News Archive for 02/06/07

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Narrator 1.0b1 speech synthesis utility

06/07, 7:35pm

Narrator 1.0b1 speech synthesis utility

Dejal Systems today introduced Narrator 1.0b1, an OS X application that utilizes speech synthesis to read out the contents of a text document, using different voices for different parts: "You have a range of 'actors' that can portray any number of "characters", so various passages of your document are spoken with differing voices, pitches, inflections, etc. You can have it read out a play or story with appropriate voices. The words are highlighted on-screen, and there is also a silent read-along option for stage directions, or for you to read out your own parts." [see osx.macnn.com for more OS X news]

Dejal releases first OS X app: Narrator

06/07, 7:20pm

Dejal releases first OS X app: Narrator

Dejal Systems today introduced Narrator v1.0b1, a speech synthesis application that offers more complex features than the basic speech functionality contained in Mac OS X. Narrator offers sets of 'actors' -- each with assigned voices -- to read scripts or documents intended for presentation by multiple people.

Carrara Studio 2 for Mac ships

06/07, 7:20pm

Carrara Studio 2 for Mac ships

Eovia Corporation began shipping Carrara Studio 2 for Mac, today. Carrara Studio 2 is a major update to the popular 3D design application that fulfills professional needs with entry-level accessibility and pricing. As noted when the software became available for pre-order in May, highlights of the new $400 ($150 upgrade) suite include highly-realistic rendering algorithms, Radiosity rendering, and Photon Map and subdivision modeling technologies.

Radiologic ships PBG4 screen accessories

06/07, 6:15pm

Radiologic ships PBG4 screen accessories

Laptop accessory maker Radiologic today announced improved versions of ScreensavRz and Ti-Glide -- two popular PowerBook G4 products. ScreensavRz -- a $10 PowerBook G4 screen protector/cleaner -- is now available in either black or titanium color accents and is "significantly" improved, when compared to the original product. For PowerBook G4 users with misaligned screen hinges, the new $20 Ti-Glide provides an effective solution to correct the problem. Also included with the Ti-Glide is a spanner tool that allows the PowerBook's hinge bushings to be mechanically adjusted.

Export Icon 1.7 helps create icons

06/07, 5:25pm

Export Icon 1.7 helps create icons

Kinetic Creations has released Export Icon 1.7, an update to the $15 Adobe Photoshop plug-in which allows users to export Photoshop images directly as Mac OS icons. The plug-in, now compatible with OS X and Photoshop 7, creates custom icons directly from Photoshop images, using the image's pixel data to create 4-, 8- and 32-bit icons of every Mac OS supported size including OS X's "Huge" and "Thumbnail" sizes, while the image's transparency information is used to create the icon's 1 and 8 bit masks.

Eudora utility adds new filter options

06/07, 1:40pm

Eudora utility adds new filter options

Email Magician 1.9.1, a $35 utility for Eudora users, increases the types of filters it creates by using Eudora's History List to generate filters, boxes, and nicknames along with those it automatically generates by examining your in-box and out-box. It also improves performance, adds support for X-Header spam filters and increases the number of filters unregistered users can write per day to 20. It currently supports Mac OS 9.

Photoshop plugin offers direct icon creation

06/07, 1:30pm

Photoshop plugin offers direct icon creation

Kinetic Creations has released Export Icon 1.7, an update to the $15 Adobe Photoshop plug-in which allows users to export Photoshop images directly as Mac OS icons. The plug-in, now compatible with OS X and Photoshop 7, creates custom icons directly from Photoshop images, using the image's pixel data to create 4-, 8- and 32-bit icons of every Mac OS supported size including OS X's "Huge" and "Thumbnail" sizes, while the image's transparency information is used to create the icon's 1 and 8 bit masks.

New GPRS PC Card Modem for Mac OS

06/07, 12:00pm

New GPRS PC Card Modem for Mac OS

nova media today introduced "the first" GPRS PC Card Modem for the Mac: the GlobeTrotter features TriBand GSM/GPRS connection for mobile Internet access. It supports 4 channel download and 2 channel upload with maximum download speeds up to 52.800 bit/s. The included software offers access to many European GPRS networks as well as Voicestream's network in the US and can alternatively use the standard GSM network. It is 400 Euro and works with both Mac OS 9 and OS X.

Fluid 1.1: OS X screensaver updated

06/07, 10:45am

Fluid 1.1: OS X screensaver updated

Concept House's OS X screensaver, Fluid 1.1, adds an option to render only on the main screen (for improved performance when multiple monitors/video cards are attached), allows the user to set the fade-in/fade-out duration, has better documentation of controls via ToolTips, and includes swappable global Theme files, allowing users to store multiple settings on the same machine.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein 1.3.2 posted

06/07, 10:25am

Return to Castle Wolfenstein 1.3.2 posted

Aspyr's Return to Castle Wolfenstein 1.3.2 patch brings the Mac version up to the same code version as the current PC version, offering better support for moving elements in the maps, improved spawn points control for map designers, new support for the PunkBuster Web Tool, and new support for ATI Radeon users in the single-player mode of Wolfenstein.

Mulberry 3.0a2 email client enters testing

06/07, 10:00am

Mulberry 3.0a2 email client enters testing

Mulberry 3.0a2, now available for testing, brings redesigned UI that provides an optional 3-pane layout as well as preview panes for other windows to the IMAP/POP emai client. Version 3 also includes updated documentation, has support for processing read receipt requests, and multiple levels of undo/redo as well as other enhancements.

VFXPro: Apple buys Silicon Grail?

06/07, 9:45am

VFXPro: Apple buys Silicon Grail?

VFXPro says that industry "insiders" are speculating that Apple has bought Silicon Grail, the maker of compositing software RAYZ: "Feeney founded Silicon Grail in 1995 with the aim of providing efficient, cost-effective, software-based compositing solutions optimized for feature film and large format resolutions. He also founded RFX, an integrator of digital effects technology."

The Chronicle: shift from Macs to PCs

06/07, 9:10am

The Chronicle: shift from Macs to PCs

A Mac-Centric Campus Shifts to Windows discusses problems that Dartmouth ("a historically Mac-centric college") has had trying to get Macs to run the institution's administrative software and other challenges facing Apple in higher education, noting the college has elected to replace most of administrative Macs with PCs. The article notes that OS X, the eMac, iMovie, Xserve, and recent aggressive pricing may curtail the marketshare erosion. The Chronicle of Higher Education has also opened a new discussion on its web page (requires free registration) asking whether Apple has "a shot at maintaining or expanding its market share in higher education?"

Apple launches new OS X promo

06/07, 9:05am

Apple launches new OS X promo

Apple's new Fill Your Photo Album promo offers 75 free Kodak prints (4x6) through iPhoto with the purchase of Mac OS X: "Just create a 1-Click account with iPhoto. You’ll get to order 10 free prints instantly, simply for signing up. And another 75 free prints because you bought Mac OS X." The offer expires September 2, 2002.