News Archive for 02/07/17

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Epson intros Stylus Photo 960 with deals

07/17, 11:30pm

Epson intros Stylus Photo 960 with deals

Epson today debuted the Stylus Photo 960 -- a successor to the popular 890 model -- at Macworld Expo. The new photo realistic printer utilizes Micro Piezo inkjet technology, an Epson-first that produces two-picoliter ink droplets. Also employed is six-color cartridge technology, for more accurate skin tone and photo realism. The $350 printer, which will be available in September, outputs resolutions of up to 2880x1440dpi. Several special software offers were announced with the printer, including a $100 discount on MonacoEZcolor and a trial version of the ROC and SHO Plug-ins from Applied Science Fiction for Adobe Photoshop and Elements.

Adobe posts Photoshop 7.0 component updates

07/17, 11:20pm

Adobe posts Photoshop 7.0 component updates

Adobe's Type Repair Droplet 1.0 addresses a data corruption issue identified in files created by Adobe Photoshop 7.0. An updated Targa plug-in restores the earlier behavior by saving the first alpha channel in a file into the fourth channel when writing Targa files. [TRD, TP]

Harman Multimedia: JBL Creature speakers

07/17, 11:15pm

Harman Multimedia: JBL Creature speakers

Harman Multimedia today announced JBL Creature, a $130 three-piece speaker system featuring "cutting-edge sci-fi design and superior sound performance." It includes a subwoofer and two satellite speakers. It offers a new and proprietary industrial design, boasts a small footprint and soft-touch tactile controls, and recalls the volume setting from when the computer was last shut down. It is available in silver, white and blue, and all three models' satellite speakers "glow" from the bottom and is available at some Apple stores now with wide-spread availability in August.

Biomedical research tools to be updated

07/17, 11:15pm

Biomedical research tools to be updated

InforMax has announcedd that Vector NTI Suite 7.2, its sequence analysis, data visualization and data management tool for Mac OS X, will be available in September. The suite of applications allows biomedical researchers to store, manage, view, analyze, transform and share diverse types of complex molecular biology data.

Apple posts iDVD 2.1 with AppleScript support

07/17, 11:15pm

Apple posts iDVD 2.1 with AppleScript support

Apple has released an iDVD 2.1 updater, which adds DVD-ROM data support, AppleScript support, enhancements to the burning process, and general performance improvements to Apple's desktop DVD authoring applications. (This morning we noted the release of AppleScript Collection for iDVD 2.1.)

IRIS Business Card Reader II for Mac OS X

07/17, 11:15pm

IRIS Business Card Reader II for Mac OS X

The IRIS Business Card Reader II for Mac OS X is a device for keeping a contact database up-to-date by scanning business cards and converting them into editable text. The 'intellegent' recognition automaticallly assigns the recognized data to the relevant fields - company name, first and last name, street, ZIP code and more. The USB device is priced at $200.

Mac.com email addresses may remain free

07/17, 11:10pm

Mac.com email addresses may remain free

Updated: Late Wednesday evening we reported that current iTools users might be able to get an email-only .Mac account for just $10/year. Further clarification indicates that the $10/year figure represents the price of additional email-only accounts added to a $99/year .Mac account.

Repair Privileges 1.1 works with iTunes

07/17, 10:30pm

Repair Privileges 1.1 works with iTunes

Apple has released a minor follow-up to its Repair Privileges utility. The Mac OS X application resolves file and folder permission issues. Version 1.1 no longer checks the /private/var/run/ directory; fixes an issue with iTunes 3.0 and; adds an About box.

MWNY: Application Review

07/17, 10:10pm

MWNY: Application Review

We've posted a run-through of some of the most interesting applications introduced or displayed at Macworld Expo this summer.

Freeverse introduces OS X theme switcher

07/17, 8:45pm

Freeverse introduces OS X theme switcher

Freeverse Software has released Xpression! 1.0, a Mac OS X themes switcher that enables users to easily customize their system's appearance. Xpression! reduces the over 150 steps needed to switch a theme manually, to two or three. Xpression! is on public display at the Freeverse booth (#1809) at MWNY to select members.

MOTU ClockWorks 1.0b1 for USB rack-mount MIDI

07/17, 8:45pm

MOTU ClockWorks 1.0b1 for USB rack-mount MIDI

MOTU has released a public beta of an OS X version of ClockWorks 1.0b1, its control panel software for MOTU USB rack-mount MIDI interfaces. ClockWorks offers Mac OS X users of MOTU MIDI interfaces complete access to all of the programmable features in their MOTU hardware.

Channel Storm releases Live Channel Pro 1.4

07/17, 8:35pm

Channel Storm releases Live Channel Pro 1.4

Channel Storm's Live Channel Pro 1.4 is a software-only solution designed to "fully replace a television studio, enabling anyone to produce and broadcast live media over the Internet." It uses QuickTime to compress video and audio for streaming and supports a variety of encoding formats as well as offers developers access to QuickTime's complete multimedia architecture, including Cubic VR, RTP/RTSP video streaming and MPEG support.

Combo drive eMac for the masses

07/17, 8:15pm

Combo drive eMac for the masses

Apple is now listing the Combo drive-equipped (CD-RW/DVD-ROM) eMac on the commercial Apple Store Web site for $1199. This model costs $100 more than the base configuration.

Watson to carry on, despite Sherlock

07/17, 7:30pm

Watson to carry on, despite Sherlock

Faced with questions about the future of its Watson software application, Karelia Software today published an updated FAQ that states the shareware maker will continue development of its popular Web services utility. Despite striking similarities to Apple's Sherlock 3, which is built in to Mac OS X 10.2, development will continue on the OS X-only application: "Realize that until Sherlock 3 is actually released and you pay for the steep upgrade, Watson is still the best way to access these great services," the FAQ reads.

Apple accepting Jaguar, Bluetooth orders

07/17, 6:40pm

Apple accepting Jaguar, Bluetooth orders

Apple is accepting preorders for Mac OS X 10.2 'Jaguar,' a $130 upgrade slated for an August 24 release. As noted previously, customers who purchase a Mac with Mac OS X 10.1 installed between July 17 and August 24 are eligible to receive the 10.2 update for $20. Apple has also resumed taking orders for the $50 D-Link Bluetooth adapter, after a temporary hiatus and cancellation of orders.

Alias | wavefront updates Maya to v4.5

07/17, 5:20pm

Alias | wavefront updates Maya to v4.5

Alias | wavefront has updated its 3D animation product for the Mac, Maya 4.5. The update benefits from a substantial number of feature additions and enhancements -- including powerful new modeling tools, integrated 3D Paint, multi-processor support for rendering and numerous UI and workflow enhancements. Maya Complete was recently repriced at $2000. Maya 4.5 is expected to ship by the end of September 2002.

TechTV takes stab at user intelligence debate

07/17, 5:20pm

TechTV takes stab at user intelligence debate

Although a recent study suggested Mac users are more intelligent than their PC counterparts, a TechTV poll attempts to asses if Internet users share this view. It's important to note that this poll is in no way scientific, and likely hold less merit than the study in question.

MPEG-2 supported by QuickTime 6, as an extra

07/17, 4:45pm

MPEG-2 supported by QuickTime 6, as an extra

Earlier this morning, we noted that QuickTime 6 lacked MPEG-2 playback as was in the public preview. Several readers have mentioned that MPEG-2 playback is still supported, but as an added feature ($20) to QuickTime Pro. "What it doesn't give you, and should however, is the ability to encode files into the format. You still would have to purchase DVDSP to gain that ability."

Palm Reader eBook accesses eBook library

07/17, 4:05pm

Palm Reader eBook accesses eBook library

Palm Digital Media has unveiled new versions of its free Palm Reader eBook application for both Mac and Windows. The eBook library, which contains nearly 5,500 titles, can now be accessed on multiple platforms and read on users personal/work computers or transfered to PDAs.

Expo keynote summary, galleries posted

07/17, 3:55pm

Expo keynote summary, galleries posted

We've posted a summary of today's Macworld Expo keynote speech by Steve Jobs, and an accompanying photo gallery. Also we have three photo galleries, including photos from Apple's booth at the Expo: I, II, III.

"iPhoto: The Missing Manual" from O'Reilly

07/17, 3:55pm

"iPhoto: The Missing Manual" from O'Reilly

O'Reilly has released a book titled "iPhoto:The Missing Manual" which takes readers far beyond iPhoto's simple feature list. It also covers choosing and using a digital camera, basics of photocomposition, and tips for shooting in special situations. The price is $35.

Apple looks for feedback on .Mac services

07/17, 3:25pm

Apple looks for feedback on .Mac services

Following some criticism on the revocation of its free iTools, Apple has posted a feedback area for its .Mac services and implementation. (Readers have already begun an online petition for free email services.)

REALbasic 4.5 ships with new developer tools

07/17, 3:20pm

REALbasic 4.5 ships with new developer tools

REAL Software is shipping REALbasic 4.5, an update to the popular cross-platform development tool that includes a new vector graphics engine; over eighty new functions for QuickTime; more flexible and powerful ListBox with resizable columns and drag-to-reorder rows; enhanced support for Mac OS X; and support for MySQL in the Professional Edition. Pricing starts at $100 with upgrades starting at $30. It is avaialble in US English as well as Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Japanese.

Sphaera TP: create 3D content in OS X

07/17, 2:50pm

Sphaera TP: create 3D content in OS X

Sphaera TP (Technology Preview) is an early look at a Mac OS X application for creating 3D content. It allows users to model, animate, and render 3D scenese as images and movies. Users can model objects using usual 3D techniques (revolving a curve around an axis), then add textures and animate.

Rio Riot: 20Gb portable music player

07/17, 2:00pm

Rio Riot: 20Gb portable music player

The Rio Riot is a hard drive-based portable music player from SONICblue. The 20Gb device can store up to 5,000 songs and features a newly developed Rio LogicTrack user interface, a large backlight display, an FM tuner, rechargeable batteries and music management software from MoodLogic; the price is $350.

FrontBase now supports QuickTime streaming

07/17, 1:50pm

FrontBase now supports QuickTime streaming

FrontBase has announced support for QuickTime streaming directly from their database software, FrontBase Relational Database Server 3.5. "FrontBase has extended Apple's open source QuickTime Streaming Server to allow the server to retrieve movie data directly from the database, and vend it faster than via the filesystem. As a further benefit for developers wishing to integrate rich multimedia applications with the powerful features of a database server, FrontBase has also created an extension to Mac OS X advanced Cocoa framework, supporting seamless integration of QuickTime."

CREATURE audio system from Harman Multimedia

07/17, 1:50pm

CREATURE audio system from Harman Multimedia

Harman Multimedia has released a three-piece speaker system featuring a "cutting-edge sci-fi" design and improved sound performance. The CREATURE audio system includes a subwoofer and two satellites with small footprints and soft-touch controls. Colors include silver, white, and blue; the price is $130.

eZediaQTI: QuckTime authoring tool

07/17, 1:40pm

eZediaQTI: QuckTime authoring tool

eZedia today announced a preview of its newest product, eZediaQTI, a cross-platform QuickTime authoring and animation environment to create rich and interactive internet content. Users can quickly combine and enhance video, graphics, animation, sound, VRs and text to rapidly develop web sites, internet banner ads, interactive videos and online presentations. It will be publicly available this Fall for $130. [site not updated]

Clone'X for duplicating, repairing Systems

07/17, 1:30pm

Clone'X for duplicating, repairing Systems

TRI-EDRE's Clone'X is a new Mac application described as "a protection utility that allows you to easily clone the System (Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server, Mac OS 9) that runs your computer in order to quickly repair it if it gets damaged or if there is an installation problem." The $50 utility can manage multiple cloned Systems, logs the history of each, and uses compression to save disk space. A 30-day demo (as well as online purchases) is available now, while a bootable emergency CD is expected to ship in September 2002.

Deal Roundup: 10 for X, Post.Office, MacAmp

07/17, 1:15pm

Deal Roundup: 10 for X, Post.Office, MacAmp

Deals roundup: Aladdin Systems is offering a "10 for X" utility package, which includes iClean, Fruitmenu, Pseudo, WindowShade X and other OS X only utilities for $30; Tenon is offering Post.Office, its scalable MTP/POP3/IMAP messaging server for $245; Subband Software is offering a discounted price on MacAmp Lite X of $8.

EndNote 6 for OS X also manages manuscripts

07/17, 1:15pm

EndNote 6 for OS X also manages manuscripts

ISI ResearchSoft has announced EndNote 6 for OS X, an update to the bibliography and reference software. It now includes the ability to organize images with text, and built-in journal submission templates for Microsoft Word X for Mac: "These new features take EndNote 6 beyond bibliographies making it an essential manuscript management tool for writing, research and publishing. The $330 software application is available for $110 to qualified students; special upgrade prices are available to owners of previous versions.

OWC releases two new upgrade cards

07/17, 1:15pm

OWC releases two new upgrade cards

Other World Computing has introduced two new upgrade cards for the PowerMac G3 Beige, G3 Blue & White and G4 "Yikes" computers, the Mercury G3/533MHz and G4/550MHz. The Mercury ZIF plug-and-play upgrades come with a two year warranty; the G3/533MHz ZIF is priced at $220 and the G4/550MHz is priced at $260.

Digital Performer Audioworkstation for OS X

07/17, 1:05pm

Digital Performer Audioworkstation for OS X

Digital Performer, MOTU’s flagship audio workstation software, is expected to ship for OS X in the second half of this year: "Mac OS X Core Audio integrates audio functions directly into the operating system in ways never before possible, making Mac OS X an incredibly advanced operating system for professional audio."

SketchUp for 3D design exploration on OS X

07/17, 1:05pm

SketchUp for 3D design exploration on OS X

@Last Software has released SketchUp for OS X, an application for 3D design exploration: "It offers deceptively simple, amazingly powerful tools for creating, viewing, modifying, and communicating 3D ideas quickly and easily. Design professionals use SketchUp to develop their design ideas from initial concepts all the way through detailing and documentation, as well as to better communicate those ideas to their clients via dynamic 3D presentations, e-mail and the web." The $500 Cocoa-based application includes OpenGL support, PDF support, and Dynamic Section Cutting Tools to allow designers to visualize and generate measurable building sections, floor plans.

cast:stream 1.5: Mac/Win broadcasting system

07/17, 1:05pm

cast:stream 1.5: Mac/Win broadcasting system

21st Century Media has upgraded its broadcasting system, cast:stream 1.5. The new version introduces on-demand presentation archiving, real-time polling, support for MPEG-4 and QuickTime Broadcaster. It supports both Mac OS X and Windows and consists of four different applications: cast:stream Server, Moderator, Editor and Player.

DayLite Group Edition: CRM for OSX

07/17, 12:55pm

DayLite Group Edition: CRM for OSX

Marketcircle has released DayLite Group Edition, the first group-enabled version of its contact and customer relationship management application for Mac OS X. The fully networked application offers multi-user support, SQL database storage, and user-based settings for login and a separate calendar and shared information such as contacts, organizations, opportunities, projects, and activities. It also offers new text importer for importing Contacts from Entourage X, ACT! 2.8, Now Contact, Group Organizer, and Palm Desktop; new summary views; and OS X services support. Pricing is $250 per seat with a 50% "early adopter" discount for a limited time. A free trial is available.

Move2Mac helps migrate data from PC to Mac

07/17, 12:50pm

Move2Mac helps migrate data from PC to Mac

Detto Technologies today announced Move2Mac, which enables PC users to quickly and easily move personal information from a Windows-based PC to a Mac. Move2Mac will help migrate information such as application preferences, files and folders, from the Windows platform to the Mac with ease. Pricing and availability will be announced at the time of shipment, which is expected in the third quarter of this year. (This application was highlighted by Steve Jobs in his Macworld Keynote.)

Discreet to ship cleaner 6 for Mac in Fall

07/17, 12:50pm

Discreet to ship cleaner 6 for Mac in Fall

Discreet today announced that cleaner 6 for Mac will be available this Fall. The industry-standard software for creating streaming video/audio for multimedia and the web will support QuickTime 6 and MPEG-4. It will include better integration with OS X, new watch folders, drag and drop functions, G4-optimizations, and nested settings, which will streamline workflow. Upgrades to the $600 application will be $180.

Quicken 2003 to ship August 21

07/17, 12:05pm

Quicken 2003 to ship August 21

Quicken 2003 for Mac is the latest update from Intuit for their popular personal finance software. The goal of the update is to "reduce the time and hassle associated with managing personal finanaces" by reducing manual data entry. Instead, transactions can be downloaded from over 1,200 banks and stock quotes are automatically imported into portfolios in Quicken. The software, which is built for Mac OS X, will still run in Mac OS 9 and will be available on August 21. [page not yet available]

DiamondSoft: OS X client, Font Reserve 3.1

07/17, 11:40am

DiamondSoft: OS X client, Font Reserve 3.1

DiamondSoft today announced an OS X client for Font Reserve Server, which is slated to ship in the third quarter of 2002 as a free download to current Font Reserve Server users. Font Reserve Server consolidates a company's fonts into a single central database, providing users with access via the local network or the Internet using group- and user-based access controls. Font Reserve Server 1.5 is $1,200 for the server and $130 per client connection with special starter licensing packs available. The company also announced Font Reserve v3.1, which features precision auto-activation for Adobe InDesign 2 and Adobe Illustrator 10 documents and support for OpenType fonts. It is due in August for $90 with competitive upgrades from Suitcase or ATM Deluxe priced at $50. It is a fre upgrade for v3.0 owners.

GameHouse ships 8 OS X native games

07/17, 11:30am

GameHouse ships 8 OS X native games

Eight games from GameHouse are now available for Mac OS X, including Collapse!, Bounce Out!, Mah Jong, TextTwist, Glinx and more. "With state-of-the-arts graphics technologies like OpenGL, Quartz and QuickTime fully integrated into the operating system, Mac OS X is able to deliver top-notch performance for games," said Ron Okamoto, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. "GameHouse develops a number of fun and compelling games and we are excited to have eight of them available for our Mac OS X users." Each game is available for $20.

Extensis ships Portfolio Server, free plug-in

07/17, 11:15am

Extensis ships Portfolio Server, free plug-in

Extensis is now shipping its Portfolio Server for Mac OS X. It offers workgroups the ability to publish shared image catalogs over large networks, connect with exisiting SQL databases for more powerful catalogs and supports both Mac (OS 9 & X) and Windows computers. The software is available from Extensis and carries a price of $2500, which includes 5 free copies of Portfolio 6.1. Extensis has also announced a free Suitcase plug-in (for registered Suitcase 10 users) for Adobe InDesign 2.0 which automatically activates fonts used in InDesign documents.

CMS: ABSplus updated for OS X, durability

07/17, 11:15am

CMS: ABSplus updated for OS X, durability

CMS Peripherals today announced a bootable version of the ABSplus for Mac OS X, The "sleek-and-rugged" redesigned FireWire backup solution is also now shock-mounted for improved durability. ABSplus software automatically launches when a backup when the drive is plugged in, offering users an initial choice of "express" for all standard options, or "advanced" for custom settings as well as recovery options for a single corrupt file or a complete hard drive failure. The pocket-sized ABSplus is available in capacities of 20GB, 30GB, 40GB and 60GB at a starting price of $300 and the larger-sized ABSplus is currently available in capacities of 40GB, 60GB, 80GB, 120GB and 160GB at a starting at $300.

SmartDisk FireWire and USB 2.0 portable drive

07/17, 11:15am

SmartDisk FireWire and USB 2.0 portable drive

SmartDisk has unveiled a new line of portable FireLite hard drives, with "FLARE Technology", which includes a unique alloy housing (3.25"x5.0"x.75"), improved shock handling and an optimum performance engine (to prevent data loss). The FireWire drives include SmartDisk Tools 2.5, SmartDisk Hot Plug Events, and a full copy of Connectix CopyAgent. The USB 2.0 drives ship withRetrospect Express Backup and CopyAgent. Pricing for FireWire drives are from $220 to $340; the USB 2.0 drives are priced from $200 to $310.

OS X versions of MATLAB, Simulink coming

07/17, 11:15am

OS X versions of MATLAB, Simulink coming

The MathWorks today announced an OS X version of its flagship product MATLAB, an industry-standard application that integrates mathematical computing, visualization, and a powerful language to provide a flexible environment for technical computing. It also will develop an OS X version of Simulink, an interactive tool for modeling, simulating, and analyzing dynamic systems. Both versions are due in August; a MATLAB Student Version for Mac OS X will be available in the next 6-9 months, according to the company.

ADS intros real-time DVD video capture device

07/17, 11:00am

ADS intros real-time DVD video capture device

ADS Technologies today announced a new real-time DVD video capture device, USB Instant DVD, which allows users record home movies in full resolution DVD-quality video. The external USB 1.1 device enables users to transfer videos from any analog or S-VHS source such as VHS tapes, camcorders, or DVD players to a Mac using on-the-fly hardware-based MPEG-2 compression (the same format used in DVD movies) for smooth video at full 720 X 480 NTSC (720 X 576 PAL) resolution and stereo sound. It includes Pixela Video Editing and DVD - authoring software, all necessary Audio/Video Cables, and a DVD Studio plugin; it is due in October for $450.

CitiDISK serves as DV/storage combo device

07/17, 9:45am

CitiDISK serves as DV/storage combo device

Shining Technology today unveiled CitiDISK DV, a plug-and-play FireWire storage solution. The device offers portability (product comes battery-equipped) and direct recording DV streams from camcorder to hard disks and instant playback from the computer. The CitiDISK DV hard disk also has an IEEE 1394 standard that acts as a regular FireWire for data storage when not being used in multimedia applications. Shining Technology will demonstrate its products at Booth #574 at MWNY.

iTView Mac: desktop-to-video solution

07/17, 9:25am

iTView Mac: desktop-to-video solution

iTView Mac is a desktop-to-video out solution for the iMac G4 and iMac DV. It allows users to gain improved/enhanced quality imaging for displaying business or classroom presentations, viewing the Internet or watching DVD movies on any TV monitor. Resolutions of up to 1024x768 are supported and controls include size, pan, position, variable and 2x zoom and more. The retail price is $140, and the software control panel for Mac OS X is currently available as a free download.

Real-time DVD video capture device released

07/17, 9:25am

Real-time DVD video capture device released

ADS Technologies has announced a new real-time DVD video capture device, USB Instant DVD for Macs, which allows older Power Mac G3's and G4's to burn DVDs. It utilizes hardware-based MPEG-2 compression with 720x480 resoluation and full stero sound, as well as the ability to lightly edit video. The external USB 1.1 device will be available in October and carries a price of $450.

Live keynote coverage; Apple announcements

07/17, 9:00am

Live keynote coverage; Apple announcements

• Mac OS X 10.2 which is due on August 24th for $130 with Sherlock 3, Finder enhancements, Rendezvous and Inkwell technology, iChat, a system-wide Address Book, Mail.app improvements, Quark Extreme Graphics, Universal Access, and other improvements. It is available for pre-order now.
• a new 17-inch wide-screen flat-panel iMac for $2000 that supports 1440x900 resolution and has a NVIDIA GeForce4 MX chip.
• a $100 price reduction on the 15-inch SuperDrive flat-panel iMac;
• iTunes 3 with smart playlists, song ratings, enhanced sound effects, and Audible.com support; available);
• .Mac membership service for $100/year, replacing the free iTools (current members can get the first year for $50/year);
• Two new Jaguar-only applications: iCal for creating and sharing calendars and iSync for syncing data with mobile phones, PDA, and the iPod.
• iPod revisions, including a slimmer 10GB model for $400, a new 20GB model for $500, new headphones, a wired remote control, a new carrying case for 10GB and 20GB models, and iPod extras such as a calendar, contact management, clock, and "secret" game access. iPod for Windows with MusicMatch Jukebox Plus software is due in August;
• Full keynote coverage is still available.

SmartDisk announces two new film scanners

07/17, 8:00am

SmartDisk announces two new film scanners

SmartDisk today announced two Mac-compatible film scanners for film negative and slide digitization. The $250 SmartScan 2700 is designed for prosumers with one-touch scanning, scanning resolutions of up to 2700 dpi, and USB connectivity. The professional-level SmartScan 3600 ($500) offers 3600 dpi scans as well as the ability to scan 35mm negative film rolls or filmstrips and mounted slides without a film holder or template. It also features batch scanning, auto film loading and auto-focus and ships with both FireWire and USB connectivity. Both models are expected to ship in August with Adobe PhotoShop Elements 1.0.

The Green Machine: open-source game engine

07/17, 7:50am

The Green Machine: open-source game engine

The Green Machine is an open-source Mac OS X game engine based on Neo*Geo. Purchasers of the Green Machine receive a CD-ROM containing the game development package and game scenarios that demonstrate the engine's features. The Green Machine engine includes: non-tiled, non-repeating backgrounds, accurate physics, huge, colorful sprites, parallax scrolling, animated cut screens, conversations with non-player characters, panning stereo sound, automatic resolution switching, gamma fading and particle effects.

x|GRIND: real-time 3D/video graphics editor

07/17, 7:50am

x|GRIND: real-time 3D/video graphics editor

x|GRIND is an independently-developed real-time graphics editor. The primary two components are for real-time generation and manipulation of 3D text and digital video. Every parameter can be controlled manually, automatically or with audio triggering. Future versions will incorporate MIDI.

Boris FX 6.1 adds OS X support, new features

07/17, 7:45am

Boris FX 6.1 adds OS X support, new features

Boris FX has begun shipping Boris FX 6.1 for OS X, its effects package for nonlinear editing and advanced compositing with features such as animated apply modes, motion blur, particles, lighting effects and displacement mapping as well as the abiity to composite unlimited layers of timeline video or imported media in three dimensions.

Coda Music's Finale 2003: No OS X support

07/17, 7:40am

Coda Music's Finale 2003: No OS X support

Coda Music recently informed users that Finale 2003 would be available for the Macintosh, but will not included native support for Mac OS X. "Finale users have been clamoring for an OS X-native version for a year now, and it looks like we will have to wait yet another year," writes Andy Grobengieser, a MacNN reader. A similar product, called Sibelius, currently supports Mac OS X as a competitor of Finale.

XtremeMac: Xrack, iRise FireWire, USB Hub

07/17, 7:35am

XtremeMac: Xrack, iRise FireWire, USB Hub

XtremeMac today announced iRise, a FireWire and USB hub that matches the flat-panel iMac and fits direclty beneath the machine, a new Xrack for mounting Apple's Xserve, and new Xwire Gold FireWire cables.

Microsoft: $100 Office v.X rebate, RDC client

07/17, 7:20am

Microsoft: $100 Office v.X rebate, RDC client

Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit today announced a Microsoft Office v. X for Mac triple header, which includes its recently released Palm Handheld Synchronization add-in for Entourage X; a new Get It Together promo, offering up to $100 offt he purchase of Office v. X when purchased with any new Mac; and a Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client, allowing remote connection and access to Microsoft Windows-based computers.

Canvas 8.04 brings bug fixes, enhancements

07/17, 6:55am

Canvas 8.04 brings bug fixes, enhancements

Deneba has released Canvas 8.04, an update to its cross-platform precision illustration application that integrates Sprite technology, photo editing, page layout, presentation, and Web graphics capabilities. The updater requires users enter their Canvas 8 serial numbers.

Cumulus 5.5.1: digital asset management app

07/17, 6:50am

Cumulus 5.5.1: digital asset management app

Canto has released Cumulus 5.5.1, a free upgrade to its cross platform digital asset management application. It offers support for Cumulus JAVA Classes, which offer the ability to extend, integrate and customize Cumulus by creating custom JavaServlets, JavaServer Pages, Java Applications directly on the Cumulus server. It also offers an updated installer, basic image editing tools, file conversion utilities, pre-packaged filters for metadata import, and support for MacBinary converted files and Mac resource files in a Unix environment. It is available in English, German, French, while a Japanese language version is due August 2002.

Power On creates Now Software division

07/17, 6:35am

Power On creates Now Software division

Power On Software today announced a new software division, Now Software, which will focus exclusively on the scheduling and contact management line of products. It also announced that it would show Now Up-to-Date & Contact for Windows at Macworld Exo and ship the product later this year. Power On Software says it will continue to focus on utility software, with products such as On Guard for Mac and Windows, ACTION Utilities, and Rewind.

QuickTime 6 lacks MPEG-2 playback support

07/17, 4:15am

QuickTime 6 lacks MPEG-2 playback support

Several readers note that QuickTime 6 lacks MPEG-2 playback support, a feature that was not available in the previously released public preview, but was promised by Apple in the final version and announced at QuickTime Live! in February (see video). (An Apple Support discussion topic has a brief thread on the issue, in which one reader write: "I would be happy with any support of MPEG-2 playback, but what I really want is what I get with my PC - the ability to open any type of MPEG-2 stream (program, transport, elementary) using DirectShow which demuxes the streams and sends them to the apporpriate codecs for decoding and presentation."

PowerLogix: 733MHz G4 upgrade, trade-up

07/17, 3:55am

PowerLogix: 733MHz G4 upgrade, trade-up

PowerLogix today announced a 700 MHz version of the PowerForce G4 Series 100 for PowerMac G4s and Cubes (machines with a 100MHz system bus), and a 733 MHz version of the PowerForce G4 Series 133 (with a 133MHz system bus) as well as a new PowerForce Series Trade-Up Program, which allows customers to select the affordable speed upgrade of their choice, and trade up later to a faster processor. The program allows the customer to trade up for the difference in the retail price of the two cards. The PowerForce G4 Series 100 are shipping now, but supplies are constrained; the PowerForce G4 Series 133 will be available in August. Pricing ranges from $450 to $800. The company promises more details on its Website "shortly."

WiebeTech: portable, desktop FireWire drives

07/17, 3:55am

WiebeTech: portable, desktop FireWire drives

WiebeTech today announced ship dates and pricing on its recently introduced products, including UltraGB desktop FireWire drives, NanoGB portable drives, and SuperDriveDock bridge for 3.5" IDE drives as well as its new FireWire Host adapter.

Real launches RealOne player beta for OS X

07/17, 3:20am

Real launches RealOne player beta for OS X

REAL has released a beta version of RealOne Player for OS X, which includes TurboPlay technology that "practically eliminates buffering over high- speed connections" and RealVideo 9 technolgy with "Dramatically improved compression delivers unparalleled quality at every bandwidth - from narrowband to HDTV! Includes 5-channel RealAudio Surround!" The player will co-exist with RealPlayer 7/8 installations and will expire when the final version is released.

4D intros WebSTAR 5.2 with new mail server

07/17, 3:00am

4D intros WebSTAR 5.2 with new mail server

4D today announced 4D WebSTAR v5.2, an update to its Internet server suite and 4D Mail, a new stand-alone mail server for OS X as well as a new 4D Business Kit for rapid store front development under OS X.

AppleScript Collection for iDVD 2.1

07/17, 2:45am

AppleScript Collection for iDVD 2.1

Apple later today is expected to introduce the first scriptable layout application for video content, iDVD 2.1. The update allows professionals and developers to automate the creation if DVDs by linking iDVD to media asset systems and other scriptable applications such as iTunes, iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop, and Media 100i. AppleScript Collection for iDVD 2.1, available now on the web, includes several scripts, including...

IOGEAR launches limited 1-month recycle promo

07/17, 2:35am

IOGEAR launches limited 1-month recycle promo

IOGEAR is offering the first 100 customers who purchase a MiniView III KVMP switch, and ship back their old keyboard and mouse either a $30 (on the purchase of the 2-port KVM) or $50 (on the purchase of the 4-port KVM) cash back. The MiniView III KVMP switches offer control up to four computers and two USB peripheral devices with one KVMP switch. The one-month program will launch at Macworld Expo on July 17, 2002 and will require that customers register at with a purchase receipt. The company says it will donate working equipment to charitable organizations or educational programs and recycle non-working equipment.

SpaceShuttle AV controller for OEM market

07/17, 2:25am

SpaceShuttle AV controller for OEM market

Contour A/V Solutions has announced a sleek new audio/video controller. The SpaceShuttle, based on its ShuttlePRO product, will be offered to the OEM Educational and Manufacturing channels for bundling in August 2002. The USB-based device is a five button jog and shuttle controller that be customized to any environment, offering the ability to assign tasks such as play, stop, rewind, fast forward, volume control. [site not updated]

Emailchemy 1.2 adds QuickMail Pro conversion

07/17, 2:10am

Emailchemy 1.2 adds QuickMail Pro conversion

Emailchemy 1.2 is a $25 email utility that imports email files from the proprietary formats of popular email applications and converts them to standard formats that any application can use. It brings updated documentation as well as QuickMail Pro conversion to its other import filters, which include Emailer 1.x, Eudora, Netscape, Mozilla, PowerTalk, Outlook Express for Windows and Mac.

RADicode 1.0 adds UI elements to REALbasic

07/17, 2:00am

RADicode 1.0 adds UI elements to REALbasic

Solidwave has released RADicode 1.0, a rapid application development tool for REALbasic developers that offers a drag & drop implementation of standard Mac UI behavior such as Quit, New, Close, Cut, and Paste as well as offers "derezed resources," targets for 68K, PPC, Carbon, and FAT, and a debug menu for leak checking, memory, and resource validation. The $300 utility is available for $150 through the end of August.

Sonnet intros 1GHz Power Mac, other upgrades

07/17, 1:45am

Sonnet intros 1GHz Power Mac, other upgrades

Sonnet today unveiled several major upgrade products for old and new Power Mac and PowerBook computers, including a 1GHz upgrade for Power Macs, a new 800MHz G4 upgrade for older PCI-based PowerMac 7000/8000/9000 series machines, a 500MHz G3 upgrade for Power Mac 7200, a 500MHz G4 upgrade for "WallStreet" PowerBooks, new PCI upgrade cards, and new product series that mounts hard drives direclty on ATA/133 PCI cards.

Apple replaces iTools with .Mac membership

07/17, 12:40am

Apple replaces iTools with .Mac membership

Apple today notified customers that its popular iTools will be replaced by a new membership service called .Mac, which includes new features, such as Backup and Virex anti-virus software, and additional email and iDisk storage. The annual membership fee is $100, while existing iTools members can purchase .Mac membership for $50 for the first year. iTools members will have until September 30 to join .Mac, after which the original iTools accounts will be deactivated. [updated at 7 am ET]

See osx.macnn.com for more news

07/17, 12:05am

See osx.macnn.com for more news

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