messe on the booth of EarMaster's
German distributor Klemm Music Technology.
EarMaster Essential 5 is an interactive tool to help users become
better musicians. Features include: 139 progressive lessons from
classical music to rock, including a set of jazz lessons;
fourexercise areas to learn how to identify transcribe and play
intervals, chords, and rhythms; uUser-defined on-screen interfaces:
staff, multiple-choice, piano, guitar, bass, violin, cello, and more;
interactive answering methods: MIDI instrument, microphone,
plugged-in instrument, or the computer keyboard and the mouse;
detailed statistics; and a customized mode to target...
Nova Media updates GlobeSurfer III
Nova media has released an update to its 3G router, GlobeSurfer III
(http://www.novamedia.de/e_pages/e_produkte_gs_3.html. Now, in case
of an Internet breakdown, the router automatically switches to a 3G
connection and back once the original connection is available again.
GlobeSurfer III is a 3G wireless gateway router that connects to the
Internet by mobile network providers and allows a local network to
share this Internet connection through Wireless LAN and Ethernet.
GlobeSurfer III can be administered using any Internet browser and
features a Quick Setup Wizard.
Within mobile networks, the router supports download speeds with up
to 7.2 Mbit/second and upload speeds with up to 5.7 Mbit/sec. Within
a local network GlobeSurfer III supports WLAN connections with up to
54 Mbit/s and Ethernet connections with up to 1000 Mbit/s. It can be
used worldwide.
The built-in USB 2.0 port supports external drives and printers to be
connected to the router and accessed by all computers in the...
Movie Fans Can Buy & Rent Films in High Definition on...
Apple says iTunes customers can purchase and rent box office
favorites including "Quantum of Solace" and "Twilight" in HD on the
iTunes Store. Starting March 20, movie fans can purchase films for
download in HD for US$19.99 from iTunes, and films will be available
as iTunes Movie Rentals in HD for $4.99 within 30 days after release.
Customers can enjoy these films in HD on their Mac or PC and on their
widescreen TV with Apple TV, as well as in standard definition on
their iPhone or iPod with video.
"Customers have made HD content on iTunes a hit, with over 50 percent
of TV programming being purchased in HD when available," says Eddy
Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet Services.
Starting today, iTunes customers can pre-order "Quantum of Solace,"
which will be downloaded to their computer on March 24, and
"Twilight" will be available on March 21. iTunes customers can also
purchase "Transporter 3," "Punisher: War Zone" and other select
titles in HD today, and (i)The Spirit(/I) will...
Cocktail 4.3.2 (Leopard Edition)
Cocktail 4.3.2 (Leopard Edition)(/a), an update of the general
purpose utility for Mac OS X, has been released. Yo can find it here:
http://cocktail.maintain.se"
This version adds clearing of the Inqtana.B worm, fixes an issue with
secure deletion of files installed by trojans and worms, addresses an
issue in which Adobe Illustrator font caches were not deleted from
users home directory, fixes compatibility issues with Safari 4 Public
Beta and adds compatibility with the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5.7.
This update also contains improvements on the clear font caches and
clear Internet caches procedures as well as updated Automator actions.
Mobis announces Cooling Bar for laptops
Mobis Technology has released the US$39.99 Just Mobile Cooling Bar
(http://www.cooling-bar.com), which which raises your notebook
computer to a more comfortable typing level. It's crafted from solid
aluminum with a diamond-cut design that matches the style of MacBook
Airs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
It also incorporates a cable management slot to keep your power cable
organized. Erich Huang of Mobis says the Cooling Bar offers cooler
and quieter operation with improved air circulation. Grip rings keep
your notebook securely in place and protect the surface from
scratches.
Mobis announces Cooling Bar for laptops
Mobis Technology has released the US$39.99 (a
href=""TARGET="_blank")Just Mobile Cooling Bar
(http://www.cooling-bar.com), which which raises your notebook
computer to a more comfortable typing level. It's crafted from solid
aluminum with a diamond-cut design that matches the style of MacBook
Airs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
It also incorporates a cable management slot to keep your power cable
organized. Erich Huang of Mobis says the Cooling Bar offers cooler
and quieter operation with improved air circulation. Grip rings keep
your notebook securely in place and protect the surface from
scratches.
Elgato launches Turbo.264 HD
Elgato (http://www.elgato.com) has announced the US$149.95 Turbo.264
HD, a tool that converts video files to a format that can be played
on an iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV, used on a computer, and shared on
the web.
Turbo.264 HD is especially targeted to anyone who owns an HD
camcorder. It automatically detects AVCHD camcorders and moves
recordings to the Mac or iPod in one step. Turbo.264 HD comes with a
software application that enables Mac users to convert just about any
popular video format to a H.264 file in standard or HD resolutions.
The encoder hardware is faster than even the fastest Mac Pro and can
be used to speed up the export function of other Mac applications
such as iMovie, according to the folks at Elgato.
Turbo.264 HD automatically detects AVCHD camcorders that are
connected to the Mac. The intuitive Turbo.264 HD software makes it
easy to preview and trim recordings, combine them into one movie and
move them directly to the Mac or a YouTube account, says Elgato.
You can...
Workamajig announces new link to Strata, support for Snow Leopard
Workamajig (http://www.Workamajig.com), integrated software for ad
agencies and others in the creative and design industries, has
announced that its next version (10.0.2), due in late March, will
include a new link to the Strata Media Buying software's new
Interactive module, and support for Apple's upcoming Mac OS X Snow
Leopard.
With the new Strata interface, users simply enter their Interactive
plan into the Strata media buying software, and Workamajig's new
interface sends the information over as insertion orders in
Workamajig's integrated software. References to projects, tasks, etc.
are all taken care of with one entry into the Strata system, so that
Billing and Paying for Interactive buys is now completely automated,
says Ron Ause, Workamajig's director of marketing.
No installation or conversion is necessary, and all updates free to
the over 20,000 users of Workamajig. All client log-ins and vendor
logins are always free. All updates are deployed using Workamajig's
own Auto-...
WinMagic updates SecureDoc to version 4.6
WinMagic (http://www.winmagic.com), which specializes in disk
encryption, says it's solved the problems associated with deploying
enterprise-class full-disk encryption throughout a heterogeneous
computing environment including support for Mac and 64-bit Windows
clients. SecureDoc now provides centrally-manageable and
fully-transparent, 'always-on' full-disk encryption for Windows
(2000/XP/Vista) and Mac - making it simple for organizations to
protect all data on all servers, desktops, laptops and removable
media.
Mac computers are often not included in encryption deployments - many
enterprise networks are primarily Windows-based, and Mac platforms
are used by select departments or individuals (including many
executives). SecureDoc offers the ability to deploy and manage
encryption for Mac desktops and laptops from the same console that is
used to manage the Windows machines. This drives greater efficiency
for IT & Security staff while ensuring sensitive data is protected....
Entourage Exchange Accounts Optimizer updated to version 1.5.0
Softhing (http://www.softhing.com) has updated Entourage Exchange
Accounts Optimizer to version 1.5.0. With Entourage Exchange Accounts
Optimizer, you can ensure your on-line Exchange mailbox never gets
full. The upgrade has a redesigned interface.
It also shows detailed info during the progress of operations. There
also are various internal improvements, and the range of days has
been extended to 1,200.
This utility automatically moves old mail from your Exchange account
to a replicated structure within Entourage. You select how many days
of mail to keep in Exchange and EEAO does the rest. It ccan handle
multiple accounts and be set to run automatically. It works in both
Mac OS X 10.4 ("Tiger") and Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") Entourage 2004
and 2008.
Entourage Exchange Accounts Optimizer costs US$30 for a single-user
license. However, version 1.5.0 is a free update for registered users.
Skyworks releases more iPhone games
Skyworks (http://www.skyworks.com) has released two new sports games
for the iPhone and iPod touch: Batter Up Baseball and Field Goal
Frenzy. They're available for US$2.99 eac at the Apple App Store.
Here's how the games are described: "With Batter Up Baseball you can
hone your batting skills in two game modes and hit as many home runs
as you can in a real- rendered, retro-style ballpark, reminiscent of
the days when baseball was simply 'America's Favorite Pastime'."
"In Home Run mode, strikes, foul balls and infield hits will cost you
a swing, but every homerun you hit will earn you an extra swing. In
Arcade mode, you aim for billboard targets to earn even more extra
swings.
To bat, keep your eye on the mound, time your swing with the incoming
pitch, then flick you finger towards the pitch to swing. The speed
and direction of your swing will control the speed and direction of
the ball. Once the ball is in flight, you can 'influence' the
direction and speed using the iPhone/iPod touch...
Bare Bones ships WeatherCal, a weather forecasting app
Bare Bones Software has released WeatherCal
(http://www.barebones.com/products/weathercal/), a new Mac utility
that adds current weather conditions and four-day forecast to iCal on
the Mac and to the iPhone or iPod touch.
"WeatherCal is very different from BBEdit and Yojimbo, the class
leaders for which we're known, but it's every bit as useful and
finely crafted," says Rich Siegel, founder and CEO of Bare Bones
Software, Inc. "Plus, it's pretty nifty having your plans right next
to the weather that affects them."
WeatherCal creates calendars that contain info on current and
predicted weather conditions in user-specified locales. The
WeatherCal system preferences panel allows the user to choose their
favorite U.S. and international locations.
Once set, WeatherCal obtains the current day's weather and four days
of forecasts, and presents the information in iCal as all-day events,
with additional details available in a single click. These calendars
and events can synchronize to other...
Wolfram Research introduces gridMathematica 7
Less than six months ago, Wolfram Research brought parallel computing
into the mainstream by integrating automatic parallel technology into
Mathematica 7. Today, that power can be multiplied by more powerful
hardware and clusters with the release of gridMathematica 7
(http://www.wolfram.com/gridmathematica).
gridMathematica extends the built-in parallelization features of
Mathematica by adding extra computation kernels and automated network
distribution tools -- allowing users to run more tasks in parallel,
over more CPUs, for faster execution without changing a line of code,
according to Tom Wickham-Jones, director of Kernel Technology at
Wolfram Research.
gridMathematica Local adds four more computation kernels to the four
already included in a single-machine Mathematica license.
gridMathematica Server provides a network-managed pool of computation
kernels that can be shared by a group of Mathematica users locally or
run on remote hardware to combine the power of multiple computers...
Vonage Pro now compatible with Macs
Vonage
(http://www.vonage.com/lp/US/vonagepro/?gclid=CM7F7q7XrJkCFR2dnAod2HPOJg)
launched a Mac compatible version of Vonage Pro -- a digital
extension of the Vonage phone service, featuring five components that
let users take their home phone number anywhere they go on their
laptop.
Vonage Companion allows Mac users to tap their Vonage home phone
number while they're on the go. Customers can even use their Mac's
built-in speakers and microphone, and can benefit from features such
as selective call block, conference calling, personalized ringtones
and call recording. When traveling, users can call from their laptop
to anywhere in the U.S. at no additional cost, and also call
internationally for as low as one-cent per minute, according to the
folks at Vonage.
Vonage Pro also includes: unlimited Vonage Residential Digital Voice
service; 25 free directory assistance calls monthly; 25 free Vonage
Visual Voicemail messages monthly; and automatic integration of all
home, desktop and mobile...
Global Delight Releases WordDigest for the iPhone
Global Delight -- a publisher of Mac, iPhone and iPod products -- has
released its first mobile application for the iPhone. WordDigest is
an English dictionary, thesaurus and spell checker tool all
integrated into one app.
WordDigest has built in dictionary containing more than 147,000
words, IPA pronunciations for 87,000 words, built-in hyperlinked
thesaurus for more than 28,000 words and built-in hyperlinked
intelligent spell checker. WordDigest also has a provision to search
words on the Internet.
The search results have been optimized to suite the display on any
iPhone or iPod touch, says Rohith Bhat, CEO of Global Delight. It
also has options to set bookmarks for favorite words, maintaining
history of previously searched words and also to alter the text size.
WordDigest requires iPhone v2.0. It costs US$3.99 and can be
downloaded from the Apple App Store
(http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307372308
&mt=8). However, for a limited time it can be...
MEI releases Page Director Ad Layout System 5.4
Managing Editor (http://www.maned.com), an Adobe premier development
partner and a leading provider of software solutions for the
publishing industry, today announced the release of Page Director Ad
Layout System 5.4. Used at more publications worldwide than any other
automated page-planning solution, ALS has been optimized for
compatibility with Adobe Creative Suite 4. QuarkXPress 8.0
compatibility will be available in the coming weeks.
ALS 5.4 includes a convenient new print designer, which allows users
to design and print custom ad dummies, resulting in printouts that
conform to each publication's specific requirements. The release is
also packaged with ALS XT for QuarkXPress 7.x and a new version of
MEI's AdImport plug-in that is compatible with Adobe InDesign CS2,
CS3 and CS4. These tools augment ALS by allowing users to import
dummies and final ad content into QuarkXPress or InDesign editorial
pages.
Additionally, ALS 5.4 has been upgraded for connectivity with MEI's
Integrated...
Pro Tools 8 Tutorials debut at macProVideo
Online tutorial-video vendor macProVideo (http://www.macprovideo.com)
has begun releasing a new line of Pro Tools 8 training videos. The
first release in the series is "Pro Tools 8 101: Core Pro Tools."
It's available now for US$49.50.
This five-hour tutorial video provides a Level 1 overview of Pro
Tools 8 and is designed to give new Pro Tools users all the info
required to track and record professional quality music in this
industry-standard DAW. Topics include recording, mixing, using DSP
effects, adding automation, and using MIDI are covered in detail.
"With the release of our Core Training for Pro Tools 8,
macProVideo.com has set the foundation for an aggressive release
schedule that will include titles for Video Post Production, Mixing
Pop, Jazz, and Rap, and Mastering in Pro Tools," says macProVideo
founder and president, Martin Sitter.
Tiffen announces Dfx Essentials for Mac OS X
The Tiffen Company (http://www.tiffen.com), a manufacturer and
distributor of photographic accessories, has announced Dfx Essentials
software for Mac and Windows users. It's due for release within the
next 30 days and will be sold through retail specialty dealers at a
manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$59.95.
Dfx Essentials is designed to complement any digital camera and
features a selection of 37 specialized filters and effects with
hundreds of built-in presets and the ability to create and save
custom versions and custom set-ups to repeat favorite looks,
according to Tiffen CEO Steven Tiffen.
Dfx Essentials offers the ability to create multiple filter and
effect layers, color, clone and red-eye removal tools, with
non-destructive crop, rotate and scaling. The filter palette with
thumbnail previews lets you evaluate effects before applying them to
an image.
Dfx Essentials is compatible with a wide range of file types
including camera raw and final images can be saved in...
Mooch, a new video game trading service, launches free beta
Mooch (http://www.mooch.com), a peer-to-peer video game trading site,
has opened its free beta to the public. Users can trade their used
games with each other in lieu of trading them in at retail stores
After two years of development, Mooch is now offering a limited
number of free accounts during the beta period. Following the free
beta, membership will be US$19.99 annually.
Mooch subscribers can enter a list of the games they have as well as
the games they want. Each step of the trading process is
intelligently automated, including finding potential trades,
balancing each trade, and even allowing users to print postage
directly from the site, says Mooch CEO Jonathan Balser.
Mooch, a new video game trading service, launches free beta
Mooch (http://www.mooch.com), a peer-to-peer video game trading site,
has opened its free beta to the public. Users can trade their used
games with each other in lieu of trading them in at retail stores
After two years of development, Mooch is now offering a limited
number of free accounts during the beta period. Following the free
beta, membership will be US$19.99 annually.
Mooch subscribers can enter a list of the games they have as well as
the games they want. Each step of the trading process is
intelligently automated, including finding potential trades,
balancing each trade, and even allowing users to print postage
directly from the site, says Mooch CEO Jonathan Balser.
Mooch, a new video game trading service, launches free beta
Mooch (http://www.mooch.com), a peer-to-peer video game trading site,
has opened its free beta to the public. Users can trade their used
games with each other in lieu of trading them in at retail stores
After two years of development, Mooch is now offering a limited
number of free accounts during the beta period. Following the free
beta, membership will be US$19.99 annually.
Mooch subscribers can enter a list of the games they have as well as
the games they want. Each step of the trading process is
intelligently automated, including finding potential trades,
balancing each trade, and even allowing users to print postage
directly from the site, says Mooch CEO Jonathan Balser.
Mooch, a new video game trading service, launches free beta
Mooch (http://www.mooch.com), a peer-to-peer video game trading site,
has opened its free beta to the public. Users can trade their used
games with each other in lieu of trading them in at retail stores
After two years of development, Mooch is now offering a limited
number of free accounts during the beta period. Following the free
beta, membership will be US$19.99 annually.
Mooch subscribers can enter a list of the games they have as well as
the games they want. Each step of the trading process is
intelligently automated, including finding potential trades,
balancing each trade, and even allowing users to print postage
directly from the site, says Mooch CEO Jonathan Balser.
Rural broadband wireless network design package announced
Berkeley Varitronics Systems (http://www.bvsystems.com), EDX Wireless
(http://www.edx.com), DoceoTech (http://www.doceotech.com), and EGS
Technologies (http://www.egstech.com) have collaborated to develop an
integrated package to help the rural broadband build-out that is part
of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) economic
stimulus package providing broadband access to the rural and
underserved areas throughout the United States.
The National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA)
is issuing grants through the Broadband Technology and Opportunities
Program (BTOP) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities
Service (RUS) program is offering grants, loans and loan guarantees
that will fund the build out of rural broadband for municipalities
and state governments, utility companies, and the rural telecom
providers.
The collective, integrated package allows for a streamlined
procurement of wireless propagation test equipment, RF...
USENIX Annual Technical Conference coming June 14-19
The USENIX Association will hold the 2009 USENIX Annual Technical
Conference (USENIX '09) June 14-19 at the Town & Country Resort and
Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, in San Diego, California.
The USENIX Annual Tech (http://www.usenix.org/events/usenix09/) will
feature an extensive training program, as well as a variety of
technical sessions, including the Refereed Papers Track, Invited
Talks, and a Poster Session. For more information about USENIX '09,
contact conference@usenix.org
USENIX Annual Technical Conference coming June 14-19
The USENIX Association will hold the 2009 USENIX Annual Technical
Conference (USENIX '09) June 14-19 at the Town & Country Resort and
Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle North, in San Diego, California.
The USENIX Annual Tech (http://www.usenix.org/events/usenix09/) will
feature an extensive training program, as well as a variety of
technical sessions, including the Refereed Papers Track, Invited
Talks, and a Poster Session. For more information about USENIX '09,
contact conference@usenix.org
Canon introduces new LCD projectors
Canon U.S.A. (http://www.usa.canon.com) has expanded its notable line
of LCD multimedia projectors with a first-ever native WXGA-resolution
(1280 x 800) widescreen model, a 3,000 lumen XGA model and a 3,500
lumen XGA model.
The new Canon LV-8300 Multimedia Projector provides a native
WXGA-resolution and aspect ratio of 16:10 that allows it to support
data and imagery from widescreen notebooks and desktop computers. As
a result of the projector's native widescreen format, this model
supports popular WXGA-resolution computers in their native format,
avoiding the need for compression and/or unsightly distortion,
according to Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general
manager, Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A.
The 1.2x Zoom Lens offers a wider range of throw distances, allowing
these projectors to fit multiple screen sizes, whether in large or
small rooms. In addition, the high brightness these projectors emit
ensures they can be used in environments where excessive ambient...
JEDEC to host Flash Storage Summit
JEDEC Solid State Technology Association's upcoming Flash Storage
Summit in San Jose, California, on April 6-7 will highlight the
latest proposals and proposed standards for the flash storage
technology. Speakers and workshop instructors will include
representatives from Agilent, CST, Denali, Numonyx, Qualcomm, RIM,
Samsung, Seagate, Spansion, and Toshiba.
The conference registration fee is US$75 for members and $100 for
non-members through March 20. The conference on Monday, April 6, will
feature a wide range of flash-related topics. Attendees will learn
about the latest advancements and industry proposals on: mobile
storage applications, validation for flash memory systems, a forecast
and market trends for flash, solid state drives, flash cards and next
generation technologies.
On Tuesday, April 7, back-to-back workshops will offer attendees an
opportunity to explore topic areas in detail, including an SSD
workshop facilitated by Seagate and a Flash Components/UFS/e-MMC v.
4.4...
iWeb Valet 2.0 lets you add interactive widgets to your web pages
ZiggySoft (http://www.ziggy-soft.com) has released a new version
(2.0) of iWeb Valet, a tool to enhance and upload iWeb pages. It adds
the ability to add new interactive widgets to your web pages.
iWeb Valet works with iWeb, the web creation component of Apple's
iLife suite. 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. Web Valet is
US$19; a 30-day demo is available for download.
iWeb Valet costs US$19. A 30-day demo is available for download.
Zevrix Solutions releases InPreflight 2.6.7 for Adobe InDesign
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has released InPreflight
2.6.7, a maintenance update to its quality control, packaging
automation and file info reporting solution for Adobe InDesign.
InPreflight quickly gathers extensive information about document
fonts, colors and links and lets users instantly locate potential
problems according to preflight presets.
InPreflight also includes a powerful packaging automation engine
which allows users to preflight and package multiple documents. Among
other abilities, it can collect all files into one folder,
eliminating the need to collect the same links multiple times for
each design. This is especially useful when collecting multiple
InDesign files that share the same linked images. The savings can
result in gigabytes of saved space and hours of production time.
The update provides the ability to report the color mode of
Illustrator CS4 EPS files, which isn't available in InDesign. With
InPreflight, users can instantly check the color mode...
FCPUG Network announces SuperBooth at NAB
The FCPUG Network, which produces the SuperMeets along side trade
shows such as Macworld, IBC and NAB, have announced that they will
have a booth on the show floor at the NAB Show in Las Vegas April
20-24, 2009.
The producers have stated that the booth will serve as an extension
of the the Eighth Annual NAB FCPUG SuperMeet, to be held in the
Amazon Ballroom at the Rio Hotel and Casino Las Vegas on Tuesday
night, April 21. Appropriately, they're calling it the "SuperBooth."
"We have always wanted space on the NAB show floor, but could never
find the resources or money to afford it," says Michael Horton,
founder of the LA Final Cut Pro User Group and co-producer of the
SuperMeets. "But this year we have gotten tremendous support from the
community who are donating their time and expertise to make this
booth happen. Our plan is to make the SuperBooth a social gathering
spot for all Final Cut Studio users and Digital moviemakers who find
themselves in need of learning and connecting."
"...
CopyPaste 2.0 for Mac OS X adds new instantly available windows,
Script Software has updated CopyPaste
(http://www.scriptsoftware.com/copypaste), its multiple clipboard
utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.0. The upgrade adds two instantly
available windows (one a horizontal browser like the Apple
application switcher, the other a vertical palette).
Macs come with only one clipboard and every time you make a copy all
previous clip info is lost forever. CopyPaste Pro changes that
because it works in the background and remembers all copies and cuts,
creating a Clip History. The Clip Archive is the place in CopyPaste
Pro where permanent clips are kept. You can now use the Clip Browser
(horizontal browser) or Clip Palette (vertical browser) to see clips
from different points of view.
Also, in version 2.0, a clip editor called Bean (really a lightweight
word processor) is now part of the CopyPaste Pro ecology. Bean allows
you to edit clipboards. A demo is available for download.
Registration for CopyPaste Pro 2.0 is US$30.
MonkeyBread Software releases the MBS REALbasic plug-ins in
Monkeybread Software releases version 9.2 of the MBS plug-in for REALbasic.
The MBS plug-in comprises a collection of several plug-in parts which
extend the REALbasic development environment with 1500 classes
featuring over 29000 documented functions.
The plug-ins require REALbasic 5.5 or newer. Also required are 300 MB
hard disc space and around 64 MB of RAM in addition to the
requirements of REALbasic and your operation system itself. While all
plug-in parts compile on Mac OS 8.x, Mac OS 9.x, Mac OS X
(universal), Linux and Windows, each function may depend on
additional system requirements to work successfully.
Plugin licenses are available for components or for the complete
collection. Starting at 20 Euro (+VAT) for one component. The
complete package costs 196 Euro (+VAT) for commercial usage.
If you buy a current license, you will get free updates for one year.
After that year, you can update your license to cover an additional
year.
The plugins can be downloaded on MBS' website...
WoodWing releases Smart Image CS4
WoodWing Software -- a provider of publishing software for magazines,
newspapers, books and corporate agencies -- has released Smart Image
for Adobe Creative Suite 4. Smart Image aids designers placing
photographs on an InDesign page by automatically creating caption and
credit text frames containing the embedded metadata stored within the
photograph.
Professional photographers and stock agencies generally add XMP or
IPTC metadata to their photos such as copyright information,
location, subjects and keywords. In page layouts, the credit and
description/caption are often placed next to the photograph. Smart
Image is able to automatically create the desired text frames in
InDesign and place them according to the user's preferences, helping
designers to avoid repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
Smart Image CS4 allows users to: selectively import
caption/description information, credit information or both; set
object, paragraph, and character styling of imported text; specify a
position...
Viva Vision releases new iPhone apps
Viva Vision (http://www.vivavision.com), a provider of mobile
entertainment, has released its first two iPhone applications, based
on the Car and Driver and Cute 'n' Funny Pets brands. They're
available for US$0.99 each at the Apple App Store.
The new mobile entertainment applications allow users to view images
as an automatic slideshow, browse through the image galleries, and
save their favorite images to use as a wallpaper or share with
friends. With the Car and Driver slideshow app, you can check out
cars of the past, present and future. This app features automatic
playback through dozens of the world's coolest cars.
Users can pause the slideshow, zoom in and out and save their
favorite images to their phone to share with friends or use as their
wallpapers. New cars are updated regularly.
With the Cute 'n' Funny Pets slideshow app, pet lovers can see their
furry friends caught on camera. Users can play the slideshow, pause
on favorite images and save favorite images to their iPhone...
Feral Interactive brings four Mac titles in Family Fun Pack 3
Feral Interactive has compiled four Mac games into its Family Fun
Pack 3 (http://www.feralinteractive.com/ffp3). It costs US$49.95; all
games require Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
The games, and their descriptions, are:
"Lego Star Wars II, one of the best-selling Mac games of 2008-9, lets
players battle their way through the original Star Wars trilogy in a
galaxy that combines the creative joy of LEGO with the epic story
from Star Wars.
"Ford Racing 2 features the best Ford cars since 1949, from legends
like the 1956 F-100 pickup and the 1968 Mustang GT to future classics
like the super car slaying Ford GT.
"Bionicle is based on LEGO?s best-selling toy of the same name and
combines action, adventure, elemental powers, enemies and heroes as
players live out the legend of the Toa in the imaginary and magical
island of Mata Nui.
"ChessMaster 9000 is the world?s most popular chess program and is
ideally suited to players of all levels as teacher, mentor and
ultimate opponent."