News Archive for 01/01/03

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c|net speculates on Macworld announcements

01/03, 11:25pm

c|net speculates on Macworld announcements

A c|net article speculates on the announcements that will come next week at Macworld, including a return to single-processor Power Mac G4s running at up to 733 MHz, the PowerBook G4, Mac OS 9.1, and combo DVD/CD-RW drives. (See AppleInsider for other, related information.)

FileBuddy 6.02 fixes bugs with pre-Mac OS 9

01/03, 10:30pm

FileBuddy 6.02 fixes bugs with pre-Mac OS 9

English, French, and Japanese versions of FileBuddy 6.02, the popular file/folder editing system utility, are now available from SkyTag software, bringing compatibility fixes for pre-Mac OS 9 systems and emptying space on large volumes.

Rosetta and ptah Released

01/03, 7:45pm

Rosetta and ptah Released

Thoth Software has released Rosetta 1.0.2, a maintenance release of the $15 utility that can decode files that have been encoded using the most common encoding methods such as BinHex, MacBinary, MIME Base64 and uuencode. The company has also released Ptah 1.0.2, a maintenance release of the $15 shareware player for text, image, movie, and sound files. Both applications require either Mac OS X or OS 8.5 or later with CarbonLib 1.0.4 installed.

Mactella 1.0 Released

01/03, 7:31pm

Mactella 1.0 Released

cxc, Inc. has released Mactella 1.0, the first Mac-native client for the Gnutella file sharing system. The company recognizes that there are issues with connecting to the Gnutella network and has attempted to remedy the situation by adding a "turbo start" feature that is explained in detail in the software's release notes. In addition, long file names not recognized by the Mac file system are truncated by removing characters from the center of the filename in an attempt to preserve important identifying file extensions such as .mp3. Work on a Carbon version of Mactella is underway.

Bub & Bob 1.7.2 Released

01/03, 7:17pm

Bub & Bob 1.7.2 Released

McSebi has released Bub & Bob 1.7.2, a Mac re-creation of the classic arcade game Bubble Bobble. This new version adds music to the title screen.

DealNN: refurb PowerMac 7100 for $70, more

01/03, 5:00pm

DealNN: refurb PowerMac 7100 for $70, more

Today's DealNN bargains include: refurbished PowerMac 7100/66 for $70; Yamaha 16x10x40x SCSI CD-RWs for $295; and NEC 19" flat-screen monitors with free USB hub for $360.

Monkey Byte releases Monster Hunter Demo

01/03, 4:48pm

Monkey Byte releases Monster Hunter Demo

Monkey Byte Development has released Monster Hunter Demo 1.0 for the Mac. The $20 game offers "level after level of fiendish monster destroying" with no blood in a top-down view. The game requires a 120 MHz Power Mac 604e or better (iMacs, iBooks, Power Mac G3/G4 supported), 32 MB RAM and a good pair of speakers.

iLabel 1.0 posted

01/03, 4:45pm

iLabel 1.0 posted

Bruno Blondeau has introduced iLabel 1.0, an application for easing repetitive printing tasks, such as business cards and mailing labels. It is available for Mac OS 8/9 and Mac OS X.

P5 compatible with OS X

01/03, 4:34pm

P5 compatible with OS X

Essential Reality has announced that its upcoming P5, the company's glove-like USB product for full motion 3D graphics control, will be fully compatible with Mac OS X. The P5, expected for release in May 2001 at $129, aims to dramatically enhance the 3D experience in interactive gaming, business, education and personal computer assistance for the disabled. The device is fully USB compliant and will be compatible with Mac, PC, Sony Playstation 2 and Microsoft X-Box.

osx: QBeo, Farallon, discussions and hacks

01/03, 4:31pm

osx: QBeo, Farallon, discussions and hacks

osx.macnn.com has news today of Photogenics and Videogenics from QBeo, Farallon announcing support of Mac OS X, a hack for the desktop, and numerous application updates.

QBeo adds ImageOp products

01/03, 4:25pm

QBeo adds ImageOp products

QBeo has applied its ImageOp technology to Mac OS X in the form of PhotoGenetics 2.0 for Macintosh and VideoGenetics 1.0 for Mac. Both products will be demonstrated next week at Macworld. ImageOp makes it improves digital pictures or video by automatically altering 12 characteristics, such as hue, gradient, color balance, saturation and contrast.

Farallon: NetLINE 10/100/1000 24-port Switch

01/03, 4:23pm

Farallon: NetLINE 10/100/1000 24-port Switch

Farallon has announced the NetLINE 10/100/1000 24-port Switch which will be available this month for $1,400. In conjunction with this switch Farallon announces driver support for Mac OS X. [see osx.macnn.com for more info]

Half Keyboard to debut next week

01/03, 4:00pm

Half Keyboard to debut next week

At Macworld Expo next week, Matias Corporation will unveil its Half Keyboard for Mac. The $100 device allows users to quickly type with just one hand using existing touch-typing skills and is scheduled to ship later this month. The idea for the Half Keyboard was originally conceived on a Mac in 1984, says inventor Edgar Matias, and original prototypes were used on a Mac 512. Maitas will be exhibiting at booth #1748.

Farallon: OS X and NetLINE Gigabit PCI Cards

01/03, 3:37pm

Farallon: OS X and NetLINE Gigabit PCI Cards

Farallon has announced that it will release drivers for Mac OS X for its NetLINE Gigabit PCI Cards which are available now for Mac OS 8.1 and higher and retail for around $700. These cards support either FiberOptic networks or Fast Ethernet networks.

Apple shares up 10% on rate cut

01/03, 3:35pm

Apple shares up 10% on rate cut

Following a surprise, half point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve that has sent both the Nasdaq and Dow up nearly 300 points, shares of Apple are trading up more than 10 percent at 16 1/2. Countless big tech firms alike are trading anywhere from 10 to 30 percent higher on average.

MacBeginnings return to Macworld SF

01/03, 2:55pm

MacBeginnings return to Macworld SF

IDG has announced that the Macworld MacBeginnings sessions, which debuted at Macworld New York last July, will be held at Macworld San Francisco next week. The sessions, which are geared towards new users and can be attended free of charge, help illustrate several features of the Mac platform. Topics include a guide to Macworld Expo SF 2001, mastering the Web, Macintosh basics, and desktop movies. The sessions will be held January 10 and 11 at the Yerba Buena Ballroom at the San Francisco Marriott.

Mac Rune Patch Coming

01/03, 2:54pm

Mac Rune Patch Coming

Westlake Interactive President Mark Adams has indicated that the company plans to do at least one patch for the Mac version of Rune, according to IMG. "We probably will do a patch at some point to clean up any Mac specific bugs and roll in any major PC changes," says Adams.

GA-RPG: D2 Exp. Set

01/03, 2:32pm

GA-RPG: D2 Exp. Set

GA-RPG Editor-in-Chief Chris Johnson takes a first look at the Diablo II Expansion Set, the add-on for the popular Blizzard game expected for release in the first half of 2001. "I wonder if there has ever been a game that will have more items in it than Diablo II will after the expansion," remarks Johnson. Our own first look at the game covered many of the major elements of the game.

Apple pulls AGP Update

01/03, 2:20pm

Apple pulls AGP Update

Several readers note that Apple has pulled the recently-posted AGP Update 1.0 from its servers, and removed the software's information page without notice. AGP Update 1.0 has also stopped appearing in the Software Update control panel. The update is supposed to improved the stabilitiy of the Rage 128 Pro in some AGP Power Mac G4s.

StarCraft Map: Operation Claus

01/03, 2:16pm

StarCraft Map: Operation Claus

Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft Map of the Month is Operation Claus, a 128x256 ice map designed for 1-2 players and requiring StarCraft: Brood War.

Rune Map Pack Released

01/03, 2:04pm

Rune Map Pack Released

Mick "VerMoorD" Beard, Level Designer at Human Head Studios, has released a Rune Map Pack consisting of DM-Sanctum, a Rune conversion of his Unreal/Quake III map of the same name, and DM-Rotarena, a small 1-on-1 Honor Match map situated in a rotating suspended arena. Thanks Stomped.

Keyspan to introduce new USB device

01/03, 2:00pm

Keyspan to introduce new USB device

At Macworld next week, Keyspan will introduce the USB 4-Port Serial Adapter, which allows four legacy serial devices to be connected to a single USB port with each port supporting data rates up to 960 Kbps. The $150 device will ship later this month. Keyspan will be exhibiting at booth #3535 in the North Hall.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Highlights

01/03, 1:09pm

Neverwinter Nights Forum Highlights

Neverwinter Vault covers yesterday's forum highlights from Bioware's Rob Bartel on weapon finesse, difficulty classes, moving between modules and the number of spells in Neverwinter Nights.

Just to clarify, the initial release of Neverwinter Nights will have approximately 200 spells in total. This is less than the 300 available in BG2 but more than the approximately 125 available in BG1 (that number's coming off the top of my head but it sounds about right). Also, don't forget that the 3rd Edition rules allow you to modify your spells through the use of Metamagic Feats - This will add a lot of variety to an already robust system, I assure you. Even so, should Neverwinter warrant a sequel, further spells will be included at that time.

Holiday season hits Apple hard

01/03, 12:00pm

Holiday season hits Apple hard

While retail PC sales in December fell by 24 percent from the year-ago period, according to PC Data, sales of Macs suffered far worse than the industry average, falling by nearly 40 percent. Among the more popular sectors showing significant growth this holiday season were MP3 players, PDAs, webcams, CD burners, and digital cameras.

Drop Drawers 1.5 released

01/03, 11:15am

Drop Drawers 1.5 released

Sig Software has posted Drop Drawers 1.5 for OS X. This update to the utility brings dozens of new features, including configurable grids with multiple styles and arranging options, support for scripts with built-in compilation and parameter passing and several included drawer templates. The shareware costs $15, but can be bought with Classic Menu for $20, a savings of $5.

Rune Release Notes

01/03, 10:47am

Rune Release Notes

The official web site for Rune has been updated with "release notes" from Human Head Studios' Chris Rhinehart. The page includes notes on what the development team has been working on since the game's release and the company's plans to release additional deathmatch maps and models for the game. "Our modelers have been working on some new models/skins for the game," says Rhinehart, "specifically more female models for multiplay. Additionally, we will release information on how the mod community can use their own models and skins in the game."

Blizzard on Restoration

01/03, 10:30am

Blizzard on Restoration

Blizzard Entertainment has outlined the steps users should take for flagging their Diablo II character to be revived back to its December 19 state. In addition, the post answers some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the restoration.

The process of restoring Diablo 2 hardcore and standard characters will begin on Sunday January 7th, 6:00 P.M PST (GMT -8). This process requires that the realms be shut down for 24 hours, with the exception of the Asian Realm, which will take 30 hours due to the large number of characters on that realm. We expect that all realms will be running by Tuesday January 10th 12:00 A.M. PST (GMT -8).

Halo commercial during Super Bowl?

01/03, 10:22am

Halo commercial during Super Bowl?

XBOX365 reports that Microsoft has purchased two ad slots for the promotion of the X-Box, the company's upcoming console, during this year's Super Bowl. According to the site's unconfirmed report, one of the commercials will heavily promote Halo, the highly-anticipated action game from Bungie which will first be released for X-Box and later for the Mac and PC.

Games: EFMI, Diablo II Demo Coming

01/03, 10:10am

Games: EFMI, Diablo II Demo Coming

games.macnn.com has published a first look at Escape from Monkey Island, the upcoming 3D adventure game from Aspyr Media and Westlake Interactive. The second half of the article contains a detailed update on the progress of the game's development including word that the title has reached "alpha". In addition, the site has news on a forthcoming Mac demo for Diablo II.

Adobe pulls Illustrator 9.0.2 update

01/03, 10:05am

Adobe pulls Illustrator 9.0.2 update

One reader notes that Adobe has mysteriously pulled the Illustrator 9.0.2 update from its servers, after first posting the software on December 28. The Illustrator 9.0.1 update is still available.

CBS Marketwatch Poll features Apple

01/03, 9:55am

CBS Marketwatch Poll features Apple

Apple is among ten tech companies featured on a front page CBS Marketwatch Poll that asks readers which company's stock will fare the best in 2001. Apple was in sixth place with six percent of the vote at the time of this writing.

Atimi Software opens for business

01/03, 9:55am

Atimi Software opens for business

Atimi Software is a new Mac software development company whose "mission is to help solve two problems that Macintosh users face in their search for better software: late release of software titles and the lack of cross-platform titles due to Windows publishers not being able to find sufficient quality Macintosh programming talent." The company urgers users and other developers alike to contact them with titles they would like to see brought to the Mac.

MacDesktops: Audit TT, supernova, dancing sil

01/03, 9:49am

MacDesktops: Audit TT, supernova, dancing sil

During the past week, MacDesktops has posted 14 new pictures, including Audit TT (cars), chaotic supernova (starscapes), dancing silver (art) and danger girl (animation).

AShare 1.7 helper app for ASIP adds paging

01/03, 8:42am

AShare 1.7 helper app for ASIP adds paging

David Bakkers has posted AShare Helper 1.7, an update to his AppleShare helper application that performs a number of server-monitoring (and also provides notifications via email). The new version adds HTML-based logging options, support for paging via email, and the ability to schedule the Web & File Server to be restarted at specific intervals as well as other updates.

Iomega introduces Zip 250MB USB

01/03, 8:20am

Iomega introduces Zip 250MB USB

Iomega has introduced its Zip 250MB USB Powered Drive. The unit receives both data and power through a single USB cable, eliminating the need for a power cable. The $180 drive is compatible with all Zip 250 MB and 100 MB disks. It is shipping now in North America, and will be available in Europe during the first quarter this year.

Startup Doubler 2.6 adds Mac OS 9.1 support

01/03, 7:29am

Startup Doubler 2.6 adds Mac OS 9.1 support

Marc Moini's Startup Doubler 2.6, a free update to his $20 acceleration utility that compensates for sub-optimal disk performance to make extensions, control panel, the Finder and startup applications load faster. Version 2.6 adds support for Mac OS 9.1 (not yet released), fixes a bug in the Installer that would sometimes prevent installation, and has other improvements.

Audion 2.1 adds AIFF, SID, other features

01/03, 7:27am

Audion 2.1 adds AIFF, SID, other features

Panic has released Audion 2.1, a free upgrade to the popular $20 MP3 player that brings bug fixes as well as a new AIFF encoder (for preparing audio files for CD burning), a SID decoder (for listening to Commodore 64 tunes), "vastly" improved CD playback, an improved control strip module, and expanded help. A limited 15-day demo is available online. The software is also available with an MP3 encoder for $33.

Birthdays and Such 1.4 has AutoHide features

01/03, 7:26am

Birthdays and Such 1.4 has AutoHide features

Ron Lichty's Birthdays and Such 1.4, a simple "What'sItWorthWare" reminder program, adds an AutoHide feature that automatically hides the application in the background on days when there are no reminders.

Shareware PDF-generation utility updated

01/03, 7:22am

Shareware PDF-generation utility updated

James Walker has updated PrintToPDF 2.1.6, his shareware Macintosh printer driver that creates PDF files. Version 2.1.6 includes better support for Word and PowerPoint, better compression for text-based documents, and several bug fixes.

Roundup: HomePage axed, satellite downlinks

01/03, 6:54am

Roundup: HomePage axed, satellite downlinks

Yesterday we noted FileMaker's decision to discontinue HomePage (which generated several interesting responses from readers), new Epson printers available in non-US markets (updated with links), PowerLogix price cuts, Apple's listing of satellite downlink locations for next week's MWSF keynote, and NEC's new 50-inch XGA plasma display. We also noted the release of Meta Communications' Virtual Ticket 3.0 and Job Manager 3.0, Power Windows 2.4.4, and File Buddy 6.0.

Early morning tech news: MS sued, more

01/03, 6:00am

Early morning tech news: MS sued, more

Early morning tech news: Microsoft is being slapped with a $5 billion discrimination lawsuit by seven former black employees; Microsoft and Starbucks are partnering to wire all of Starbucks' coffee shops via MobileStar's wireless network; a new study shows that 210 Internet companies folded in 2000, representing more than $1.5 billion in investments; and some content companies are forgoing the courts and beginning to track known media pirates themselves.

OS X forums discussions: multi-threading;

01/03, 4:25am

OS X forums discussions: multi-threading;

Some of the discussions in our forums deal with Multi-threading for OS X Developers, getting OS X to work on a 9600 with a Sonnet upgrade card, changing the dock's orientation which we posted here earlier though we haven't confirmed it yet.

First Look: Escape from Monkey Island

01/03, 4:08am

First Look: Escape from Monkey Island

Today we've published a first look at Escape from Monkey Island, the upcoming 3D adventure game from Aspyr Media and Westlake Interactive. The second half of the article contains a detailed update on the progress of the game's development including word that the title has reached "alpha".

Mac Diablo II Demo Coming Soon

01/03, 3:55am

Mac Diablo II Demo Coming Soon

Blizzard Entertainment's Brian Fitzgerald told games.macnn.com early this morning that the company plans to release a Mac version of the Diablo II Demo very soon. "I believe the plan is to have a few copies to hand out at Macworld," says Fitzgerald, one of the company's Mac programmers. Blizzard will not have a booth at the show but will meet privately with members of the press to demo the Diablo II Expansion Set on the Mac. The Diablo II Demo will consist of a portion of one of the game's four acts and allow access to the Barbarian, one of the game's five character classes.

MacDesktops: Falcon 4.0

01/03, 3:46am

MacDesktops: Falcon 4.0

During the past week, MacDesktops has posted 14 new desktop pictures including F-16 (Falcon 4.0), a new gaming desktop picture featuring a jet from the popular flight sim with obvious Mac overtones. The site is the host of desktop picture archives for Custer's Corner 2.0, games.macnn.com's collection of gaming desktop pictures by talented artist, illustrator and web guru, Brad Custer.

Tuesday news recap

01/03, 3:45am

Tuesday news recap

Yesterday Blizzard Entertainment acknowledged a problem on the Diablo II Battle.net servers allowing some Hardcore characters to be killed or stripped of many items and announced a plan to remedy the situation; Alliance Games released Alliance 2.0 for Quake III: Arena; APO Games released Naumachia, a new turn-based strategy game for the Mac; and UT JailBreak 100, the "escape from prison" mod for Unreal Tournament, was released. We added a new weekly poll to our left sidebar; this week's poll concerns a recent hack into the Diablo II Battle.net Realms and how this has affected your view of the service's security.

Hacks for the OS X Desktop

01/03, 3:34am

Hacks for the OS X Desktop

ResExcellence has posted two hacks for the desktop today:

defaults write NSGlobalDomain Desktop.HasDarkBackground 0 and defaults write NSGlobalDomain Desktop.HasDarkBackground 1

These hacks turn on and off outlines around your icon names on the desktop. See ResExcellence for screenshots.

CronniX 1.1 posted for Mac OS X

01/03, 3:33am

CronniX 1.1 posted for Mac OS X

Sven Schmidt has posted CronniX 1.1 which is a freeware GUI front end for installing and modifying a "crontab" in Mac OS X. Please send feedback to Sven if you use this tool.

jEdit 3.0 (final release) posted

01/03, 3:07am

jEdit 3.0 (final release) posted

jEdit 3.0 (final release) has been posted for Mac OS X. jEdit is an open source Java based text editor that supports syntax highlighting, auto indenting, and multiple clipboards to name a few.

CHMOD, what is it? and how to use it...

01/03, 1:54am

CHMOD, what is it? and how to use it...

Rob Griffiths has posted a short and simple explanation of the basics of chmod for those that have little or no experience with the UNIX part of Mac OS X.