News Archive for 03/07/08

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Ambrosia releases 'WireTap' recording app

07/08, 5:00pm

Ambrosia releases 'WireTap' recording app

Ambrosia Software today announced the release of WireTap 1.0 for Mac OS X. WireTap is a free product that allows you to record any audio playing on your Mac, and save it to a file for later listening or processing. This allows you to record news from Internet radio stations, sound snippets from your favorite DVD movie, record the audio from a game, or even iChatAV conversations. WireTap works using a simple tape recorder-like interface. Simply click the record button, and any audio playing through your Mac will be recorded to disk.

Dantz patches Retrospect security bug

07/08, 2:20pm

Dantz patches Retrospect security bug

Dantz has updated its Retrospect Client software to address a security hole found in the program by users. Dantz confirmed last week that it was investigating the issue, and today said it had released a Client Security Patch.

Analysts offer praise for Apple

07/08, 2:10pm

Analysts offer praise for Apple

"When does a computing platform border on an addiction?" asks Washington Times columnist Mark Kellner, "when it's Apple's Macintosh," he says. According to Kellner, he has "discovered even more reasons for keeping a Mac as [his] primary computer." Peter Lewis of Fortune writes, "until now rigging a computer to act as a videophone generally has been more trouble than it's worth, with tiny, fuzzy pictures and walkie-talkie voice delays. Apple is changing all that with software that makes Internet-based video chats cheap and simple."

AIM 4.6 adds cell phone forwarding

07/08, 1:40pm

AIM 4.6 adds cell phone forwarding

AOL Instant Messenger 4.6 for Mac OS X enables you to have instant messages delivered to a mobile phone when you are away from your Mac. "With the AIM Mac 4.6 beta, you can be online, all the time, anywhere." Users can register an SMS-enabled mobile phone with Mobile IM, and continue to receive IMs after signing out of AIM. To activate or deactivate Mobile IM for your Screen Name, users simply click the 'IM' tab in Account Settings.

ArcaneReader barcode device available soon

07/08, 1:20pm

ArcaneReader barcode device available soon

ArcaneWare today released ArcaneReader, its USB Barcode Scanner designed for Library, the company's personal book cataloging utility. The new handheld reader is an easy-to-use solution for scanning Bookland EAN ("ISBN") barcodes into Library. The ArcaneReader features: an easy-to-use trigger to start a new scan, CCD technology that requires no cleaning or maintenance, a sound and a visual indicator, Integrated error-checking and a 7 foot USB cable. The ArcaneReader requires Mac OS X and ArcaneWare's Library 1.1. It is available for preorder today for $200. It will begin shipping on July 17th.

Apps: Library, textSOAP, ActiveDeveloper, ...

07/08, 12:25pm

Apps: Library, textSOAP, ActiveDeveloper, ...

ArcaneWare has released an update to Library 1.1, its application that allows you to easily catalog your books. Version 1.1 offers new 'Web Export', support for ArcaneReader, 'Batch Add' functionality for adding multiple books, tab-delimited import, new preferences, and other bug fixes. Library is $10. [Download - ]
unmarked software has released textSOAP 3.3, a new version of its simple tool that allows you to quickly clean the formatting of text. Improvements include: fixed scroll wheel problem; an improved text wrap function; fixed display of invisibles under OS X; and visual improvements to drawing buttons, layouts. [Download - 2.6MB]
ActiveDeveloper 2.13 is an update to the tool for Mac OS X that "cuts your API learning curve and allows incremental development of any Project." Version 2.1.3 makes it easier for first time users to "get interactive without first configuring preferences," uses larger text fonts, and is more robust in displaying and inspecting non-object values. More functions are available in the demo mode. Pricing starts at $50. [Download - form]
LAJ Design today released eOrdering Professional 2.0, its cross-platform application that creates online eCommerce stores for photographers or small businesses. The latest version adds discounts, six individual cost options for each product, and a text option for "what to say before spanning links." [Download - Classic, OS X]
24U Software has posted a public beta version of 24U SimpleDialog Plug-In 2.Ob, its dialog-showing plug-in for FileMaker Pro 4.0 or newer. It offers a completely rewritten dialog showing engine, improved dynamic sizing and positioning of dialog items, support for an unlimited number of pop-up menu items, and other advanced features. [Download - 332KB]
Iconographer 2.5 ($15) adds support for importing and exporting of individual icon members and entire icons to TIFF, PNG, Photoshop and other graphics formats; support for smooth and blocky scaling; Quartz font anti-aliasing; and other bug fixes. The icon editor allows you to both change the icons of items and to edit the icon resources used by various programs. [2.5MB]
David Ahmed's ExhibitionX 1.6 is a $15 utility to view your picture folders and iPhoto 2 albums using one of 6 navigational OpenGL-based 3D environments. Version 1.6 adds a 3:2 ratio to the preferences, updates the French localization and adds strafing to the gallery view. It runs on Mac OS X. [1.2MB]
Morphon XML-Editor 3.1.1 is a free WYSIWYG Wordprocessor-like validating XML-Editor which lets you easily create and modify XML documents. Morphon also provides a CSS editor for use as a styling language and offers support for tables, editable source view, a spell checker, printing support, autosave, and other functions. [13MB]

Gefen debuts ex-tend-it USB-500 solution

07/08, 12:25pm

Gefen debuts ex-tend-it USB-500 solution

Gefen today announced the ex-tend-it USB-500, which is engineered to enable USB devices to be operated up to 1650-feet from the computer. The USB-500 uses Extreme USB technology, has a four-port USB Hub built-in and employs fiber optic cables to connect the sender and receiver units. The sender is connected to the computer; the receiver is connected to the USB peripheral. Both units are connected with fiber optics in lengths up to 1,650 feet. Each unit measures approximately 5"x5", weighs less than two pounds and comes with a 15-volt power supply. The send/receive units are bundled for $800.

KeyStrokes 3 offers word prediction

07/08, 11:45am

KeyStrokes 3 offers word prediction

KeyStrokes 3 is an update to the popular on-screen keyboard software for Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. It offers advanced multilingual word prediction using its new revolutionary PolyPredix word prediction engine (word completion, next word prediction and even multi-word prediction in any Roman language as well as many other languages). KeyStrokes 3 can predict from multiple language or topical dictionaries at once and comes with free prediction dictionaries for US and UK English, French and German, while dictionaries for Dutch, Spanish and Italian will be available shortly. Version 3 also adds shortcut expansion, as well as speaking keys (English-only). It is $250 with special introductory pricing of $225 through the end of September and competitive upgrades for $175.

REALbasic 5.2 offers faster compiler

07/08, 11:20am

REALbasic 5.2 offers faster compiler

REAL Software today released REALbasic 5.2, an update to its popular cross-platform programming environment. REAL says that the update offers a wide range of improvements, including greatly reduced compile times when compared to REALbasic 5.1. This update is free of charge for all existing REALbasic 5 customers; REALbasic is available now starting at $100; the REALbasic Professional Edition, required for cross-platform compilation, starts at $400 and includes extended functionality for database and team development. [Classic, OSX]

JBoss offers professional services for OS X

07/08, 10:00am

JBoss offers professional services for OS X

JBoss Group LLC will offer professional support services to customers using Mac OS X 10.3 'Panther' Server, which features the open-source JBoss application server. Specifically, JBoss Group will offer a full range of enterprise-level services, including support, training and consulting services. The new Panther Server incorporates the JBoss application server for running J2EE-based applications, including Enterprise Java Bean components. Panther Server is expected to ship by the end of the year.

WiebeTech intros FireWire 800 PCI card

07/08, 9:55am

WiebeTech intros FireWire 800 PCI card

WiebeTech today introduced the Fire800 Host, its first FireWire 800 PCI host card for desktop Macs. It offers three FireWire 800 ports and is compatible with any PCI slot Mac running the latest version of OS X: "When purchased with any of our existing FireWire enclosures, the price of this card is only $50. It may also be purchased separately for $80." The estimated delivery time is 2-3 days.

SimpleTech debuts 120GB FireWire drive

07/08, 9:55am

SimpleTech debuts 120GB FireWire drive

SimpleTech today entered the external desktop storage market with the introduction of the 120GB SimpleDrive USB 2.0/FireWire hard drive. The SimpleDrive desktop solution offers 480Mb/sec USB 2.0 transfer speeds and 400Mb/sec FireWire connectivity and operates at 7200RPM for fast throughput. It is available now for $200.

Charismac debuts FibreShare for Mac OS X

07/08, 8:15am

Charismac debuts FibreShare for Mac OS X

Charismac Engineering today announced FibreShare for OS X, an update to its shared storage management software designed for Mac OS X. FibreShare is a volume-level, software-based shared storage solution that allows multiple users to share high-speed storage without having to access the drives through a traditional network interface. It designed for the digital audio/video and graphics and animation markets and for those sharing large files in a collaborative work environment. FibreShare for OS X supports both FireWire and fibre channel drive interfaces. It will ship later this month (final pricing has not been determined).

RE:Vision Effects updates Twixtor, RE:Flex

07/08, 7:55am

RE:Vision Effects updates Twixtor, RE:Flex

RE:Vision Effects has incorporated new features in its Twixtor and RE:Flex AE plug-ins to support Adobe After Effects 6.0 (announced on Monday). Twixtor ($330) intelligently slows down, speeds up or changes the frame rate of image sequences. The updated version now draws After Effects' shapes used as guiding geometry in the colors chosen in the After Effects user interface. The company also updated RE:Flex, its $600 warping and morphing plug-in solution, to allow users to choose to display only the "source" shapes or the "destination" shapes when working on the destination picture.

LaCie debuts high-speed 60GB laptop drive

07/08, 7:50am

LaCie debuts high-speed 60GB laptop drive

LaCie recently introduced its LaCie Pocket Drive 60GB 7200rpm, a mobile drive with "desktop drive performance." The drive weighs only 12.5 ounces and features a unique silicone shell that absorb shocks and is slotted with handy grooves allowing for easy cord wrapping/storage. The new Pocket drive includes both FireWire and USB 2.0 connectors. It is due later this month for $440. LaCie’s Pocket Drive range also includes: 20GB and 40GB models starting at $160. Drives ship with a 6-to-6 pin FireWire cable and USB 2.0 certified cable, an optional power supply, Silverlining and SilverKeeper.

Apps: Watson, EasyBatchPhoto, Bryce2Vue, Synk

07/08, 7:45am

Apps: Watson, EasyBatchPhoto, Bryce2Vue, Synk

Karelia Software today released Watson 1.7.2, a maintenance upgrade to its desktop interface to over twenty of the most popular Web services and content. This version of Watson adds compatibility with the upcoming "Panther" release of Mac OS X as well as addresses compatibility with CURL, Google search, and eBay. A single-user license is $30, while a household license is $40. [1.8MB]
ksoft's CPLAT 5.1 adds window compositing support, drawer and metal window support, a new dataclass browser, new UI elements, and better documentation to the modern C++ framework for MacOS/Windows/Linux development. It supports development under CodeWarrior, Visual C++, and ProjectBuilder. The $50 tool includes the complete source code. [Classic, OSX]
DVDxDV 1.051 is an update to the $25 software which exports the audio/video from iDVD-created DVDs. The new version no longer requires the Apple MPEG2 plug-in in order to extract video from a DVD and also offers better support for non-iDVD created DVDs. Faster DVD extraction is also achieved by extracting the video and audio in one pass. [1.0MB]
Synk 4.02 is a freeware Cocoa file synchronization that offers full support for backup, sychronization, and archiving under Mac OS X. It offers an informative preview window that offers users full control, intelligent synchronization, and powerful archival features. It also recognizes changes in file permissions. [314KB]
Bryce2Vue 1.0 from Yuji Sato can convert from Corel Bryce to native e-on software Vue 4 format, including primitive objects (e.g., cone, cube, torus), terrain objects (and Lattice Objects), Mesh objects, Light objects, Boolean Operations, and Sun and camera position converted objects. Material conversion or sky conversion are not supported; however, PictureMap conversion is planned for the next version. The freeware runs on Mac OS X. [556KB]
Apago has released an update to its $35 PDF optimization program PDFshrink 3.0.1. It incorporates "intelligent JPEG compression" to avoid unneccesary image recompression: "Now PDFshrink calculates the original JPEG compression quality and if the new quality would be lower, PDFshrink will recompress the JPEG image to reduce its size." It also adds support for DeviceN colorspaces and several bug-fixes. [1.7MB]
EchoMac 1.11 is a program written for Mac OS X, based on the echoLinux, which gives licensed amateur radio operators the ability to access the Echolink system. EchoMac allows any licensed amateur radio user to connect and talk to another amateur radio operator on a remote system. [129KB]
Yellow Mug Software has released EasyBatchPhoto 1.0, a new shareware batch photo manipulation utility, offering support for recompression, resizing, and file format conversion. The Mac OS X utility is $10 for a single user or $27 for small office/home office licenses. A 30-day demo is available. [408KB]