MacWireless offers 3-port Powerline Network Adapter

MacWireless today announced its 3-port Powerline Network Adapter. Powerline networking allows you to route your network through the already installed home/office power lines with speeds of up to 14Mbps. MacWireless says that Powerline devices can work over up to 600 feet of electrical wiring--enough range to cover most homes in the US. The 3-Port Powerline Network Adapter ($80) works in exactly the same way as MacWireless.com's single port adapter, but with the added flexibility of a built-in 3-port 10/100 ethernet switch; it also includes built-in surge protection up to 475VAC. The company also lowered the price on its single-port adapter to $50 ($10 reduction) as well as on its WiFinder Keychain hotspot finder to $20 ($5 reduction).

Second annual Mac Networkers Retreat announced...

MacRetreats today announced the dates for the second annual Mac Networkers Retreat, its gathering of Mac Networking and IT professionals. The retreat will be held October 30 through November 1 at the Seascape Resort in Aptos, CA near Monterey. It will feature lectures and workshops as well as late night discussion groups that present in-depth technical details to help them best deploy Apple-related technology in their Enterprise. "We've designed this event to do two things: Bring people the essential information they need to deal with networked Macs, and, do it in a way that facilitates learning different than online information access can provide,' said Schoun Regan, Counselor-in-Chief for the Mac Networkers Retreat.

Wondertouch ships particleIllusion 3.0 for Mac OS X...

Wondertouch today announced that particleIllusion 3.0 for Mac OS X is now available. The Mac OS X version of particleIllusion 3.0 offers each of the features found in its Windows counterpart, including 'super emitters,' 'forces' that improve integration into existing production environments, and new color options. The online rendering engine improvements deliver higher-quality image output and additional effects creation benefits. New customers can purchase particleIllusion 3.0 for Mac OS X for an introductory price of $350 (online).

Apple offers iPhoto 5.04 update

Apple today posted iPhoto 5.04, an update to its photo management application. Version 5.04 addresses an issue with browsing photos that have been auto-rotated by a camera, according to Apple's documentation. It is available as a free update via the Software Update for Mac OS X Preference Pane. The update is 41MB via the Software Update and 39.2MB via the web.

Apps: TrendyMac, iSpeak, Barcode Producer, ....

• TrendyMac 0.9.8 (free) is turingart's client-side logfile analyzer. The new release evaluates logfiles between four to ten times faster than all previous releases. Furthermore, the analysis speed now correlated to he number of properties to be evaluated. [Download - 2.9MB]


• iSpeak It 2.1 ($15) lets users listen to documents on their iPod via OS X's built-in text-to-speech capabilities. This release adds the downloading of directions, many improvements to Web feed and RSS processing, and fixes a number of problems. [Download - 264KB]


• Barcode Producer 3.6 ($150) is a minor update to the award-winning barcode generation suite for Mac OS X. This update adds Spotlight integration, enhanced 13-digit ISBN support, POSTNET preview, enhanced printing, and other improvements. [Download - 2.6MB]


• PatternMaker and PatternPack 1.1 are both fully compatible with InDesign CS-2. The PatternMaker 1.1 update includes scripting support for increased creativity and time-saving capabilities. PatternMaker is now free with three PostScript patterns included, or for greater versatility, Pattern-Pack 1.1, a new plug-in with 13 extra original patterns, retails for $100. [Download - options]


• iCal2Web 1.2 ($8) exports calendars from iCal into an HTML formatted Web page. It can combine multiple calendars, automatically run and generate a calendar every few hours, and display calendars with alternate week beginning days. It handles most reoccurring event types, and every last detail of the resulting HTML page is customizable by the user via its template files. [Download - 36KB]

KeynotePro offers Tokyo RPG Themes

KeynotePro released three new themes dubbed Tokyo R, P and G (28.3 MB) for $20. Themes are 800 X 600 and 1024 X 768, in three colors. Also included are supplemental slides containing chart palettes, accent numbering and test objects, button elements for interactive presentations and a "Getting Started" guide. The three themes are described as "a crisp, minimalist style that balances classic type and layout with modern, modular design," according to KeynotePro.

Star Wars Battlefront now available at Apple store

Now available at the Apple store for $50, Star Wars Battlefront from Aspyr Media promises plenty of action. Each faction has five troop types complimented by different weapons, creating strengths and weaknesses. Computer-controlled players utilize non-scripted AI, according to Dan Pettit, LucasArts producer. "We wanted players to experience the most explosive action in the Star Wars universe from the front lines as an ordinary foot soldier."

LaCie offers 500GB drives in storage solutions

LaCie today announced that it will offer 500GB drive storage solutions using Hitachi's new high-capacity Deskstar 7K500 hard drives. The new drives will be used in LaCie's 2TB Biggest F800, 500GB Ethernet Disk mini and 2TB Bigger Disk Extreme storage solutions. The Biggest F800 is a 4-bay RAID subsystem that supports RAID levels 0, 0+1, 5 and RAID 5+hot spare in a sturdy aluminum enclosure with both FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 interfaces. The LaCie Ethernet Disk mini is an affordable network hard drive for use in homes or small offices with 500GB shared storage space. Anyone plugged into the dual-purpose Ethernet Disk mini can instantly share files via Ethernet or the drive can be attached to any Mac/PC via USB 2.0. LaCie's Bigger Disk Extreme is a compact and sturdy drive designed to support multi-stream audio/video editing in a variety of formats with burst transfer rates reaching up to 85MB/s and up to 2TB capacity; it offers built-in RAID 0 configuration.

Briefly: iMaginator; Mac Mini FixIt; iTunes phone...

In brief: We've posted a review of Stone Design's iMaginator 2.0 ($50).... PB FixIt today added the Mac Mini FixIt Guide to its collection, offering detailed disassembly instructions for accessing and upgrading parts.... Firewheel Design has launched Blinksale, a Web-based application that allows its subscribers to create, send, and manage invoices anywhere with an Internet connection.... DEVONtechnologies has released a second public beta of DEVONthink Professional, which features a new DEVONjot Pro Dashboard widget.... The Motorola iTunes phone did not make an appearance during Monday's MOTONOW event, but the company told the audiance that the phone would be announced and shipped before the end of its current quarter.

OWC offers 1TB FireWire 800 RAID drive, ups capacity

Other World Computing (OWC) has has introduced a 1 terabyte (TB) version of its Mercury Elite-AL Pro 800 RAID Dual Drive as well a new 500GB single-bay version of the Mercury Elite-AL Pro 800. The stylish drive, designed to complement the Power Mac G5, includes a two-year warranty; Dantz/EMC Retrospect Backup, Intech Hard Disk Speed Tools and all connecting cables; and utilizes a custom Oxford 912 FireWire 800 1394B-based chipset for high performance. Available today starting at $980, the dual RAID drive transfers up data up to 800Mbit/sec, according to OWC. The 500GB version of the Mercury Elite-AL Pro 800 increases the available store in the single-bay drive line by 25 percent. is available in FW400/USB2.0 ($500), FW800/FW400 ($520), and FW800/FW400/USB2.0 ($530) models.

Apple adds memory, SuperDrive model to Mac mini line

In addition the revamped iBook line, Apple today announced enhancements to its Mac mini line. Apple made 512MB of memory standard in every model as well as added a new SuperDrive model to its line of entry-level Macs. The Mac mini product line now includes three models: the base model running at 1.25GHz with a 40GB hard drive and Combo optical drive ($500); a wireless-enabled model with a faster 1.42GHz processor, both Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme networking, and a larger 80GB drive ($600); and a SuperDrive drive model with a 1.42GHz processor and built-in networking ($700).

Apple adds speed, wireless to lower-priced iBooks...

As widely anticipated, Apple today revamped its iBook G4 laptop line. The company is offering faster PowerPC G4 processors running up to 1.42 GHz, more standard memory (512MB), better performance graphics and built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Available at the Apple Store now, the new iBooks features also feature two patent-pending Apple technologies made popular in the PowerBook G4 line: the scrolling TrackPad and the Sudden Motion Sensor. Prices for the new iBook start at $999. Apple today also added more memory and a SuperDrive model to its Mac mini product line.

BeLight ships Swift Publisher page layout solution

BeLight Software has released Swift Publisher 1.0, an addition to the BeLight's product line for small businesses. Swift Publisher is a new page layout application that is designed for quickly creating and printing high impact documents, including flyers, newsletters, brochures, etc. It features about 60 ready-made professional templates, 23,000 images, 100 unique masks and "all the tools" needed for customizing and editing documents. Swift Publisher offers iPhoto integration, can export to PDF/TIFF/JPG formats, runs on Mac OS X 10.3 or later, and is available now for $40.

Apple raises payments to US indie labels

Apple is offering Indie labels a larger portion of each iTunes sale. A report by Digital Music News says that Apple has raised its wholesale payout on iTunes Music Store downloads to seventy cents per song, bringing more parity between independent and major labels. "The increase first came to light in a letter sent by Derek Sivers, CEO of independent retailer CD Baby. While different wholesale figures have been floating around since the beginning of the iTunes Music Store launch, one lawyer actively negotiating iTunes deals indicated to Digital Music News that the 70 cents rate falls in line with current major label payouts." The report says the move could attract more independent labels and could extend Apple's catalog even further and that the 70 cent payout includes publishing costs.

Apple to open research lab near Intel at CMU

Apple plans to open a new research facility Carnegie Mellon University's campus in Oakland, joining Intel's existing labs at the same site, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The announcement comes only a few months after the companies announced that Apple will transition Macs to Intel chips over the next two years. "Apple plans to open a research facility at CMU's Collaborative Innovation Center.... The Apple facility combined with other tenants at the center is expected to create at least 200 new jobs. The Apple facility will share the top floor of the four-story building with Intel's existing Intel Research Pittsburgh unit, a research laboratory that employs 17 people.... Plans are for researchers from Apple and Intel in the new building to discuss the possibility of cooperating or working on joint projects."