News Archive for 05/06/24

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Apps: Retoucher, Indigo, PlistEdit, iStumbler ...

06/24, 5:30pm

PlistEdit, iStumbler

Retoucher ($87) not only removes dust, scratches, stains and other defects that appear on damaged photos but is also able to reconstruct the lacking parts of the photo using the information of the surrounding areas. It is compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Jasc Paint Shop Pro, and Ulead PhotoImpact. [Download - 497KB]
Indigo 1.6 ($90) is an intelligent home control server that integrates an assortment of popular X10 hardware devices to provide unprecedented control of your home. Version 1.6 now supports uploading to PowerLinc Controller for offline automation. [Download - 1.8MB]
PlistEdit Pro 1.2 ($25) is an advanced property list editor written for Mac OS X. Property list files are used throughout Mac OS X, and with PlistEdit Pro, users can easily change these files and exert finer control over their systems. Version 1.2 adds a "Goto Line" command for textual editing view, adds a column to view the format of property list files, and more. [Download - 1.1MB]
iStumbler Release 94 ($10) is a wireless discovery tool for Mac OS X, providing free and open source tools for finding AirPort networks, Bluetooth devices, Bonjour services, and GPS locations with your Mac. Release 94 includes an important bug fix for users of Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger), earlier versions of iStumbler trigger a very large memory leak, all users are encouraged to upgrade in order to avoid excessive memory consumption. [Download - 522KB]
Jack OS X 0.7 is a low-latency audio server, written originally for the GNU/Linux operating system, and now with Mac OS X support. The version 0.7 update supports Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger), including Aggregate Audio Device functionality. [Download - 5.2MB]

Briefly: Coldplay iPod stuff, iPods in Beijing, ....

06/24, 1:50pm

Coldplay iPod stuff

In Brief: The Coldplay Shop is offering an X & Y" branded Solio solar-powered iPod charger.... Digital Lifestyle Outfitters has lowered the price of its DLO iBoom boombox for iPod and iPod mini.... Following the arrival of four massive iPod ad billboards in the Wangfujing area, Apple posted a number of iPod ads in northwestern central Beijing.... Aspyr today announced the final system requirements for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2005, which due to ship next month for $40: Mac OS X 10.3.8 or later and a 1.2GHz G4/G5 processor.... Advenio has released the free Replace Date Placeholders Automator action enabling users to create workflows involving URLs with changing date values.... The Iconfactory's "Contour" ($350) is a new collection of ready-to-use icons at Stockicons.com: "With a cosmopolitan flair, the clean, elegant lines of Contour will add boldness and clarity to any project."

4D launches MarketBlast eBay software

06/24, 12:55pm

MarketBlast eBay software

4D today announced the release of MarketBlast, an affordable program that simplifies the process of listing and managing items on eBay. 4D is selling MarketBlast for a one-time cost of $100, without any monthly service fees. MarketBlast simplifies the way users bulk-list items, post photographs, manage inventory, invoice winners, calculate postage, ship items and report sales. All of these tasks can be done locally on a Windows or Macintosh computer, and the information can be uploaded onto eBay's Web site with a single click of a mouse. A single payment of $100 "means no monthly fees, listing fees, transaction fees, email manager fees, consignment fees or whatever the first generation vendors decide to call their fees this month," said Brendan Coveney, president and CEO of 4D.

Apple offers more refurb PowerBooks, iMac G4s

06/24, 12:50pm

Refurb PowerBooks, iMac G4

Apple has added more PowerBook models to its list of refurbished items available at the Apple Store. Two new models of the 12-inch PowerBook are available for $1,300, including a current-generation model (1.5GHz/512MB/Combo) and a previous-generation model (1.33GHz/256MB/SuperDrive). Two 15-inch PowerBook models are also available for $1,500 (previous-generation 1.33GHz/256MB/60GB/Combo) and $1,800 (1.5GHz/512MB/80GB/SuperDrive). Apple is also offering refurb 17-inch PowerBook for $2,000 (previous-generation) or $2,300 (current-generation). iBooks are still available starting at $800 (12-inch) or $900 (14-inch) as well as two models of the legacy iMac G4 for $1,100 (17"/1.25GHz/SuperDrive) and $800 (15"/1GHz/Combo). Several models of G5 desktops and iPods continue to be available. Apple is also offering free shipping on select iPod accesories under $50.

Coldplay X and Y Solio iPod charger

06/24, 10:15am

Coldplay iPod charger

The Coldplay Shop, an online store for band-related merchandise, is offering an "X & Y" branded Solio solar powered iPod charger. "X & Y" is the name of the band's new album. Only 200 special edition Solio chargers are being made. "There will be no more once they have gone so make sure you place your pre-order fast." The device is priced at £80.

To Do Tracker Widget helps keep you organized

06/24, 10:00am

To Do Tracker Widget

Monkey Business Labs today released its new To Do Tracker Widget for Dashboard. The widget, previewed yesterday by MacNN, helps users stay organized by putting a notepad in Dashboard. "The minimalistic interface works very much like a normal word processor, so you can start writing right away," Monkey Business explains. In our preview of To Do Tracker Widget, Ilene Hoffman wrote, "So, after a few minutes of playing with To Do Tracker, I give it my vote as a useful product. I'll just use it to remind myself of the myriad of phone calls to writers and vendors I make each week." To Do Tracker Widget is a free download.

Apple releases WebObjects 5.3 Update

06/24, 9:45am

WebObjects 5.3

Apple has released WebObjects 5.3, a free update to the tool for developing and deploying enterprise-level Web services and Java server applications. Version 5.3 integrated with Xcode, allows users to create web services or three-tier Java server apps, and generates code-free prototypes in minutes. WebObjects gives users the ability to build or use standards-based Web services without writing low-level SOAP, XML or WSDL. Tools enable code-free generation, configuration and testing of web services from existing data assets. These standards-based Web services can interoperate with clients written in many languages, including Java, AppleScript, Perl and .Net — opening up enterprise development to a new class of programmers.

Export Artwork helps build iTunes album cover collect

06/24, 9:40am

Export Artwork

Export Artwork is a shareware AppleScript Studio application for use with iTunes on Mac OS X. Its main function is to extract the artwork from the selected track's ID3 tag and copy it to an image file in a chosen location. The application is fully automated and can process an entire playlist containing all your tracks. Export Artwork also works as an artwork manager and can fetch album covers over the Internet and embed artwork to the ID3 tag, making it a great utility to help you update your cover collection as your music library grows. "If you have already filled your library's worth of mp3 / m4a (AAC) files with artwork, but want to remove it from the ID3 tag to keep the file size down, and still keep all those album covers, Export Artwork is the perfect tool."

iPod to meet sales target; Mac gains market share

06/24, 9:25am

iPod sales Q3

[updated] PiperJaffray expects Apple to meet the consensus estimate for iPod sales of 5.5 million units in the fiscal third quarter ending in June. Banc of America said, "The Street is generally aware that Apple will likely not show significant upside" from the previous quarter, in which it sold 5.3 million units. However, the firm said it expects the iPod business will reaccelerate into the seasonally strong September and December quarters. When it comes to Macintosh sales, "we expect iPod to continue to be a foundation for growth in other parts of Apple's business, and we expect that by the end of calendar 2005 more than 35 million iPods will have shipped, providing Apple with a greater scope of awareness for various products." NPD data shows that Apple gained 2% in U.S. retail market share in the month of May, PiperJaffray noted. [update: Forbes first attributed the report to Banc of America, but later changed its article to credit research firm PiperJaffray.]

Digidesign releases Pro Tools LE 6.9.2 for Tiger

06/24, 1:10am

Pro Tools LE 6.9.2/Tiger

Digidesign today released Pro Tools LE 6.9.2 software, which delivers support for Mac OS X 10.4.1 ("Tiger") to Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack, and Mbox systems. Pro Tools LE 6.9.2 software is available as a free download for qualified users. Updater CDs are also available through the online DigiStore for $5 plus shipping and handling. The company says that Pro Tools LE 6.9.2 software is for Pro Tools LE systems only: the previously released Pro Tools TDM 6.9.2 software supports Pro Tools|HD systems on Mac OS X 10.4.1. A future software release will support Pro Tools M-Powered systems on Mac OS X 10.4.1. (There was no 6.9.1 software release for Pro Tools LE systems.)