IK Multimedia ships SampleTank 2.1...

IK Multimedia has released SampleTank 2.1, an upgrade for the industry-standard sample workstation plug-in that comes complete with enhanced application features and an enlarged 2 DVD sound set. Offering 2GB of additional new material, more than 1,700 sounds and a total of 6.5GB of samples on 2 DVDs, the new SampleTank 2.1 features more multi-sampled instruments, loops, phrases, percussion, traditional instruments, world percussion loops and a wider range of electronic and acoustic instruments in every category and style. Version 2.1 is also now available as a stand-alone application and features ability to create complex 16-part splits and layers with new Range controls. SampleTank 2.1 XL is $500/€420, while SampleTank 2.1 L is $300/€250.

Briefly: Nano no. 1; Tiger book nixed

In brief: The iPod nano has been crowned the MP3 player of the year by UK's Stuff magazine on gadgets and gear technology.... The author of "Essential Mac OS X Server Administration" has cancelled the Tiger edition.... Nikkipod.com is offering all Nikkipod cases for $12.... NewerTech's miniStack for the Mac Mini has been named accessory of the year.... As the podcast revolution grows, private podcasts and vidcasting are expected to be the next big thing.... O'Reilly Digital Media has released five excerpts from the "iPod and iTunes Hacks" book by Hadley Stern.

Apple: both a winner, loser in 2005...

Apple was dubbed both a winner and a loser in 2005 by PC World. Looking at the Winners and Losers 2005, Dan Tynan said the company announced innovative products all year: "Apple started the year with the Mac Mini, a pint-size $499 Macintosh sans monitor, and ended it with the long-awaited video-enabled IPod. In between, Apple announced it would start using Intel chips in its new line of Macs. The first Intel-based Macs should debut at around the same time as Windows Vista, which could lead to the first serious OS competition since, oh, 1989. All in all, a very good year in Apple-achia." The magazine also called Apple's iTunes a winner, offering kudos to Apple for clinging to the $1-per-song pricing, despite tremendous pressure from the labels. However, the column challenges the company--along with CEO Steve Jobs--for its efforts to control the press and for taking Mac rumors sites to court.

Apple to sell podcasts via iTunes?...

Apple may begin selling subscriptions to podcasts via its popular iTunes service begining as early next year. Although Apple currently offers a full podcast directory, all of the listed content--from both individuals and growing number of companies--is available for free; however, that may change soon. According to a Macworld UK report, Apple will begin offering fee-based podcasts through iTunes in early 2006. The report draws from a press release from a new company--called What I Want Podcasting--that promises to offer podcasts for sale through iTunes "in the very near future." The company says it will offer live performance footage from the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival which takes place in late January 2006.

Briefly: Apple Store Widget; Apple promo

In brief: Apple has released its Apple Store Event Widget, allowing users to download the schedule of free workshops and events at their local Apple retail store.... Nzal Marketing is launching an Apple Education promo exclusively for the University of the Philippines, entitling any bonafide instructor, staff and students of the University to enjoy special discounts through the end of the year.... Vice President Dick Cheney's iPod was prioritized over reporters' need to file their stories on a recent trip back from the Middle East.... Apple's iPod is among The Best Tech Gifts of 2005, according to TheStreet.com's Cody Willard.

Sixth lawsuit filed over Nano scratches...

Another disgruntled iPod nano owner has filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple over scratches to her the player, according to The Advocate. Apple is apparently attempting to consolidate this and five other similar lawsuits in California, New York and New Jersey. "Emily Mayo of Baton Rouge is taking one of the world's biggest computer makers to court -- over some scratches. Mayo claims the abrasions have snuffed the life from her iPod nano, and is suing Apple Computer in Baton Rouge federal court, alleging its popular petite digital music player's design is knowingly flawed." The class-action lawsuit claims the Nanos scratch excessively with normal usage, rendering their full-color display screens unreadable.

Production for Mactel laptops set?

Apple has apparently chosen Quanta and Asustek as original design manufacturers (ODMs) for its new line of Intel-based notebook computers. Quanta is expected to manufacture Apple's high-end PowerBook line, while Asustek will produce Apple's entry-level iBooks, according to a report from emsnow. The report says that Apple is expected to unveil its Intel-based Macs at the MacWorld Expo during the second week of January, and rumors suggest that some of the first Macs to feature Intel processors will be notebooks, as well as a revamped Mac Mini. Recently, specifications and performance statistics surfaced for Intel "Yonah" processors, the chips which are widely believed to be a likely candidate for Apple's first-generation Intel Macs.

Apple rejoins Forbes' Platinum 400

Apple is among the winners in Forbes' Platinum 400 list of America's best big companies that outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 12 months. Ranked No. 4 in stock return over the past year--behind SanDisk (memory), Holly (Oil & Gas), and Valero (Oil & Gas)--Apple's stock is up 103 percent since 2004, due in large part to sales of its popular iPod music and video player, which helped Apple's revenue increase 68 percent, to $13.9 billion, in its 2005 fiscal year that ended in September. After a year of absence, Apple rejoined the Platinum 400 for 2005, according to the report. It is the third time Apple has made the list. Apple led the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry with a five-year return of nearly 50 percent, outpacing its competitor Dell (6.3 percent return) and industry heavyweight Cisco (-19.2 percent) as well as the industry average of just under 10 percent. Apple was No. 19 when ranked for its 5-year total return.

Yahoo streams CBS sitcoms...

Yahoo today announced that it is streaming two episodes from each of the CBS' comedies "Two and a half men" and "How I met your mother" for free via its website. Pushing the envelope for online video distribution, the move could help lure potential video-viewers to Yahoo rather than the iTunes Music Store. iTunes began offering video content to consumers for $2 per episode with the debut of Apple's fifth-generation video-capable iPod in October and has also been recently offering free videos to attract potential purchasers. In early November CBS revealed that it had been in talks with Apple to offer its content via iTunes after rival network ABC made several hit shows available through the online store.

24U SimpleCode Plug-in for FileMaker 7

24U Software today released 24U SimpleCode Plug-in 2.0, designed to correct badly imported characters from FileMaker 6 Pro and call old-style external functions with custom, non-English encodings. The plug-in requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later, and FileMaker Pro 7. A one-user license for 24U SimpleCode Plug-in 2.0 is available for $40, with licenses thereafter priced at $10. Upgrading from the previous version is $30 for the first time, or $10 thereafter. Developers can purchase a license to bundle the plugin with their software for $320.

Small Tree tunes Gigabit networks

Small Tree Communications today announced that it is using Sustainable Softworks' IPNetTunerX application to increase latency and improve system performance in its Intel GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) product line. The announcement follows the introduction of Small Tree Gigabit card support into IPNetTuner, an application designed to optimize and measure the internet performance of Mac OS X systems. "System tuning is vital to reducing latency in cluster operations," said Corky Seeber, president of Small Tree Communications. "Typically, if a user is trying to create a cluster over their gigabit network, they want to disable interrupt coalescing, which will interrupt the CPU for each packet that arrives."

Eltima offers advanced Flash player...

Eltima Software has released SWF Movie Player, a free, small and streamlined Flash player for Mac OS that offers many unique and convenient extensions, such as zooming, playlist, SWF Info, and standard movie controls. Described as having "everything which standard Flash lacks," the software is based on the standard Macromedia Flash player for Mac OS X. SWF Movie Player brings advanced features that enables users to play, rewind, fast-forward and preview SWF files frame-by-frame, and also create and manage playlists, zoom movies in/out, fit to current window size or restore to original one, set playback quality, control Flash security, check SWF file's comprehensive information and lots more. It is free and runs on Mac OS X 10.2 or later.