PIXELS:3D 5.5 supports Intel-based Macs

Pixels Digital has released PIXELS:3D 5.5, a new version of its three-dimensional image rendering and design application. The updated version is a Universal Binary application capable of running natively on PowerPC and Intel-based Macs, adds new NURBS curves, supports ambient lighting, Volumetric scattering, indirect diffuse lighting, OpenEXR output and more. It also features faster OBJ and 3ds support, a more native Mac OS X native look and feel (Quartz fonts, system dialogs), support for Mac OS X's native Tcl Framework and its private Opus framework, adjustable samples for soft raytraced shadows, and improved pixel filtering, faster rendering (raytracing, depth of field, etc.). LogoMaker also now works with Illustrator 8 files. Upgrades are $50, while the full version is $150.

PopCopy 2 improves copy/paste functions

The American Balloon has released PopCopy 2, a menubar application that tracks the history of any and all text, images, or files that have been copied to the clipboard. Users can select an item by pressing a user-defined (by default Command+Shift+V) hotkey combination, which presents the user with a menu to choose a previously copied item, and when the hotkey is released, places this item into the clipboard, and pastes it into the frontmost app. Version 2, completely rewritten, sports new features such as customizable hotkeys, a new hotkey interface which lets the user preview three items at once, and better item previewing in the menubar, offering a submenu with the full path of a file, a larger preview of an image, or a longer preview of text. PopCopy 2 also adds support for text from Microsoft Office. It is available for $14.

The Omni Group releases OmniDazzle 1.0

The Omni Group has released OmniDazzle 1.0, a set of fun and useful enhancements that help users highlight certain areas of your screen, create special effects, and track the location of your mouse pointer. "By allowing you to manipulate your screen, OmniDazzle offers practical features for doing presentations, taking screen shots, focusing on specific tasks, and adding visual information to your desktop," the company said. With OmniDazzle, plug-ins can be activated to professionally emphasize a section of your screen, or turn your mouse movement into an area of focus that trails visual effects across your desktop. Each plug-in can be configured to suit your own particular preferences: change colors, make objects bigger or smaller, or change the way you activate the OmniDazzle plug-in of your choice. It is available for $15.