Forums: Vista, PB review, new iBooks, Mac mini...

Forums roundup: A recent Macintosh switcher has posted a review of the PowerBook G4 12".... Users compare the Apple PowerBook offerings to Dell's Inspiron line.... One member shares his disappointment with the Mac mini.... Several threads include discussion of the new iBook offerings from Apple.... iPod users discuss their favorite protective cases for the music player.... Mac OS X users compare the Finder to Microsoft Windows Vista's new Explorer.

Needham looks at failed HP iPod deal...

It's impossible to place blame for the failure of the Apple-HP partnership to sell iPods, Needham analyst Charles Wolf said in a report today. "HP’s strategy to enhance the iPod with brightly colored paper covers was hardly consistent with the company’s desired image of an innovative company. And despite the opportunity to sell the iPod abroad in markets Apple could not reach, HP appears to have confined its sales to US retailers." Of course, other factors may have also affected the decision to end the partnership. "The relationship between Apple and HP undoubtedly deteriorated when Apple began to expand the iPod’s presence into retail outlets, such as Radio Shack and Wal-Mart, that already stocked HP’s version of the product."

Creative Manager Pro 7.9.5 expands iCal support

Creative-Manager.com today released the latest version of its flagship product, Creative Manager Pro 7.9.5, which bringing several changes and new features, including expanded iCal support and other improvements for Mac OS X 10.4.2 for improved reliability and compatibility. The program now offers a new detailed five day week view and rollover pop-ups that show the detail of meetings and assignments (to "bring it more on-par" with Microsoft Outlook). No installation or conversion is necessary and the upgrade is free upgrade for all users. Creative Manager Pro offers project management,CRM, digital asset management, billing and accounting, and extranet functions; the web-based software has been created design firms, ad agencies, in-house creative/MarCom departments, and creative service firms.

iPod culture influences advertising strategies

The iPod is influencing the direction of audio advertising, according to a special report by Reuters. Marketers are becoming "purveyors of the content itself," rather than just sponsors of someone else's programing. "iPod has really changed the world for people in terms of them having their own playlists," Burger King marketing chief Russ Klein told Reuters. "We have to earn our way into it." Much like product placements in film and television scripts, music is quickly becoming another stage for advertisers. Traditional commercials may never make it to the iPod, according to the report. "People are using an iPod because they want to choose the music they listen to," said Craig Davis, chief creative officer of WPP, ad agency JWT Worldwide. "To interrupt and intrude on that with advertising would be pretty unwelcome."

DssW releases Power Manager 3 for Mac OS X

DssW today released Power Manager 3 for Mac OS X, an update to its utility that can schedule when your Mac starts up, shuts down, sleeps, and wakes. Version 3 is now available for Mac OS X with a System Preference that offers administrator-only control and easier management of scheduled events. It also greatly simplifies date and time entry, offering instant feedback to clarify entries. A 30-day trial version is available while the full version (€20) has a 30-day refund policy.

Second London Apple store coming, Tokyo opening set

Apple has begun hiring for its sixth UK retail store, according to Macworld UK. The company has posted a note on its website saying that it is "now hiring for the Apple Store Brent Cross in North London, set to open later this year." Earlier this year, the company confirmed that it would open new two new stores in Manchester and Sheffield by the end of 2005 and open its third new store in Bluewater, Ken in early July. The company also plans on opening its second store in Tokyo--in the Shibuya district--this weekend. According to the report, the store, which is Apple's fourth in Japan, will open at 10am on Saturday morning, local time.

Dejal releases Simon 2.0 site monitoring tool

Dejal Systems today released Simon 2, a site monitoring tool for Mac OS X which checks for failures, tracks updated sites and alerts users when a site recovers. The monitor window enables users to see at a glance the current status of all monitored websites, servers and applications as well as various statistics such as up-time percentage and when the last change/failure occurred. Version 2 brings over 50 new features and enhancements, such as a major overhaul of the monitor window and a new Port service, that enables you to engage in a telnet-like conversation with any server (e.g., POP, SMTP, and SSH). Simon 2.0 is available for Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later and is priced at $30 (up to 7 tests), $60 (20 tests), or $200 (unlimited tests). It is a free upgrade for purchases after July 1, 2004; upgrades for others are $20.

Sonnet debuts 1.8GHz G4 upgrade for Power Mac, Cube

Sonnet Technologies today announced two new 1.8GHz Encore/ST processor upgrades to replace the older models and dropped prices on its entire line. Replacing the 1.7GHz model, Sonnet's new 1.8GHz Encore/ST G4 upgrade is designed for most "Sawtooth" Power Mac G4s, including AGP Graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio and QuickSilver models; the company also debuted the 1.8GHz Encore/ST G4 upgrade, which is made specifically for the Power Mac G4 Cube and includes a quiet fan and installation hardware. Featuring 512K of on-chip Level 2 cache, both models are compatible with Mac OS 9.2 and Mac OS X 10.3.5, include a three-year warranty, and are available for $400.

First Albany raises AAPL target, discounts HP fallout

Analysts at First Albany have reiterated their "buy" rating on Apple stock, raising the target price from $44 to $48, according to NewRatings.com: "In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that the recent decline in the company's share price due to iPod-related concerns, which arose when HP decided to stop reselling the iPods under its own brand, are unwarranted. According to the analysts, Apple has significantly increased its own distribution points and revenues from HP, which constituted only a small part of the company's total revenues, the analysts say. The sluggish outlook provided by Synaptics reflects Apple Computer's decision to exclude the former's products from the next generation iPods."

Briefly: Safari; Iconkits; MacSpeech; OtterBox

In brief: The Safari browser development team is looking for development engineers for the Safari application, WebKit frameworks and various other tasks such as building and maintaining tools, performing integration for their software updates and working with bugs.... Iconkits.com announced their latest icon kit, Office Add on 1 Kit ($70), which includes 40 new royalty-free icons.... MacSpeech announced the addition of more road show dates to its summer schedule.... The iTunes music store has added a version of its first Beatles album, "Sgt. Pepper for Classical Guitar".... OtterBox announced their Waterproof iPod Shuffle case for $30.... Over the course of the next five weeks, Tatuz will release five new iTatu designs, one per week, from award winning graphics designer Andres Conde of Digital Assault...

The great MacMod challenge returns

Following last year's success, this year over 20 retailers including FastMac Performance Upgrades, Daystar Technology and Make Magazine have come together as participants compete for more than $2500 in prizes and awards. The first 50 participants to enter will receive a copy of O'Reilly Media's Make magazine. The first prize winner will take home the "Mod of the Year" trophy and Mac Mini car kit- a Mac Mini, Lilliput 7" wide USB LCD touch screen, Gyration wireless slim keyboard and gyro mouse, Apple Airport Extreme card and Apple Bluetooth module. Second place will receive a $500 shopping spree at the FastMac Performance Upgrades online store which is good on everything from processor upgrades to iPod batteries. Third place will take home a new 20GB color screen iPod. Certificates will be given to winners of the "Most User Friendly", "Wackiest Mod", "Worst of Show" and "Most Useless Mod".

Samsung debuts 16X external DVD/RW drive...

Samsung today introduced its first external DVD rewritable drive, the 16X WriteMaster SE-W164C. Capable of writing to both DVD+ and DVD- formats with double layer 5X support, the drive can store up to 8.5GB on one disk (two times that of a single-layer DVD). It features write speeds of 16X for DVD+R and DVD-R, 8X for DVD+RW, and 6X for DVD-RW. A compact design combined with the ability to mount the drive vertically makes efficient use of limited workspace, while a large air vent on the back of the drive allows maximum air circulation to prevent overheating at high speeds. It features USB 2.0 connectivity; the SE-W164C is available for $200 in a stylish black color.

Quicken gains .Mac backup, account integration

Intuit is preparing to release Quicken 2006, the latest edition of its financial software for Mac. This version introduces a "Smart Payee" feature, integration of multiple accounts, transaction scheduling, and backup with .Mac. Smart Payee enables users to automatically rename slightly mismatched transactions from payees. User with more than one account per household can now view their finances together in one overview. Transaction scheduling helps users keep track of incoming pay, outgoing bills, and forecast projected finances. The .Mac backup feature lets any .Mac subscriber backup Quicken data to their iDisk.

Sony announces Cyber-shot DSC-T5 digital camera

Sony has announced its new Cyber-shot DSC-T5, a new ultra-slim digital camera that combines Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar optics with 5.1 megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.5" Clear Photo LCD screen, 32MB of internal memory for storage, Memory Stick media card compatibility, and increased battery life (compared to previous T Series models--with up to 240 shots per charge). The T5 has a vertical design and features a lightweight, aluminum body with a matte silver lens cover that is available in four colors: red, champagne gold, silver and black. The camera is expected to ship in early September for $350.

Bio USB Flash Drive features fingerprint technology

Atmel and FingerGear today announced a new biometric USB Flash Drive featuring software-free operation and a large font LCD display for an user-friendly experience. The Bio USB Flash Drive can generate a One-Time Password from a fingerprint match. The onboard LCD display screen guides users through Setup mode in which the user trains the device to recognize his or her finger. In addition, a push button on the device enables the user to enter into other modes including Add User, Delete User, and One-Time Password Generation. Up to 5 additional users may be added per device, according to the company. The USB 2.0 device is available in three colors (silver, blue, and clear) and five capacities. The 256MB version is now available for $150, while 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB versions are expected in the future.

Alias launches Motionbuilder 7 with new features...

Alias today also launched MotionBuilder 7, which brings extended character animation capabilities, improved interoperability with popular 3D packages and productivity enhancements to its 3D character animation software. According to the company, the new features of Alias MotionBuilder 7 complement the software's core technologies, including a unique, realtime architecture; non-linear, non-destructive animation layering; and Story Timeline performance environment. Motionbuilder 7 is due in August starting at $4,200.

Alias debuts Maya 7...

Alias today announced Maya 7, an update to the industry-standard solution for 3D modeling, animation, effects, and rendering. Version 7 offers new and improved tools for fast, realistic character animation, streamlined modeling and texturing, ground-breaking visual effects, and increased productivity. Alias said that version 7 offers a complete re-architecture of the Maya render layers functionality, allowing users to manage multiple versions of objects--including materials, lights and cameras, as well as post processes such as Maya Fur and Maya Paint Effects--to be managed in a single scene file. Maya 7 will ship in August starting at $2000.

Another Apple Store coming to UK, Tokyo opening set

Apple has begun hiring for its sixth UK retail store, according to Macworld UK. The company has posted a note on its website saying that it is "now hiring for the Apple Store Brent Cross in North London, set to open later this year." Earlier this year, the company confirmed that it would open new two new stores in Manchester and Sheffield by the end of 2005 and open its third new store in Bluewater, Ken in early July. The company also plans on opening its second store in Tokyo--in the Shibuya district--this weekend. According to the report, the store, which is Apple's fourth in Japan, will open at 10am on Saturday morning, local time.

TechRestore offers battery upgrades for 4G iPods

TechRestore is now offering a new overnight iPod battery upgrade service for 4th generation ("4G") "click-wheel" iPods and all color screen iPod models. The upgrade service includes the replacement of the standard iPod battery with a TechRestore 1000mAh high-capacity battery with over 50 percent more charging power than the original 4th generation iPod battery and 38 percent more charging power than the original color iPod battery. The TechRestore Overnight iPod Battery Upgrade with 1000mAh iPod Battery is available starting at $70; it includes overnight pickup of users' iPod, same-day installation of the replacement high-capacity iPod battery and return overnight shipping. A self-service 1000mAh upgrade is also available for $30.

Red Marble debuts Loonyland adventure game

Red Marble Games has announced Loonyland, a new adventure game for Mac OS X: "Loonyland is appropriately named: it's an adventure game, but instead of serious frowny paladins carrying swords, players will find a series of big-headed, goggle-eyed goofy monsters, including werewolves, skeletons, trees that breathe out putrid gas, fire toads, drunken zombies, and more. Players control Loony on a quest to save Halloween Hill from all these, well, loony characters. And there are a number of short side quests as well." A demo of the $20 game title is available online.