EyeTV 2.3.1 improves GUI, more

Elgato has released a maintenance update to its Personal Video Recorder (PVR) software: EyeTV 2.3.1, the software for its EyeTV hardware devices (and some third-party devices), allows users to record TV/cable, pause any video feed, organize/edit clips, and more. Already comppatible with the Apple Remote (and integrated with Front Row software), the update brings an updated graphical user interface used in the “Full Screen Menu"--now designed to complement Apple’s Front Row application. It also improves integration by updating the way users enter/exit EyeTV’s full screen menu and allows users to change the order in which recordings are displayed. EyeTV 2.3.1, a free update for registered users ov v2, is a Universal Binary and requires a G4/500MHz or faster running Mac OS X v10.4 or later.

Foxconn's parent reports 43% profit jump

Hon Hai Precision Industry, the parent company of Apple's iPod manufacturing partner Foxconn, achieved a 43 percent gain in second quarter profit on demand for music players and mobile phones. Bloomberg says that new income climbed to NT$12.8 billion ($388 million) from NT$8.9 billion a year earlier. (According to the report, the earnings were derived by by subtracting first-quarter earnings from six-month figures released by the company today; however, the company could not firm the numbers.) In addition to manufacturing iods, the company is presently vying for Apple's laptop business and also boosted earnings by supplying parts for Motorola Inc.'s Razr phone and Sony Corp.'s PlayStation consoles. In the first six months, net income climbed 40 percent to NT$22.8 billion from a year earlier. Sales expanded 30 percent to NT$359.5 billion, according to the report. Hon Hai's subsidiary Foxconn today reduced the amount of damages it was seeking from two journalists in connection with a lawsuit over a story about iPod factory working conditions.

mProjector 2R10 offers Intel playback...

Screentime Media today announced mProjector 2R10 for Mac OS and Windows, its tool for fast, powerful application development in Flash. The company says it is the only way to create applications with "Flash Shaped" windows: mProjector extends the power of Flash by adding new ActionScript classes directly into Flash and allows users to build applications within Flash, from a command line, or from the mProjector standalone application. 2R10 now offers native Intel-based Mac OS X playback, drag & drop support, command line building from Eclipse or Flex and integration into the Flash IDE for rapid application development.

Briefly: Apple Event, Mac Pro RAM

In brief: Apple has confirmed plans to hold a special event on September 14, coinciding with rumors of an Apple movie store launch in that time period.... Other World computing has announced price reductions on its Mac Pro RAM kits now starting at $500 for a 2GB upgrade kit.... MacNN Blogger Neo has found a trademark filing by Apple for the term Boot Camp with some far-reaching descriptions.... Mac GUI has released a new suite of free web tools and services designed specifically for Mac OS X users.... Layers magazine has announced the close of applications for its MacBook Pro sweepstakes now scheduled to close 11:55PM (GMT-5) on September 1st -- the winner receives a MacBook Pro loaded with Bootcamp, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows XP and the entire Creative Suite 2 from Adobe.

DUPE apps

• ToDo X 2.1 ($15) is a todo list application which supports multiple to-do lists and allows a to-do item to appear in more than one list with unlimited attached notes including clickable URLs, alongside items can which can copied, linked or moved among lists via drag-and-drop. Version 2.1 adds "Page Setup" options, new Import capabilities, and several minor user-interface refinements and performance tweaks. ToDo X is a Universal Binary compatible with Mac OS X 10.2, 10.3 and 10.4. [Download - 564KB]


• UltraToolBar 2.0 ($50) is a "toolbars made simple" plug-in for REALbasic, allowing users to easily add working cross-platform toolbars to their applications created with REALbasic. Version 2.0 adds a rewritten drawing algorithm for toolbar buttons, improved support for both composite and non-composite window, support for minimum width properties, implementation of LVStatusBars, and several minor bug fixes. UltraToolBar requires REALbasic 2006 Release 3 (or newer) Standard or Professional running under any version of Mac OS X. [Download - 141KB]


• BookSmart 1.3 (Pay to Publish) is a book creation tool designed to help writers express their text creatively with an designed page layout or text formatting; allowing users to publish their books for various prices relative to page count. Version 1.3 enables BookSmart users to use any font installed on their computers and offers a new vertical book option specifically designed to showcase business books and blogs, full bleed dust jackets, and four new ready-to-customize cookbook themes. BookSmart 1.3 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later running on a 1GHz or faster G3-. G4-, G5-, or Intel-based Mac. [Download - 18.4MB]


• Daylite Productivity Suite 3.1.2 ($200) is a management utility designed to help users manage their projects and day-to-day scheduling with the ability to create calendars, support for Palm and BlackBerry devices, contact management, and large project management. The update adds the ability to control the number of recent items, support for contextual menus, an improved global search feature, enhanced support for placeholder items, and fixes several minor bugs. Daylite is a Universal Binary requires Mac OS X 10.4.5 of later running on any Mac 1 GHz or faster. [Download - 24.3MB]


• TimeCache 6.1.4 ($50) is a utility which tracks the users time and expenses on billable projects; users enter time and expenses in a Daily Log which is like an electronic timesheet. Version 6.1.4 adds support for resizing columns, improved support for selecting and editing entries with mouse clicks, improvements for languages that use non-Roman glyphs, and fixes several minor bugs offering over stability and performance improvements. TimeCache requires Mac OS X 10.2 or higher. [Download - 4.7MB]

Apps: ToDo X, UltraToolBar, BookSmart

• ToDo X 2.1 ($15) is a "todo" list application which supports multiple to-do lists and allows a to-do item to appear in more than one list; it also supports unlimited attached notes including clickable URLs, items can which can copied, linked or moved among lists via drag-and-drop. Version 2.1 adds "Page Setup" options, new Import capabilities, and several minor user-interface refinements and performance tweaks. ToDo X is a Universal Binary compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 or later. [Download - 564KB]


• UltraToolBar 2.0 ($50) is a "toolbars made simple" plug-in for REALbasic, allowing developers to easily add working cross-platform toolbars to their applications created with REALbasic. Version 2.0 adds a rewritten drawing algorithm for toolbar buttons, improved support for both composite and non-composite window, support for minimum width properties, implementation of LVStatusBars, and several minor bug fixes. UltraToolBar requires REALbasic 2006 Release 3 (or newer) Standard or Professional running under any version of Mac OS X. [Download - 141KB]


• BookSmart 1.3 (Pay to Publish) is a book creation tool designed to help writers express their text creatively with an designed page layout or text formatting; allowing users to publish their books for various prices relative to page count. Version 1.3 enables BookSmart users to use any font installed on their computers and offers a new vertical book option specifically designed to showcase business books and blogs, full bleed dust jackets, and four new ready-to-customize cookbook themes. BookSmart 1.3 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later running on a 1GHz or faster G3-. G4-, G5-, or Intel-based Mac. [Download - 18.4MB]


• Daylite Productivity Suite 3.1.2 ($200) is a management utility designed to help users manage their projects and day-to-day scheduling; it offers the ability to create calendars, support for Palm and BlackBerry devices, contact management, and large project management. The update adds the ability to control the number of recent items, support for contextual menus, an improved global search feature, enhanced support for placeholder items, and fixes several minor bugs. Daylite is a Universal Binary requires Mac OS X 10.4.5 of later running on any Mac 1 GHz or faster. [Download - 24.3MB]


• TimeCache 6.1.4 ($50) is a utility which tracks the users time and expenses on billable projects; users enter time and expenses in a Daily Log which is like an electronic timesheet. Version 6.1.4 adds support for resizing columns, improved support for selecting and editing entries with mouse clicks, improvements for languages that use non-Roman glyphs, and fixes several minor bugs offering over stability and performance improvements. TimeCache requires Mac OS X 10.2 or higher. [Download - 4.7MB]

CrossOver beta released for Mac

Codeweavers has released a free beta of CrossOver for Mac, its utility for Windows application 'emulation' within Mac OS X. The utility allows Windows application to run independently inside of Mac OS X without using Windows itself, i.e., users of Codeweavers' CrossOver do not have to install Windows on the machine in order to run the programs; eliminating one of the needs of previous solutions such as Apple's BootCamp or Parallels. The beta runs certain applications on the compatibility list without restriction for 60 days. CrossOver for Mac OS X will work on any Intel-based Mac running any (Universal) version of Mac OS X.

Robot-based iPod speaker system

A Japan-based company has released an innovative way to listen to music stored on an iPod throughout the users house, reports Electronista. The new company, ZMP, and established stereo manufacturer Kenwood have released Miuro, a robot which features an integrated iPod dock and Kenwood speakers. The small robot has two wheels which allow it to move from room to room broadcasting music from the docked iPod. The robot not only takes connects to an iPod for music playback, but can also broadcast wireless streams from computer programs such as iTunes. Miuro features a small camera and various sensors to plot out routes. The Miuro is priced at $1000 (USD) in Japan and aims to sell the robot internationally in the second half of 2007.

SMS message2net goes "Universal"

Nova media today debuted version 1.2 of message2net, a Universal Binary application for SMS and phonebook management. Message2net allows users to send, receive and manage SMS-messages on a Mac OS X computer using a connected mobile phone to transmit or receive the SMS-messages; i supports advanced features such as multipart-SMS, group-SMS and direct access to Address Book. Also included in the message2net package is a phonebook management utility which allows users to edit contact information stored on SIM-cards. Users can also transfer their contact information directly of the SIM-card to Apple's Address Book application. "We are unhappy with the lack of Mac OS X support of the mobile phone manufacturers and hope to fill the gap with our solutions." explained Jan Fuellemann of nova media. Version 1.2 reworks the mobile phone connection method to improve stability and performance while offering support for generic Bluetooth pairing, more SIM-card support, and improved message formatting and time information. Message2net requires Mac OS X 10.3.9, 10.4.x and a compatible phone. [Download - Demo]

Myth II: Soulblighter now Universal

Project Magma, a group of Myth enthusiasts that have continued development work after Bungie granted them access to the game source code, has released a public beta update to Myth II: Soulblighter which adds Universal Binary support, allowing the game to run natively on Intel-based Macs. Also added in this update are Mac OS X versions of Bungie's Fear and Loathing tools, the ability to cap the frames per second reducing CPU use, and reverse compatibility with Myth II 1.5.1 for networked gameplay. The Project Magma staff notes that this patch is released as a public beta to test it out on many systems, not because it is proven unstable in anyway. Myth II is set in a 3D world of dangerous alliances and ancient evil, where all beings tremble before the wrath of Soulblighter, cruellest and most cunning of the evil Fallen Lords. The game is a real-time tactical game based on squad and unit management rather than resource gathering and expansion. [Download - 5.2MB]

Mac compatible Sprint EVDO card...

Sierra Wireless recently announced two new USB adapters to take advantage of newly upgraded mobile broadband connections offered by Sprint and other providers. Electronista reports that Sprint recently announced plans to upgrade its cellular network to support EVDO Rev A. broadband and that one of the new cards, dubbed AirCard 595U, is compatible with both the original EVDO standard and its more recent upgrade. The new AirCard ships with a cradle to make swapping a single card between desktops and portables easier. Both it and the almost identical, HSDPA-oriented AirCard 875U are Mac OS X (and Windows) compatible. The 595U will ship in the fourth quarter of this year to coincide with Sprint's upgraded service. Pricing and system requirements are not currently available for either model. [images included]

Apps: OmniOutliner, MusicRenamer

• OmniOutliner 3.6.1 ($50-$70) is a utility which allows users to create, collect, and organize information in an effort to kick-start the creative process; it offers flexibility and a unique document structure. Version 3.6.1 adds an improved template menu, an enhanced selection of templates, an improved user interface, more international language support now including Simplified Chinese, and fixes several minor bugs. The "Pro" version also was updated, boasting all the same improvements as the standard edition. OmniOutliner requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. [Download - Outliner, Outliner Pro]


• MusicRenamer 1.0 (free) allows users to automate the renaming of music files to a consistent and easily readable format using the ID3 tags embedded in the 'tunes' to help users avoid hours of manually editing the file names. With several simple steps, the music library will be renamed to the following format: artist, album name, track number, and song title. It supports MP3, AAC, M4P, and M4A--formats common to many user libraries. MusicRenamer requires Mac OS X 10.3 or higher. (Available for $10 on CD.) [Download - 3.0MB]


• CheckBook 1.7 ($15) is a financial management solution design for Mac OS X to be easy, intuitive replace "monster applications" like Quicken that offer a number of features users don't need. Version 1.7 of CheckBook features a new way to review scheduled entries called Look Ahead, also features is schedule reminder balancing, scaled printing support (via Page Setup), the ability to lock individual accounts, improved international language support, and several minor bug fixes. CheckBook is a Universal Binary and requires Mac OS X 10.2 or later. [Download - 2.6MB]


• Sonicfire Pro 4.2 ($800) helps users to create music custom soundtracks which fit target videos which other audio software cannot complete, while remaining fast and easy to use. Version 4.2 adds improved migration support, enhanced audio and video synchronization, sorting of single-layer and multilayer in the Maestro feature, and corrects several minor bugs. This update requires Sonicfire 4.x running on Mac OS X 10.4 or later. [Download - 8.7MB]


• Conference Recorder 2.0.2 ($15) updates the software solution to record iChat audio and video chats and offers the ability to act as an add-on for iChat AV which automatically transforms conference sessions into QuickTime movies. Version 2.0.2 adds the ability to create higher quality recordings, save movies at higher resolutions, and includes several performance enhancements. Conference Recorder is a Universal Binary and requires an iSight, or iChat compatible camera and iChat AV 2.0 or later running on Mac OS X 10.3.8 or later. [Download - 714KB]

Wal-Mart, Apple spar for movie sales...

Wal-Mart is displeased with the prospect of Apple taking a bite out of its movie sale business, reports BusinessWeek. The report says that Apple will launch the 'iTunes Movie Store' as soon as mid-September along with a new iPod. Wal-Mart has reportedly become so concerned for its business that it has threatened not to sell DVDs from companies which agree to sell on iTunes. The prospect of Wal-Mart not selling DVDs for Hollywood executives is a terrifying thought -- currently Wal-Mart accounts for 40 percent of DVD sales, about 17 billion dollars of the market. Earlier this year, Wal-Mart played out this move by initially refusing to sell Disney's "High School Musical" after it popped up on iTunes prior to Wal-Mart getting a chance to sell it. In addition, the report says that Apple only has Disney signed-on for iTunes movie sales--despite a comment from Lions Gate that it had a deal with iTunes already.

Briefly: Apple in Rome, .Mac/MacBU blogs

In Brief: Following confirmation of an Apple Store coming to Zurich, Switzerland, the Apple Store in Rome, Italy is not expected to open before February 2007, according a new report that has posted photos of the Mall "Roma Est".... Apple is seeking feedback for interesting topics on its .Mac blog, which covers Aple's suite of Web/internet (paid) services, while Microsoft's Mac BU has started its own blog called Mac Mojo, the official weblog for the Office for Mac team at Microsoft.... The entire first chapter of Jeff Carlson's latest book is now available as a free downloadable PDF file: "iMovie HD 6 & iDVD 6 for Mac OS X: Visual QuickStart Guide."... Tubesock is a new shareware application that lets you save YouTube videos to your iPod, PSP or iTunes library by converting any YouTube video to the H.264 iPod format or the MP4 PSP format (or as an MP3 for audio-only iPods).

Foxconn backs down on iPod lawsuit...

Apple's iPod manufacturing partner Foxconn has drastically reduced the amount of damages it is seeking in a lawsuit against two journalists in connection with an allegedly false report on the working conditions in Foxconn's iPod factories. Following a report that said Apple was going to help mediate the dispute between the parties, Foxconn has slashed a libel claim from 30 million yuan ($3.77 million) to just 1 yuan, according to the Xinhua news agency. Foxconn, which manufactures iPods for Apple, said it would also apply to unfreeze the journalists' assets, which include their homes, bank accounts and a car, according to the report. The Chinese manufacturing giant, which is also reportedly vying for additional laptop production business from Apple, was seeking damages caused by a tarnished reputation from false charges of labor abuse. "This is a victory for Chinese media," Weng Bao, one of the two reporters working for the Shanghai-based China Business News, was quoted as saying.