Briefly: Apple press event at Photokina...

In Brief: MacNN has reviewed BeLight Software's Disc Cover, allowing users to create personalized designs and add custom text while printing directly onto CD/DVD media as well as labels..... Apple for the first time will be attending Photokina, the Cologne-based photography show that takes place from September 26th to October 1st, and will hold a special Apple presentation on the eve of the event.... A new report suggests that Dell and its manufacturing partner Sony knew about a battery design flaw since last October, which ultimately lead to a massive recall of certain lithium-ion portable batteries that could ignite or cause an explosion.... Microsoft has announced that its Zune player as of now will not support Audible audio books, but may support such content in the future following discussions currently underway. [corrected]

Apple announces 2006 Apple Scholars

Apple has announced the 2006 Apple Scholars, selecting "ten winners out of an overwhelming number of applicants," according to the company's webpage. The program selected the 10 college-bound high school students based on each student's innovative use of technology in academics. The winners included Nick Biere, John Coburn, Michelle Crowther, Paul Ginart, Vicki Hsu, Mitchell Murphy Raj Ranade, Zoe Ross-Silverman, Lauren Williamson, and Muthanna Yacoub. Apple, however, did not provide any highlights or details on their use of technology. The company will give each winner a MacBook Pro, iPod nano, and $2000 cash as they head to campus this fall.

Iomega debuts 120GB portable drive

Iomega today launched two high-capacity Portable Hard Drive (site not updated) in 80GB and 120GB capacities offering host-powered operation with "Drop Shock" technology. The Iomega Portable Hard Drive Hi-Speed USB 2.0/FireWire drives feature a sleek metallic industrial design with a thickness of 0.5-inches. The drives weigh less than six ounces, and each easily fit into a shirt pocket. Both drives come with EMC Retrospect Express backup and disaster recovery software -- which is Mac compatible -- to deliver automated backups. The Iomega dual interface Portable Hard Drive utilizes a 2.5-inch hard drive spinning at 5,400rpm, and each drive ships with USB 2.0 as well as FireWire 400 cables. The drives are priced at $170 and $220 for 80GB and 120GB capacities, respectively. Iomega Portable hard drives require Mac OS X 10.1 or later.

Nasdaq unlikely to delist Apple

Despite Nasdaq's warning of delisting as a result of late quarterly earnings reports, Apple and more than a dozen other companies won't likely see removal from the ticker tape. Delisted stocks trade on the OTC Bulletin Board or have their prices quoted on unregulated "Pink Sheets," are far less liquid, and frequently see higher asking prices with lower selling prices, according to the Associated Press. Experts say larger companies are unlikely to be delisted, however. "The perception is that if you're big enough, like so many things, you are more or less in the driver's seat," said Maureen O'Hara, a professor of management at Cornell University's business school. Fannie Mae, which finances one of every five home loans in the United States, has failed to comply with New York Stock Exchange listing standards since 2004, and has yet to be delisted.

SOHO Notes 5.6 manages clippings

Chronos also updated SOHO Notes 5.6, its note manager for Mac OS X and the official successor to StickyBrain. This new version makes it easier than ever for users to get organized, by allowing users to manage clippings in DockNote's clipboard recorder. DockNote records all activity to the system-wide clipboard so users can go back and re-use information they previously copied to the clipboard. Users can now open, edit, and delete clippings in the clipboard to better manage them. Users can also now create notes from clippings in the clipboard recorder, and it now supports multiple blogging accounts (as well as adds support for different types of authentication). Chronos SOHO Notes is $40 a and is available directly from Chronos. Registered StickyBrain 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x customers can upgrade to SOHO Notes 5.6 for $25. It requires Mac OS X v10.4.7 or later.

Chronos releases SOHO Organizer 5.6

Chronos today released SOHO Organizer 5.6, an update to its personal and business productivity suite. SOHO Organizer, designed for both individual and workgroup use, is a complete rewrite of the former Personal and Group Organizer products that it replaces. The free update adds new "Mini-Months in Day View," which contains a mini-month region where one or more mini-months can be displayed. A mini-month shows a complete month calendar at a glance so users can quickly view a specific date in the Day View. In addition, SOHO Organizer can now search for duplicate contacts and gives the user three options when duplicates are found and allows users to define custom field display order for each contact to offer more consistent entry of user information. SOHO Organizer 5.6 also includes the ability to duplicate events or tasks, a progress bar when importing vCards, and more. A 30-day trial of the $100 application is available online. It requires Mac OS X v10.4.7 or later and is a Universal application.

MGM Studios adds Stargate to iTunes

MGM Studios today announced that it will add the Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis TV shows to Apple's iTunes Music Store. MGM's addition bolsters the already swelling collection of content driving the market-leading digital media storefront, providing consumers with audio and video content playable on Apple's iPod digital media players. The first five episodes of season 10 of Stargate SG1, as well as the first five episodes of season 3 of Stargate Atlantis are scheduled to be available for download via iTunes starting today, according to the Associated Press. Subsequent episodes for both series will be available for purchase within 24 hours of their airing on the Sci Fi Channel.

Microsoft to push Vista incentives...

Microsoft said it will request that PC makers offer upgrade incentives to shoppers in an effort to avoid slow holiday sales. Retailers worry that sales of systems loaded with Windows XP will slip in the fourth quarter of 2006 prior to the launch of Windows Vista, which is slated for shipment for consumers in January of 2007, according to a report from Taipei. Customers will likely hold out for PCs bundled with the new operating system, rather than make a purchase prior to Vista's release with Windows XP pre-loaded on the computer. "We'll encourage our partners to provide incentives to promote the sales," said Alex Huang, regional director of Greater China for Microsoft. PC shoppers who buy a system in the fourth quarter of 2006 are to receive a coupon good for an upgrade to Windows Vista, once it is available.

iSale offers customizable templates

Equinux today released iSale 3.2, updating the Apple Design Award-winning eBay auction software allowing users to create custom templates for auctions. Custom background images, text boxes, picture zones, and more are configurable with step-by-step instructions added to the user manual. iSale 3.2 also offers additional built-in templates of themed layouts for listings focused on automotive, sports, DVD, and numerous other categories. The update also includes adjustments to the eBay Style Preview to correctly display auctions, as well as an improved CSV Import function allowing Mac OS X 10.3.9 users to accurately import data. iSale 3.2 is priced at $40, with upgrades for iSale 3 users available for free. The software requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.

"Woz" to judge app design contest...

A software developer today announced "My Dream App," a competition inviting participants to submit their ideas for a "killer" application. Forty popular Mac developers, well-known bloggers, established members of the tech media, user-interface designers, and Apple alumni have joined the My Dream App contest as guest judges to provide critique on finalist entries. Judges include Digg.com founder Kevin Rose, New York Times columnist David Pogue, former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Contestants are to compete for a chance to have their idea realized as a Macintosh shareware application while earning royalties on software sales. The contest is also offering numerous Mac and iPod prizes to finalists. "It's always fun when someone innovates in the computer world. My Dream App is doing that by turning software design and development on its head. It's going to be interesting to see how this all turns out," Wozniak said.

Adesso's SlimMedia Mini, BlueIce...

Adesso today debuted its SlimMedia Mini keyboard and BlueIce USB optical mouse for use with Mac systems. The Mac SlimMedia Mini keyboard boasts membrane key switches to deliver a crisp, responsive touch for faster typing. The keyboard's integrated multimedia hotkeys offer intuitive, one-button control of audio playback and Web browsing. SlimMedia Mini keyboard features include a slim compact design, multimedia controls, bus powered USB with two downstream ports, and compatibility with Mac OS 9 as well as Mac OS X. The BlueIce mouse features 800dpi resolution, a blue LED on the scrolling wheel, and a three-button design that is fully programmable. The SlimMedia Mini keyboard is priced at $30, while the BlueIce USB optical mouse is available for $18. [images included]

iPods, Gadgets on the front lines...

The increase in compact consumer electronics has spurred a growing presence of media players on the front lines of modern warfare. Ars Technica offers commentary from soldiers on the front lines of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan about technology they brought with them to the front lines. "The soldiers that we talked to all agreed that iPods, DVD players, and digital cameras were omnipresent." wrote Ars Technica. Many soldiers bring along their iPods, Web cams, computers, and portable DVD players for their time on the battlefront. The U.S. troops also share stories about hooking up MP3 Players to radio towers on bases, according to the report. [iPod image from Iraq included]

Malik: Apple should acquire YouTube

Apple should purchase YouTube -- a video hosting service, according to one columnist, because the purchase would allow the company to tap into user-created content as well as online ad revenue streams. Apple is one of the leading sellers of direct video downloads, but its current model depends primarily on commercial programming that limits the accessibility and desirability of playing videos on an iPod. A large collection of videos would be prohibitively expensive, according to Electronista, but Steve Jobs purchasing YouTube would change that situation dramatically.

SplashID for Enterprise, Gov released

SplashData today released the Enterprise and Government Edition of SplashID to securely organize and manage sensitive records. SplashID allows users to keep passwords, logins, and other sensitive information in a secure location that is accessible from work, home, and while traveling. The software enables users to easily create strong passwords, prevents users from printing lists of passwords, and allows companies to add their own branding to application screens. The latest edition features 256-bit Blowfish encryption, a masking feature, and a random password generator to securely store data on mobile devices. SplashID Enterprise and Government Edition is available on a site license or per-seat basis, with five- and 10-license packages priced at $130 and $220, respectively. The software requires Mac OS X 10.1 or later.

NI unveils Audio Kontrol 1 interface...

Native Instruments today unveiled the Audio Kontrol 1, a compact high-performance USB 2.0 audio interface designed to address the typical needs of many musicians, producers, and DJs. Audio Kontrol features 24-bit/192 kHz Cirrus Logic converters, while Native Instruments' third-generation USB 2.0 audio driver technology ensures low-latency operation down to 4ms on both Mac and Windows systems. The audio interface includes a 2-in/4-out configuration with a microphone preamp, as well as a "Hi-Z" instrument input and headphone amp. Audio Kontrol 1 is slated for shipment in October of 2006 for $300, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Apps: MultiMode, Guest PC, FileUtilsCM

• MultiMode 5.8 ($90) allows users to decode messages or transmit their own Morse code, RTTY, FAX, SSTV, SITOR-B, NAVTEX, PACKET, ACARS, PSK31, ALE, and other codes on their Mac without any extra hardware. Version 5.8 adds tuning indicators previously missing from several modes, improved macros support for text transmission, enhanced SSTV mode, and several bug fixes and performance enhancements. Multimode OS X requires Mac OS X 10.1 or later, while an older version for Mac OS 9 is still available. [Download - 899KB]


• Guest PC 1.9.6 ($70) is a Mac OS X application that enables users to create and manage a virtual x86 system on a PPC Mac including support for many version of Microsoft Windows. This update adds fixes to crashes released to drag and drop and exiting Guest PC while improving networking, enhancing video native resolution modes, adding more USB device support, and adding better overall stability and performance. This update is free to Guest PC customers and 50% off to Blue Label PowerEmulator. Mac OS X 10.3 or later running on a G3, G4, or G5 Mac is required. [Download - Store]


• SlimBatteryMonitor 1.4 (free) is a compact battery and UPS monitor which is up to 70% smaller than Apple's monitor. Offering features such as a dynamically adjusting appearance based on current battery use, charging status, and the ability to disappear when running off AC with a full charged battery. The new version adds a slimmer shape that incorporates information about percentage charge or time remaining with text into the graphic, while adding supports text-only display, and support for Intel-based Mac as a Universal Binary. Version 1.4 requires a compatible computer (iBook, PowerBook, MacBook and MacBook Pro) running Mac OS X 10.3 or later. [Download - 512KB]


• FileUtilsCM 1.7 (free) allows users to access the look setting, copy the link to, lock, or set write/read-only access to Finder items (folders, files, etc.) from with a contextual menu. Version 1.7 adds support for Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary, allows Unix level setting of read and write access, removal of resource fork, clear "execute" Unix command, and support for Unix attributes within the info window. Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later is requires. [Download - 218KB]


• LinkAssistant 2.3.2 ($100) allows users to build link making environments which combine all the necessary tools for a successful link building campaign to improve search engine ranking and statistics. LinkAssistant 2.3.2 gives users several of easy-to-use, yet powerful SEO tools to seamlessly manage their link building campaigns by improving Google rankings and driving more targeted traffic to their site. Mac OS X 10.3 or later is required with Java Runtime Enviroment 1.4 or later. [Download - 4.2MB]

Briefly: UnBox Amazon, Photoshop World

In brief: Amazon may soon enter the digital movie download market, following a number of references to a new brand "Unbox Video" appearing on the e-tailer's website.... Photoshop world conference, a trade show for Photoshop-related products, announced that it is sold out of tickets, but said it will open its doors for free to the public on September 8th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.... FuzzMeasure Pro, an audio and acoustical measurement tool designed for Mac OS X which received the Apple Design Award for best scientific computer solution has announced a price drop to $125.... DropShots has announced audio and video commenting between friends and family members on shared media.

Excalibur: Morgana's Revenge final beta

An open-source project to bring Excalibur: Morgana's Revenge to the Aleph One engine has announced that the final beta has been completed and is available for testing. Excalibur: Morgana's Revenge is a total conversion of the legendary game Marathon and adds new maps and physics to the Marathon engine. Also included in this game are hi-res wall textures, 16-bit sounds, high-quality original music, and several new special features using Aleph One's MML and Lua scripting languages. This release follows where the previous release, Devil in a Blue Dress, left off continuing the story by reacquainting the player with Al Merlin. The Excalibur: Morgana's Revenge story is spread across 41 solo levels and also delivers 26 multiplayer levels. As an open-source project, the game will be free during beta and as a final release. It requires Mac OS X 10.2 or later. [Download - 190MB]

QuickerTek's 5.5dBi antenna for MBP

QuickerTek has announced a version of its popular 5.5dBi antenna line for Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro. This antenna, which more than doubles the wireless signal strength and range, features 5.5dbi gain signal strength. According to the company, users can expect both a gain in the wireless range and in the signal-to-noise ratio, giving a stronger (faster) wierless signal. "Our new 5.5dBi MacBook Pro Antenna is just what Apple's faster laptops need to stay ahead of lesser Intel hardware. Double signal strength and range means that our customers can sit much further away from the Base Station or other wireless access point hardware, you're 'more mobile,'" according to the company. The 5.5dBi Antenna for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is backed with a one-year warranty on parts and labor and is availalble now for $100.