Digidesign debuts Mbox 2 Pro...

Digidesign has released Mbox 2 Pro, a new portable, high-definition audio/MIDI production system that provides high-speed FireWire-powered connectivity, up to 24-bit/96 kHz audio resolution, and a wide range of analog and digital I/O. It also offers several professional features, including MIDI Time Stamping support, Word Clock I/O, and dedicated studio monitor outputs. With Mbox 2 Pro, novices and professionals alike now have a portable, studio-grade Pro Tools solution available—one that they could take directly from home to a pro studio and then back again. Mbox 2 Pro features a plethora of analog and digital I/O options packed into its "sleekly compact frame," and supports up to six simultaneous inputs and eight outputs. It also includes industry-standard Pro Tools LE software and over 50 effects and instrument plug-ins, including DigiRack plug-ins, Bomb Factory plug-ins, the Xpand! sample-playback/synthesis workstation, and the Pro Tools Ignition Pack. It will ship on September 15th for $800 and $900 (Mbox 2 Factory).

The Omni Group ships OmniWeb 5.5...

The Omni Group has announced the final release of OmniWeb 5.5, a much-anticipated update to the popular web browser. OmniWeb 5.5 is based on a customized version of WebKit, offering increased speed, website compatibility, and stability. OmniWeb 5.5 is a Universal Binary, offers user defined style sheets for websites on a global or site-specific basis, and provides many overall fixes and improvements. The Mac OS X-specific web browser features a number of unique features, including graphical tabs, site-specific preferences, workspaces that save your individual browsing sessions, customizable web shortcuts, and much more. OmniWeb 5.5 is a free download for licensed 5.x owners, and is available in English and Internationalized version for Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later. A full license is $30, while upgrades are $10. [Download - 10.1MB]

Briefly: 160GB Mac mini; iSync plugins

In brief: Apple has added a new 160GB drive upgrade build-to-order option to the new updated Mac mini line; however, the ship times are 2-4 weeks for this option (vs 2-4 days for most other options).... Nova Media today released Nova Media Phone Plugin 3.2 with iSync compatibility for Sony Ericsson K510i and Z550i mobile phones.... Gindis has announced Army Commander and World Leaders, two free Web-based games allowing players to purchase packages with real money or with cash earned in-game.... SonicFire has released Strata Series Vol. 14: Jazz Synergy, a series of confident jazz tracks designed to give messages and presentations an uplifting spin.... Opera Software today announced that the Opera for Devices SDK now supports Adobe's Macromedia Flash Player 7 SDK.

UK college offers students free Nanos...

South Kent College in Dover recently spent more than $25,000 to purchase iPod nanos for students. The effort aims to encourage students to listen to podcasts of missed lectures on their own time, but critics say the plan is a waste of taxpayer dollars. "Youngsters should want to take the courses for their own sake if they are worthwhile," said CRE chairman Nick Seaton. "Let the college keep two or three iPods to lend to the youngsters." Assistant principal Josh Coleman said the portable players will only be offered to those students who have completed all their assignments and demonstrated full attendance, according to BBC News. The pilot scheme was paid for with savings made on a building project, and Coleman said staff has been positive.

Circuit City to sell Macs

A small number of Circuit City retail stores in the eastern U.S. will begin selling a selection of Macs including iMacs, MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and Mac minis next week. The new pilot program is designed to test the waters of Mac sales in Circuit City outlets, which could expand to the retail giant's many other stores should it prove successful. Circuit City employees were sent to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino last week, according to AppleInsider, where they paired up with Apple Solution Consultants for a week of training to effectively market the Mac. "This is a pilot program that's just getting underway and we will evaluate how it is doing over the next several months," said Circuit City spokesman Jim Babb. The retailer will also stock specific Mac software titles and accessories, according to the report.

Tri-Catalog 6.0, Folder Partitioner 2.0 ship

Tri-Edre has released Tri-Catalog 6.0 and CD Folder Partitioner 2.0, enabling users to analyze as well as catalog unlimited volumes and make copies of files which are too large for CDs or DVDs, respectively. Tri-Catalog allows users to visualize the contents of analyzed volumes, browse in the folders, display pictures, show information for each file as well as each picture, and run searches despite the original volume's presence or lack thereof on the local system. CD Folder Partitioner 2.0.0 negates the need to worry about file sizes when backing up to CDs or DVDs, enabling users to "break up" large files into smaller pieces which fit onto desired media. Tri-Catalog 6.0 is available for $100 and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later, while CD Folder Partitioner 2.0 is priced at $40 and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.

Refurb iMacs, Mac minis, MacBooks

Apple is offering refurbished iMacs, eMacs, Mac minis, and MacBooks at discounted rates with a standard one-year Apple warranty and free shipping. Refurbished iMacs include the 17-inch 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo with 512MB of memory and a 160GB hard drive for $949, as well as the 20-inch 2GHz Intel Core Duo with 512MB of memory and a 250GB hard drive for $1,199. The company is selling its refurbished 17-inch 1.42GHz eMac with 512MB of memory and a 160GB hard drive for $799, as well as its 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac mini with 512MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive for $649. The company's refurbished Black 2.0GHz MacBook Intel Core Duo notebook featuring 512MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive is available for $1,299.

Briefly: iMovie trademark upgrade; HDTV

In brief: Apple has filed for an upgraded trademark for iMovie ahead of the company's special event expected to produce a widescreen video iPod and an iTunes movie service.... Apple's new 24-inch iMac features a screen resolution large enough to display 1080p or 1080i HDTV without downsampling, according to The HDTV Tuner.... My Dream App -- an online competition in which contestants compete for the chance to have their ideas realized as a Macintosh shareware application -- announced its first batch of finalists today.... Thought Out has unveiled MagStay, a small extender that plugs into an Apple notebook USB port as well as the MagSafe connector to secure the connection to Apple's AC adapter.... Heunox and OmniPilot Software today announced Lasso Summit 2007 scheduled for March 2-4th, 2007 at the Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.... Pileated Pictures today announced that it recently wrapped production of a dozen animated episodes to support the launch of Trivial Pursuit DVD for Kids.

Wx 4.0 updates weather application

Hunter Associates has released Wx v4.0, a specialized internet weather app for Mac OS X that downloads and processes weather information and forecasts from the US National Weather Service. Wx can be configured to track weather conditions, watches/warnings/advisories, live RADAR, and forecast information for five locations, and it can download twelve weather maps or images. Optional add-ons allow each user to customize Wx for their lifestyle, hobbies, and activities. Wx downloads data on-demand, and can be configured to download data automatically on a periodic basis. Current weather conditions are summarized in the app's dock icon and dock menu, a floating "MiniWx" panel, and a Quartz screensaver. Version 4.0 includes a dock icon "slideshow" of current weather conditions, a new dynamic toolbar, an on-demand lookup feature, performance enhancements, and a Quartz/RSS screensaver. Wx is $10 and runs on Mac OS X 10.3.9/10.4.x, and as a Universal Binary application. A free 30-day trial is available.

Bluetooth Express Card remote ships

Interlink Electronics today introduced its Bluetooth Media Remote Control, the world's first remote using the notebook Express Card (EC) slot and Bluetooth wireless technology. The Express Card Media Remote for Bluetooth drives Apple's iTunes, Microsoft Media Center, Windows Media Player, and more out of the box. Notebook users can control entertainment software wirelessly from anywhere in the home, and the remote uses the Express Card slot featured in Apple's new portable notebooks. The remote uses standard media keys to enable channel and volume control, menu navigation, item selection as well as transport control for DVD/CD, audio, and video with most entertainment software. Express Card Media Remote for Bluetooth is available online and will ship later this year through resellers for $50.

Apps: Hazel, Speed Download,

• Hazel 1.0 ($16) is described as housekeeper for your folders and files. Users can have Hazel monitor any folder and, through a Mail-like rule interface, tell Hazel what files it should put where. Hazel can also set the label color as well as Spotlight comments and keywords. It also features cleaning options to clear out incomplete and duplicate downloads and can also manage your trash. [Download - 684KB]


• Amigos Spanish Puzzles ($20) is a software program for learning Spanish vocabulary. The program includes a variety of games and puzzles, including crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, various word games and a fun dice and board game. There are over 2500 words and expressions, grouped into categories for easy learning. It is also available as a combined purchase with its companion verb program, Amigos Spanish, for $35. [Download - 1.9MB]


• RAGE Google Sitemap Automator 1.3 ($30) is a free update to the software package allowing web-masters to automate the process of generating Google Sitemaps. RAGE Google Sitemap Automator helps search engines which utilize Google Sitemaps to locate and index important documents on a web site. Version 1.3 adds the ability to edit and apply filters after scanning is complete instead of restricting you to create them before scanning a web site. It works with Mac OS X 10.2.9 or later. [Download - 5.1MB]


• Speed Download 4.1 ($25) is an important update to the internet download utility. It now offers optimized performance for Mac OS X 10.4.7, added full support for WEBDAV/WEBDAV-SSL servers, improves the ability to upload and replace files and folder on FTP servers, adds Metalink support, adds .TORRENT file extension to the SD Plugin default set, offers "big" improvements to the file sharing feature set, and features better integration with Growl. It requires Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later. [Download - 5.3MB]


• 24U SimpleDialog Bridge 1.1http://www.24usoftware.com/SimpleBridge (free) adds ability to redirect 24U SimpleDialog 2.7.2 functions to 24U SimpleDialog 2.8. This version runs natively in FileMaker Pro 8.5 on both PowerPC and Intel based Macs. It allows developers to upgrade their old-style 24U SimpleDialog Plug-In 2.7 or Troi Dialog 3.6 to the FileMaker 7-8 native 24U SimpleDialog Plug-In 2.8 easily, without having to rewrite your calculations. Upgrade your plug-in now, and rewrite your calcs later. [Download - 1.6MB]

Verbatim ships 2GB, 4GB Smart Drives

Verbatim today began shipping 2GB and 4GB versions of its Store 'n' Go U3 Smart Drive, and is offering eight pre-loaded applications on the portable storage devices. Pre-loaded U3 applications include ACDsee -- photo management software; Migo -- a data synchronization utility; the Mozilla Thunderbird email client; PASS2GO -- a portable automated password manager; PowerBackup -- data archiving software; Zinio -- a digital Magazine Reader; U Safe -- a security utility; and U3 Welcome -- a guided tour of the U3 smart features (system requirements were unavailable). Each Verbatim Store 'n' Go U3 Smart Drive includes a safety lanyard, personal identification labels, and a quick start guide for $90 (1GB), $180 (2GB), or $350 (4GB).

High-speed network printer ships...

Ricoh today launched the Aficio SP 8100DN (site not updated), a high-speed black and white network printer for high-demand printing environments. The Aficio SP 8100DN is designed to streamline document workflow with advanced document management utilities, enhanced connectivity and security features, as well as flexible printing options. Ricoh's latest black and white printer can produce 45 pages per minute (ppm) with a first time print speed of six seconds or less. The monochrome printer features multiple paper trays that can store various sizes of paper, boasting an overall capacity of 3,550 sheets. Extended connectivity and PDF Direct Print capabilities work alongside Ricoh's Refined Print Command Stream (RPCS) driver, enabling users to store regularly applied print settings to the system under individual user icons and initiate the print jobs at any time from the desktop. The Ricoh Aficio SP 8100DN is available for $2,800.

Briefly: Apple financials; phishing

In brief: Apple financials are now available as a podcast via the company's iTunes Music Store.... Microsoft has signed an agreement with whitelist specialist Digital Resolve to help its Internet Explorer 7 Web Browser and Windows Live Toolbar protect users against phishing scams.... Sony has said it will cut the price of its PlayStation 2 game console by roughly 19 percent to $138 in Japan as it prepares for the anticipated November launch of its PlayStation 3.... FotoNation has announced that its Face Tracker technology is available in the latest 7 megapixel and 10 megapixel PENTAX Optio digital cameras.... Telestream has integrated Philips forensic watermarking technology into its latest FlipFactory 5.0 transcoding automation applications.... "First Day in Sweden," the pilot episode of the new interactive sitcom The Exchange Student, is available for viewing on PCs, with Mac and Pocket PC versions soon to follow.

Key MS exec resigns amidst Vista doubts

Microsoft executive Brian Valentine, senior vice president of the Windows Core Operating System Division has resigned as the software giant's Windows Vista operating system heads toward completion, and will take up a position at Amazon.com. Valentine was known for his ability to galvanize Windows-related software development in the critical final stages, and his resignation casts further doubt upon the viability of Microsoft's planned October release to manufacturing partners of Windows Vista, according to Electronista. Although Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 is a major improvement over Beta 2, according to Windows advocate Paul Thurrott, serious issues remain in the current Vista beta with interface consistency, unnecessarily strict security controls, and other software inadequacies that threaten the success of the operating system's January 2007 launch.

GX-1 Disc Publisher gains Mac support

Microboards Technology has released GX-1 Disc Publisher with Mac support for disc printing and recording. "Strong support for Mac users has been a longtime shortcoming in our industry", said John Westrum, Microboards' CTO. "The few solutions available in the market fell far short of user expectations, so we worked hard to produce a more user-friendly solution." The udpate offers the ability to design labels in standard applications, enabling users to link virtually any file type to use as the label from the included recording software. Microboards has co-developed the Mac solution with Hewlett Packard, which also provides the print engine for the GX-1 publisher. That inkjet engine is partially responsible for gains in print time and quality, according to Microboards, with improved handling of the disc under the print head. GX-1 is available for $2,300, and supports DVD as well as CD recording at high speeds (system requirements were unavailable)

Apple, Amazon to sell movies online

Both Amazon and Apple are expected to unveil new movie-downloading services in the coming weeks with online movie offerings from both services expected for sale at the same time as DVD versions of movies are released. According to The WSJ, Amazon has all the major Hollywood studios except Walt Disney Co. lined up to offer movies on its service, while Apple's iTunes has just one major studio, Disney, due to wrangling over pricing for movies. Called "Amazon Unbox," the internet retailer is expected to sell the bulk of its movies between $10 and $15; however, there could be a larger range along with the option to "rent" movies. Apple, however, has struggled to sign up studios: "Apple, meanwhile, plans to sell movies for just a handful of different prices, starting at $9.99 for catalog titles and going up to $14.99 for new releases.... Apple has been unable to sign up all of the studios in large part because they can't agree on price. Many studios want more than the $14.50 or so Apple is offering to studios as a wholesale price per movie so they can create similar or bigger margins than they get with physical DVDs."

MS: media player market still growing

Microsoft this week said that it sees plenty of room for growth in the digital music player market as the company tries to dethrone Apple's own iPod music player, which has more than 75 percent marketshare in the US and 50 percent worldwide. The company said that it would promote its forthcoming Zune player using the expected wireless capabilities to differentiate the music player from other offerings, including Apple's iPod. "Microsoft plans to heavily promote the wireless capabilities on its new digital music player, Zune, in order to position the device as an alternative to the iPod, which currently lacks wireless functionality, a Microsoft spokesperson told eWEEK. In addition, Microsoft said that the digital music player market will eventually mushroom to hundreds of millions of units a year—up from a current rate of 30 to 40 million units per year: "We want it to be the best music experience you can have," he said at a Citigroup investment conference that was broadcast over the Web. "You'll see a lot of emphasis on community, a shared type of experience."

AssistiveWare's VisioVoice, Infovox iVox...

AssistiveWare today introduced two new products for Mac OS X: VisioVoice and Infovox iVox. VisioVoice is a product for blind and vision-impaired Mac users providing a number of speech and vision related features to enhance access to Mac OS X, including (1) the conversion of Text, Word, HTML, PDF and RTF files to audio files or iPod-ready iTunes tracks; (2) a document and selection reader with fast forward and rewind functions; (3) large cross-hair and target cursors; (4) Text and Image zoom windows; (5) spoken interface elements as the user navigates across the screen; and (6) multilingual support to Apple's excellent VoiceOver technology (initially French and Dutch). In addition, VisioVoice is bundled with InfoVox iVox, a new product from Acapela Group created in collaboration with AssistiveWare. Infovox iVox is available at an introductory price of $150 (US English), $270 (Scandinavian languages), or $165 (other European languages), while a bundle of Infovox iVox and VisioVoice is $185 (US English), $290 (Scandinavian), or $185 (other European).

Nickelodeon, N add content to iTunes...

The MTVN Kids and Family Group has announced that it will launch a lineup of new entertainment programming on Apple's iTunes Music Store, including six shows from Nickelodeon and the N nighttime network for teens. The N's Degrassi: The Next Generation has already launched on iTunes to offer a fictional, dramatic series aimed at tackling tough issues in a realistic way. Nickelodeon will add the TEENick series Drake & Josh, Unfabulous and Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, as well as Nick Jr. series The Wonder Pets! and new seasons from TEENick's Zoey 101. The network is also rolling out a free sneak peek of its new series, Mr. Meaty, prior to its on-air network debut.

Interarchy 8.2 supports Growl, more

Stairways today released Interarchy 8.2, a new Universal Binary version of its powerful, flexible, award-winning Internet application for Mac OS X. Version 8.2 of the internet application adds support for Growl notifications, transparent file converters (including a Backup meta data preserving converter), Leopard compatibility, and more. Interarchy can download and upload files via FTP (the Internet standard File Transfer Protocol), SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), WebDAV (including iDisks), and Amazon S3 as well as FTP over SSH (FTP/SSH) and SSL-TLS. In addition, it can download files or whole web sites using HTTP, provide a wealth of information about any internet connection, and help users work with remote servers across the Internet. It also features much improved integration between network tools and fixes dozens of issues. It is a free upgrade for 8.x customers or anyone who purchased v7 this year. A new license is $60.

Primera ships Bravo SE Disc Publisher...

Primera today announced its Bravo SE Disc Publisher, an advanced workflow system that automates the entire burning and printing process using an advanced, sixth-generation robotic mechanism and a built-in Pioneer DVR-111 DVD±R/CD-R recorder. After recording, each CD or DVD is individually inkjet printed direct-to-disc in full-color at up to 4800 dpi resolution. Up to 20 discs per job can be produced automatically and hands-free, according to the company. Bravo SE also attaches to any Mac running Mac OS X and includes CharisMac Engineering's Discribe V5.0 duplication software along with design templates for both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. The Bravo SE DVD/CD Publisher is priced at $1500, while the Bravo SE AutoPrinter, a no-drive, automated printing solution is priced at $1000. Both are available immediately through Primera's resellers and distributors.

Intel to cut 10,500 jobs

Intel has said it will cut 10,500 positions over the next year responding to its arch rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which showed competitive gains in recent months. The layoffs constitute roughly 10 percent of the chip maker's workforce, and will save the tech giant approximately $5 billion despite severance costs amounting to roughly $200 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Intel announced the major restructuring effort in late April promising to resize the company in a sweeping overhaul affecting every part of the business. "No stone will remain unturned or unlooked at," said CEO Paul Otellini. "You will see a leaner, more agile and more efficient Intel Corp."

Waterfall's Wallet 2.6 adds Widget, more

Waterfall Software today released a new update to Wallet, its Mac application for securing and organizing personal data. It features a new Wallet Dashboard widget, letting users quickly search and retrieve information from their databases in Apple's Dashboard environment in Mac OS X. Wallet is a secure, elegant, and easy to use solution for organizing and securing personal data, such as passwords, serial numbers, credit cards, and other important pieces of information using Blowfish encryption: "Using the AutoFill feature, website logins can be automatically entered into Safari or another compatible browser. Users can also optionally put their data on an Apple iPod, for when they need it on-the-go." Version 2.6 also features many other improvements, such as the ability to pick custom icons for groups, generate pronounceable passwords in Wallet's Password Generator, and many bug fixes. It is a free upgrade to the Universal application that runs on Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. The $15 application is available now.

Apple offers faster Mac minis

As expected following reports of delays to bulk orders, Apple today also increased processor speeds on both models of the Mac mini, delivering dual-core performance across the line at no additional cost. Both models now feature the dual-core Core Duo processor. The $799 model now includes a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor, and the $599 model now includes a 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from a 1.5 GHz Intel Core Solo processor. The Apple Store offers a 1-2 day ship times on the new Mac minis.

iMacs get new 24" model, faster Core 2 Duo...

Apple today announced that its entire iMac line now features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor in every model, delivering up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous iMac. The company also launched a new 24-inch iMac with a 24-inch widescreen display--in addition to its 17- and 20-inch models. iMacs are now available starting at $1000. Apple's iMacs include a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box; Apple's Front Row media experience; and iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications. "Every iMac-from the $999 model up through the new dazzling 24-inch widescreen model now features blazing Core 2 Duo performance," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "And the new 24-inch widescreen iMac is the fastest, biggest and brightest iMac we've ever made." The 24-inch iMac also includes FireWire 800 port.