News Archive for 03/10/02

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Hughes debuts satellite ISP service for Macs

10/02, 11:30pm

Hughes debuts satellite ISP service for Macs

Hughes Network Systems today introduced the DW6000, the latest member of its family of DIRECWAY broadband terminals. The DW6000 is self-hosting, thereby eliminating the requirement to install any special software and extending DIRECWAY service to Macs. The DW6000 incorporates an advanced, single-board architecture, offering an Ethernet output for easy connection to LAN networks and satellite-based service activation, which eliminates the need for a terrestrial line.

Spiderweb announces Blades of Avernum

10/02, 10:05pm

Spiderweb announces Blades of Avernum

Spiderweb Software today announced Blades of Avernum, its upcoming fantasy role-playing adventure: "In A Small Rebellion, you are sent to infiltrate and destroy a band ofrebels against the Empire. The question: will you fight them, or join them? In The Valley of Dying Things, you delve deep into an enormous, abandoned school of magic, looking for the secret to a deadly plague...Anyone can use Blades of Avernum's editor to make fascinating adventures with cunning characters." It is due early next year for $25 (or $32 with a hint book).

Apps: VoiceCommander, XBar, BlogAssist ...

10/02, 9:25pm

Apps: VoiceCommander, XBar, BlogAssist ...

VoiceCommander 1.3 is a Mac OS X application that allows users to control applications using voice commands. The $15 application uses Mac OS X's built-in speech recognition technology. [Download - 223KB]
Dejal BlogAssist 1.0 is a Mac OS X system menu item to format text on the clipboard to help blog entry. To use it, simply copy text to the clipboard and choose one of the listed options, then paste the result in the desired location. [Download - 384KB]
XBar is a dynamically resizable application and file launcher that allows users to better organize their most used applications.  By arranging applications by category, XBar greatly increases efficiency when looking for frequently used files and applications. [Download - 157KB]
Aurora Designs' Igniter video capture card drivers, IgniterX 6.07, corrects an RGB Range issue on non-RT cards that could cause the wrong range setting to be used and also fixes an Ignition issue that showed the G5 processor as not being supported. Aurora also posted Pipe 1.0 driver for its Pipe video cars, which offers full compatibility with Final Cut Pro RT Extreme. [Download - Igniter, Pipe]
Font Sampler is a small utility to help view fonts. Font Sampler allows users to view all their fonts in one list. It supports different colors of backgrounds and text, size, a custom phrase to view the fonts in, and the ability to underline the fonts. [Download - 157KB]
Jacket is an iTunes visual plugin which displays image files you made for specified songs: you can specify an image file not only for a song but also for album or artist. "Jacket" can send song information to web browser to find CD cover. Version 0.3.9 adds updated URLs for Amazon Web Service v.3. [Download - 51KB]

BOSFCPUG to hold meeting tonight

10/02, 5:10pm

BOSFCPUG to hold meeting tonight

The Boston Final Cut Pro User Group is holding a meeting this evening at the College of Communications (Boston University). The meeting, which begins at 6:45 (doors open at 6:15), will feature DVD Studio Pro 2.0 and the new Power Mac G5 .

Nova ships Art Explosion Greeting Card

10/02, 3:05pm

Nova ships Art Explosion Greeting Card

Nova Development today began shipping Art Explosion Greeting Card Factory for Mac OS 9/X: "Built on Nova's Print Explosion engine, Greeting Card Factory for Macintosh allows you to create beautiful store-quality greeting cards for every conceivable occasion. You can choose from more than 3,000 exclusive greeting cards and customizable projects." It also allows you to also create announcements, invitations, photo cards, thank you notes, electronic greetings, envelopes, note cards, postcards, labels, and much moreThe $50 package includes 45,000+ premium-quality graphics, 300+ fonts, and more than 500 24-bit color photographs.

Apps: Audacity, Default Folder, Steam...

10/02, 2:55pm

Apps: Audacity, Default Folder, Steam...

Added: SafariCookieCutter 1.3 is a simple cookie editor for Apple's Safari Web browser. Version 1.3 now directly accesses Mac OS X's cookie storage, eliminating the need for save/revert commands. Also included now is the plug-in's source code. [127KB]
Vicomsoft has released its SPAMBOLT network SPAM filter for Mac OS X as an add on module to the Internet security application InterGate. It provides transparent SPAM filtering and mail management that can be used in almost any network environment. The company also released InterGate 8.5.2, an update to its flagship gateway application. It improves support for Rendezvous, pass connections, RapidCache, and AppleTalk. [9.5MB]
Audacity 1.2pre2 is a public test release of the free audio editor with both mixing and effet functions. It can now record and edit 24-bit and 32-bit (floating-point) samples, support for different sample rates and formats within the same project, new file import/export, and an improved UI. [OSX]
FliXton's Steam 1.3 (donationware) reads and stores the schedules for the user's choice of BBC Radio stations, displays a list of what's currently playing, and offers reminders as well as quick launch through RealNetworks' RealOne Player. [900KB]
St. Clair Software's Default Folder X 1.9b1 for enhancing Open and Save dialogs in Mac OS X delivers support for Panther, introduces hierarchical menus in Open and Save dialogs, and corrects compatibility problems and improves performance. The $35 shareware is available for Mac OS X. [3.7MB]

Ableton's Live 3 coming at AES in NYC

10/02, 2:50pm

Ableton's Live 3 coming at AES in NYC

Ableton today announced it would release Live 3 at this year's AES Convention in New York City, which atakes place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from October 10-13, 2003. Live 3 is now "the first" integrated audio sequencing tool that also gives users control "inside" of the sample, allowing users to apply easily and flexibly animate their samples apply changes to volume, pitch, pan, and effects controls to any section of a sample as clip envelopes. It also offers MIDI key mapping and velocity sensitivity, new effects, new quantization values, VST plugin improvements, and others. It will be available for Mac OS 9/X.

Missed opportunities: HyperCard, Newton

10/02, 2:15pm

Missed opportunities: HyperCard, Newton

An interview with ex-Apple CEO John Sculley talks about "Riding the next technology wave," and some missed opportunities with Apple's HyperCard technology and Newton handheld: "As I look back on things that I wished we would have done differently when I was at Apple, I think one of the biggest missed opportunities, and it was on my watch, so I feel responsible and disappointed that we didn't do more with it, was Hypercard.... We weren't insightful enough to recognize that what we had inside of Hypercard, essentially, was everything that later was developed so successfully by Tim Berners-Lee with HTTP and HTML.... In hindsight, I wish Apple had recognized that we had a huge opportunity to go take our user interface culture, and our know-how, and applied it to the Internet."

New Millenium releases SecureFM 6.2 dev util

10/02, 10:55am

New Millenium releases SecureFM 6.2 dev util

New Millenium has released SecureFM 6.2, an update to its FileMaker Pro plug-in which offers system administrators the ability to selectively disable FileMaker Pro menu items and functions, while keeping other menu items available to the user. Disabled functions can continue to be executed by script. Version 6.2 adds a Menu-HotKey function that gives you the ability to trigger a custom script through any keyboard command. It is $100 for a 5-user license and is available for Mac OS 8/9/X.

PocketMac 3.0 syncs Macs with Pocket PC-PDAs

10/02, 10:50am

PocketMac 3.0 syncs Macs with Pocket PC-PDAs

PocketMac 3.0 is an application for syncing Macs to Pocket PC-based handhelds. Version 3 offers Bluetooth support, email synchronization for Mail and Entourage, theme installation (as well as bundled Mac-like PocketMac Theme), full support for Pocket PC 2003 Edition, both Avanto/Mazingo support, iSync integration, Internet connectivity sharing with any Mac, desktop mounting, and sync support for iTunes, iPhoto, Web favorites, iCal, Now Contact, and others. It is available for Mac OS X 10.2.6 and costs $42.

Axis launches compact network webcam

10/02, 10:40am

Axis launches compact network webcam

Axis today launched "the world's smallest" high-performance network camera with a built-in IP-based Web server: the AXIS 205 Network Camera. The networked camera is about the size of a deck of cards (approximately 3.4" x 2" x 1.3") and is optimized for indoor use, providing high-quality, Motion-JPEG video at 30fps at 640x460 resolution. Users also have the option to record and store images to hard disk using the AXIS Camera Recorder software. The camera offers dual-level password protection and supports up to 20 simultaneous users.

OWC adds 250GB external drive, cuts prices

10/02, 10:25am

OWC adds 250GB external drive, cuts prices

OWC today added several new models to its Mercury line of external storage solutions, while also dropping prices by up to $70 on several selected Mercury models. OWC added new 250GB external drive models featuring a 5200RPM mechanism/2MB buffer as well as either FireWire 800/USB2 ($350) or FireWire 400/USB 2.0 ($300). It also added a Mercury Pro 52X32X52 External CD-RW with both FireWire 400/USB2.0 connectivity for $120 and a Mercury Pro DVD-RW/CD-RW Combo drive with both FireWire/USB2 interfaces (featuring the Pioneer DVR-A06 4X DVD burner) for $290. Separately, OWC also announced that it has begun bundling Dantz Retrospect backup and restore software with all external OWC Mercury FireWire storage drives.

Panasonic debuts digital camera with 12x zoom

10/02, 10:15am

Panasonic debuts digital camera with 12x zoom

Panasonic today introduced a 4-megapixel consumer digital camera with 12x optical zoom. The DMC-FZ10 Lumix camera features F2.8 brightness throughout the entire zoom range and camera's 12x zoom precision Leica lens is equivalent to a 35 - 420mm zoom lens on a conventional 35mm film camera. It also features Panasonic's optical image stabilizer technology using motion sensors, a new histogram feature that functions as a light meter, 4fps image capture, 30fps QuickTime video recording, manual controls, USB connectivity, a digital automatic pop-up flash, and simultaneous data output to the screen and memory card. It will ship in November for $600 with a rechargeable battery pack and charger; 16MB SD Memory Card; AC cable; DC cable; A/V cable; USB connection cable; lens cap; and carrying strap.

Griffin to ship iTrip beginning next week

10/02, 10:00am

Griffin to ship iTrip beginning next week

Griffin Technology has notified customers that next week it will begin its iTrip FM transmitter for iPod: " Customers with preorders will receive their iTrips first, based on when their order was placed. However, we have a large amount of preorders to fulfill and this will take several weeks." The $35 device requires no batteries (with auto-shut-off): "You are looking at the coolest iPod accessory in the world. The iTrip FM transmitter for the iPod can play your music through any FM radio in your car, at a party, wherever the mood strikes you - and you have a radio."

XDarwin announces new X11 server site license

10/02, 9:55am

XDarwin announces new X11 server site license

XDarwin has announced a site license for its X11 server for Mac OS X, which allows allows a company, government institution or academic institution to install the window server on an unlimited number of computers and also includes three physical copies of the software as well as expedited access to updates and incremental releases--the first of which is expected to coincide with the next major release of Mac OS X from Apple, according to the company. It is $250 for an unlimited company-wide license and includes the direct source-only installation method, the open-source Fink package manager, and the point-and-click installer.

Apps: Logic Platinum, Wine XT, SofaKing...

10/02, 9:35am

Apps: Logic Platinum, Wine XT, SofaKing...

Apple's Emagic division has released Logic Platinum 6.3.1, an update to its professional audio solution that offers computer-based music production. The update offers support of the Digidesign ProTools|HD Accel, a demo version of Space Designer (announced last month), and other performance optimizations and bug fixes. [25MB]
Edwin Buehler's Wine XT 1.5 is a $50 wine cellar management application for Mac OS X 10.2 in which users can note sight, smell, taste and the quality of a wine as well as manage the wine cellar racks and reviews used. It adds an alternate wine editor, more info columns, and a purchasing report. [8.9MB]
DataCrux b1 is a high-level, open source Cocoa/Objective-C framework that provides Mac OS X developers with an easy way to store application data in an embedded SQL database: "No SQL server process runs on the machine -- everything is entirely contained within the framework." It is available under a BSD-style open source license. [652KB]
dSoft has released AdAgentPlus 4.0, an update to its integrated system for advertising agencies or any business that needs to create, track and manage jobs. AdAgentPlus performs job costing, estimating, tracking and billing. Pricing now starts at $350 with both single and cross-platform multi-user network versions are available as well as an optional module for double-entry accounting.
SofaKing 1.0 is a new program which "helps users find good shows on television. By automatically sharing listings with friends and family via a central server users can save time wasted 'surfing' and avoid missing shows they want to watch." [1.6MB]
Studio Boss is a billing and project tracking application for Mac OS X. Studio Boss Lite (free) stores info about design projects, offers integrated backup/auto-save, and tracks client folders and documents, expenses, tasks and project archives. The $45 Deluxe version adds custom HTML invoices, custom PDF reports, Palm-based billing integration, and Excel export, while the $100 version offers FileMaker-based network connectivity. [13MB]

Wacom launches two new contests

10/02, 9:15am

Wacom launches two new contests

Wacom Technology has started two new contests to celebrate the release of Adobe CS: "Go Platinum" is a contest for designers where users are asked to design the CD cover-art for NAPP. The winning artwork will be used for the cover of the CD to be distributed at PhotoshopWorld West 2004 in San Francisco. "Go Pro" is a simple photo contest in which a panel of professional photographers will select the photo that they feel is the most compelling. Contestants can submit a photo of anything that's suitable for the enjoyment of all ages and to which they hold all rights. Both contests are free to enter and end January 31, 2004. Winners of both will receive a 40GB iPod and $1000.