News Archive for 02/12/13

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

Cisco recommends against v3.6.6 VPN upgrade

12/13, 9:45pm

Cisco recommends against v3.6.6 VPN upgrade

Cisco today sent out an advisory to its customers, recommending that "customers remain with v3.6.5 or earlier of software until our v3.6.7 release," after it announced the availability of v3.6.6 earlier this week.

Mac users uncover eBay scam artist

12/13, 5:45pm

Mac users uncover eBay scam artist

Had it not been for an angry and determined band of Macintosh users, Christmas might have ruined the holidays for more computer sellers using eBay, explains a Chicago Tribune article. Last month, Eric Smith, a 21-year-old student at the University of New Orleans, received a bad $3,000 check for the Apple laptop computer he’d sold on eBay and sent to a Chicago address. Eric Smith and fellow Mac users investigated the fraud without the inital help of law enforcement: "He said the FBI and three offices of the Secret Service he contacted turned down the case because it didn’t involve a significant loss." [Free Registration Req'd] Update: Much of Mr. Smith's investigation unfolded on the MacNN Forums, in a topic started December 1st.

MacPlay: Freedom Force ready to ship

12/13, 4:00pm

MacPlay: Freedom Force ready to ship

MacPlay today announced that Freedom Force, a comic book-inspired game by Crave Entertainment, is now available for the Mac. MacPlay was responsible for bringing the game to the Macintosh platform, announcing plans in November for the upcoming release. The "Freedom Force" is a team of unlikely heroes whose mission is to protect the citizens of Patriot City from the evil "Lord Dominion."

Two FileMaker apps up for awards

12/13, 3:50pm

Two FileMaker apps up for awards

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has honored two of FileMaker's database development products as finalists for the 2003 Codie Awards. FileMaker Pro 6 is a finalist for "Best Business Productivity Product or Service," and FileMaker Pro 6 Unlimited is a "Best Numeric/Database Application" finalist. FileMaker is the database software subsidiary of Apple Computer.

IP over FireWire now for ADC members only

12/13, 1:10pm

IP over FireWire now for ADC members only

After our note about its dissappearance, Apple has once again made its IP-over-FireWire software package available to ADC Members only. The software preview, which was initially made available to the public, is now only available to registered Apple Developers on its secure ADC Website: "[It] adds a new Kernel Extension that hooks into the existing network services architecture. Using the existing Network Preferences Pane, users can add FireWire as their IP network node to connect and communicate between two machines."

Klear Advantage laptop protector now $25

12/13, 12:55pm

Klear Advantage laptop protector now $25

Tengu Enterprises has lowered the price of its Klear Advantage Micro-thin overlays to $25 for the holiday season. The durable, clear "overlays" protect the palm rest of virtually any laptop from scratching, as a result of bracelets, watches or wrist bands. Designed with the PowerBook G4 in mind, the Klear Advantage is extremely temperature resistant, in addition to being unaffected by moisture. [pricing updated]

Apps: Yahoo Messenger, Flash Player...

12/13, 12:25pm

Apps: Yahoo Messenger, Flash Player...

Yahoo! Messenger 2.5.1 is an update to the (free) popular instant messaging client for Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. It resolves various issues with webcam performance, resolves compatibility issues with Mac OS X 10.2, adds status icons for mobile users, and has other minor bug fixes. [Classic, OSX]
Macromedia has posted the latest version of Flash Player 6.0r67, its multimedia player for Flash and Shockwave files. Macromedia Flash Player 6 for Mac OS X requires the Mac OS X 10.1 and Internet Explorer 5.1 (version 3408) or Netscape 6.2. A separate uninstaller is available as well. [1.4MB]
Monitorer X 1.2 is a $12 shareware extension that records every single keystroke in the background and saves it into a textfile. It also can take screenshots so you can view what other people were doing on your computer. It adds Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar compatibility as well as selectable compression JPG settings.

IBM confirms new PowerPC chip has AltiVec

12/13, 11:25am

IBM confirms new PowerPC chip has AltiVec

IBM confirmed that its PowerPC 970 processor, which is scheduled to begin shipping in the second half of 2003, has AltiVec-compatible execution units, as noted by a MacNN reader: "The 970's multiple execution units including an AltiVec compatible vector processor are fed by an up to 900-MHz processor interface bus, which can deliver data at a rate of up to 6.4 GBps...In addition to high performance general -purpose processing, application-specific acceleration (such as multimedia) can be achieved through the AltiVec vector engine. Codeveloped by IBM, this engine extends the PowerPC instruction set with 162 Single-Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) instructions."

Apple sees Web traffic decline, ranks No. 41

12/13, 10:55am

Apple sees Web traffic decline, ranks No. 41

Apple's November US Web traffic decreased by 3% when compared with its October numbers, although it fell only a single spot to No. 41, according to ComScore Networks/NetScore monthly statistics. Apple saw only nearly 6.5 million unique US visitors in the month of November behind Microsoft (1), Yahoo (2), AOL (3), eBay (5), Google (6), RealNetworks (14), Sony (26), Adobe (28), HP (34), Dell (37), and Macromedia (40). Apple's US traffic also saw a 21% decrease from the same period last year; however, its world wide traffic only fell 1.8% since October and only nearly 8% since November 2001.

Film Gimp available for Mac OS X

12/13, 10:35am

Film Gimp available for Mac OS X

Film Gimp is a motion picture editing tool primarily used for painting and retouching of movie images: "Its application in feature movie productions includes the movies Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, Stuart Little and Stuart Little 2. Film Gimp is the most successful open source tool in feature motion picture work today. [It] is based on Gimp, the GNU Image Manipulation Program."

Apple KB: Postscript printing probs confirmed

12/13, 9:35am

Apple KB: Postscript printing probs confirmed

KB roundup: Apple is investigating unexpected crashes during Postscript printing under Mac OS X 10.2.2 when the PPD incorrectly indentifies the default paper tray; The Mac OS X Process Viewer application will incorrectly indentify processes values if 2.0GB of memory is installed in the computer; Installation of a Classic application from a multi-CD installer requires that you startup in Mac OS 9; and Apple describes how to get the most usage out of a one charge of iPod's battery.

Apps: KoalaCalc, MacScan, theme package

12/13, 9:20am

Apps: KoalaCalc, MacScan, theme package

MacMotiva has released the Fruit Cocktail Theme Collection, a theme package which contains 5 fruit themes: Blueberry v1, Grape v1, Lime v1, Strawberry v1, and Tangerine v1. The themes work with Duality, a theme switching application. [723KB]
MacScan detects, isolates, and removes spyware like applications such as keystroke loggers, and Trojan horses to protection your Macintosh: "MacScan will isolate all evidence of spyware type applications to a secured, single location; including the programs, extensions, preferences and any log files then create a report of all activity." It runs on both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. A public beta is available onlne. [Classic, OSX]
Macropod Software's KoalaCalc 3.0 is an update to its free multi-purpose scientific/conversion/statistical calculator for Max OS X with speech and voice recognition support. Version 3 boasts a redesigned interface, the addition of numerous features, and several bug fixes as well as several non-English localizations versions. It requires Mac OS X. [1.2MB]
GameRanger 3.1 adds support for Black & White Creature Isle to the multiplayer online gaming service that supports over 111 different gaming titles. [182KB]

Virtix Cinematic 2.0 adds new iMovie effects

12/13, 9:00am

Virtix Cinematic 2.0 adds new iMovie effects

Virtix today released Virtix Cinematic 2.0 for iMovie, which adds 5 new sophisticated transfer modes to the collection of 29 transition shapes--each with 6 transfer modes to control the look of the edge of the "wipe" between video scenes. The new options are Burn Through, Fog, Smoke, Sparkles, and Stained Glass. A movie that demonstrates the new transfer modes is available online. The bonus effects are available for free to registered owners of the $25 application, which works with iMovie 2.01 on either Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X.