News Archive for 04/06/29

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BeBoB 2.0 breakout box platform supports Mac OS X

06/29, 10:50pm

BeBoB 2.0 breakout box

BridgeCo has begun shipping its BeBoB 2.0 breakout box platform, which includes full support for Mac OS X. "The Mac has long been one of the most popular composition tools for musicians and other creative types," explained BridgeCo CEO Angelo Ugge. "By supporting Mac OS X drivers on our BeBoB 2.0 platform, BridgeCo helps OEMs quickly develop breakout boxes that musicians can connect via plug-and-play to their Macs. The BridgeCo architecture is scalable, permitting the same platform to be used for breakout boxes that satisfy the demands of professional users, as well as the sub-$200‚ price requirements of the consumer market."

Apps: RealPlayer, iPartition, MacSword, sunShield...

06/29, 10:00pm

RealPlayer, iPartition,...

RealNetworks has posted RealPlayer 10b, a new beta of its video playback application, as anticipated earlier this week. It offers support for many of the major Internet media formats, including RealAudio, RealVideo, AAC, QuickTime and MPEG, as well as an integrated browser window, advanced video controls, full screen playback, and a sound graphic equalizer. [6.9MB]
iPartition 1.0 is a $35 partition management application for Mac OS X, capable of resizing Mac OS Extended (HFS+) partitions without reformatting. It iPartition is even capable of deciding how to make sufficient contiguous free space on your disk to grow a partition. [Download - buy]
Troi File Plug-in 3.0b1 ($60) is a FileMaker Pro 7 plug-in that lets users manipulate files and folders and use file and folder information directly from databases. Version 3.0 makes use of the new extended plug-in API of FileMaker 7. [Download - 1.2MB]
MacSword 1.1 is a free, open-source application for the research and study of the Bible and God. Version 1.1 introduces better searching and new features such as general book display. [Download - 3.6MB]
sunShield 1.5 is the latest version of the preference pane that provides direct control over Mac OS X's integrated firewall. Version 1.5 offers much more templates, rules with 'NOT' keywords, live logging, and more localizations. [Download - 292KB]
BugOff X 1.0.1 ($30) is an update to the graphical debugger for PalmOS and Mac OS applications. Version 1.0.1 includes numerous speed improvements and includes a new menu item that allows users to quickly get back to the current line of source code. [Download - 3.7MB]
GURL Watcher 1.5.0 ($20) adds new features to the utility to help computer owners "enforce responsible Internet use." Version 1.5.0 adds the ability to use an authenticated SMTP server for sending out e-mail reports, and offers a more stable database engine. [Download - 2.7MB]

Tech: Supreme Court ruling, malicious pop-up, ...

06/29, 4:55pm

Malicious pop-up ad

Evening tech news: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a law meant to punish pornographers who peddle dirty pictures to minors is probably an unconstitutional restriction on free speech; security researchers have discovered a malicious program that installs itself through a pop-up ad and can read keystrokes and steal passwords when victims visit any of nearly 50 targeted banking sites; Under a law taking effect Thursday, drivers in Washington, DC will only be allowed to hold cell phones to make emergency calls, otherwise, they must use a handsfree device if they want to talk on the phone.

Shrek 2 expected in stores later this week

06/29, 4:30pm

Aspyr ships Shrek 2

Aspyr today began shipping DreamWorks' Shrek 2, a new action-adventure game for the Macintosh: "Shrek 2 follows the same storyline as the feature film but adds new locations and characters to the adventure. Players take on the role of their favorite characters from the film and embark on a journey to meet Princess Fiona’s parents in the Kingdom of Far, Far Away. [It] follows Shrek and four of his pals, both old and new, as they embark on an adventure through their twisted fairy tale world." Players can switch between characters in each of the 14 storybook-themed levels (along with five bonus levels) with a number of educational activities such as puzzles, memory games and problem-solving challenges. The $30 title is expected to be in stores on July 2.

eDonkey beta client now available for Mac OS X

06/29, 4:25pm

eDonkey beta client

eDonkey has released a Mac OS X beta of its peer-to-peer application that allows you to "share and download files with millions of other people across the globe. It is fast and easy to use with the most sophisticated file sharing technology available." The client supports multiple source downloads, automatic resume of previously started downloads, support for HTTP and bittorent protocols, private messaging, network-wide searches, simultaneous upload/download, a plugin system, support for any port number, skins and more. The client runs on Mac OS X 10.2 or later. A $20 registration removes the ads and offers free technical support.

Apple announces Bioinformatics Program winners

06/29, 4:00pm

Bioinformatics Awards

Apple has announced the winners if its Workgroup Cluster for Bioinformatics Award Program. Apple recently made an open call to find five of the "most important, innovative and visionary" scientific research projects in the U.S. Apple is awarding the winners with "the powerful computational tools they need to expand the horizons of their exciting research."

BUG.tv releases ListPlayer Express 2.0

06/29, 3:40pm

ListPlayer Express update

BUG.tv today released a new version of its ListPlayer Express 2.0. The video server software is designed for closed-circuit television. Version 2.0 adds PAL support in addition to the previously supported NTSC standard. ListPlayer is intended for closed-circuit television systems such as those used in department stores and educational institutions. Designed to support any QuickTime file, users can quickly transform a G4- or G5-based Mac into a video server by adding any Firewire DV-to-Analog converter. ListPlayer Express offers realtime and sequential triggering of events as well as manual trigger with the mouse. Until July 15, ListPlayer is available with a $50 rebate, for $350.

Elgato releases EyeTV plugin SDK

06/29, 2:30pm

EyeTV SDK released

Elgato has released a system development kit (SDK) for developing plug-ins to extend the functionality of the EyeTV software. With the new functionality of EyeTV’s plug-in interface, the EyeTV software gives third parties access to the raw incoming MPEG-2 transport stream packet data. A plug-in receives device plugged and unplugged notifications, it can request or release individual PIDs within the MPEG-2 transport stream, and most importantly, it has access to transport stream packets in real time, as they arrive from the device.

Apps: Fractality, nib4j, MP3Tagger, MacMP3CD...

06/29, 1:00pm

Fractality, MP3Tagger...

Fractality 0.6 is a simple tool that allows users to create and design polygonal fractals, manipulating almost every aspect of shape, iteration control, and color. Changes in this new release include working quick color buttons, more helpful tooltips, and fixed memory leaks. [Download - 156KB]
nib4j 1.0 ($200) is a Java library that permits the use of Apple's Interface Builder to design Swing-based user interfaces. It creates Swing menus, frames and dialogs from Carbon nib files and provides a complete separation of UI and application code. [Download - form]
The dinc Big Six FontPak is a one-day limited edition collection of six popular discontinued typefaces from dincTYPE. These most-requested fonts are: Dialtone, Hoboken, Levi Stubb's Tears, Noveltease, One After 909, and Ten Year Lie. The site also has three brand new typefaces that were added yesterday.
GSC Call of Duty allows users to set up and run a multiplayer Call of Duty server (dedicated or otherwise). The GSC offers about 20 more features than the in-game menus do. [Download - 960KB]
MP3Tagger 0.1 uses the information stored within MP3 files (called ID3 tags) to appropriately rename the files. It is free, and should be considered as beta software, according to the developer. [Download - 136KB]
MacMP3CD 1.5 is the latest version of the $20 MP3 Player, Ripper, Converter, and Burner. Version 1.5 adds features to make it more flexible, including support for OGG Vorbis. [Download - 5.0MB]
Herodotus 1.3 allows users to search the history and bookmarks of many popular Web browsers by title, address, and content. Version 1.3 adds a new archive option, better start-up time, and Camino 0.8 support. [Download - 1.6MB]
MachFive 1.2 is an update audio sampler for Mac OS X. Version 1.2 for Mac OS X adds streaming functionality to MAS, AU, VST, RTAS and HTDM. [Download - 66.8MB]

Maxon updates CINEMA 4D - VectorWorks eXchange plugin

06/29, 11:50am

Cinema 4D-VectorWorks

Maxon Computer has released the second generation of the CINEMA 4D - VectorWorks eXchange plugin. The plugin offers seamless file transfer from VectorWorks to Maxon's CINEMA 4D as well as options of making changes made to the original CAD project and updating the scene in CINEMA 4D--even if lighting, animation and texturing were already underway in the latter. The new version enables symbols and individual objects to be exported in classes, with symbols imported as CINEMA 4D instances for increased flexibility and a better structure for the architect to visualize his project. It also can replace hundreds of standard VectorWorks materials with sophisticated CINEMA 4D materials with just a mouseclick using a reference file. The eXchange plugin requires VectorWorks 10 or greater and CINEMA 4D R8.5.

Sony debuts new light, compact 3-megapixel camcorder

06/29, 11:20am

New 3mp Sony Handycam

Sony has unveiled a new camcorder that weighs less than a pound and easily fits into a pocket or purse. The DCR-PC350 MiniDV Handycam features a 3.31-megapixel, single CCD, offering a high quality combination of video and still camera optics. The new unit will come with a Handycam Station -- a tabletop cradle for charging and connecting to a TV or computer. The Handycam's color filter employs a new image processing technique for converting brightness more naturally. It will be available in September for about $1,300.

Apple lowers pricing on AirPort Extreme products

06/29, 11:05am

AirPort Extreme price cuts

Apple has quietly lowered the price on some of its AirPort Extreme accessories. The company has reduced the price on its higher-end AirPort Extreme basestation (with modem and antenna port) to $199 and also lowered the price on its AirPort Extreme internal networking card for most Macs to $79. AirPort Extreme supports 802.11g standards or transmission at 54Mbps. Apple is no longer listing its low-end basestation (without modem and antenna port) and the original AirPort network card, according to the same reader. Apple's forthcoming AirPort Express networking device is $129 and is expected to ship next month.

Take Control tutorial series adds GarageBand

06/29, 10:25am

Take Control of GarageBand

Take Control of Making Music with GarageBand is the latest addition to the Take Control electronic book series. Seattle musician Jeff Tolbert explores Apple's GarageBand, mixing music theory with step-by-step instructions and audio examples to show readers how to combine and edit the loops to make unique, wonderful sounding songs. The book also discusses tricks for improving GarageBand's performance and how to export songs to iTunes. The $5.00 book is available for download now, with a free sample available as well.

Smith Barney cautions on Apple

06/29, 9:10am

Smith Barney cautions AAPL

Smith Barney analyst Rich Gardner has told investors to be "cautious" regarding Apple, noting that the stock could give up some of its recent gains. Gardner doesn't believe Apple's third-quarter earnings will exceed expectations, and said that announcement products that aren't yet shipping won't help matters,according to CBS Marketwatch. Gardner added that he would be an "aggressive buyer" if shares fell below $30. Apple was trading down 38 cents to $32.11 in pre-open trading.

QuickTime VR at Macworld Expo Boston

06/29, 8:35am

QTVR at Macworld Boston

The International QuickTime VR Association (IQTVRA) plans to bring its panoramic print exhibit and the QuickTime Bug to Macworld Conference & Expo in Boston. IDG World Expo has also collaborated with the IQTVRA and CheathamLane, a San Francisco design firm specializing in panoramic photography, to create an interactive map of Boston for attendees at the upcoming event, which will be available for download from the Expo site.

Canto releases digital asset management upgrades

06/29, 8:15am

Canto\'s new DAM releases

Canto, a leading developer of Digital Asset Management solutions, today released two new products: Web Publisher Pro 2.0 and Internet Client Pro 2.0. Both applications work with Canto's Cumulus software to create dynamic web pages allowing customers to search for images and other documents within Cumulus catalogs using standard Web browsers. Web Publisher Pro 2.0 sells for $3,000, while Internet Client PRo 2.0 sells for $7,000.

Apps: Firefox, OpenOffice, SilverKeeper

06/29, 7:45am

Apps: Firefox, OpenOffice

• Firefox 0.91 (free) brings several small enhancements to the Web browser, including extension and theme managers, improved bookmarks and search, and a smaller download.
  
  
• OpenOffice.org 1.1.2 has been released for Mac OS X, which runs under the X11 windowing system and is said to be "stable enough for day-to-day use as your primary office productivity suite." The software requires Mac OS X 10.2 or later. A full list of changes is available here.
  
  
• SilverKeeper 1.1.2 (free) adds Mac OS X 10.3.4 support and other small enhancements to LaCie's utility for backing up storage devices.
  
  
• KidzLog 1.0b1 is a weblog publishing application designed for children. Canvas and painting tools allow children to draw their creations directly in the software, which can publish entries to Web and automatically updates an RSS feed. The beta is free and expires July 15; the final version will sell for $30.
  
  
• WWDC Icon Set from DV Graphics is a free download and includes 16 icons of the new displays, Tiger CD, Automator head, and iChat AV.

Creative Manager Pro 7: new UI, 400 new features

06/29, 1:55am

Creative Manager Pro 7

Creative Manager Pro 7.0 brings interface enhancements and over 400 new features to the web-based software for agency and project management. Version 7 offers improvements to the iCal and AddressBook synchronization, customizable system colors, new Mac OS X icons, better navigation and security, a custom search tool, improved time sheets/expense reports, new dashboards for Contact Management, more project and task assignment flexibility, further streamlined entry for quotes/PO's, mass printing of Invoices, and the ability to hide iCal and AddressBook categories from the Creative Manager sync tool. Other software features include DRM, digital asset management, billing, accounting, and more.

TOLIS announces BRU Server 1.1 with data sync, new UI

06/29, 12:05am

BRU Server 1.1 for OS X

TOLIS Group has announced BRU Server 1.1 for Mac OS X, which it says delivers enhanced operability and workflow as well as new functionality that allows users to sync their key data to the server and a new BRU Server interface. BRU Server's Synchronization Module will be used in conjunction with BRU Server's robust Disk Staging (D2D) capability, and allows an administrator to segment a portion of the disk stage as a repository to which end users can back up (sync) and restore his or her own files without backup administrator action. The Synchronization Module, available in Q3 2004, will be a standard inclusion in BRU Server Enterprise, and an option for use with BRU Server Network or BRU Server Basic when incremental client system support has been added.