News Archive for 03/08/11

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Apps: Speed Download, MailHere, MovieEdit3D..

08/11, 7:45pm

Apps: Speed Download, MailHere, MovieEdit3D..

Speed Download 2.03 adds an updated Plugin for better performance and enhanced compatibility, new Dutch and Italian localizations, better support for downloading .AVIs and .MPGs, and other changes to the $20 shareware download utility. [1.1MB]
MailHere 1.1 is a $6 shareware email notification utility that can check multiple POP3, IMAP and .Mac accounts for new mail. Version 1.1 adds the ability to choose transparency of notification animation, to disable sounds or choose custom sounds, and to open an e-mail client when new mail arrives. [5MB]
Flash AV Players 2.0 (€30) is a Flash application that broadcasts MP3, SWF and JPEG files by loading playlists in XML format. It adds MP3 support, has navigation and sound controls, offers connection-based precaching, features crossfade of movies, and supports custom backgrounds and user comments. [392KB]
The $7 shareware MovieEdit3D 0.85 allows you to create a single digital video (DV) file showing one or more imported DV files moving through 3D space: "one DV movie can be drifting across the screen, with another zooming in from a distance, while another is rotating. Plugins allow fancy 3D warping or grid effects...." [529KB]
Lightsoft's $20 shareware Kairos 2.05 records the weather conditions for up to 3 locations and can be programmed with alerts that can send out emails and run scripts when triggered. In addition the software can speak the weather and display current conditions in the dock. [2.6MB]
ATI's Radeon 9800 1.1 driver is designed for use with Mac OS X 10.2.5 or newer. It includes ATI Displays 4.1 with its new 3D/OpenGL and supports hot-plugging the TV connection when using the Radeon 9800 Pro. Several 3D/OpenGL Overrides Caveats are listed in the release notes. [6.4MB]

Adobe Photoshop 8.0 due by end of year

08/11, 5:20pm

Adobe Photoshop 8.0 due by end of year

Adobe is likely to release new versions of Photoshop and other key applications by the end of this year, according to an analyst report released Monday: "Gene Munster of investment bank USB Piper Jaffrey upgraded his rating on Adobe from 'outperform' to 'strong buy,' based partly on expectations that the software maker will deliver a new version of its premiere product--the Photoshop image editing and graphics program--within the next four months...'We believe the product will ship late in Adobe's (fourth quarter).'"

Meanwhile, Adobe plans to release InDesign 3.0 later this fall with "changes when working with text, tables, color, InDesign's work area, import/export, and other areas. Adobe also reportedly plans to ship a PageMaker Edition of InDesign aimed at reining in users of its legacy design software, as well as InCopy 3, a new version of its editorial workflow product."

Readers: Safari, Mac issues at some Websites

08/11, 2:30pm

Readers: Safari, Mac issues at some Websites

MacNN readers note that changes at Bank of America's Website severely limits access to online banking functions (due to script compatibility) when using Apple's Safari browser, while a new system at Chevron online bill pay no longer supports the Mac: "Online payments can only be made using a Windows operating system on a PC-branded computer using Internet Explorer."

Apps: iCab, DarkAdapted, iKey, FontThing...

08/11, 1:55pm

Apps: iCab, DarkAdapted, iKey, FontThing...

Boinx iRecordNow Preview ($15) offers the ability to record film clips in DV format for use with iMovie or Final Cut Express. It offers the ability to control camera properties such as brightness, saturation, color and soon iSight's focus while you record to create awsome effects. [315KB]
The freeware DarkAdapted is a gamma control application program that modifies your screen gamma settings so that you may, for example, preserve your dark adaptation while using your computer. It includes custom presets and high-resolution sliders fo red/green/blue. [Classic, OSX]
iCab 2.9.5 is another preview release of the $30 small, compact browser, offering tabs support, customizable toolbards, auto complete for the URL field, multi-language package installer, and other fixes. Version 3.0 will offer full CSS2 support. [Classic, OSX]
Macabinet 1.0 a utility for organzing the desktop. It features a window that will automatically hide/show itself (based on mouse pointer location) and automatically moves the files to custom location. The trial is limited to 10 files in the cabinent. Registration is $10. [1.1MB]
BetterHTMLExport 2.08 is a $20 shareware plugin for iPhoto that offers more control options over Web page export. It adds a new tabbed interface for better workflow and an new image-only export function. [208KB]
The $20 shareware iKey 1.03 (formerly Youpi Key) can create shortcuts that perform a sequence of actions, which can be launched by key combinations or menu or other system event. It can launch applications, select menu items, type text, run system functions, and execute scripts via Finder and/or CLI. [1.9MB]
The BoardRoom 2.1 ($100) is a FileMaker Pro 5-6 solution which provides an instant messaging environment, with up to 250 users online simultaneously. A Developer Kit ($300) offers the ability to integrate The BoardRoom into existing solutions. [261KB]
piDog's FontThing 1.0 is a $10 shareware utility that allows users to preview, install and activate fonts from any location. Users preview fonts by double-clicking a font in the finder or by dragging files/folders to the FontThing icon. [941KB]
FX.php is a free, open-source PHP class which makes FileMaker Pro Data accessible via PHP. It offers improved extended character handling without the cumbersome translation tables, full documentation of the FX.php dataset format, and a new example file that "should pull data from any FileMaker Pro database." [624KB]

eWeek: Panther due in September

08/11, 1:50pm

eWeek: Panther due in September

eWeek reports that Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" is still on track to ship in September, as originally noted in an AppleInsider story from last week: "While Apple will say only that Mac OS X 10.3 (aka Panther) will ship by year-end, sources said the company is still on track to let the cat of the bag this September...eWEEK first reported the upgrade's delivery date this spring, but when Apple announced Panther at its June Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, the Mac maker would say only that the release would be 'available by the end of this year.'"

KeynotePro releases Art History theme

08/11, 12:55pm

KeynotePro releases Art History theme

KeynotePro.com has released Art History ($20), the first of its all new Lecture Series themes for Keynote. The new series provides a professional-grade platform for building lectures and presentations on Art History, Visual Arts, or other related topics. It includes 19 additional master slides with a mix of photo and text masters and Focal Point objects, which can be placed over images, charts or text to ensure that your audience is focused on the right part of the screen. Its Field Journal theme is available for a special price of $15 as well.

NEC debuts new 19-inch flat panel display

08/11, 12:35pm

NEC debuts new 19-inch flat panel display

NEC today began shipping its new 19-inch MultiSync LCD1960NX monitor. The $750 monitor features an ergonomically enhanced base, allowing for 110 mm of height adjustment, sharp 0.294 mm pixel pitch, 250 cd/m brightness, 600:1 contrast ratio, and 1280 x 1024 maximum resolutions. The NEC MultiSync LCD1960NX provides DVI-D and traditional 15-pin VGA connectors, full-motion video display with response times of 30 ms for a minimum of 33 fps, a built-in power supply and cable management, flexible horizontal and vertical viewing angles up to 170-degrees, and other features.

Lexmark X215: new multifunction device

08/11, 12:25pm

Lexmark X215: new multifunction device

Lexmark today introduced the Lexmark X215, its first entry into the low-end laser MFP market, the device offers laser printing/copying at up to 17 ppm, an integrated 250-page integrated paper tray, high-speed fax, flatbed color copying, 600dpi color/monochrome scanning, 600dpi print resolution, USB connectivity, and 16MB of internal memory. The Lexmark X215 is available now for $500. Lexmark today also announced the Lexmark N4000e ($130), a low-cost print server that networks USB printers and incorporates the Apple-certified Rendezvous technology for simplified set-up in Apple network environments. It will ship in September.

MacLinkPlus Deluxe 14 adds new translators

08/11, 12:25pm

MacLinkPlus Deluxe 14 adds new translators

DataViz has updated its flagship product, MacLinkPlus Deluxe 14, which offers reliable, accurate file conversion. This latest version streamlines the conversion process, adds new translators for Office 2003 for Windows, Office X for Mac, and also includes a simple way to translate and e-mail documents. Other new features include WordPerfect 10/11 translators, better interoperability with Windows users (using Entourage or Mail), contextual menu support under Mac OS X, additional AppleScripts for automation, and Quick Tips for unrecognized file types. It is $80 with upgrades priced at $40.

HP unveils over 100 new consumer products

08/11, 11:55am

HP unveils over 100 new consumer products

HP today announced unveiled more than 100 consumer products designed to easily "bring digital photos, music and video to life in new and enriching ways," including the industry's first consumer eight-ink photo printer with studio grade photo paper that surpasses traditional photography on image quality and fade resistance and new "retail experience centers" developed with Microsoft and key US retailers including Circuit City, J&R ComputerWorld, Micro Center and CompUSA that offer real-world scenarios and demonstrations in dedicated physical spaces with specially trained sales representatives.

OS X release of Escape Velocity, EV: Override

08/11, 10:25am

OS X release of Escape Velocity, EV: Override

Ambrosia Software today rereleased their original, classic epic space game, Escape Velocity (EVC) and its sequel EV: Override (EVO), adding new OS X-native versions. Both are free for registered EV Nova customers. Escape Velocity offers a rich and open-ended environment that evolves as you play: "Over a hundred worlds occupy the galaxy, each with its own technology, alliances, and commodities. As you earn credits and gain fame, Confederation peace keepers and Rebel patriots struggle for power, leaving you in the middle." It is $20. EV: Override ($25) is Ambrosia's follow-up to the classic Escape Velocity. [EVC, EVO]

Adobe Adobe Font Folio OpenType Edition

08/11, 8:45am

Adobe Adobe Font Folio OpenType Edition

Adobe today introduced a new version of Adobe Font Folio, featuring the Adobe Type Library in OpenType format on one CD-ROM. The Adobe Font Folio (OpenType Edition) product contains more than 2,000 fonts in OpenType format, which allows for richer linguistic support and more advanced typographic control in any print, Web or dynamic media project. Adobe also announced the availability of a new special version with a 10-computer license, making it more affordable for small design shops to access the entire Adobe Type Library.

Apps: LabAssistant, Julius, iSwipe, KisMAC...

08/11, 8:35am

Apps: LabAssistant, Julius, iSwipe, KisMAC...

Mek & Tosj's LabAssistant 1.1 is a scientific program, developed to organize (scientific) experiments instead of using multiple timers, stickies, and a labjournal. It now includes improved printing and the ability to include graphics and graphics in a labjournal. [1.2MB]
Julius 1.0.1 is an update to the application for Mac OS 10.2 that functions as a simple converter for the translation of numbers written with Arabic numberals into Roman numerals. The product is freeware, and available in English, German and French. [89KB]
oxiigen has released iSwipe 1.5b1, an update to its multi-protocol search/download P2Pclient that is compatible with: WWW, FTP, Hotline, Napster, OpenNapster, Gnutella, Carracho, OpenFT, iTunes and now eDonkey and FastTrack (Kazaa, Grokster) networks. [1.4MB]
Martin Fuhrer's freeware Applescript Studio application, iPhoto Diet 2.1.1, reduces the size of iPhoto libraries. It can be run manually or set to run automatically ands adds internationalization support as well as minor optimizations to scanning of libraries. [165KB]
Filemaker vCard Creator 2.5 is a Filemaker database that converts database records (or Tab Delimited file) to vCard format, which can be imported into Mac OS X Address Book. [28KB]
The freeware KisMAC 0.05d3 is a stumbler application for Mac OS X, that "passively" searchs for and displays info on available wireless networks. It fixes several bugs, enables MD5 wordlist attack, and supports a new revision of the Orinoco 802.11b card." [5.7MB]

Rio debuts disk- and flash-based MP3 players

08/11, 7:45am

Rio debuts disk- and flash-based MP3 players

Rio Audio today introduced seven MP3 players featuring "radical new designs that create the smallest MP3 players on the market, deliver over 15 hours of play time, and allow for easy transfer of music from almost any music source." From hard disk to flash memory-based players, the Rio Karma, Rio Nitrus, Rio Cali, Rio Chiba and Rio Fuse MP3 players offer a complete new product line-up. [site not updated]

Keynote Themes Package 2.5 adds new themes

08/11, 2:50am

Keynote Themes Package 2.5 adds new themes

Jumsoft has released Keynote Themes Package 2.5 ($10), which now includes 13 themes for Keynote. New themes ("Black", "Gridway" "Redwine") as well as previously released themes ("Old Paper", "Photo Artist", "Network", "Wood", "Developer", "Valentine", "Simple") are available in both 1024x768 and 800x600 sizes. The Keynote Themes 2.5 package, which also includes 14 high-quality Desktop Pictures, is designed for business, scientific, educational, informative, persuasive and creative purposes. The CD version is $25.

Apps: iUnit, xControl, Sendmail Enabler...

08/11, 2:45am

Apps: iUnit, xControl, Sendmail Enabler...

ArcherPro 3.5 adds improved destination folder functionality, better workflow options, and improved slideshow functions to the $30 multimedia viewer. It lets you mix still images, audio files, and movies in the same slide show as well as offers sequenced image export. [1.3MB]
Split&Concat 1.5 is an update to the freeware utility that can split/assemble large Mac OS X files , included downloaded binary files or newsgroup uploads. Version 1.5 improves the performance and stability and fixes several bugs. [388GB]
Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes has posted Whack Current Track (deletes the current track and move to trash); Google Lyric Search, Now Playing in iChat AV (display currently playing track info in iChat AV status message), and File Creation Date to Comments.
Black Cat Systems' iUnit 2.3 is an update to the $20 shareware measurement unit conversion program, which adds conversions between units of measure for mass rate of flow and frequency, as well as units in other categories. iUnit converts between 688 different units. [Classic, OSX]
Diet Sleuth 4.1 is a nutritional database and personal health logbook for both the Macintosh Windows that tracks what foods you eat each day, and their nutritional value, allowing users to select from over 5000 different foods from 21 categories as well use a built-in Recipe Editor. [Classic, OSX]
The $15 shareware xControl 1.0 enables you to schedule the opening of any applications, folders and documents and can also assign hot keys to launch these items quickly. [210KB]
Sendmail Enabler 1.1.2 helps turn on Mac OS X's built-in mail server with a single click. Now $10 shareware, it adds support for Smart Host, redirect unclaimed mail, the abilty to restart sendmail without re-running the configurator script, and improved documentation. [858KB]

AppleMaster Gregory Hines passes away

08/11, 2:15am

AppleMaster Gregory Hines passes away

AppleMaster and Tony-Award winner Gregory Hines, the tap-dancing actor who starred on Broadway and in movies including "White Nights" and "Running Scared," has died of cancer at the age of 57. Hines made several appearances at Macworld Expo as part of Apple's AppleMaster program, which honors visionaries for their "incredible" contributions to society: "Hines kept the audience enthralled as he speeded up the tempo of his dance to represent the speed increase he had gained after upgrading from a PowerBook 520c to a PowerBook 3400c."

Australian AUC Announces AUDF Grants for 2003

08/11, 2:00am

Australian AUC Announces AUDF Grants for 2003

The Australian Apple University Development Fund (AUDF) will provide approximately (AUD) $125,000 to