News Archive for 03/08/08

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

Apps: WebKiosk, mooDex, Blast Image Config...

08/08, 11:50pm

Apps: WebKiosk, mooDex, Blast Image Config...

mooDex 3.0 is a $7 shareware organizational utility designed to fill the gap left by the program called QuickDEX by Casady & Greene. It opens and saves QuickDEX files, displaying them similarly to QuickDEX. Version 3.0 is now a Cocoa-native application with features such as spell checking and other features. [521KB]
The "donationware" Prio 1.0 is an easy utility to adjust system process priority (renice). [605KB]
WebKiosk 2.0 is a free browser that uses Apple's WebKit Framework together with a JavaScript engine for support for all major web standards. It can also function as a €20 fullfeatured internet kiosk application. Version features resolution switching, support for localized versions, a screen saver module, icon-based buttons, and a new tab design. [92KB]
The system utility PSU Blast Image Config offers the ability to quickly restore a Mac OS X system disk image to a Macintosh's boot hard disk (via Apple's asr command line tool), automatically set the Open Firmware boot security mode and password, change the network settings on the restored HD, and set the Open Firmware boot device to the restored disk. [2.1MB]

Maplesoft ships Maple 9 mathematical tool

08/08, 11:50pm

Maplesoft ships Maple 9 mathematical tool

Maplesoft's Maple 9 is a comprehensive environment for visualizing and exploring mathematical concepts and for developing mathematical applications. Maple 9 is a flexible analytical tool that features a comprehensive suite of mathematical solvers, mathematical visualization capabilities, a powerful programming language and a rich technical document-processing environment. New features include an enhanced user interface, a new Help browser, new code generators for MATLAB and Visual Basic, new student learning packages, an extensive addition of NAG numerical solvers and numerous mathematical enhancements. Pricing starts at $1,800.

FireWire Depot debuts FireWire 800 enclosures

08/08, 11:15pm

FireWire Depot debuts FireWire 800 enclosures

FireWire Depot today introduced new FireWire800 1394b enclosures. The Concord800, which will be available for shipping at the end of August, is an update to its existing Concord dual drive enclosure, using the new Oxford 922 chip for FireWire 800 speeds. It supports two drives (Master and Slave) in the smallest dual drive enclosure available. The TT745-800 ($130) is available for immediate shipping and also uses the new Oxford 922 chip for FireWire 800 1394b speed, and includes a USB2 port for maximum portability and performance. Both will accept any IDE/ATA hard drive and are compatible with the new ATA-6 large (up to 320GB).

Apple debuts online professional development

08/08, 3:15pm

Apple debuts online professional development

Apple's new Apple Professional Development Online is designed to "meet the needs of the 21st Century educator, Apple Professional Development Online offers a dynamic learning environment for K-12 teachers, administrators and university faculty." It offers online courses, educator resources, netTrekker (search engine for schools), and the Apple Professional Development Library, which provides a practical perspective on current educational issues through articles, interviews, research analysis, expert commentary, and exploration of classroom practices. Pricing is available through education channels. Apple also offers courses designed specifically for IT professionals, including how to effectively implement and manage Mac OS X Server to support a mixed environment.

Terrabrowser supports satellite photos, maps

08/08, 2:15pm

Terrabrowser supports satellite photos, maps

Terrabrowser 1.1 for Mac OS X is an internet browser for satellite photos and topographical maps with built in support for Garmin GPS receivers: "Download waypoints from your GPS to display on the maps, edit them, upload new waypoints to your receiver. Maps are obtained from the Microsoft Terra Server which serves data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Includes extensive bookmarking support, image cache, and many other features!" Version 1.1 offers significant feature enhancements, including GPS support, caching, zipcode search, and waypoint management. It is $10.

Retailer offers petition for Mac GPS support

08/08, 2:15pm

Retailer offers petition for Mac GPS support

MacNN reader Daryl Courtney writes: "I read a article about a retailer who is trying to get GPS companies to support the Mac.The retailer even offered to help, but the companies are saying not enough interest, etc. The retailer has posted a GPS petition to try to help show there is an interest."

Feral releases Warrior Kings demo

08/08, 1:40pm

Feral releases Warrior Kings demo

Feral Interactive today released a demo version of Warrior Kings for Mac OS 9/X. The demo contains the animated tutorials and a complete level called Revolution: "It is an early level in the Imperial Campaign path - in which Artos has been ship-wrecked on the rocky coast of Cravant, once his father's kingdom - only Artos and a few of his men have made it to shore, they must now begin securing a base from which to reclaim the rest of the map and his father's former lands. It is expected to ship later this month for $50. [240MB]

User-installable SuperDrive upgrades for PBs

08/08, 11:25am

User-installable SuperDrive upgrades for PBs

MacResQ today announced "self-serve" user-installable PowerBook G4 "SuperDrive" upgrade. The $300 upgrade is bootable and compatible with Mac OS 9/X and all applications. The drive reads at 24x, writes CD-R at 16x, writes CD-RW at 8x, and writes DVD-R/RW at 1x. The upgrade includes comprehensive installation instructions and a pre-paid return shipping label for the customer to return their old optical drive to MacResQ. The company also offers nationwide, 24-hour turnaround installation for $400, which includes pick-up, overnight delivery to the PowerBookResQ service center, installation within 24 hours, and return overnight shipping.

Apps: dvMatte Pro, Xkeys, xTime, BaseMaster..

08/08, 8:35am

Apps: dvMatte Pro, Xkeys, xTime, BaseMaster..

dvMatte Pro is an After Effects 5.5/6.0 plug-in that can soften the scaled color channels while utilizing the unscaled luminance channel to regain the detail in the edges. The $150 plugin will also be available in the Fall for Final Cut Pro 4. A $50 discount is available through August 15th.
John Vink's BaseMaster 3.0 adds 64-bit number support to the Mac OS X application that shows several bases of a number simultaneously. It shows 7 edit fields representing decimal, binary, hexadecimal, octal, vinkadecimal, IP address, and 4 character long. [80KB]
appMac's xTime 1.1 ($130) can organize and manage projects. It integrates with iCal/AddressBook, creates Gantt charts, tracks task dependencies, and offers example schedules, summary views, critical path highlighting, etc. Version 1.1 offers more date options, improved performance, and other enhancements.
MultiDock 1.1 extends the dock by adding a dockling menu that allows the user to create multiple Docks and switch between them. Users can limit each Dock instance to just the applications, files, and folders that are relevant to the task at hand. It is $15 for a limited time. [138KB]
The freeware Xkeys 1.1 can launch applications and open files and folders using any function key. Function keys, which can have submenus, adds the ability to open multiple items with one hotkey, execute AppleScripts, hotkey modifiers, export key lists, and the ability to reorder hotkeys. [1.1MB]
Typewriter Keyboard 1.3 allows you to make your keyboard play typewriter sounds. It offers the ability to customize the sound, adjust/set the volume, and has other features. It is $10 and runs on Mac OS X only. [751KB]
Caphyon's Advanced Web Ranking 1.5 features multiple projects, and more search engines and local search engines for Google, MSN and Yahoo. The $50 tool will help you check your web site position on all major search engines and generates tabular and graphical reports. A 15-day demo is available. [1.2MB]

IDG reconsiders Expo move to Boston

08/08, 8:05am

IDG reconsiders Expo move to Boston

The Boston Herald reports that IDG is reconsidering the move of the East Coast Macworld Expo show to Boston: "IDG World Expo said yesterday that it could make more sense to keep the show in New York. David Korse, the new head of the trade show company, told the Herald he has launched an in-depth study on the merits of New York vs. Boston and will make a final decision by Labor Day."