News Archive for 00/12/18

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Apple posts G4 CPU Plugin

12/18, 6:05pm

Apple posts G4 CPU Plugin

Apple has posted CPU Plugin for Gigabit Power Mac G4s 2.7, which "updates the Apple CPU Plugin extension and provides more reliable performance from your Power Mac G4." The software was originally made available on Friday via the Software Update control panel.

Evening tech news 12/18/00

12/18, 6:00pm

Evening tech news 12/18/00

Evening tech news: More than half of U.S. households now have Internet access, according to a report by Nielsen/Net Ratings; Dell is struggling with shipping delays, some as long as six weeks; and Microsoft shares have fallen to a two-year low of $49.19.

Apple/BBC use updated streaming servers

12/18, 4:47pm

Apple/BBC use updated streaming servers

Philip Kahn notes that Apple and/or the BBC have recently updated their QuickTime streaming servers. "The results over broadband are spectacular; this is definitely the best streaming I have seen over the Web and it's only coming in at around 250K."

MaxGate introduces UGate 3200P

12/18, 4:45pm

MaxGate introduces UGate 3200P

MaxGate has introduced UGate-3200P, a seven-port, Cable/DSL modem sharing device. Features of the $270 switch/router include a built-in, single-port print server; spooling and queuing of print jobs; and built-in Dynamic Domain Name Service support.

Newsweek takes a look at iMovie

12/18, 4:40pm

Newsweek takes a look at iMovie

Newsweek has posted a positive review of iMovie. "Then I saw a TV commercial for Apple's iMac, playing up the candy-colored bubble's ability to edit digital video. I realized that there's technology out there claiming to work just like the professional video-editing suites I've used a bit in previous jobs."

CDFinder 3.0 improves performance

12/18, 3:39pm

CDFinder 3.0 improves performance

Norbert Doerner has posted CDFinder 3.0, an update to his $20 shareware disk cataloging tool, which has a new, enhanced catalog file format, threaded operations, improved peformance of up to 200%, and the ability to eject multi-session CD volumes correctly.

Nvidia gives more details on 3fdx acquisition

12/18, 3:35pm

Nvidia gives more details on 3fdx acquisition

During a conference call this morning conducted by Nvidia Corporation executives, the company indicated that they plan to offer positions to one hundred former employees of 3dfx Interactive (approximately 25% of the company's workforce) with the vast majority being hardware engineers described by Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang as "world-class" and "the best of the best". The company also indicated that 3dfx Interactive was developing two product lines beyond the Rampage architecture expected for release in Q1 2001, and Nvidia will begin the process of looking over those technologies as early as next week to decide which features to incorporate into future Nvidia technologies. The $112 million agreement for the acquisition of assets from 3dfx Interactive, which is pending shareholder approval, includes $70 million cash and 1 million shares of Nvidia common stock.

Paradigma database tool updated

12/18, 2:07pm

Paradigma database tool updated

Paradigma's database development tool, VXCMD 1.8.6, works with any Macintosh "card" scripting tool, including Apple's HyperCard, IncWell SuperCard, and MetaCard, is based on the Valentina database kernel. Valentina Technology Release 1.8.6, now also available, updates all Valentina kernel based products, bringing "dramatic" speed improvements in VarChar indexing and improvements in Valentina caching.

Games: SiN & JetSki Demos released, Cro-Mag

12/18, 1:55pm

Games: SiN & JetSki Demos released, Cro-Mag

games.macnn.com covers a multitude of Mac game demo releases today including Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim, Avernum 2, Kawasaki Jet Ski watercraft and SiN Gold. In addition, the site provides details on the release of a 1.0.6 update for both the demo and retail versions of Cro-Mag Rally. [updated]

Forums: CD Eject, start-up failures, OS X

12/18, 12:24pm

Forums: CD Eject, start-up failures, OS X

Interesting threads in our forums include: why CDs are sometimes ejected at startup, the future of 3dfx and OS X drivers for its products, setting up an FTP server, the purpose of Adobe Type Manager, quiet hard drives for iBook/PowerBooks, and opinions regarding VST drives, FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 4.0, and the iMac DV SE.

Cyclone 1.4: freeware text converter updated

12/18, 11:40am

Cyclone 1.4: freeware text converter updated

Cyclone 1.4 is a maintenance release to Classic version the freeware text converter based on Apple Text Encoding Converter engine. A new Carbon version is also available.

MRJ 2.2.3 Security hole gives file access

12/18, 11:35am

MRJ 2.2.3 Security hole gives file access

A security hole in Apple's MRJ 2.2.3 allows intruders to view and copy files on your computer's hard drive. The report on Apple's discussion board says that Apple has not responded to the security flaw for the last 45 days. A demo applet is available online.

Pads 2.0 now Carbonized

12/18, 10:16am

Pads 2.0 now Carbonized

Dennis C. De Mars has posted Pads 2.0, a $15 replacement for the standard Note Pad and Stickies applications. Version 2.0 is now Carbonized and allows users to drag text selections, clippings and files directly to the Pads window.

Peninsula introduces 80-mm barcode scanner

12/18, 10:14am

Peninsula introduces 80-mm barcode scanner

Peninsula Group has introduced its CCD Wildcat 80-mm USB barcode scanner, a $230 contact CCD designed fo retail, library, database and other applications where the barcode is less than 80mm in length.

Archive 4.6 adds new interface icons

12/18, 9:33am

Archive 4.6 adds new interface icons

Yenco's $20 shareware cataloging utility, Archive 4.6, has new interface icons, improved preference handling, a context-aware help system, and other minor enhancements.

Tri-Catalog now supports unlimited volumes

12/18, 9:22am

Tri-Catalog now supports unlimited volumes

Tri-CATALOG 4.0 brings the ability to catalog an unlimited number of volumes and files, to use multiple browsers and to use multiple data bases to the $100 cataloging utility.

Packages adds pre-emptive threading to Mac OS

12/18, 9:21am

Packages adds pre-emptive threading to Mac OS

Jonathan Rentzsch has posted Red Shed Threads, which gives developers the ability to add pre-emptive threading to the classic Mac OS. The complete threads package contains everything from a low-level context switcher to a high-level threaded Open Transport wrapper and runs natively on a Mac II running System 7 as well as a G4 running Mac OS X: "Preemptive threading can result in huge speed gains and greater user satisfaction...The threaded File Manager wrapper included with Red Shed Threads was tested to be over 400% faster than the Thread Manager at copying files." An unlimited license is $1,025.A FAQ has more details. [MacTech]

Painting 2.01 fixes color window bug

12/18, 9:12am

Painting 2.01 fixes color window bug

Painting 2.0.1 is a maintenance release to Sarwat Khan's $20 shareware graphics program that fixes a crash that some users have reported involving the Colors window.

Nu Font Pack includes updated NuCasual font

12/18, 8:54am

Nu Font Pack includes updated NuCasual font

Scooter Graphics Nu Font Pack 1.5 updates the NuCasual font (based on the Newton Casual font) in the $30 font bundle of its popular faces that also includes Nu Sans, Nu Serif, Nu Casual and Nu Sans Monospaced.

Astronomy simulation software updated

12/18, 8:51am

Astronomy simulation software updated

Syzygy Research & Technology has posted The Digital Universe 2.20, an update to the $150 astronomy simulation software that can now display radiants for meteor showers and legends on printed star charts.

Handspring ships VisorPhone

12/18, 8:50am

Handspring ships VisorPhone

Handspring today began shipping its VisorPhone GSM Springboard module. The $300 device can be purchased direct from Handspring along with service plan activation from Cingular Wireless. The device allows Handspring owners to use their PDAs as a cell phone.

iScreensaver Toolkit updated to 1.1

12/18, 8:45am

iScreensaver Toolkit updated to 1.1

Xochi Media has released iScreensaver Toolkit 1.1, a $10 screensaver that also allows users to create their own screensavers using Flash or QuickTime movies.

Apple posts seasonal greetings

12/18, 8:32am

Apple posts seasonal greetings

In keeping with previous seasons, Apple has posted Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and just plain winter iCards.

New at Xicons: two icon sets

12/18, 8:31am

New at Xicons: two icon sets

Xicons.com has posted two new sets of icons for OS X: Macromedia Pro Collection 2001 and Rendered Trash, a set of trash can replacements.

Evological updates VolumeRocker, BrightnessRo

12/18, 8:30am

Evological updates VolumeRocker, BrightnessRo

Evological has posted VolumeRocker 1.6 and BrightnessRocker 1.1, its two $5 Control Strip modules that provide rocker switch-style volume and brightness controls. Both updates offer support for ACTION GoMac and fixes a problem when using the module with Extensions Strip. The BrightnessRocker update also adds several new options.

2000 results added to Presidents3000 1.03

12/18, 8:29am

2000 results added to Presidents3000 1.03

Ken Winograd has posted Presidents3000 1.03, a $20 shareware hangman-type game for learning presidents. This version adds the results of the Nov. 7 presidential election and corrects three errors in the vice presidential info displayed.

Audion 2 released from Panic

12/18, 6:00am

Audion 2 released from Panic

Panic today released Audion 2, a major upgrade to its MP3 player. The new version adds encoding capabilities, a waveform editor, crossfading between multiple tracks, and more. The shareware application costs $33 with encoder and $20 without encoder. Upgrades from version 1.0 are $20 and $10, respectively. We have also posted our review of Audion 2.

Roundup: $100 rebate, Interware closes, 3dfx

12/18, 5:58am

Roundup: $100 rebate, Interware closes, 3dfx

Over the weekend we noted Circuit City's new $100 rebate, the collapse of Japanese upgrade manufacturer Interware, 3dfx's layoffs and recommended sale to Nvidia. Other software releases included 3ivx delta decoder 1.0d1, Mirabilis' ICQ 2.3a for Mac, ExchangePoint 1.0 for Internet-based collaboration, and LuraWave Director Xtra 2.2.