News Archive for 03/11/03

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XpertMart: point-of-sale & inventory control

11/03, 9:45pm

XpertMart: point-of-sale & inventory control

Dinari Systems today announced the release of its XpertMart point-of-sale and inventory control application for Mac OS X. XpertMart is a complete retail management system specifically designed for retailers of apparel, footwear, accessories and sporting goods. At the heart of XpertMart is a matrix used to input quantities into transactions such as Purchase Orders and to display stock levels, sales and other critical data.

Fidelity releases MegaSeg Pro DJ 2.7

11/03, 9:25pm

Fidelity releases MegaSeg Pro DJ 2.7

Fidelity Media has announced the release of MegaSeg 2.7, an update to its $200 professional DJ music-mixing software. The update offers Mac OS X 10.3 support, full compatibility with the Contour Shuttle Pro controller, scroll wheel mice support, pop-up tips with full track information, an Insert Break command for the Playlist, the ability to set the audio output for Hot Keys, color coded requests, Dock playback controls, interrupt option for Events, a modifier key to repeat Hot Keys, a Scan for Duplicate features, speed optimizations, and playlists saved in a format compatible with iTunes.

Apple, others plan European music service

11/03, 8:55pm

Apple, others plan European music service

Apple's future success with an iTunes Music Store for Europe could prove to be bitter fruit, according to BillBoard: "Apple's plans to take a bite out of the still nascent European sector will depend strongly on its capacity to deal with the region's complex multilingual, multicultural and multi-regulatory issues. Moreover, it will face intense competition from already established music e-tailers and other U.S. rivals. Industry sources say that Apple had hoped to launch iTunes in Europe by the end of this year, but plans were delayed. Alan Hely, Apple Europe's U.K.-based spokesman says that he cannot provide more details because of the current legal dispute between Apple Computer and Apple Corp., the Beatles' record label. The two are at odds regarding the use of the Apple brand name."

Apple official comments on G5 PB

11/03, 6:10pm

Apple official comments on G5 PB

In an article on defective PowerBook G4 displays, Dave Russell, director of product marketing for portables and wireless at Apple, told ComputerWorld that a G5-equipped PowerBook is a possibility, but will not appear for some time: "We certainly want to do that ... but it's going to be a while. We think the G4 has a very long life in the PowerBook."

Apps: wStock, CreativePage, Amelio, EchoMac

11/03, 3:30pm

Apps: wStock, CreativePage, Amelio, EchoMac

PineHill's CreativePage 3.1.4 brings Panther compatibility and other interface tweaks to the web site development application. Other features of the $30 application includes (x)HTML assistants, syntax coloring, a built-in ftp client, autosave/backup, and other advanced functions. [1.8MB]
ThermographX 1.0 is a $7 shareware OS X utility that monitors the thermal sensors incorporated into most modern Macs. It has selectable short- and long-term sensor graphs and can display various information about the sensors, including the recorded minimum and maximum temperatures. It requires Mac OS X 10.2.4 or later. [493KB]
Amelio is a framework for Mac OS X that allows Cocoa and Carbon applications to use USB input devices like gamepads and joysticks. It is available under the BSD license and offers a configuration window, hot-plugging of devices, user preferences, device descriptions, and easy integration into Cocoa apps. [2.7MB]
stupidFish programming has released shadowJPEG 1.0b1, a public beta test of its drag & drop JPEG creator application that accepts most standard graphical formats and converts them to JPEG format. It offers customizable screen corners. [112KB]
Dog Park Software has released N9YTY's EchoMac 1.1.2 client, which offers that licensed amateur radio operators the ability to access the Echolink system. It fiexes with an issue with changing USB audio devices under Panther. [114KB]
Updated freeware applications include: PDF Browser Plugin 1.2.1 (PDFBP), Get Artwork 1.4 (GA) for retrieving iTunes artwork from the Web, iPhoto Extractor 2.0b2 (IPE) for extracting iPhoto originals, and LoginWindow Manager 1.01 (LWM) for managing several hidden features of the loginwindow application. [PDFBP, GA, IPE, LWM]
Readerware 2.8.6 offers the abiilty to catalog your books, music and videos using ISBNs, LCCNs or UPCs and "does the rest, searching the web and cataloging your books, music and videos. The $85 Java software is bundled with a free USB scanner. [3.9MB]
wStock 3.0 is a freeware application that displays a scrolling stock-ticker in the menu bar showing quotes for the stocks you are tracking in the "Stocks" section of Apple's Sherlock application. wStock's drop down menu provides quick access to Sherlock or to web pages with additional information about the selected stock. [65KB]

iTunes offers legal sharing (via streaming)

11/03, 3:00pm

iTunes offers legal sharing (via streaming)

The Yale Daily News talks about legal sharing of music of music using iTunes software: "...many Yalies said they use it mainly to "share" others' music, not to buy songs from the iTMS. Tunes allows users to connect to other iTunes users on the same network and listen to their iTunes music collections. iTunes network sharing has become particularly successful on Yale's campus. Students can listen to anyone's music in the their immediate vicinity, provided that the user has elected to turn on the library sharing feature."

Sonnet reduces pricing on CPU upgrades

11/03, 2:30pm

Sonnet reduces pricing on CPU upgrades

Sonnet Technologies today lowered prices by as much as $50 on several G3 and G4 processor upgrades for various Power Mac and "Wallstreet" PowerBook models. The Encore/ZIF G4 500 MHz is now offered for under $200 and Sonnet's Crescendo/PCI G4 800 MHz Upgrade is now $350 ($20 reduction); it is compatible with Power Mac 7x00/8x00/9x00 series machines as well as many clones. Sonnet also reduced pricing on its Crescendo/WS G3 500 MHz by $50 to $250 and on its Crescendo/WS G4 500 MHz by $50 to $350. Both models are compatible with G3 PowerBooks running between 233- and 300-MHz.

Tech: MS turns to IBM for chips; MIT music...

11/03, 1:55pm

Tech: MS turns to IBM for chips; MIT music...

Afternoon tech news: Microsoft today said it would turn to IBM for microchip technology that it will use in the next version of its popular video game console, the Xbox; on Friday, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that it would temporarily shut down its groundbreaking Library Access to Music System until the licensing rights can be worked out; Microsoft today added voice controls to software for Pocket PC devices that use its Windows Mobile package.

4D Business Kit 2.1 adds intelligent logic

11/03, 12:45pm

4D Business Kit 2.1 adds intelligent logic

4D, Inc. today announced it is shipping 4D Business Kit 2.1, now with an Integrated Intelligent Behavior Engine, additional Security features, dramatically enhanced sales reporting, and other enhancements. "4D Business Kit 2.1 is a major upgrade to the rapid e-commerce solution...The Integrated Intelligent behavior Engine of 4D Business Kit 2.1 allows e-merchants to provide customized and personalized offerings to each customer. Of course, we have made it as simple as pointing and clicking to set up these individualized behaviors." It is priced at $500 for a two-store license.

Barcode Producer supports Adobe CS apps

11/03, 12:25pm

Barcode Producer supports Adobe CS apps

Intelli Innovations has announced a limited time competitive upgrade offer for users of "SNX Bar Code Pro". Barcode Producer software offers full Mac OS X compatibility, an integrated symbology guide, intuitive barcode generation assistants, direct vector EPS barcode export, automatic check digit calculation, and support for the Adobe Creative Suite product line. The $80 Competitive Upgrade Offer--$50 off regular pricing--will be available until Friday, November 14th. Barcode Producer 2.0.5, a maintenance update to its award-winning vector barcode generation software brings support for Adobe Creative Suite products and support for new EPS-to-PDF conversion available in Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther."

KeynotePro.com releases PhotoGrafik theme

11/03, 12:25pm

KeynotePro.com releases PhotoGrafik theme

KeynotePro.com has released PhotoGrafik, a print-inspired, photo-driven theme for those "in need of a minimalist, photo-heavy layout approach. Designed with the needs of Photo Pros in mind, PhotoGrafik incorporates a variety of film format aspect ratios in a wide range of layouts - providing flexibility in both frame formats and sizes. Along with the standard general-purpose slides included in each Keynote theme, the Pro version has 54 additional Master Slides and covers the 35mm, 645, 6x6 and 4x5/6x7 aspect ratios as well as 4 Panoramic aspect ratios, free-floating Photo-Frame Objects and a "D.I.Y." Photo Frame object. The Standard version ($20) contains all of the 35mm slides.

Web Crossing debuts Neurons for Web Crossing

11/03, 11:50am

Web Crossing debuts Neurons for Web Crossing

Web Crossing today announced a new Neurons plug-in for the creation of interactive multimedia database modules in Web Crossing 5.0. Users can now quickly create and share interactive data-driven elements: "Web Crossing's breakthrough Neurons plug-in allows users to create all kinds of shared information..Without any programming, Sysops can provide the ability for their users to create database-driven modules, limited only by their imagination. From to-do lists and member directories to catalogs, photo albums and teaching aids, Neurons are interactive multimedia databases that are easy to create, easy to share." The module is is free for a limited time with any Web Crossing 5.0 installation

Apps: Freeway, UnCoverIt, Fire, SaferWep...

11/03, 10:15am

Apps: Freeway, UnCoverIt, Fire, SaferWep...

Cocktail 3.1 ($12) offers access to advanced UNIX functions and hidden Mac OS X settings and can easily optimize your system. Version 3.1 includes a new feature for locking or unlocking files and folder, more disk spindown options, choosing startup language, setting window resize speed for Cocoa applications and showing or hiding Exposé blob. [1.1MB]
Keyspan has updated its Digital Remote 1.6 software, which brings Panther compatibility (and removes support for Mac OS X 10.1.x) and fixes other bugs. Meanwhile, its Presentation Remote 1.6 software may interfere with DR 1.6, but allows users to reprogram your remote's buttons to any keystroke. [KDR, KPR]
Solitaire Till Dawn X 1.2 ($25) adds five new games (for a total of 65) and also allows you to keep separate scores and preference settings and has better statistics. The new games are Baker's Game, Fourteen Out, Storehouse, Terrace, and the popular Tripeaks. A 100-game demo is available. [8.7MB]
Softpress today released an update to its professional Web-authoring tool: Freeway 3.511 brings Panther compatibility and also debuts localizations in Swedish and Dutch to join French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The update is available online for free or for $15 via CD. [requires registration]
Version 2.0.1 of UnCoverIt adds compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3, fixes some bugs, and adds a new 'Auto Hide' that lets the user specify a list of filenames to be automatically hidden from data covers. The $15 shareware automatically generates cover labels and integrates with iTunes and iPhoto. [1.4MB]
The popular multiprotocol instant messaging client, Fire 0.32.h, fixes MSN crashes on 10.1, MSN failing to connect, and Jabber over SSL not working. The free client offers support for AIM, ICQ, irc, Jabber, MSN, and Yahoo! Messenger. [5.5MB]
Cyclone 1.6b1 is a new version of text conversion application for Mac OS X that uses Apple's Text Encoding Converter to support Mac, Windows, ISO, Unicode and other encodings. It now supports Panther, long file names, and an "open" source code. [368KB]
FmPro Migrator 1.48EE ($50) migrates FileMaker to a wide variety of databases. Th free version 1.48 i[date adds Panther compatibility, with additional improvements to SQL Server migration scripts and generated Perl CGI scripts. A free demo of the Mac OS X application is available.
SaferWep 0.3 adds 104- or 40-bit key options to the set of Java programs that "attempt to improve the security of WiFi networks using Apple's Airport Base Station. It allows you to periodically rotate your WEP key to make it harder to crack. The package consists of a master and client." [59KB]

OpenOSX offers Panther updates for free apps

11/03, 9:55am

OpenOSX offers Panther updates for free apps

OpenOSX has updated its "Apple X11 Launch Items" package to version 1.1 and released a Panther update for its customers not using Apple's X11 environment. For their customers using Apple's X11, OpenOSX's "X11 Launch Items" package will create OpenOSX application launch items for X11. For others, OpenOSX has created a Panther update for "OpenOSX Office," "OpenOSX Grass", "OpenOSX Gimp" and "OpenOSX Xfree" products. The OpenOSX Panther update will install OroborOSX 0.85 and key-mapping files to enable OroborOSX functionality, along with an updated version of the OpenOSX OpenPrint utility for native OpenOSX Office Mac OS X PrintCenter support. The updates are free.

Pixion Web conferencing server for Mac OS X

11/03, 9:50am

Pixion Web conferencing server for Mac OS X

Pixion has released PictureTalk Enterprise Conference Server (ECS) for Mac OS X Server, a secure Web conferencing solution that incorporates unique Capture Frame technology to notify conference participants of shared information on individual desktops, allowing presenters to adjust the presentation speed to compensate for the recipient's system and bandwidth differences. The cross-platform product features support for 2,000 concurrent connections, serer clustering for larger meetings, LDAP integration, and other features. (Pricing was not available.)

Maxon updates CINEMA 4D R8.5 package

11/03, 9:45am

Maxon updates CINEMA 4D R8.5 package

Maxon today released CINEMA 4D R8.5, which provides a host of new features for the basic CINEMA 4D animation package and the Advanced Render module. It features better custom previews, more control over surfaces, new shaders (for stackable materials, water surface effects, more object control) as well as significant improvements to the Bones system, inclusion of the Better Boole boolean operations plugin, and a new Camera Mapping Feature, which allows easy 3D compositing without texture distortion. Upgrades start at $150 and full licenses are $600. Maxon also released Sketch and Toon, its new CINEMA 4D module for non-photorealistic output offering technical illustration styles, advanced cartoon cel and artistic rendering.

PreFab releases UI Browser 1.2 for Panther

11/03, 9:25am

PreFab releases UI Browser 1.2 for Panther

PreFab has released UI Browser 1.2, an update to its utility to help scripters write user interface scripts using Apple's new "GUI Scripting" technology for AppleScript. It adds support for the new "accessibility" features in Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther," including support for many additional user interface elements -- including text. It also has ability to highlight any of a target application's user interface elements on screen to make them easier to find. The developer notes that Apple's GUI Scripting support software is automatically included in all installations of Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther." It is $40 ($15 off) through December.

Mac.Ars looks at Apple's quality control

11/03, 9:10am

Mac.Ars looks at Apple's quality control

The latest Mac.Ars column looks at Apple's quality control: "Panther and Firewire 800 drives. iTunes 4.1 for Windows and Windows 2000 installs. Really, really loud Mirror Drive Door G4s. And there's more. Apple's recent successes with the G5, iTunes Music Store, and Mac OS X 10.3 have been tempered somewhat by some rather nasty bugs that slipped out the door. Does Apple have poor quality control, or is the occasional severe bug an inevitable part of software and hardware development?"

Lexar Media debuts new CF memory readers

11/03, 8:55am

Lexar Media debuts new CF memory readers

Lexar Media today two new compact, portable, high-speed CompactFlash (CF) readers geared toward serious digital photographers. Designed with portability in mind, each reader is approximately the size of four AA batteries and weighs only 1.5 ounces. Both readers feature a protective cap, which securely stores a CompactFlash card inside the reader when photographic equipment is in transport, and doubles as a stand when the reader is in use. The second-generation FireWire reader ships with the new ultra thin FireWire cable. The FireWire (IEEE 1394a) and USB 2.0 CF readers are immediately available with estimated retail prices of $50 and $25, respectively.

Apps: shadowIP, macstl, Hackpose, Lux...

11/03, 1:30am

Apps: shadowIP, macstl, Hackpose, Lux...

stupidFish23 has updated its multiple IP monitoring application, shadowIP 2.1. It fixes a bug in its Faceless Mode operation that only affected Panther users and adds user definable intervals for regular IP address checking and Internet IP checking. Licensing starts at $8. [838KB]
Pixelglow Software has updated macstl 0.1.5 to work with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and Xcode 1.0. The new version also has fixes for older gcc 3.1 and 3.3 compilers. both non-commercial ($50) and commercial ($100) versions of the C++ source library are available. [435KB]
Hackposé 1.1 is a utility that will allow you to quickly turn on the hidden "Exposé blob" that allows you to control Exposé with a floating controller. It adds a new option to "turn on the alternate "Show Desktop" feature of Exposé where the windows turn into one small window (not shooting off the sides as usual)." [118KB]
Sillysoft has released an update to its 'Risk' based world domination game Lux 3.6, which gives a post-game ranking report after games along with an added Refresh game list button and more. This is a free update for registered users and is $15 shareware for others. [3.4MB]
My Favorite Things 1.01 is a Panther update to the launch utility which tracks applications, documents, folders, bookmarks, and even terminal commands that users use most often. It places these most used things into a custom menu available either from the menu bar or via a universal hot key. [629KB]
Alexander Wilson Studios today released Audiobook Studio 3, a $6 shareware Mac OS X application that helps users create dynamic digital "audiobook" audio files using text files and Mac OS X's built-in text-to-speech capabilities. Version 3 is Panther ready, offers an enhanced preview function, and includes more dynamic control. [1.1MB]

Fink 0.61 brings Panther compatibility

11/03, 1:30am

Fink 0.61 brings Panther compatibility

The Fink 0.61 project brings the "full world of Unix Open Source software to Darwin and Mac OS: "We modify Unix software so that it compiles and runs on Mac OS X ("port" it) and make it available for download as a coherent distribution. It uses Debian tools such as dpkg and apt-get to provide powerful binary package management. This release was built on OS X 10.2 using the gcc 3.3 compiler, and runs well on OS X 10.3. Most Fink users who upgrade to 10.3 will want to only use the binaries from this new distribution for now, while the Fink team continues to modify Fink packages for 10.3."

KavaSoft releases iTunes Catalog 1.0

11/03, 12:30am

KavaSoft releases iTunes Catalog 1.0

KavaSoft has announced iTunes Catalog 1.0 for Mac OS X. The $10 shareware creates Web catalogs of your iTunes music library, displays the cover artwork for each album, and copies album artwork into iTunes; it also can create HTML catalogs with the brushed-metal or catalogs in text, PDF, or XML format. Other functions include automatically adding album artwork to all the music in your iTunes library and can also create custom icons for your music in the Finder.