Nano a holiday hit, AAPL jumps 3.3 percent

Apple's iPod nano today was among the top-selling electronic items on Amazon.com, and some models sold out on Best Buy's website--rocketing Apple's stock up 3.3 percent to almost $70 per share. The black 2GB Nano was the sixth best-selling electronic gadget on Amazon.com's list of most popular items; the white version of the same capacity was the tenth best-selling gadget, according to Reuters. Best Buy's website sold out of both white and black 4GB iPod nanos, careening its stock up 3.3 percent in turn. Apple has sold more than 28 million iPods to date since they were introduced in 2001, and has approximately 75 percent of the worldwide market for digital music players, according to market research firm NPD Group.

Forums: X800; Xbox 360; Intel iMacs?; more...

Forums roundup: Power Mac owners continue to discuss ATI's new X800 XT video card.... PowerBook owners and shoppers talk about the perceived high rate of problems with recent PowerBook models, and whether the issues are widespread or isolated.... One prospective iMac owner wants to know if the Intel-based iMacs will be worth the wait.... Mac OS X users share their performance tweaks for the operating system.... Video iPod owners continue to discuss their experiences with displaying iPod video content on a television.... MacNN Lounge members discuss the all-new Xbox 360 gaming console.

pdf-Office Professional 4.0 released...

Universe Software today introduced pdf-Office Professional 4.0, its alternative to Adobe Acrobat Professional for creating PDF documents and forms. The update can import existing PDF files created by other programs--to be used as templates--and can easily add additional calculations or JavaScript to the template. Version 4.0 offers improved graphics handling, enhanced copying and pasting of formatted texts, superior handling of form field borders from previous versions, and a "snap to grid" feature in all zoom levels. Pdf-Office Professional 4.0 is available for $150, and requires Mac OS X 10.2 or later.

MacProVideo.com offers tutorials on DVDs

MacProVideo.com today released its entire software tutorial line on DVD as well as via direct download, while simultaneously unveiling a new Final Cut tutorial program--Capturing and Outputting in Final Cut. The tutorial "takes the guesswork out of getting video into and out of Final Cut by demonstrating important skills every video editor needs. Watch on screen as seasoned instructor and media deployment guru Francesco Schiavon demonstrates capturing and outputting video through real-time screen captures and clear voice-over instruction. It's like having an instructor in the room with you!" Capturing and Outputting in Final Cut Pro is available for $40, and the website is offering a "gift" feature to add a special message to gift purchases.

Apps: Lux, Gamepedia, Mini vMac, Miyu

• Lux 5.2 ($25) updates the strategy game, adding graphical enhancements and new visual effects. Version 5.2 offers additional network commands, improved translation of network messages, and a "booster shot" for autohosting. A new version of the AI software developer kit is also available. [Download - 8MB]


• Gamepedia 1.0 ($18) is a cataloging application for video and computer games that allows retrieval of game information from the internet via a search using keywords, an iSight camera, or a scanner. [Download - 3.1MB]


• Mini vMac 2.7.1 (unknown) updates the "miniature" Macintosh emulator, offering more advanced control of speed and superseding the previous "limit speed" option. Version 2.7.1 will no longer attempt to monopolize the processor. [Download - 36KB]


• Miyu 0.9.4 (unknown) is video subtitling and translation management software that provides the tools for scripting, timing, typesetting, and export. Features include playback with real-time preview, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) scripting/typesetting, and more. [Download - 2.2MB]


• SideTrack 1.3 ($15) updates the replacement driver for Apple PowerBook and iBook trackpads, offering support for the new USB trackpad hardware found in the 2005 PowerBooks and iBooks--including the latest October 2005 models. [Download - 760KB]


• SingleFramer 2.1 (free) is a frame-capture application designed to capture individual frames from a DV camera, either manually or automatically (time-lapse). Version 2.1 features "onion-skinning" to see an overlay of the previous frame as a shot is composed, as well as the ability to load an existing movie for matching a setup from a previous day. [Download - 2.7MB]

Apple execs sell more shares, reap profits

Apple executives this month sold more shares to reap the profits of Apple's late success. According to NASDAQ's insider trading list, company executives who sold shares this month include senior vice president Avie Tevanian, senior vice president Nancy Heinen, and senior vice president Ron Johnson. Tevanian has traded close to one million Apple shares, Heinen 225,000, and Johnson 400,000, according to a report from Macworld UK. In late October, Apple's chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer exercised 750,000 options--raking in $32 million, while at least four other senior company executives cashed in 100,000 or more options in recent months to gross millions of dollars as a result of Apple's booming success.

Cinema 4D 9.5 offers new shader

MAXON recently announced a free upgrade to CINEMA 4D 9.5 available for both 32 and 64-bit versions, its studio effects bundle for modelling, animation, and rendering. Version 9.5 offers changes to the "Content Browser" making it easier to use, expands drag-and-drop functionality, and provides an enhanced menu structure that improves efficiency. The update adds a new shader--the ChamLum shader--which illuminates the surface of objects with a soft, slightly fuzzy look. Additionally, a "Content Browser" library containing shaders, light setups and a bunch of useful "goodies" is available for free download. CINEMA 4D 9.5 requires Mac OS X 10.3, and is available for $700.

Briefly: iPod claims victim, Poptune 5G

In Brief: Apple has posted jobs for a retail store in Rome, Italy.... iSkin today announced its first ever "Black Friday" sale, offering various products in all sizes and colors.... The demand for Apple's iPods has helped UK cyclists' and motorists' retailer Halfords achieve £40 million profit.... Leaving out iTunes customers, Hutchison 3G UK will debut the video for the new single from James Blunt, featuring Mischa Barton of the hit TV show "The OC".... The success of Apple's iPod has forced out BenQ from the Taiwan music player market.... Tunewear has announced the Poptune 5G, its removable, wearable wrapper for iPod 5G series digital music players.... Storynory.com is offering for free a growing library of classic and original children's stories for iPod owners.

Traktor DJ Studio 3 on sale worldwide

Native Instruments yesterday announced that Traktor DJ Studio 3--its mixing software for DJs--is available in stores worldwide. Features include four playback decks, a suite of performance effects, an analog-modeled mixer section, a customizable user interface, and more. Traktor DJ Studio 3 allows DJs to browse and purchase the latest club music releases by offering access to the full catalog of Beatport, an online store for club music. Traktor DJ Studio 3 is available for $280, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9.

DEVONnote, CalcService, HotService updated...

DEVONtechnologies yesterday updated its intelligent notebook application--DEVONnote--to version 1.8, and released maintenance updates for its freeware services CalcService and HotService. DEVONnote 1.8 offers a new option to float main windows above all other windows, easing the drag-and-drop process from other applications and allowing whole groups to be dragged to the Finder. The update allows sorting items by comment, and the contextual menus of text views provide a "See Selected Text" command that lists other notes in the database related to a selected text passage. Document packages such as Keynote or OmniOutliner files are correctly imported as a whole, and double-clicking opens them in the default application for their type. Version 1.8 improves the overall accuracy of "See Also" as well as "Classify," and the application is further optimized for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger providing greater speed and stability. DEVONnote requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, and is available for $20. The update is free for all registered users.

Apple launches "Black Friday" sale...

Apple has launched its annual "Black Friday" sale, offering offering $101 savings on its iMac G5 and iBook G4 as well as $30 savings on JBL On Stage iPod Speakers (now $120 or $140 with remote) and $20 savings on JBL Creature II Speakers (now $80), which are available in white, red, black, and aluminum. Apple has discounted the Shure Sound Isolating Earphones: the E5C is now $300 ($100 discount); the Shure E4C is $240 ($60 discount); the Shure E3C is $140 ($40 off) and the Shure E2C is $80 ($20 off). Apple's AirPort Express is now $100 and the iSight Camera is $120, a $30 discount on each.