News Archive for 03/09/30

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Apps: ALS, eSuite4X, OwlView, Ten Thumbs...

09/30, 5:20pm

Apps: ALS, eSuite4X, OwlView, Ten Thumbs...

Redcort Software's Virtual TimeClock Pro 4.8 is a cross platform time and attendance software replacement for traditional mechanical employee time clocks. Version 4.8 improves high volume and/or simultaneous multi-user database access and other bug fixes and performance enhancements. New licenses are $180 with upgrades starting at $90. [Classic, OSX]
MEI has released Page Director Ad Layout System 4.2, which runs natively on Mac OS X, in addition to OS 9. Version 4.2 offers new features that enhance the ALS user interface and user experience, such as the "Free Space," Lock, Align, and Layout palettes, and easier printing. [Download - form]
MacOSGuru has released eSuite4X 2.6 - MySQL4 Edition for Mac OS X - ($98) "the easiest way to install and run your own MySQL database server." The new release includes over 30 enhancements to the graphical installer (now supporting MySQL 4.0.15a), configuration tools and the graphical management interface. [Download - 9.8MB]
CompassOwl today released OwlView 1.0, a simple $35 thematic mapping application for the Mac. OwlView allows a user to combine data exported from a spreadsheet or database with geographic boundaries to produce maps which visually display patterns of spatial distribution within the data. [Download - 527KB]
Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor 2.4 beta 1, now in beta, teaches the skill of touch typing. Version 2.4 will include a range of new features, including: extra teacher options to control student access to games; the option to save the student files in the student's home directory; and improvements in the handling of passwords. [Download - form]
Mighty Mouse ($10) allows users to customize the on-screen cursors with various styles. Version 1.1.1 adds a new command line tool for installing cursor sets; automatically installs the Mighty Mouse login item if needed; does internal consistency checks, and more. [Download - 2.0MB]

Apple among most innovative companies

09/30, 2:55pm

Apple among most innovative companies

Apple was cited as as the third-most frequently mentioned innovative companies behind in a study published today by Cheskin and Fitch:Worldwide. The free Fast, Focused & Fertile: the Innovation Evolution surveyed "over 500 senior business executives across the U.S. in a wide range of industry sectors. The survey prompted executives to respond to in-depth questions on their companies' innovation practices, including specific approaches, level of authority and leadership, spending trends, success metrics and the influence of major industry trends." The 35-page report is available for free.

EFI debuts Best Design Edition 3.0 for OS X

09/30, 2:45pm

EFI debuts Best Design Edition 3.0 for OS X

EFI this week introduced Best Designer Edition 3.0 is "a newly developed, Mac OS X based solution that incorporates the Adobe PostScript engine (Adobe CPSI), an Aqua-based graphic user interface, file support for PDF/X files and Best Color Editor for spot colors. An array of sophisticated features enables small companies in the graphic arts market to produce high quality, continuous-tone color proofs easily and economically." It is compatible with over 50 printers including models from Agfa, Canon, Encad, Epson, Hewlett Packard, OKI and Roland. It runs on both Mac OS 9/X on the same dongle and is expected to ship in mid-October.

Apps: HotApp, EvoCam, Alarm Clock Pro...

09/30, 1:25pm

Apps: HotApp, EvoCam, Alarm Clock Pro...

TruSoft has released HotApp 1.8.1, which brings Panther support to its $15 system application for launching applications via "hotkeys", search the AddressBook, open URLs, execute system actions, and copy/paste repetitive text. It also features an improved software update interface. [1.4MB]
EvoCam 3.2 is a $20 webcam application with realtime features for creating text captions, picture badges, clocks and effect items. It adds the ability to record manual- or motion-triggered QuickTime movies from any webcam window, desktop capture, password protection and customizable HTML for the built-in web server, and more. [937KB]
Universal Village Community has released UVC 2.0, a Mac OS X client for its Internet-based program that integrates an Online Address Book, an IM/Communicator component, an Online Calendar and a Task management system. [5.2MB]
The $15 shareware EasyPhoto 1.2.6 is a utility to help create pictures for the web from your digital camera pictures. It can quickly create small JPEG images by dragging and dropping images or folders containing images onto the application, lets you rotate the images, resize them, and finally saves them." [480KB]
Alarm Clock Pro 6.3 ($16) is a software-based replacement for a traditional alarm clock with functions for waking your Mac from sleep, multiple alarms, reocurring/scheduled events, iTunes-triggering, time zone calculations, kitchen/egg timer functions, managing to-do list, and viewing a calendar. [1.5MB]

Jimmy Buffett releases new CDs on iTMS

09/30, 12:15pm

Jimmy Buffett releases new CDs on iTMS

Country/Rock singer Jimmy Buffett is releasing two of his upcoming CDs exclusively through the iTunes Music Store (iTMS)--almost one month before the songs will be available on CD: "We are happy to announce that Jimmy Buffett will be releasing 'Live in Auburn, WA' and 'Live in Las Vegas'! Both releases will be available exclusively at Apple's iTunes Music Store beginning September 30th. The live CD's will also be available October 28th at your favorite record store, or here online."

Adobe's Chizen talks Apple, Macromedia, MS

09/30, 11:00am

Adobe's Chizen talks Apple, Macromedia, MS

Adobe's CEO Bruce Chizen talks about possible confrontation with Microsoft with its PDF-everywhere strategy, performance issues with Acrobat Reader, Macromedia's competing FlashPaper format, and Adobe's relationship with Apple in a CNET News.com interview: "Our relationship with Apple is a great one. My relationship with Steve Jobs continues to be extremely strong--we communicate on a regular basis. Where we compete, we've agreed to compete. Where we partner, we partner aggressively...Our relationship with Apple is like a relationship in any marriage, good or bad. It's an important relationship for both of us to maintain and make stronger, knowing that there are differences."

Intuem 2 adds AudioUnit support under OS X

09/30, 10:50am

Intuem 2 adds AudioUnit support under OS X

Companion Engineering's Intuem 2, code-named "Intuem Squared," is an update to the music and audio production environment for Mac OS X. Version 2 adds AudioUnit effects and AudioUnit instruments with a full MIDI and audio mixer, new import/export functions, one-step MIDI-to-audio conversion, and other features. The $80 application can be used to help transcribe your favorite music into MIDI from audio, read/print sheet music, and arrange and mix songs in a play-list or export a composition as an audio file to use as a video sound track. Upgrades are $50.

MassTransit Enterprise Server coming to OS X

09/30, 10:45am

MassTransit Enterprise Server coming to OS X

Group Logic today unveiled the beta release of its Mac OS X native MassTransit Enterprise Server product, its application for the transfer of digital files across high-speed wide area networks. "The Macintosh platform is extremely important to our customers in the graphic arts marketplace," explains Andy Lewis, VP of Sales and Marketing at Group Logic. "Mac OS X offers major enhancements to the Mac operating system that will allow our customers to access more fully the power of MassTransit. The stability, reliability and performance of OS X make it an excellent platform for mission-critical server software packages such as our MassTransit Enterprise product."

Creo showcases Prinergy, Pandora updates

09/30, 10:30am

Creo showcases Prinergy, Pandora updates

Creo has launched Prinergy 2.2, an update to its workflow management system. Version 2.2 features the new Creo PDF Trapper with enhanced functionality; new ICC-based color management for platemaking and proofing; and new functionality to reduce the need for manual intervention. Prinergy 2.2 also features new versions of Creo Virtual Proofing System software for Mac OS X, supporting transparent colors, an unlimited number of spot colors, stronger zoom functions and the ability to save color definitions across multiple jobs. Creo also demoed Pandora 2.5 at Graph Expo 2003, the latest release of its Java-based PDF-based step-and-repeat packaging layout solution for Mac OS 9.

Aurelon ICISS 4 debuts at Graph Expo 2003

09/30, 10:15am

Aurelon ICISS 4 debuts at Graph Expo 2003

Aurelon ICISS 4 provides "all the options for custom color separation in a comprehensive independent set of tools. [It] enables the production of stunning color separations... Replace C,M,Y or K with special colors; create proprietary HiFi formulas; manage duo- or tritones; produce custom HiFi of any number of colors. With ICISS it's possible to create color separations for any combination of ink colors, for any process, for any device." The latest release includes PDF support, ICC profile handling and vector graphics support, custom output file resolution, hi-res image preview zoom functions, and additional file format plugins. It runs on Mac OS 9/X.

CourseForum, ProjectForum updated

09/30, 10:05am

CourseForum, ProjectForum updated

CourseForum Technologies has released ProjectForum 2.6 and CourseForum 2.6, its web-based group collaboration applications. ProjectForum ($200) is an innovative web-based application that offers increased interaction, coordination and communication to online or face-to-face workgroup projects, business teams and project intranets. It can be hosted on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, while users only require standard web browser for participation. CourseForum ($80) offers the same benefits and advantages to online or face-to-face courses and student groups. Version 2.6 offers improved formatting, administration, and more.

Pioneer ships portable FW/USB DVD recorder

09/30, 10:05am

Pioneer ships portable FW/USB DVD recorder

Pioneer today began shipping a new slim, external DVD/CD writer, which is only 138mm x 22mm x 162mm and weighs just over one pound. It supports multiple DVD media formats and both FireWire and USB 2.0 ports. The Pioneer DVR-SK12D enables high-speed recording of up to 2x write speed with high-speed DVD-R and DVD-RW discs, 2.4x write speed with high-speed +R and +RW media as well as records CD-R media at up to 16x speed and up to 10x speed with high-speed CD-RW discs. It is available now for $350.

IOGEAR debuts mini USB wireless mouse

09/30, 9:45am

IOGEAR debuts mini USB wireless mouse

IOGEAR has launched its wireless and rechargeable Mini Mouse 800 RF, a PC/Mac compatible wireless input device powered by RF (Radio Frequency) technology. It features battery management features such as an on/off switch and a motion sensor that puts batteries on 'idle' when there is no movement detected. The ambidextrous, compact ergonomic design and optical sensor offer comfortable use on most surfaces, without the need for a mouse pad as well as offers 800-dpi resolution. The $50 USB device includes a carrying case, USB battery charger cable and USB extension cable.

Adobe products to use Opera rendering engine

09/30, 9:20am

Adobe products to use Opera rendering engine

Opera Software today announced that it has reached a licensing agreement with Adobe to include Opera's Mac/Windows Web rendering engine in future Adobe product releases. Opera says its cross-platform, standards-compliant rendering engine with built-in Small-Screen Rendering (SSR) technology can "save users the hassle of testing their Web pages for different browsers, devices or screen sizes." Content developers can embed the company's engine in both Carbon and Cocoa applications using the company's easy-to-use API. Other licensees include IBM, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Symbian, and Macromedia.

Apps: FaceSpan, Secure FTP, Days Away...

09/30, 8:55am

Apps: FaceSpan, Secure FTP, Days Away...

FaceSpan 4.0b1, now in public beta, is an interface design and RAD tool that can build and customize Mac apps using editors for constructing windows, scripts, and menus, as well as a management environment to inspect, edit, duplicate, and delete scripts, interface components, and resources. [1.4MB]
Secure FTP is a free Java-based client package for Mac OS X 10.2 that allows for a secure connection to be made to an FTP daemon. It currently supports SSL, while future releases may support other authentication mechanisms (e.g. Kerberos, one-time-passwords). It can act as either an application or an applet when used with Sun's Java Plugin. [1.0MB]
BK Task Timer 2.1.4 adds new reports for MySQL users and the ability to copy data from any report to the cross-platform timer ($20) that keeps track of the time spent on projects and the sub-tasks associated with a project. A site/multi-user license costs $100. [Classic, OSX]
Pariahware has released Days Away 1.0, a $10 shareware for Mac OS X that periodically reminds the user of upcoming events by "discreetly fading in to focus, pausing for you to read the events, and discreetly fading back out." [864KB]
Ben Bird's SecuritySpy 1.0b32 updates his multi-camera video surveillance software for Mac OS 9/X. It captures live video from multiple cameras simultaneously and offers motion detection, timelapse capture, configurable compression, remote FTP support, email notification, etc. Pricing starts at $50. [720KB]
HenWen 2.01 is a network security package for Mac OS X that designed to configure and run Snort, a free Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS). It simplifies setup and maintenance of NIDs, which will scan for undesirable traffic a firewall may not block." It is free for personal use. [1.7MB]

TechSmith debuts EnSharpen QuickTime codec

09/30, 8:45am

TechSmith debuts EnSharpen QuickTime codec

TechSmith today introduced EnSharpen, a new lossless video codec for QuickTime that offers high-quality, small-file video playback. EnSharpen is based on the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC) in the company's market-leading Camtasia Studio desktop recorder. TechSmith says that EnSharpen is the first delivery codec that provides Macintosh users with lossless quality and a high compression ratio. EnSharpen supports Windows 98/2000/ME/XP and Mac OS 9/X and is available for $150 for a single license.

Agfa ships new font management app in UK

09/30, 8:40am

Agfa ships new font management app in UK

Agfa Monotype has launched Fontwise from Monotype, a service for auditing, managing and purchasing font licences. It uses client-server font discovery software, a license reconciliation service and online font database creation and management to scan networks and generate font usage patterns. The software is shipping in the UK only. A Mac client is now available, while the Mac server discovery software is due for release in Q4 2003.

Daystar offers G4 Pismo PowerBook upgrades

09/30, 8:25am

Daystar offers G4 Pismo PowerBook upgrades

Daystar has introduced a new upgrade for the PowerBook "Pismo" G3. Combining technologies from Daystar and XLR8, the new upgrade provides the "industry's fastest G4 performance available for the last generation of the black PowerBooks [and] also features a low-power design that extends battery life and runs cooler than competitive offerings." The MAChSpeed G4 Pismo is factory installed and tested by Daystar in a unique 24 hour turnaround program as well as through its exclusive "Week-ender" installation program, providing 12 hour turnaround. It is available in 500MHz ($290) and 550MHz ($330) models.

XtremeMac updates Premium iPod Car Charger

09/30, 8:20am

XtremeMac updates Premium iPod Car Charger

XtremeMac today began shipping its Premium iPod Car Charger for Apple's newest generation of iPods. The $20 Premium iPod Car Charger features a power LED, a removable fuse and diode protection against backflow current, and a limited lifetime warranty. It is also available as part of the updated Get Connected Kit ($50), which also includes an iPod Cassette adapter, its iShare Earbud Splitter, and 3 cables (7' Male/Male audio, 7' Male/Female audio, and 7' RCA audio).

AOL to offer new spam tools to Mac OS X users

09/30, 8:10am

AOL to offer new spam tools to Mac OS X users

America Online today announced it will offer more powerful and effective spam fighting tools by rolling out personalized and adaptive spam filters to Mac OS X users. Previously available only to members using AOL 9.0 Optimized, the new spam filters "learn and adapt to the type of e-mail that each member considers to be spam, thereby vastly improving the overall e-mail experience for AOL members." AOL says the new spam filters require no additional software and no action on the part of members to install and will complement the company's current server-side spam filtering.

Fire 0.32f re-enables Yahoo instant messaging

09/30, 12:05am

Fire 0.32f re-enables Yahoo instant messaging

Fire 0.32f updates the free Instant Messaging Client for Mac OS X which supports AIM, ICQ, irc, Jabber, MSN, and Yahoo! Messenger. The latest version now works with Yahoo! IM after clients were blocked during a protocol revision last week. [5.6MB]