News Archive for 01/10/31

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Virex definitions for November posted online

10/31, 9:55pm

Virex definitions for November posted online

Heidi Shanklin notes that Network Associates has posted a November virus definition update for Virex, its antivirus utility. (Symantec has yet to post updates for its NAV application.) [updated]

FileMaker plugin offers prefs, global vars

10/31, 9:10pm

FileMaker plugin offers prefs, global vars

24U Preferencis+Globals Plug-In 1.0 for FileMaker Pro offers custom preferences and global variables to multiple open databases. Global variables can be used as simpler replacement for gobal fields, and can avoid opening multiple copies of the same database.

Perfboard 1.2: system monitoring util for OSX

10/31, 8:55pm

Perfboard 1.2: system monitoring util for OSX

Pepsan & Associates' utility for monitoring system parameters, Perfboard 1.2 (previously named Dashboard) now uses auto-scaling for the network input/output displays. The freeware utility monitors CPU load metrics, memory statistics, network bandwidth, and disk I/O operations.

Portaits & Prints: photo studio app for OS X

10/31, 8:55pm

Portaits & Prints: photo studio app for OS X

Portraits & Prints, a photo studio application for OS X, is now shipping. The Cocoa-based application offers one-trouch image enhancements, easy layout options, and works with OS X’s Image Capture to automatically download pictures from digital cameras. The $20 application is bundled with the Portraits & Prints Template Maker program free of charge during the month of November.

MacNN Developers contribute to Gerry's ICQ

10/31, 4:45pm

MacNN Developers contribute to Gerry's ICQ

A group of developers in our forums have been trying to complete the carbonization of the popular ICQ client, Gerry's ICQ, for Mac OS 10.1. So far, several outstanding bugs have been addressed, and source code is available as well. If you are interested in helping out with this project or testing the applications, visit the website or read the forum thread.

Adrenaline Software ceases operations

10/31, 4:30pm

Adrenaline Software ceases operations

Adrenaline Software announced that it will cease operations as of today, October 31st due "to difficult current market conditions." The company says that current orders for copies of Adrenaline Charts Pro 1.5 will be fulfilled "promptly" (customers can email chartsprosales@adrenaline.ca for status information). Adrenaline was among the first companies to develop for Apple's now defunct OpenDoc technology, which Apple discontinued in 1997.

Carracho 1.0b4: flat news, faster transfer

10/31, 4:05pm

Carracho 1.0b4: flat news, faster transfer

Carracho has released Beta 4 of its client/server suite, Carracho 1.0b4, which includes a flat news system, a rewritten network engine for faster file transfers, and a better server performance, and also improves stability under Mac OS 9 and OS X. [Client: Classic, Carbon; Server: Classic, Carbon]

USA Today: OS X takes some polish off of XP

10/31, 3:55pm

USA Today: OS X takes some polish off of XP

A USA Today columnist, a self-declared Window user, has some positive comments about OS X as compared with Windows XP.

Agfa to exit digital camera/scanner business

10/31, 3:00pm

Agfa to exit digital camera/scanner business

Agfa has decided to abandon its digital camera and consumer scanner businesses in North America, citing intense compeititon and market pressure. The German company will instead focus on its core operations of professional scanners, retail photo labs and camera film. Agfa's digital camera shipments fell from 29,000 units in the first quarter to 6,500 units in the third quarter of this year.

ProSQL 1.0pr2: preview of database software

10/31, 3:00pm

ProSQL 1.0pr2: preview of database software

Intelli Innovations has released ProSQL 1.0pr2, the 2nd preview release of its database management software. It offers PostgreSQL, FrontBase, and ODBC support, AppleScriptability, SQL dump import/export, an updated OpenBase driver, and other enhancements and will expire on November 15th, 2001. [Classic, Carbon]

SAS has no plans for OS X development

10/31, 2:55pm

SAS has no plans for OS X development

James Strickland forwarded an email from SAS Technical support that notes the company is not currently developing its products for OS X: "At this point in time, there are no plans to continue development of the SAS software for Macintosh, even though OS X is a Unix-like operating system. However, we have folks here at SAS monitoring requests we receive to have SAS running on OS X." A FAQ on the Website says that "there will not be a carbon-compliant version of SAS for Mac OS X."

Law firm formally sues Apple

10/31, 2:45pm

Law firm formally sues Apple

After several informal statements and notices, the law firm of Cauley Geller Bowman and Coates, LLP has formally brought a class action law suit against Apple Computer Inc on behalf of investors in publicly traded securities during the period between July 19, 2000-September 28, 2000. The complaint charges Apple with " issuing false and misleading statements concerning its business and financial condition."

AlienNations demo for Mac posted online

10/31, 2:45pm

AlienNations demo for Mac posted online

Titan Computer has released a demo version of its forthcoming strategy game, AlienNations.

Aladdin ships InstallerMaker 7.1 dev tool

10/31, 1:30pm

Aladdin ships InstallerMaker 7.1 dev tool

Aladdin today released StuffIt InstallerMaker 7.1, an update to its installation and distribution application for developers. It now allows software developers to create a single installer for both OS X 10.1 and Mac OS 8/9 from a single archive. Version 7.1 also offers more error control, a new Universal ILoc and Guide for writing InstallerMaker locations, a destination path helper application, the ability to add a start up picture from a file, and improved permissions for directories. It is a free update to current registered users.

Bold now shipping Age of Empires II: Gold

10/31, 12:50pm

Bold now shipping Age of Empires II: Gold

Destineer's Macintosh label, Bold, announced today that it is now shipping Age of Empires II: Gold Edition for Macintosh in North America. The real-time strategy gme will ship throughout the day today and tomorrow to resellers, as well as to individuals who pre-ordered the product directly from Bold. The Gold edition includes both Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion.

KnockOut 2 to be available in November

10/31, 11:15am

KnockOut 2 to be available in November

Corel has launched KnockOut 2, a new version of its Adobe Photoshop masking tool, under the company's procreate product mantra. The new release converts KnockOut into a plug-in rather than a standalone app, adds precision tools for improved masking and support for the CMYK color model. KnockOut 2 will be available for purchase November 2001 at the suggested retail price of US $330, while upgrades will be priced at $150. KnockOut 2 is Classic/Carbon compatible, with Mac OS X specific interface features.

SndSampler 4.5 improves QT, iMovie support

10/31, 10:00am

SndSampler 4.5 improves QT, iMovie support

The $30 shareware sound utility, SndSampler 4.5, includes an improved recording dialog, new features to help with iMovie, improved QuickTime movie editing, special functions to assist in creating Appearance Manager sound sets, and other bug fixes and enhancements.

Adobe cuts earnings forecasts, 150 jobs

10/31, 9:50am

Adobe cuts earnings forecasts, 150 jobs

Adobe yesterday announced that its fourth-quarter and 2002 earnings will be below previous estimates and said it plans to cut 150 jobs, or 5% of its workforce. For the fourth quarter ending Nov. 30, Adobe expects to earn 20 to 22 cents a share, below the consensus forecast of 26 cents. It also said that it expects to earn $1.03 a share on revenue of $1.3 billion during 2002, while analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.22 a share.

DiskOnKey gets auto-boot, BIOS functions

10/31, 9:50am

DiskOnKey gets auto-boot, BIOS functions

M-Systems has debuted a new version of its DiskOnKey personal storage device that now includes an automatic boot function and recognition by most BIOS (Basic Input Output System) systems. The DiskOnKey is a lightweight USB storage device about the size of a typical pen. Pricing for the 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB and 128MB models is $29.99, $49.99, $79.99, $99.99 and $129.99, respectively. The DiskOnKey is Mac OS Classic/X compatible.

Netscape 6.2 posted, changes detailed

10/31, 9:40am

Netscape 6.2 posted, changes detailed

Netscape 6.2, released yesterday, brings OS X support, improved performance on a dual-CPU machines, better mail/news performance, LDAP support, an integrated AIM client, Page Setup functions, and many bug fixes (QT movies, spellcheck, infinite number of mail folders, etc.)

Epson to offer more stable, lightfast inks

10/31, 9:40am

Epson to offer more stable, lightfast inks

Epson plans to offer alternate dye inks for the Stylus Pro 9000 and Stylus Pro 7000 color printers which the company claims will deliver improved lightfastness and achieve better short-term stability. The new inks will be available in early November through Epson's Profocus dealers. The new cartridges will be the same price as the standard cartridges.

Apple announces iDVD 2 now shipping

10/31, 9:40am

Apple announces iDVD 2 now shipping

Apple today officially announced the immediate availability of iDVD 2, its application for creating DVDs that play in consumer DVD players, after it began takin g orders for upgrades ($20) yesterday. The OS X 10.1 compatible software requires an Apple "SuperDrive", a G4 Power Mac, and 256MB of RAM. iDVD 2 is available now in English, French, German and Japanese as an upgrade package.

QPS signs agreement with Ingram Micro UK

10/31, 9:40am

QPS signs agreement with Ingram Micro UK

QPS Inc., a supplier of CD-R, CD-RW and DVD solutions for the Mac market, has signed a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro UK for distribution of products in Britain. Among the products included under the agreement QPS' FireWire range of external DVD-RW and CD-RW drives.

BW: Apple enters consumer market (again)

10/31, 9:35am

BW: Apple enters consumer market (again)

Charles Haddad of BusinessWeek Online compares the iPod to other available solutions on the market, noting that Apple's latest foray into the consumer electronics will be a success, despite several previous failed attempts: "iPod will be a double win for Apple. First, it will prompt many Mac users to upgrade to OS 9, if not all the way up to X. It's that cool. And second, I'm betting that the iPod, glistening in the storefront window, will lure music lovers of all stripes into Apple's new stores."

HP to release OS X driver for PSC 750 AIO

10/31, 9:20am

HP to release OS X driver for PSC 750 AIO

HP's Customer Care Technical Center says it will soon be releasing an OS X driver for its HP PSC 750, an all-in-one multifunction device that offers printing, scanning, and copying functions: "The PSC OS X software is to be released in the near future. Although, a release date has yet yet to be announced. When a new driver becomes available, it will be posted to our web site. You may sign up at the following web page to receive email notifications when new drivers are released."

SMC announces next-gen wireless devices

10/31, 9:20am

SMC announces next-gen wireless devices

SMC Networks is the latest vendor to announce its next-generation, 802.11a-based wireless products, supporting data transfer rates of up to 72Mbps. The new $365 EZ Connect Wireless Access Point (SMC2755W) and $145 Wireless CardBus Adapter (SMC2735W) offer transmission speeds of up to 54Mbps in standard mode and 72Mbps in "Turbo Mode" using the 5Ghz frequency range. The access point supports up to 64 simultaneous wireless clients and provides security features such as 64-, 128- and 152-bit WEP encryption, and MAC address filtering. (These products are currently incompatible with AirPort products and the Mac OS.)

PC shipments fall by 21% in Japan

10/31, 9:10am

PC shipments fall by 21% in Japan

Japanese domestic shipments of PCs fell by 21 percent in the July to September period, the first decline in about three years, according to Bloomberg. PC vendors led by NEC, Toshiba, and Fujitsu, shipped 2.27 million units in the second quarter, down from 2.9 million a year ago. Shipments of desktops fell 26 percent from the year ago quarter, while notebook sales fell 16 percent.

Apple, AMD: look beyond clock speed

10/31, 9:10am

Apple, AMD: look beyond clock speed

Apple and AMD are both encouraging customers to look beyond clock speed when purchasing a computer; however, Intel says claims can be deceptive: "You can show that any machine is faster than any other machine with any particular operation. They can claim that the Mac is faster than the Pentium 4 at any particular thing but I can find seven or eight things where the Pentium 4 can beat the Mac."

Opera 5.0b4 implements new ad-mode

10/31, 9:00am

Opera 5.0b4 implements new ad-mode

Opera Software has posted Opera 5.0b4, a new version of the alternative browser. Beta 4 now has an advertising-supported mode as well as file upload functions, a new "Link Toolbar", an updated user interface, a new installer, better AppleScript support, autofill of forms, new balloon help, revised preferences layout, and searchable/dockable bookmarks.

Earlthlink Kids software only for Windows

10/31, 8:55am

Earlthlink Kids software only for Windows

Louis Block notes that EarthLink Kids is yet another application only available on the Windows platform:

"I'm getting increasingly irritated by products promoted for all users turning out to be Windows only solutions. This is the second time this week I've run into this with Earthlink. The first was when trying to download a database of dialup numbers for the Palm! After jumping through all the hoops to get to the file, I get a .exe! There is no reason for a Palm file to be Windows specific."

Audion 2.6.1: MP3 player/encoder updated

10/31, 8:50am

Audion 2.6.1: MP3 player/encoder updated

Panic has released Audion 2.6.1, a free, maintenance release to its popular MP3 player/encoder. The release fixes a number of bugs, includes latest LAME and Fraunhofer encoding libraries, and "greatly" improves performance under Mac OS X. [Classic, Carbon]

HipFlics 1.1: audio/video compression tool

10/31, 8:50am

HipFlics 1.1: audio/video compression tool

Totally Hip Software has released HipFlics 1.1, an audio/video compression tool supporting all QuickTime 5 codecs, including Sorenson Video 3. The company says it allows "everyday consumers" to produce video for the web or CD-ROM using its drag & drop interface and timeline-based controls. HipFlics supports multiple codecs within a single movie, cropping, watermarking, and filter effects. Version 1.1 suppports all QuickTime 5 codecs and VP3, the open-source codec from On2 and is a free upgrade to the $100 application. A demo is expected to be posted soon.

iOrganizer 2.0: address book, event calendar

10/31, 2:25am

iOrganizer 2.0: address book, event calendar

iOrganizer 2.0, a $25 shareware from Channel 8 Software, includes an address book, a bookmark list, an event calendar, and a download list.

iDisk Manager 1.0 manages multiple accounts

10/31, 2:25am

iDisk Manager 1.0 manages multiple accounts

The $7 shareware iDisk Manager 1.0 is designed to help users manage multiple iDisk accounts and can automate the iDisk login process by storing login information.

Adobe introduces PDF Transit SDK

10/31, 2:25am

Adobe introduces PDF Transit SDK

Adobe yesterday announced PDF Transit, a software developer kit (SDK) that enables print shops to offer an PDF-based service for customers to submit and manage print jobs.