News Archive for 02/04/02

Choose an article from the archive listing on this page or refine your selection using the controls in the gray box below.

Strata: DVpro 5.0 ready, many new features

04/02, 8:40pm

Strata: DVpro 5.0 ready, many new features

Strata today announced the upcoming release of Strata DVpro v5.0. Strata DVpro is billed as a professional-grade desktop DV editing and compression solution with advanced Macromedia Flash integration. Strata employs Sorenson Spark codec technology and incorporates new export options including those for the Real Player, Sorenson Squeeze, Macromedia Flash, MP3, AVI and QuickTime technologies.

BW: Apple loyalty high; others willing to try

04/02, 8:00pm

BW: Apple loyalty high; others willing to try

Business Week Online has posted the results from a limited user survey that suggests user loyalty among Mac users is high. 62% of the participants claimed to own Mac hardware; nearly 50% said they would consider switching to a Mac if they did not own one already; only 5% said they would never consider the Mac platform. It is important to note that this survey included under 2000 readers and does not appear to be in-line with Apple’s reported market share of less than 5%.

KidsMenu 1.7: At Ease style utility

04/02, 6:15pm

KidsMenu 1.7: At Ease style utility

KidsMenu v1.7 is a secure launcher utility for Mac OS 9/X designed especially for younger kids. It provides an At Ease style interface that allows parents to limit what the child can access. The update fixes problems with the previous version and brings further internal optimization.

IOGEAR guide to USB 2.0 "in layman's terms

04/02, 6:10pm

IOGEAR guide to USB 2.0 "in layman's terms

IOGEAR has launced a guide to understanding USB 2.0 "in layman's terms". The guide outlines the key features that will benefit consumers using USB 2.0, specifies what operating systems integrate the technology through different products and provides links for consumers to learn more about the new technology.

Gaps 3.0 offers Mac OS X support

04/02, 6:00pm

Gaps 3.0 offers Mac OS X support

Gaps v3.0 is a $10 shareware solitaire game that now supports Mac OS X, includes multiple undo levels and offers an improved shuffling ability. [pricing updated; Classic, Carbon]

Lyrictracker Client 2.9 rewrites chat engine

04/02, 4:55pm

Lyrictracker Client 2.9 rewrites chat engine

Lyrictracker Client v2.9 is a free tool for Mac OS 9/X that allows access to lyrictracker.com's online song database. New in the version are bug fixes, rewritten chat/communication engine and new user interface icons.

AppleWorks updates improves integration

04/02, 3:25pm

AppleWorks updates improves integration

Apple has updated its word processing application for Mac OS 9, AppleWorks v6.2.3, and the Mac OS X version, AppleWorks 6.2.4. Both new versions improve integration between Macintosh manager and FAXstf, add the ability to read and write Microsoft Excel and Word files, improve network compatibility, and speeds up internet template download. The price is $80.

ATI: "Supercharge your Power Mac G4"

04/02, 1:30pm

ATI: "Supercharge your Power Mac G4"

ATI's new "Supercharge your Power Mac G4" promotion allows customers to trade in the Apple bundled graphics card in Power Mac G4s. It is offering a $150 rebate on the $300 Radeon 8500 when customers return the Apple-branded Radeon 7500 or the Apple-branded nVidia GeForce 4MX. The promotion expires May 31, 2002.

Tech: IBM chip alliance, DMCA, Pentium 4

04/02, 1:05pm

Tech: IBM chip alliance, DMCA, Pentium 4

Afternoon tech news: Lawyers told a federal judge Monday that the controversial new U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act sets unconstitutional limits on free speech rights; IBM has teamed up with Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba, to create a new alliance for chipmaking; Intel today announced its fastest Pentium 4 chip to date, a 2.4GHz processor for desktop PCs.

OS X: OmniGraffle 2.0, FileXamniner 1.0...

04/02, 12:50pm

OS X: OmniGraffle 2.0, FileXamniner 1.0...

osx.macnn.com has news on the release of OmniGroup's OmniGraffle drawing/charting application, FileXaminer 1.0, MacSQL 2.2, a SQL query tool for Sybase databases, and Apple's Bluetooth Technology Preview 1.0 release (see yesterday's news).

FireWire Keychain supports IBM MicroDrives

04/02, 12:40pm

FireWire Keychain supports IBM MicroDrives

WiebeTech has addeed support for IBM MicroDrives to its FireWire KeyChain, a high-speed, portable FireWire key chain-sized storage device designed to accept user installable CompactFlash I and II modules (and now IBM MicroDrives). It accepts 340MB, 512MB and 1GB IBM MicroDrives as well as CompactFlash up to 1GB as well as OS X bootability. The enhanced version is expected to ship on April 15 for $100.

Iomega ships Hotburn software for Mac

04/02, 12:40pm

Iomega ships Hotburn software for Mac

Iomega has released its new HotBurn 2.1.1 software for burning CDs on Macs, according to MacNN reader Jason Greene. It supports the creation of audio and data CD, CD duplication, drag & drop, and CD label printing. The $30 software is offered with a $10 discount to current Iomega drive owners. It currently only supports external USB and FireWire mechanisms from Iomega.

WIM releases Dragon Web Surveys 6.5

04/02, 12:25pm

WIM releases Dragon Web Surveys 6.5

Waves in Motion released Dragon Web Surveys 6.5, an upgrade to the powerful, cross-platform, FileMaker Pro-based system which allows users to create, publish and tabulate internet-based surveys. Dragon 6.5 adds built-in support for web-based quizzes as well as the ability to attach a point value to any answer and improved import/export features. It requires FileMaker Pro Unlimited with a a dedicated IP for Web-based surveys. Upgrades to the $900 application are $100.

Gideon releases FileXaminer 1.0 util for OS X

04/02, 12:15pm

Gideon releases FileXaminer 1.0 util for OS X

FileXaminer 1.0, a file/folder information utility, allows you to modify file and other folder attributes, such as Type/Creator info, UNIX permissions, and others. It includes UNIX group management (without using NetInfo manager ), batch support for changing icons, batch support for changing modified and created dates, and Super Delete Contextual menu to delete any file/folder as Administrator. It is a $10 shareware utility.

FM Pro, Oracle support added to MacSQL 2.2

04/02, 9:45am

FM Pro, Oracle support added to MacSQL 2.2

Runtime Labs has released MacSQL 2.2, which allows users to view schema information and issue queries to SQL Databases. It includes native drivers for MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Frontbase, PostgreSQL (Mac OS X only), ODBC, and Oracle. Version 2.2 adds a FileMaker assistant for synchronizing SQL tables with FileMaker databases, improved spreadsheet functions on OS X, the ability to add/edit columns from the Schema Viewer, native Oracle support on OS X, and other enhancements. The full version is $250, while a "Lite" version is $100 and provides limited functionality.

Otto Matic 1.2 adds force feedback support

04/02, 9:40am

Otto Matic 1.2 adds force feedback support

The action-adventure game Otto Matic 1.2 adds force feedback support for MacAlly iShock, and a feedback option to the settings dialog as well as fixes some minor audio glitches with OS X.  

IDG adds new sessions for Macworld Expo NY

04/02, 9:25am

IDG adds new sessions for Macworld Expo NY

IDG World Expo has expanded its conference offerings for the upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo in New York City, which will take place July 15-19, 2002 at the Javits Convention Center. The Hands-on MacLabs will provide focused computer training on a variety of applications and tools for the Mac; the new Power Tools Conferences will provide two days of intensive training on Photoshop, FileMaker Pro, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, and AppleScript.

lSQL for X: Sybase query tool

04/02, 9:15am

lSQL for X: Sybase query tool

lSQL for X is a SQL query tool for Sybase databases: Adaptive Server Enterprise, Adaptive Server IQ and Adaptive Server. The shareware uses its own implementation of Tabular Data Stream (TDS) protocol (v5.0), and does not require additional Sybase software such as OpenClient.

Apple is No. 3 Most Admired in its industry

04/02, 9:10am

Apple is No. 3 Most Admired in its industry

Apple is No. 325 on the newest 2002 Fortune 500 list, dropping from its No. 236 rank last year. It is the No. 9 PC company (as detailed by an industry snapshot), but is the No. 3 Most Admired Company and achieved the top spot for innovativeness in its industry (Computers, Office Equipment). Wal-Mart, Exxon, General Motors, Ford, and Enron were among the top 5 respectively in the Fortune 500 list, while PC/Computer Equipment vendors IBM, HP, Compaq, Dell, Sun, Xerox, Gateway, and NCR all outranked Apple in the Fortune 500 list.

StickyBrain 2 adds browser, contextual menu

04/02, 8:55am

StickyBrain 2 adds browser, contextual menu

Chronos today announced the release of StickyBrain 2, an update to its productivity application that "lets the user store anything and find anything with one click." Version 2.0 adds a new Sticky Browser, which performs Boolean searches like an Internet search engine; a system-Wide Contextual Menu for storing and finding items; a Web-page grabber; a new tape calculator; better security for passwords; and services support under OS X. Upgrades to the $40 application are $25 through the end of May. StickyBrain 2 upgrades are also bundled with Personal Organizer (regularly $60) for $55. A 30-day demo is available. [Classic, Carbon]

Hard Disk SpeedTools 3.5 adds two OS X utils

04/02, 8:50am

Hard Disk SpeedTools 3.5 adds two OS X utils

Intech's Hard Disk SpeedTools 3.5, an update to its disk formatting and test utility software, adds support for native ATA disk drive capacities of more than 128GB as well as introduces two new tools for OS X: QuickBench X and Integrity X (available separately with the classic counterparts for $20). It is a free upgrade to registered owners of the $60 utility.

OmniGraffle 2.0 adds layers, other functions

04/02, 8:45am

OmniGraffle 2.0 adds layers, other functions

The Omni Group has released a final version of OmniGraffle 2.0, its $60 drawing/charting program that now includes layers, new drawing tools and modes, embedded hyperlinks and more web export options as well as AppleScript support, editable magnets on shapes, more advanced and faster layout panel, and new object palettes.