News Archive for 02/06/05

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QT5 reinstaller, OSX 10.1.5 standalone posted

06/05, 11:40pm

QT5 reinstaller, OSX 10.1.5 standalone posted

Apple has posted a QuickTime 5 Reinstaller for Mac OS X, which removes the QuickTime 6 Public Preview from any Mac OS X system, and restores QuickTime 5.0 -- the latest release version of the QuickTime component. Apple also released standalone versions of the Mac OS X 10.1.5 updater-- previously available only through Mac OS X's Software Update application -- in both standard and combo configurations. The Mac OS X 10.1.5 updater will upgrade OS X 10.1.3 and 10.1.4 versions, while users of Mac OS X 10.1.0 to 10.1.2 should use the Mac OS X 10.1.5 Combo Updater. Apple has also posted language updates for Asian, Roman and Portugese language localizations, among others.

Cocoa eFax 0.9.6 sends and receives faxes

06/05, 7:55pm

Cocoa eFax 0.9.6 sends and receives faxes

Cocoa eFax 0.9.6 is a $5 shareware application that sends and receives faxes using almost any fax modem. Features include optional coversheet support, support for a wide variety of modems (internal and external) and automatic PDF file saving.

Portfolio 6 OS X preview now available

06/05, 5:15pm

Portfolio 6 OS X preview now available

Extensis has announced a preview release of Portfolio 6 for Mac OS X. The preview of the organizational software is now available for download; registered users of Portfolio 6 will be eligible for a free upgrade to the OS X version when it is finally released later this summer. [login required for download]

ZipBurst CGI performs location-based searches

06/05, 4:55pm

ZipBurst CGI performs location-based searches

ZipBurst CGI Pro 3.0 performs multi-threaded location-based searches for web based databases. The upgrade, which is free to all 2.0 Lite and Pro owners, now supports Loops, embedded CGI calls, HTTP and HTTPS include and more; pricing begins at $200.

AppleCare: changing short user names in OS X

06/05, 4:50pm

AppleCare: changing short user names in OS X

The AppleCare Knowledge Base notes how to change user short names in Mac OS X as well noting to not disconnect an iPod while burning a CD using an external FireWire burner, which could cause a failed burn session.

Epson 1520 driver hack brings OS X comp.

06/05, 4:50pm

Epson 1520 driver hack brings OS X comp.

As noted last week for the Epson 850 USB printer, another hack for the Epson 1520 printer has been discovered. Architosh notes how hacking the 850 drivers can allow the Epson 1520 printer to be compatible with Mac OS X.

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds now shipping

06/05, 4:40pm

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds now shipping

Aspyr Media has begun shipping Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds, the real-time strategy game built on the Age of Empire game engine (conversion performed by Westlake Interactive). The game offers both single and multiplayer modes, where players can deploy armies of up to 200 units including bounty hunters, Wookiees, droids and more. The game retails for $50.

HappyGear enables controllers for older apps

06/05, 4:05pm

HappyGear enables controllers for older apps

Austin-Soft has released HappyGear 2.51, a new version of its $30 game control software that adds a new assistant as well as audio/video setting for each file: "[it] is the only software that permits users of newer InputSprocket compatible game devices, such as joysticks, game pads and wheels, to be used with both older games designed to use old ADB-based game devices as well as programs that were designed to be used with just the keyboard and mouse."

New study tool helps develop flashcard sets

06/05, 4:05pm

New study tool helps develop flashcard sets

The $7 shareware Cram Session 1.0 is a study tool that "emulates conventional flash card sets. You can set it up to test yourself on anything you want. It allows for the standard two-word setup, but also allows the questions to be full-fledged sentences." It supports an unlimited number of flash card sets, has support for multiple choice questions, can test for both "sides of the card" (question or answer), and can simultaneously test for multiple flash card sets. [Classic, OSX]

Silk 1.0 enables Quartz text rendering

06/05, 4:00pm

Silk 1.0 enables Quartz text rendering

Unsanity today announced Silk 1.0, a new haxie which enables Quartz text rendering in Carbon applications: "This means antialiased text in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla, and many others. Why wait for developers to update their Carbon applications when you can get the silky smooth text everywhere, right now? And of course, Silk is completely free!"

GameBoy Advance SDK available for OS X

06/05, 1:45pm

GameBoy Advance SDK available for OS X

Jason Wilkins' Unofficial GameBoy Advance SDK has been compiled and packaged for distribution on Mac OS X. It allows developers to create files that will work with the Gameboy Advance and GameBody Advance emulators: "It's basically the same tools that Nintendo gives to its licensed developers. I hope that I may even be able to add more value and give you more than Nintendo gives its developers."

Mozilla.org releases final Mozilla 1.0 app

06/05, 1:30pm

Mozilla.org releases final Mozilla 1.0 app

Mozilla.org today announced the release of Mozilla 1.0, the first major-version public release of the Mozilla browser application. The cross-platform software integrates a core set of applications that allow users to access the capabilities of the Web, including a web browser, an email reader and a chat client. Gecko, the core browser component in Mozilla 1.0, is freely available for inclusion in third party products as well as a cross-platform toolkit for developing Internet-based applications, including its XML-based user-interface development technology ("XUL"), its networking libraries, its ECMAScript (JavaScript) implementation, and its security and encryption libraries. [Classic, OSX]

Ciboulette X 1.5: shareware encryption util

06/05, 1:15pm

Ciboulette X 1.5: shareware encryption util

Ciboulette X 1.5 is an OS X version of the shareware ($10) encryption utility released for Classic earlier this week. It features Dock menus, Sheets, multi-threading, and other features such as 448-bit key and AppleScript support.

AmpliTube: guitar amp and effects plug-in

06/05, 1:05pm

AmpliTube: guitar amp and effects plug-in

IK Multimedia is shipping AmpliTube, a guitar amp and effects plug-in for Pro Tools and VST. It allows guitar players to "simulate the entire guitar array used to craft a superb guitar tone including amplifier, stomp-boxes and post effects modeling, in their preferred recording platforms. It is $400.

Carbon Copy Cloner for moving OS X installs

06/05, 1:00pm

Carbon Copy Cloner for moving OS X installs

Mike Bombich has released Carbon Copy Cloner 1.2.2, an update to his OS X-only cloning utility developed with AppleScript Studio. It assists users in backing up or moving OS X installations from one partition to another as easily as possible. Version 1.2.2 adds "Authenticate" to the File menu, sets the target disk to be the startup disk when finished, and fixes a permissions problem that affected items copied to the root level of the target disk.

Aspyr announces game titles go 'Gold'

06/05, 12:40pm

Aspyr announces game titles go 'Gold'

Asypr has announced that both its Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, the World War II first-person shooter from Electronic Arts, and Sims Hot Date, the expansion set for the popular Sims life simulation game, have gone 'golden master' and are expected to begin shipping soon. Both are expected to be available for Classic and OS X.

Jobs: 'less ideological and more practical'

06/05, 10:00am

Jobs: 'less ideological and more practical'

AnchorDesk's David Coursey writes about the irony in yesterday's CRT-based eMac announcement: "That announcement made business sense, in that it gave Apple a lower-priced hardware platform. It also made Steve's report of the CRT's demise just a tad premature...But while some people will consider the eMac announcement a major policy reversal, I just think it's further evidence that Steve has become less ideological and more practical."

Team Crossing 2.0 for Intranets, workgroups

06/05, 9:50am

Team Crossing 2.0 for Intranets, workgroups

Web Crossing today announced Team Crossing v2.0, which brings a fully localizable user and host interface, expanded look and feel customization features, and new custom positioning for optional site elements to the specialized implementation of Web Crossing optimized and configured especially for Intranet and workgroup use. The OS X application offers a portal-like desktop area for each user, a general public discussion area, and an unlimited number of open or access-controlled project areas as well as the ability to run email lists, offer email to users, and serve static or dynamic HTML pages. Licensing options are available on a per-seat or traffic basis.

LittleSecrets 2.1 adds search functions

06/05, 9:40am

LittleSecrets 2.1 adds search functions

Manfred Lippert's $7 shareware LittleSecrets 2.1, a notepad utility that supports encryption for better privacy, adds search functions such as an autolocator, a toolbar search function, and a complete Find/Replace dialog panel.

AKTIV promises OS X version of Phantom

06/05, 9:35am

AKTIV promises OS X version of Phantom

AKTIV Software announced that it is now selling and supporting Phantom, the Web site indexing and search solution previously available from Maxum Development. Phantom combines a Web crawler, indexer, and search engine into a single, comprehensive solution. AKTIV Software says it is currently working on the MacOS X version of Phantom, anticipating a beta release by the first week of August, 2002. (Phantom is based on the 4D database engine which "until recently hasn't been supported on MacOS X.")

Chaotic updates MP3 tool suite

06/05, 9:30am

Chaotic updates MP3 tool suite

Chaotic Software's MP3 Rage 5.1 adds several new features and improvements collection of tools for MP3 enthusiasts, which offers the ability to edit ID3 tags; analyze MP3's and adjust sound volume automatically to play at similar levels; export MP3 files to AIFF format for burning CDs; play MP3 files with the built-in player; catalog, organize, rename, find, and change MP3 files; and search for and download artwork and lyrics from the Internet. A 15-day trial of the $25 suite is available online.

Sharity 2.7 connects to Windows servers

06/05, 9:20am

Sharity 2.7 connects to Windows servers

Objective Development today announced the availability of Sharity 2.7, a client for the file sharing protocol used by Windows. The application mounts volumes shared by these servers in the file system of OS X, allowing users to open files directly from the server with any application. Version 2.7 fixes freezes in OS X 10.1.4 and later, adds support for files larger than 2GB via a new NFS3 module, and brings improved browsing. A single installation/connection is free for non-commercial use, while a single installation/unlimited connections starts at $100. (A number of other "free" licenses are available.)

Jobs on MPEG-4 licensing, MPEG-4, QT6, eMac

06/05, 9:15am

Jobs on MPEG-4 licensing, MPEG-4, QT6, eMac

c|net's interview with Steve Jobs discusses the absence of a final licensing agreement with a patent group that holds the rights to MPEG-4, a next-generation compression format for video and audio and the technology used in QuickTime 6, which was released yesterday: "The licensing stuff is getting worked out. It isn't totally worked out yet. Every 'i' is not dotted and every 't' is not crossed, but it's getting there. I have a lot of confidence it will. This is too important not to get worked out. We'll be shipping QuickTime 6 as part of Jaguar, our next major release of Mac OS X, which ships later this summer. I expect stuff will be worked out by then."

PowerBook G4 users face wait for DVD fix

06/05, 12:05am

PowerBook G4 users face wait for DVD fix

Joseph Tate reports that Apple has advised customers experiencing difficulty with PowerBook G4 DVD output to wait for the release of Mac OS X 10.2 to remedy video defects. The major Mac OS X update, due out in August, will fix a glitch that causes white areas of DVD movies to appear black when outputted through S-Video, according to an Apple representative. Apple's stance, however, has left some users unhappy with the several-month wait. An Apple support discussion forum thread contains customer accounts of the problem (PowerBook G4 Computers > DVD).