News Archive for 01/12/06

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New petition for software basestation in OS X

12/06, 9:10pm

New petition for software basestation in OS X

Norm Phillips has begun a petition asking Apple to create a software base station for OS X. (We've noted petitions to create an OS X version of Mathworks's MATLAB and John Siracusa's formal OS X Metadata proposal/petition to bring back metadata in OS X, which has been submitted as a formal "bug report" to Apple.)

SlashDock 1.7 fetches headlines

12/06, 7:55pm

SlashDock 1.7 fetches headlines

The freeware, dock-based, headline grabber, SlashDock 1.7, fetches and updates headlines for the lastest postings on slashdot-compatible sites, including MacNN.

Apple updates Authoring Support 1.1.5

12/06, 7:55pm

Apple updates Authoring Support 1.1.5

Apple's Authoring Support 1.1.5, which supports burning CDs with iTunes and Disc Burner in Mac OS 9, is now available, offering fixes for some issues for ISO burns using iTunes and DiscBurner, and supporting new CD-R Drives, including Sonny CRX-1650L-A2, Sony Digital Relay, and Sony Spresa Professional 10x4x32x.

New build of NewsWatcher-X released

12/06, 6:55pm

New build of NewsWatcher-X released

Electric Fish, Inc. has released a new build of NewsWatcher-X 2.2.3b2, a free Carbonized version of John Norstad's NewsWatcher application for browsing Usenet groups. This build adds the ability to select native helper applications and allows text to be copied.

Stargazer's Delight 5.1: desktop astronomy

12/06, 6:45pm

Stargazer's Delight 5.1: desktop astronomy

Ruedi Schmid today announced Stargazer's Delight 5.1, a $30 desktop planetarium and sky simulator, aimed at stargazers and hobby astronomers alike.

Customer Tracker 2.5.1 fixes bugs, more

12/06, 5:35pm

Customer Tracker 2.5.1 fixes bugs, more

Customer Tracker 2.5.1 is an invoicing and customer database application that can be used to store and track jobs done for customers, print or email invoices, work logs, envelopes, labels and more. The update fixes bugs and adds several new features. The full version is $35; upgrades from v1.X are $20. [Classic, Carbon]

First 802.11 and Bluetooth integration

12/06, 5:15pm

First 802.11 and Bluetooth integration

Red-M announced today that it will showcase 'Genos' wirelessware at the Moscone Center in San Francisco this month. The demonstration represents the first simultaneous integration of 802.11 wireless LAN and Bluetooth technology. Red-M will demonstrate a mixed, secure, 802.11 WLAN and Bluetooth network controlled by Genos wirelessware. 802.11b is the standard employed in Apple's Airport product line. Red-M will be exhibiting at the Bluetooth Developer’s conference, Moscone Centre, San Francisco, December 10 through 13.

9Tuner v. 5.2.2 adds OS 9.22 support

12/06, 4:50pm

9Tuner v. 5.2.2 adds OS 9.22 support

DragonOne has released 9Tuner version 5.2.2, an update that adds Mac OS 9.2.2 support. 9Tuner is a $20 shareware utility that allows the user to modify certain system resource files to change the appearances and functionality of Mac OS 9.X.

Digital Voodoo announces VoodooCare-SD

12/06, 4:35pm

Digital Voodoo announces VoodooCare-SD

Australia based Digital Voodoo today announced an extensive warranty program for its standard-definition QuickTime video cards. VoodooCare-SD options include: 'Solution Support,' an advice service for Final Cut Pro, After Effects and Digital Voodoo; the 'Extended Warranty' that offers 36 months of coverage in which Digital Voodoo will repair the product free of charge or replace it for 50% off; and the 'Premium Warranty' for customers requiring total protection including free 'kind-for-kind' replacements for 36 months. Prices are $350/12 months, $495/36 months and $2250/36 months respectively.

Tech: Stripped down Windows, Bluetooth

12/06, 4:00pm

Tech: Stripped down Windows, Bluetooth

Afternoon tech news: Nine state attorneys general still suing Microsoft are considering whether to make it sell a stripped-down version of Windows; Red-M is showcasing Genos wirelessware technology, which offers a mixed, secure, 802.11 WLAN and Bluetooth network controlled by Genos, and accessed by a number of data and voice-enabled edge devices such as: laptops, cordless telephony profile (CTP) mobile phones and PDAs; and Palm cut $50 off its m125 handheld to $200.

New Apple Developer tools available

12/06, 3:45pm

New Apple Developer tools available

Apple's new OS X 10.1 Developer Tools (Build 5H16) is available now to Select and Premier Apple Developers and is expected to be available to online members of ADC next week. As noted previously, the tools include AppleScript Studio as well as (significantly) updated documentation: "Look at Apple's website in the Cocoa docs. Remember all those programming topics links that just had "description forthcoming?" Every single one of them is filled in with great documentation now," as noted in our forums.

VP3: new video QT codec for OS X, Mac OS 9

12/06, 3:30pm

VP3: new video QT codec for OS X, Mac OS 9

VP3, an open-source video codec that supports VHS-quality video at bandwidths as low as 200 kbps, is available for QuickTime. It allows QuickTime 5 users to view VP3 encoded video, and allows QuickTime 5 Pro (or other QuickTime-compatible application) users to encode VP3 video. Both an OS X and Mac OS 8/9 codecs are available online.

'Macintosh is Catholic, DOS is Protestant'

12/06, 3:10pm

'Macintosh is Catholic, DOS is Protestant'

Ernesto Guzman writes "Conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan recently switched from his PC to a G4 PowerBook due to problems he had installing Windows XP. So far he seems to enjoy his purchase (along with his new iPod). He offers this quote from author Umberto Eco on his web site:"

"The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counterreformist and has been influenced by the "ratio studiorum" of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach - if not the Kingdom of Heaven - the moment in which their document is printed."

Apple to file additional brief in MS lawsuit

12/06, 2:40pm

Apple to file additional brief in MS lawsuit

Apple will file a supplemental brief in the $1 billion consumer class action suit against Microsoft Corp., in which it will ask that Microsoft give $1 billion to an independent foundation that would distribute the money to schools, according to a CNBC report that quotes Jobs as saying that "the actual cost of the software Microsoft has offered to donate to public schools will likely be less than $1 million. [Bloomberg, CNBC]

Reader: MS Intellimouse drivers due next week

12/06, 2:25pm

Reader: MS Intellimouse drivers due next week

A MacNN reader writes "I just talked to an engineer in Redmond and he said the OS X drivers will be out next week (2nd week of Dec) for the Microsoft Intellimouse series. Finally."

iSpQ 5.02 video chat application updated

12/06, 2:20pm

iSpQ 5.02 video chat application updated

iSpQ 5.02 is a videochat application that offers multiperson chat, buddy lists, instant messaging, and audio/visual broadcast functions. [Classic, Carbon]

Virex 6.1 x4160 engine scans PDF 5.0 files

12/06, 2:15pm

Virex 6.1 x4160 engine scans PDF 5.0 files

McAfee's Anti-Virus Beta program offers a Virex 6.1 4160 Engine Beta 2, which contains an update to the scanning engine that can now detect virus infections in embedded objects within Adobe Acrobat PDF 5.0 files.

Motorola updates G5 roadmap, changes details

12/06, 1:55pm

Motorola updates G5 roadmap, changes details

Motorola's PowerPC road map notes that the G5 will have an extensible architecture; a new pipeline and bus topology; and both 32-bit and 64-bit versions with backwards compatibility. eWeek notes that a recent update to the road map now includes RapidIO Interconnect Architecture, symmetric multiprocessing capabilities, a lowered speed range of 800 MHz to 2+ GHz, and a less advanced 0.13 micron manufacturing process (vs. 0.10-micron process).

Icon Cleaner 1.1 helps manage custom icons

12/06, 1:30pm

Icon Cleaner 1.1 helps manage custom icons

IconCleaner 1.1 is a small application program that allows you to delete files' and folders' custom icons. Version 1.1 allows you to "clean" more items at once, correctly adjusts files flags under OS X, and offers better Aqua Support.

AXELcore 1.5, AXELedge 1.5 for 3D content

12/06, 1:25pm

AXELcore 1.5, AXELedge 1.5 for 3D content

MindAvenue has launched AXELcore 1.5 ($400) and AXELedge 1.5 ($950) for OS X, new versions of the company's software designed specifically for the Mac. Both applications offer designers and artists a "complete authoring solution for high impact, programming-free, interactive 3D Web content creation." Version 1.5 includes complete QuickTime texture support, new cartoon and wireframe rendering capabilities, a streamlined user interface, and import of EPS files. AXELedge 1.5 also has complete character animation and scripting capabilities.

Petition to bring MATLAB to OS X

12/06, 1:15pm

Petition to bring MATLAB to OS X

Kimo Johnson has started a petition to the Mathworks Inc., to release a OS X version of MATLAB: "MATLAB is a widely used language for data analysis and visualization. The discontinuation of the Macintosh version a few years ago caused many Macintosh users to move to Linux or Windows. The petition hopes to make Mathworks aware of the market for their products on MacOS X."

New FireWire/USB 2.0 combo card under $100

12/06, 1:15pm

New FireWire/USB 2.0 combo card under $100

FirewireDirect.com has introduced a new FireWireUSB Combo PCI Card, offering 4 USB ports (with suport for both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices), 3 external FireWire ports, and one internal FireWire port. The company is offering free shipping on the $100 FireWire/USB 2.0 combo card through December 10, when the the card is expected to begin shipping.

OSX: QuicKeys, OmniWeb, Entourage v.X

12/06, 12:45pm

OSX: QuicKeys, OmniWeb, Entourage v.X

osx.macnn.com today notes the release of QuicKeys 1.0.2 with an improved AppleScript engine, OmniWeb 4.0.6 which fixes 10.1 compatibility bugs, and Microsoft's new patch that allows users of Entourage v.X to access Hotmail once again.

QuicKeys 1.0.2 gets improved AppleScript

12/06, 12:40pm

QuicKeys 1.0.2 gets improved AppleScript

CE Software has released QuicKeys 1.0.2, an update to its automation utility for Mac OS X. The new version includes an "Insert Text" option in Type Text that dramatically increases typing speed, a "Hide Other Applications" option to Switch Applications, an improved AppleScript engine, and other enhancements. The update is available online and free to registered users of QuicKeys X 1.0.

FireStore video solution to debut at DV Expo

12/06, 12:20pm

FireStore video solution to debut at DV Expo

Focus Enhancements is planning to demonstrate FireStore, a new solution that allows direct camera-to-hard disk recording of edit-ready DV files without the need of a computer, together with the Canopus DVStorm, a real-time DV editing system that delivers render-free, real-time digital video editing at DV Expo on December 4-6 in Los Angeles, California. FireStore uses any FireWire drive as a digital disk recorder/player and then uses FireWire enabled cameras as slaves. The solution is priced at $1,000 and will be shipping soon after the expo.

e.Digital debuts another iPod-like MP3 player

12/06, 12:05pm

e.Digital debuts another iPod-like MP3 player

e.Digital has made its second major entry into the digital MP3 player market (the company recently introduced the Treo 10) with the release of its MP2000 which includes a removable 128 MB CompactFlash card. Borrowing much functionality from the iPod, e.Digital's player sports a "rugged, brushed aluminum case," an internal, rechargeable NiMH battery providing nearly seven hours of music playback, and a backlit LCD screen. The MP2000 is priced at $170 and uses USB connectivity.

Seybold wireless conference coming to Vegas

12/06, 11:45am

Seybold wireless conference coming to Vegas

Andrew Seybold's Wireless University 4Mobility will take place in Las Vegas on Jan. 7, immediately prior to the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES, Las Vegas, Jan. 8-11). According to officials, the conference will "explore available in-building wireless network systems" (such as Bluetooth and AirPort), the marriage of computing and communications, and chart the progress and potential of the Wireless Internet. The attendance fee is $250 prior to the show, and $300 on-site.

XDarwin 1.05 fixes a few bugs

12/06, 10:25am

XDarwin 1.05 fixes a few bugs

XDarwin 1.0.5, now available from the XonX project page, has "no new features but includes a number of bug fixes. In particular, it includes an important bug fix to Mesa which is not yet included in CVS. If you are using GLX we would appreciate your feedback on this version." It is now localized in Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish, and Korean.

OmniGroup releases OmniWeb 4.06

12/06, 10:20am

OmniGroup releases OmniWeb 4.06

The Omni Group today released OmniWeb 4.0.6, an update to its native Cocoa web browser built for OS X. It includes compatibility fixes for OS X 10.1 as well as support for Norwegian and for Simplified and Traditional Chinese: "We were hoping to ship OmniWeb 4.1 by now, but ran into issues incorporating our new JavaScript engine (it's now based on the "SpiderMonkey" code from Mozilla/Netscape). We decided that waiting and shipping a complete and solid version of 4.1 was the best thing to do but in the meantime 4.0.6 fixes some key compatibility issues with Mac OS X 10.1." The company now expects to ship OmniWeb 4.1 in time for Macworld SF with "some major improvements in compatibility and speed."

VectorsWorks 9.5 brings OS X compatibility

12/06, 10:20am

VectorsWorks 9.5 brings OS X compatibility

Nemetschek North America announced the completion of its beta testing process for VectorWorks 9.5 ( RenderWorks, Architect, Spotlight and Landmark). The free updates to its industry application series are the first versions of VectorWorks to run natively under OS X and bring printing, stability and speed improvements, including performance boosts in hidden line rendering, symbol manipulation, switching sheets and printing.

Mezzo 4: project-based backup

12/06, 10:15am

Mezzo 4: project-based backup

Mezzo 4 brings a completely redesigned interface to the project-based backup and asset management application. It also adds database capabilties that allow users near-instant access to any file or project in the archives as well as backup of files larger than 2GB, and support for hard drive-, removeable media-, tape-, and FireWire device-backups. It also adds a new databaes search engine, support for Pro Tools 5.1+, database export routines, and other enhancements. It is a free upgrade for v3.8 owners and later. (OS X is not supported by Mezzo 4, but the company promises an update for compatibility.)

MOTU introduces Digital Performer 3.1

12/06, 9:55am

MOTU introduces Digital Performer 3.1

MOTU has introduced Digital Performer 3.1, an upcoming update to itss audio workstation software with full surround recording, editing, arranging, mixing, processing, mastering, and integrated MIDI sequencing. Version 3.1 will feature multiple undo, a unique Timeline Undo, playback of digital video via FireWire, and built-in waveform editing of surround audio files as well as new features for "Acid-style" loop-based music production, post-production work and MIDI music production. It will ship in the first quarter of 2002 and it will be a free update to all v3.0 users.

VMUG holds semi-annual Swap Meet

12/06, 9:05am

VMUG holds semi-annual Swap Meet

VMUG, the Las Vegas Macintosh Users Group, is having its semi-annual Swap Meet on December 15th at 10 am at the Community College of Southern Nevada, West Charleston Campus.

OS 9.2.2 direct download links

12/06, 8:55am

OS 9.2.2 direct download links

Apple has posted direct downloads for Mac OS 9.2.2, which it released yesterday via the software update. The document includes several tips for installation and notes about application compatibility.

New patch for Entourage vX fixes Hotmail

12/06, 8:55am

New patch for Entourage vX fixes Hotmail

Microsoft has posted a patch allowing Entourage v.X to access Hotmail once again, according to several readers.

Marware introduces improved SportFolio cases

12/06, 8:45am

Marware introduces improved SportFolio cases

Marware today introduced its new, improved SportFolio line for the iBook and Titanium PowerBook G4. The new cases feature a secure, zippered back pocket, an improved shoulder strap, and new colors and are made of high-tech, 3mm neoprene, with a tough plastic inner shell for impact protection. The $45 slim, rugged cases offer a sure-grip rubber bottom and two exterior pockets. It is available in two sizes: SportFolio I, which accommodates the PowerBook G4; and SportFolio II for the iBook.

Nisus Emai 1.6 supports OS X, other changes

12/06, 8:40am

Nisus Emai 1.6 supports OS X, other changes

Nisus Email 1.6, a $30 e-mail client, is now avaiable for OS X, supports SMTP authorization, includes email message flags, supports foreign character sets, offers autoexpansion of nicknames in messaging fields, and other enhancements. A fully functional 14 day demo version is available online.

Internet Gateway for OS X release candidate

12/06, 8:35am

Internet Gateway for OS X release candidate

Vicomsoft has posted a release candidate of its Internet Gateway for OS X rc1, which includes an improved installer, better local administration, an improved GUI, enables Web caching on the host machine, improves DNS lookups, and has other changes.

ColorSync used to help reproduce artwork

12/06, 8:35am

ColorSync used to help reproduce artwork

Apple's ColorSync technology was used to help transfer oil on canvas to ceramic color on vitreous enamel and display British artist Stephen B. Whatley works in the Tower of London.

Willow introduces new LapMac Portaprint Case

12/06, 8:25am

Willow introduces new LapMac Portaprint Case

Willow today introduced its LapMac Portaprint Case, its new carrying case dsigned for the Titanium PowerBook or iBook as well as a portable printer (or other "gear" users want "centrally protected"). The new case is not part of the company's ongoing Willow Year End Sale, it is extending its half price shipping for cases shipped by ground in Canada and the United States until December 15th. the new LapMac Portaprint is expected to ship December 14th.