Apps: SeaMonkey, Media Rage, iPodDisk

• Mozilla SeaMonkey 1.0 Beta (free) is an open-source Web-browser, email and newsgroup client, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client, and HTML editor. Version 1.0 Beta allows tabs to be rearranged via drag-and-drop, displays thumbnails of images in tabs, much faster back-button functionality, numerous additional bug fixes, and more. SeaMonkey 1.0 Beta requires any version of Mac OS X, with version 10.2 or later recommended. [Download - 13.3MB]


• Media Rage 2.0 ($30) is a collection of tools for media enthusiasts using Mac OS X. Media Rage can read and write information stored in MP3, AAC/MP4, FLAC, AIFF, WAVE, BWF, and Ogg Vorbis audio files as well as EXIF (read only) tags in digital images. The application can also assist with cataloging, organizing, sorting, and updating audio files. [Download - 2.7MB]


• MediaboardONE 1.4 Preview ($40) catalogs, accesses, and manages images and movies stored on hard disks, CDs, DVDs, and network servers. The preview release is designed to give an impression of the upcoming release of version 1.4 that will include over 30 new features, such as "Surveillance Folders" and improved keyword assignment. [Download - 4MB]


• iPodDisk 1.0 beta1 (free) updates the application designed to ease the process of copying music from iPods to Macs. Version 1.0 beta1 fixes a bug found in version 0.3.1 that prevented iPodDisk.app from being shared among accounts on a Mac when installed by the administrator, and on exit cleans up temporary files as well as release sources. [Download - 4.7MB]


• iPhoto Mini 1.0 (donationware) is a widget that allows users to browse a Mac's iPhoto library and select an album to view the photos contained therein. The widget also offers an album popup menu to display the number of photos each album contains. iPhoto Mini automatically scales images to fit inside its viewing area, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. [Download - 153KB]


• ColorUtility 1.3 (unknown) converts color information between Web/Hex, RGB, Integer, and CMYK. ColorUtility offers a standard Apple color picker with a color wheel allowing users to pick any arbitrary color, or use the magnifying tool to grab a color from anywhere on the screen to retrieve its values. Users can also load preferred CMYK ICC profiles to get more accurate CMYK conversions. [Download - 68KB]

MacNN this week: Apple's success...

Apple's success was reiterated on Monday: company executives have sold shares worth more than $322 million throughout the year, and TIME Magazine selected Steve Jobs as one of the "People who mattered" in 2005. Apple's website was confirmed to be the fastest growing site on the internet among the top brands during the month of November, with over 50 percent year-over-year growth. Apple quietly added ABC's new primetime Commander in Chief drama to its digital television show catalog on iTunes, after the network said it was working to bring more television content to iTunes by early 2006.

Briefly: MacNN review; video on Nano

In brief: MacNN has reviewed the EDGE Dock and Multi Flash Card Reader for iPod.... TheNewsTribune.com has summarized Apple's current position in the tech industry, noting the company's ups and downs along the way.... The columnist who suggested that Apple buy Palm earlier this week received heated reactions from Apple lovers, and has called Apple the world's only publicly traded religion.... Footage today surfaced of what appears to be an iPod nano playing video, while the MacNN forums are abuzz with discussions about possible implications.... Analysts, competitors, and Google customers say the company's customer service department is ill-equipped to handle its commercial ventures and huge customer base. [updated]

Forums: Intel iBooks, video on a Nano...

Discussion forums roundup: Mac users continued to discuss the future of the FireWire interface as the release of the first Intel Macs nears.... Some adventurous PowerBook owners discuss rearranging your keyboard to the Dvorak layout.... Potential iMac buyers consider waiting for the Intel version of the all-in-one computer or buying a current iMac G5.... Apple enthusiasts examine new rumors of 13.3" Intel iBooks arriving as soon as January.... iPod fans discuss playing videos on an iPod nano.

PowerMail 5.2.2 works with FoxTrot...

CTM Development today released PowerMail 5.2.2, updating the email client designed to fight spam with built-in filters and through integration with the SpamSieve anti-spam utility. Version 5.2.2 allows FoxTrot Personal Search to index active and archived databases, as well as attachments. The update contains the latest optimizations to the internal FoxTrot search engine, as well as the latest build of SpamSieve--a Bayesian spam filter. PowerMail's extras folder includes the MisFox utility, allowing users to set PowerMail as their default system-level email application without launching and configuring Apple's Mail client. PowerMail 5.2.2 requires Mac OS X 10.2 or later, and is priced at $60 for new customers. Upgrading from version 5.x is free, while PowerMail 3 and 4.x users can upgrade for $35.

iPod battery settlement finalized...

Disgruntled third-generation iPod owners looking for improved battery performance may be able to send the unit back to Apple for a replacement, or alternatively receive a store credit for $50 by mail under this week's finalized class action lawsuit settlement. Following the dismissal of an appeal that could have delayed claims for up to a year, the official website says that "Apple and the Settlement Administrator can move forward with claims administration and claims fulfillment." Deadlines relating to claim submissions have not changed, according to the website. The settlement was approved by a judge in August, who alleged that Apple misrepresented the iPod's battery life.

Unity 1.2 offers 3D game development...

OTEE today released Unity 1.2, an update to its 3D game editor with powerful cross-platform capabilities. Version 1.2 adds an easy-to-use framework for realtime full-screen graphics effects, utilizing the advanced shading engine and also also developers to render texture on materials. Other features include improvements to physics, a Ragdall Wicard, new scripts, a massive material refactor, and a new drop-in first person controller, enabling any scene to instantly be made into an FPS game or a walkthrough. It also offers previously unannounced features such as full-screen motion-blur and blob shadows.

iDive 1.5 features "Mosaic" for Tiger...

Aquafadas today released iDive 1.5, the latest version of its popular digital video cataloging and editing product. iDive l.5 features "Mosaic," a powerful new feature that allows users to create and share motion graphics from digital video footage in a matter of minutes. "Mosaic solves the main problem plaguing DV users: that their friends and families never see anything they‚ve shot on tape because video editing is too time consuming a task," says Matthieu Kopp, Aquafadas' CEO. "With Mosaic, iDive users now have a way to bypass video editing entirely, and as an alternative, automatically generate fun animations from their iDive DV catalogue. For busy people, that‚s a huge advantage: it moves their digital video from the shoebox to someone's inbox." The full version is $70, while the update is $30.

DayLite 1.9 utilizes phone dialer

Marketcircle today released DayLite 1.9, an update to its business relationship manager software. DayLite 1.9 enables users to create and store customized label templates for contacts, as well as the ability to leverage a third party phone dialer that can be used to make calls directly from the DayLite interface. The application integrates with Jon’s Phone Tool allowing users to place calls directly from the DayLite software via a Bluetooth mobile phone, Vonage, CallVantage, Skype, and other IP phone connections. Jon's Phone Tool allows users to log the details of the call, classify the call and schedule follow up activities. The software also features OpenBase 9.1.1, offering performance gains of up to 30 percent in select areas of the application. DayLite 1.9 is available for $150 and Mac OS X 10.3.

Apple offers refurb iBooks, Mac minis

While not available for holiday delivery, Apple has added more Macs to the refurbished section of its online store. Apple has added several iBooks and Mac minis as well as the 1GB iPod shuffle to its refurbished Mac inventory--in addition to the 12-, 15-, and 17-inch PowerBook models noted previously. Refurbished 12-inch 1.2GHz iBooks with 256 of RAM and CD drive are available for $700 or for $720 (with AirPort Extreme networking). A refurbished current generation machine (1.33GHz/Combo/512MB/40GB) with both Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme wireless networking is only $800. The larger 14-inch iBooks with built-in AirPort Extreme are available for $900 (1.33GHz/Combo), $1000 (1.33GHz/SuperDrive), and $1050 (1.42GHz/SuperDrive along with 512MB/Bluetooth, etc.) In addition, Apple is offering a refurbished 1GB iPod shuffle for just $100, while the smaller 512MB version is $80. In addition, three new Mac mini configs are available with CD for $430 (1.25GHz/40GB) and $520 (1.42GHz/80GB) as well as with a SuperDrive for $600 (1.42GHz/80GB). Free overnight shipping is available on all systems through December 31, 2005.

Widget Machine holiday widget bundle

Widget Machine today announced a discounted bundle of its shareware widgets for the holidays. The bundle includes NotePad, an advanced "stickies" type widget with search, resize, and print functions; VoiceNotes, a voice sticky recording utility; Statosphere, a graphical representation of your Mac's vital signs; and FTP Drop which provides an easy, drag and drop method of uploading files to servers. Widget Machine also offers numerous freeware widgets, including the official Macworld widget which fetches the latest news and content from Macworld.com. Additional free widgets include the official MacUpdate widget which obtains the latest software updates from the update site with built-in search functionality, as well as FlipClock, a customizable alternative to Apple's world clock. The discounted bundle is available for $13 from WidgetMachine.com.