News Archive for 06/05/29

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Apps: CHUD Tools, DayLite, Headdress

05/29, 1:15pm

CHUD Tools, DayLite

Apple CHUD Tools 4.3.3 (free) updates Apple's set of applications and tools for measuring and optimizing software performance on Mac OS X. The latest iteration of CHUD offers improved code analysis, as well as enhanced support for Intel performance counters. [Download - 32.6MB]
DayLite 3.0.3 ($150) is a business productivity manager that offers "Heads Up Display" (HUD) functionality. The update offers improved performance for the report writer, as well as the ability to import projects or send a selected note as an email. [Download - 23.4MB]
Headdress 1.1 ($15) is designed to help users manage virtual hosting on Mac systems. Version 1.1 offers MAMP -- a standalone Mac installer for Apache, MySQL, and PHP -- and PHP support. Headdress 1.1 can also open the MAMP configuration file to host multiple sites through MAMP. [Download - 821KB]
Opera 9 beta 2 (free) brings a new account storage format to the Web browser software. Users installing over an existing profile will be prompted to convert all accounts to the new format. Opera 9 beta 2 is unable to store widget preferences via the widget.setPreferenceForKey method. [Download - [form, 4.4MB]]
iMaginator 2.4 ($50) updates the image processing and painting application, offering interoperability with Videator. Version 2.4 refines the Polka Dot plug-in offering anti-aliased edges, incorporates better memory usage, and offers faster library loading times. [Download - 10.8MB]

Podstar unveils Diablo iPod cases

05/29, 12:40pm

Diablo iPod cases unveiled

Podstar has unveiled the Podstar Diablo series for iPod video, a range of "devilish" body castings. "Available in 8 dastardly designs, each of these first-generation Podstars come with a unique personality that just screams with a melancholic but sensual anti-hero vibe." Each Podstar character includes an aluminum hook, a removable screen protector, and an individual Podstar ID. Characters include "Darkside," "Crimsomniek," "Nightstalker," "Garou," "Sideshow," "Big Top," "Reaper" (shown at right), and "Splatterfest." The cases are crafted from high-grade silicone, are compatible with both 30GB as well as 60GB fifth-generation models, and are shipping for $30. Cases featuring a sterling silver earring are also available for $33.

KeynotePro releases Palo Alto 2 Themes

05/29, 12:10pm

Palo Alto 2 Keynote Themes

KeynotePro has released Palo Alto 2 Themes, its technically minded, "bright and modern" approach of the original Palo Alto theme. The new theme offers a more flexible framework, additional master slide options, and HD variations. "Palo Alto 2 is a supremely adaptable general-purpose theme, with a clean, business-casual aesthetic - equally at home with shareholder reports and abstract art. The core of the design - sharp contrasts of color and whitespace, with a blend of reversed and neutral type - is surrounded by a visible framework of structure and subtle visual accents." Palo Alto 2 is available for download in a Pro Edition that includes Palo Alto 2 HD for $30, or in a bundle with two other Pro Edition themes for $75. A Standard edition which includes the standard 4:3 version is available for $20, or in a Bundle with two other themes for $50. Palo Alto 2 requires Keynote 3.0 or later, and the Helvetica Neue font face.

Octaga to release X3D plug-in

05/29, 11:45am

Octaga X3D plug-in

Octaga is developing an X3D plug-in for Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader that will allow any user to read and interact with 3D visualizations and virtual reality embedded in a PDF document. The software is designed to enable creative professionals to more quickly and cost-effectively collaborate on projects that require visualization with 3D, video, and audio. X3D is the ISO ratified 3D scene interchange format and runtime system for 3D visualization, virtual reality, and augmented reality (3D with text overlays, audio, and video). X3D supports several file format encodings and programming languages, providing interoperability of 3D data across diverse computing environments and great flexibility in manipulating, communicating and displaying scenes interactively. The Mac version is due to be released in the fall of 2006 (system requirements were unavailable).

BarracudaDrive 3.0 beta released

05/29, 11:35am

BarracudaDrive 3.0 beta

One Mac developer has released BarracudaDrive 3.0 beta, a free and secure multi-user Web-based file manager that does not require FTP access. The application includes a user editor and a database for restricting access, as well as a personal Web server. BarracudaDrive offers an integrated real-time chat server/client, an HTML editor, and HTTPS tunnels for securing other services such as telnet, FTP, VNC, or HTTP. The beta release adds WebDAV, and a set of extensions to the HTTP(S) protocol that allows a server to appear as a standard network drive. BarracudaDrive 3.0 beta is available for free, and requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

Free package manages raw file versions

05/29, 11:10am

Free package for raw files

Completedigitalphotography.com has posted a free set of utilities that enable Photoshop Camera Raw Mac users to manage multiple versions of a raw file. The Photoshop Camera Raw Version Control package is a set of simple "droplets" that allow users to create and delete new versions, specify any version as the current version, and automatically create batches of thumbnails or full resolution renderings of an entire set of versions. Users can also create additional, editable versions of any raw file, each of which can contain an entirely different set of raw conversion parameters. The packages includes two Automator actions that offer version control functions for Automator workflows, and the system makes it possible to switch back and forth between different sets of Camera Raw parameters at will (system requirements were unavailable).