Apple's "Showtime" event [images]...

Apple's special "Showtime" special event on Tuesday will begin at 10 a.m. PT with the industry expecting Apple to launch its iTunes Movie Store with Disney as one of the few studios on board. On heels of new faster and larger iMacs and upgraded Mac minis, analysts believe that the event may be the beginning of Apple's new push into consumer electronics announcements, which will likely include the much-rumored iPhone, according to analysts and could include other ultra-portable mobile computing devices as noted by a recent multi-function device patent application. Update: The Apple store is offline ahead of the 10 am PT event.

Shoreline students get Mac laptops

All students enrolled in Shoreline's public secondary schools are eligible to receive a Mac laptop for use at school and at home during the school year. More than 4,000 Shoreline’s 7th-12th graders, located in Shoreline, Washington, will receive a laptop with bond funding approved by Shoreline School District voters in February 2006. The Seattle Times says students will be "using these computers to do research, write papers, develop presentations, submit homework and communicate with teachers, among other things. However, they're directed not to use them for social communication, games or other nonacademic activities. That includes no visiting MySpace.com or chatting online with friends, for example. Besides these directives, the students must accept responsibility for taking care of their computers, which means no food fingers near the keyboard and no leaving the laptop around to get stolen. Shoreline's program does provide parental control software so concerned parents can limit their kids' time on the Internet at home or monitor what sites their kids are visiting."

Versomatic 1.0 Mac Beta released

Acertant Technologies has released Versomatic 1.0 Mac Beta Build 27 for Mac OS X, the first public beta of the software that monitors all changes made to documents on a system. The beta is a trial download featuring a standardized feature set as well as uniform overall software organization across platforms, with the exception of GUI-specific differences. The Mac version documentation is not yet finished, according to Acertant, and the Mac OS X version is not a port of the Windows edition. The full version of Versomatic is priced at $50, while the limited time beta is available for $40 (system requirements were unavailable).

Blackmagic debuts Intensity HDMI card...

Blackmagic Design has announced Intensity, a low cost HDMI capture playback card that allows low cost consumer cameras with HDMI video connections to move beyond the quality limits of HDV compressed video. Intensity instantly switches between 1080HD, 720HD, NTSC and PAL video standards. The card enables users to playback to any HDMI big screen television or video projector for video editing, in SD or HD, and with real time effects. Users can capture to disk arrays for high speed uncompressed video, or choose from a range of professional compressed codecs that boast higher-than HDV quality when disk speed and space is low. Intensity is priced at $250, and is scheduled to ship on October 15th. [updated]

Blackmagic unveils DeckLink HD Studio...

Blackmagic Design has unveiled its DeckLink HD Studio, the world's first capture and playback card to support both HDMI and analog component video, according to the company. DeckLink HD Studio allows capture from HDMI cameras or decks, as well as analog decks and set top boxes. HDMI playback and analog playback allows connection to a wide range of video monitors, big screen televisions and video projectors for high quality client monitoring. DeckLink HD Studio instantly switches between HD and SD, enabling users to work with nearly any deck, camera or monitor. DeckLink Studio is priced at $1,000, and is slated for shipment on October 15th.

El Gato announces EyeTV Diversity

El Gato has announced its EyeTV Diversity, a USB 2.0 adapter that can play and record over-the-air digital television in the European Digital Video Broadcast - Terrestrial (DVB-T) format. The new 3-band tuner adds dual built-in antennas that improve reception indoors by as much as 50 percent via internal amplification of weak signals, according to El Gato. The EyeTV Diversity includes El Gato's EyeTV 2 software to record and manage incoming video, and further details about the new adapter are expected to follow its formal demonstration at Apple Expo, according to Electronista.

Stone updates Videator, iMaginator

Stone Design today began shipping both Videator 2.0 and iMaginator 3.0, its movie-making and image processing applications for Mac OS X. Videator 2.0 is designed to provide an intuitive and easy to use interface for Mac OS X's Core Image and Core Video technologies, offering users instant access to more than 108 effects, transitions, and filters. The update allows each overlayed item to have its own chain of sub effects, and enables users to VJ as well as change settings while fullscreen is playing on a second monitor. iMaginator also offers users access to Mac OS X's Core Image technology with over 108 effects, and supports layering images with paint as well as text. iMaginator 3.0 includes online tutorial movies, and supports copying/pasting of just the selected effect. Both applications are priced at $50, and both require Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Mask Pro 4 offers Wacom tablet support

OnOne Software has announced Mask Pro 4 featuring Wacom tablet support and improved navigator windows. Mask Pro offers is designed as a complete collection of masking tools combining an intuitive toolset with advanced color matching and decontamination technology. The update offers built-in video tutorials and tips, as well as a keep/drop detail palette enabling users to see the exact colors being selected. Mask Pro 4 displays numerical values in tool palettes, features auto-scrolling when the edge of the image is hit, includes a hotkey to constrain the pen tool to 45-degree angles, and enforces highlighted zones. Mask Pro 4 is priced at $160, requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, and is due to ship in October.

Apps: SecuritySpy, MacReporter, Physics

• SecuritySpy 1.3 (starts at $50) is an update to the multi-camera video surveillance software for the Macintosh, offering motion detection, real-time compression and network video streaming, and more. Version 1.3 is now a Universal Binary, offers access control settings for restricting access to the built-in web server, supports AppleScript commands for controlling PTZ, offers better organization of captured footage for a more efficient Browser, enables more efficient Broadcasting, and supports better video streaming in Safari. [Download - 2.2MB]


• MacReporter 2.6 ($25) updates the shareware RSS feeds reader with new "Bookmarklets" that trigger JavaScript actions on the current page to perform elaborate tasks in a snap. It also adds a new Menu Bar Item, a new search feature, and fixes for all known issues (as well as performance improvements). The reader offers full support for RSS, Atom, Backslash & HTML feeds; tabbed browsing, keyboard navigation, "Smart News Feeds" that Display articles matching your habits and expectations, and hierarchical folders. It runs Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later as a Universal Binary. [Download - 7MB]


• Physics 101 SE v6.0 ($10) is a major update to the academic tool for physics. Recompiled as a Universal Binary, Physics 101 SE allows students to focus on the concepts of Physics, instead of tedious mathematics, by logically laying out various subtopics in an easy-to-use tabbed interface. This interface allows student to quickly pinpoint the equation they need, enter their variables, and get the correct calculation. This update brings the total set of equations to over 150 with new sections on rotation and atomic physics. It also includes an interactive optics, superposition and abbreviation features. [Download - 14MB]


• RapidoWrite 2.1 (free) is system utility that helps users save time by automatically typing frequently used text. The software allows users to define a list of abbreviations and then automatically display related texts as you type. Users can quickly insert in any application standard greetings and signatures (including formatted text) or any phrases: Once users define an abbreviation, it is available at all times, anywhere text can be typed. Version 2.1 offers an updated user interface, new German and Italian localizations, better performance, and more. It requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. [Download - 1.5MB]


• Super GHOST v1 (free) is a computer solitaire version of the age-old game of GHOST with a twist. "Your goal is to add a letter before or after existing letters without making a valid word. If you make a valid word, you get a letter ('G'). If you get all five letters ("GHOST"), you lose. You can challenge the computer who bluffs at times. It is possible but quite difficult to beat the computer." Super GHOST has a word set of over 80,000 American English words. It runs on Mac OS 10.2 or later. [Download - 1.5MB]

Samsung unveils 64GB flash chip

Samsung today introduced a new storage technology it calls Charge Trap Flash (CTP) that holds data in a layer of the chip until it is ready for use. The new technology is designed to replace older methods of storage that utilize floating gates, which consume a significant portion of the chip and become unreliable as storage increases. Charge Trap Flash allows for much more dense chip designs; in its current form, 40 nanometer processes are possible and drastically outperform the 65 nanometer process seen today, according to Electronista. The extra space and reliability allows the CTP flash chips to store dramatically larger amounts of data, as Samsung has demonstrated CompactFlash cards capable of storing 64GB, which rivals the 1.8-inch hard drives in many digital audio players (pricing and availability were unavailable).

24" iMac is a better value than Dell PC

Apple's new Macs may not be cheaper than the competition, but the new iMac line represents a extremely competitve offering in terms of price and and performance, according to a new column. Fortune's senior editor concludes that Apple's 24-inch iMac is a better value than a similarly configured PC from Dell, although it does cost about $70 more: "Apple is making applesauce out of the old canard that Macs are a lot more expensive than Windows computers. Now that Macintoshes use the same Intel processors found in higher-end Windows machines, and can even run Windows XP and Windows applications.... One can quibble with the fairness of the comparison, but no matter how you sliced it, the Dell machine was hundreds of bucks more expensive than the Mac Pro.... Will the same hold true for Dell's consumer computers? It certainly looks that way, with a new $999 price point for a 17-inch iMac. Sure, you can get a PC and monitor for less money, but not with anything close to the power and multimedia features and software and ease of use of the iMac."

FileMaker Pro 8.5 at FlashForward

iSolutions today announced that it will introduce attendees of the FlashForward Conference to FileMaker Pro (FMP) 8.5, the cross-platform database software featuring new Web Viewer control allowing Web technologies -- including Flash -- to play inside FileMaker layouts. Cris Ippolite, president and founder of iSolutions, will demonstrate how to integrate databases with Flash applications to create Web-based or network-based dynamic graphic applications. Ippolite will show how Flash is usable to create client-server applications leveraging databases on the back-end, and the ease with which Flash developers with no database development experience can build dynamic graphical applications. The FlashForward Conference will be held from September 11-14th at the Hilton Austin in Austin, Texas.

Fifth Ave honors one millionth visitor

Apple's Fifth Avenue New York City retail store honored its one millionth visitor with gifts as the surprised customer entered the underground location. The announcement comes just under four months after the store's grand opening. Elizabeth Rodriguez descended the glass staircase at 2:00 p.m. on September 9th and was met by store employees. Rodriguez received a MacBook, an iPod Hi-Fi, and an Apple ProCare membership. The company's Fifth Avenue store hosted an average of 8,772 visitors per day in its first 114 days, as opposed to other stores in the chain which averaged 8,956 visitors per week during the last quarter, according to ifoAppleStore.

Sony unveils two Cyber-Shot cameras...

Sony today announced two new Cyber-Shot cameras that focus equally on capturing and sharing photos. The DSC-N2 includes a unique photo capture method that takes both a full-resolution image as well as a small, VGA-sized version of the same image that is transferred to a special pocket album which can keep separate from regular photos on the camera, turning the N2 into a portable photo album. The N2 also features a high-density 10-megapixel sensor, 25MB of internal memory, and a high ISO 1600 sensitivity for photography in lower lighting. Sony's DSC-T50 and DSC-N2 gain Sony's new Clear Photo Plus LCD technology that increases the display resolution to 230,000 pixels with a higher contrast ratio and better viewing angles, according to Electronista. Both models will begin pre-orders on September 12th at the SonyStyle website, and are expected to ship in October at prices of $450 (DSC-N2) and $500 (DSC-T50).

Analyst predicts up to 12m iPhone sales

Apple's anticipated mobile phone won't likely debut tomorrow, according to Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster, but the rumored device could sell between 8 and 12 million sales if it debuts at the Macworld Expo in 2007 and could raise the company's earnings-per-share in its calendar year 2007 by 6-10 percent. "While we do not expect Apple to announce a phone tomorrow, we continue to expect Apple will ship the 'iPhone' within the next 4-6 months," Munster wrote in a research note obtained by MacNN. "Assuming Apple ships the iPhone at Macworld 2007, our sensitivity analysis points to between 6-10 percent upside to Street calendar year earnings-per-share." The analyst admits to a lack of concrete evidence that the handset is near completion or launch, but cites several indications -- such as the registration of the domain name iPhone.org and the trademark name "Mobile Me" -- that Apple is planning to introduce the product.

Briefly: reviews; Norfolk store photos

In brief: MacNN has reviewed huey ($90) from Pantone, its monitor color calibration software.... MacNN has also reviewed iWoofer ($120) from Rain Design, a compact integrated speaker system designed to work with Apple's iPod.... One Apple advocate has posted photos of the Norfolk Apple Store grand opening, where the first 1,000 visitors received a free MacArthur T-shirt as well as the chance to enter the grand opening sweepstakes.... DssW today launched Sleep Centre, an archive boasting the largest collection of energy saving and power-related Mac discussions on the internet according to the company.... SendStation Systems is giving away 1,000 free PocketDocks FW, the thumb-sized iPod FireWire adapter while supplies last or until September 13th.... Script Software today began offering educational pricing ($300) on its KnowledgeMiner data mining software for a limited time.

RollerCoaster Tycoon goes Universal

Aspyr Media today released a free Universal patch for RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, enabling the game to run natively on Intel-based Macs and fixing several minor issues. The patch (1.2 Rev A) fixes a crash when communicating with iTunes to retrieve the "RCT3" playlist, and enables users to press command-tab as well as command-H in fullscreen mode to switch in and out of the game. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 allows users to build, operate and experience the amusement park of their dreams. The game features "stunning" 3D graphics and a "CoasterCam," which allows players to see their park from the eyes of a guest by riding all the rides. Using the Fireworks MixMaster feature, players can also create pyrotechnic shows and synchronize them to music. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 also enables users to assign music to rides in the park, features realistic day and night cycles as well as a park lighting system, and includes various weather effects. RollerCoaster Tycoon is available for $50, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.

Magic Stones expansion pack released

Winter Wolves today released a new expansion pack for Magic Stones -- a game based on Celtic mythology -- titled Haunted Mines of Vox. "The kingdom is alarmed. There have been several mysterious disappearances around the Mines of Vox lately!" Players are sent to investigate the mines to find out what's happening inside and put an end to whomever or whatever is lurking there in the darkness. The expansion enables players to collect two new avatars, the Fairies for the Life School of magic, and the Green Lizard for the Spirit School. The expansion also features new opponents such as mudmen, giant stag beetles, and more. The update includes several enhancements to the Magic Stones game itself, and is free to registered users. Magic Stones is priced at $25, and requires Mac OS X (specific system requirements were unavailable).

Apple eyes Japanese online music...

Apple is aiming to seize more of Japan's download music market, according to one report, as the company recently offered free iTunes Music Store downloads to fans at a popular music festival in Tokyo. Fans who attended the concert to see the Arctic Monkeys and Metallica received three free iTunes downloads, signaling Apple's attempt to lure Japanese customers away from mobile music transfers, according to Reuters. "iTunes faces a dramatically different situation in Japan compared to other markets," Gerhard Fasol said, president of Eurotechnology K.K. in Tokyo. "iTunes is a very strong player in the market for downloads to PCs, Macs and iPods, but that makes up a small portion of the online music downloads [in Japan]." Apple is offering prepaid iTunes cards in convenience stores for Japanese customers who remain reluctant to purchase songs over the internet, and for individuals who don't own a credit card.

IntelliScanner Pro 300 now available

IntelliScanner today introduced the IntelliScanner Pro 300, a smart, easy-to-use barcode scanner for instant barcode scanning capabilities with bundled and third-party software. It features scanning into any application with USB 2.0 plug-and-play keyboard emulation; support for all industry standard barcode types, including UPC, EAN, Code 128, Code 39, ITF, and Codabar; included examples and documentation for FileMaker Pro and Microsoft Excel integration; automatic configuration of advanced functionality by scanning smart configuration barcodes; output adjustment for advanced deployments; triggerless scanning modes for kiosks and self-service deployments; and automatic organization/recognition of office media, including books, DVDs, CDs, and games. The IntelliScanner Pro 300 package ($300) includes an IntelliScanner USB barcode reader, 7-foot self-securing cable, Collection 2.0 media management software, Business Integration Kit software, 100 pre-printed asset tags, and documentation.

Apple announces Final Cut Pro 5.1.2

Apple this week at the IBC tradeshow announced an update to its professional video editing application. According to Digit Magazine, the company announced details on an forthcoming update update: Final Cut Pro 5.1.2 will bring support for Motion's FxPlug plug-ins and more capture formats, enabling Motion's real-time plug-ins -- including those bundled with the application - to be used within Final Cut Pro. The report also said the update will include support for Sony's XDCAM, Panasonic's P2 and HDV: previous releases of Final Cut Pro supported the 25Mbps CBR version of XDCAM, while the version will add support for both 18Mbps and 35Mbps video and the XDCAM IMX 30. In addition, it will bring improved integration between Final Cut Pro and the freely-downloadable XDCAM Transfer import and asset control tool as well an expanded P2 import tool to offer more information about clips. Version 5.12 will also bring support for 24P and 25P versions of HDV, the report said. Apple is expected to release the free update via the Mac OS X Software Update function within 30 days.

Vista runs better on MacBook Pro

Apple's high-end laptop runs Vista better than a high-end Sony Vaio: a new report found a "Windows Experience Index" of 3.6 on the (older) Sony Vaio VGN-A790 laptop--compared with a "WEI" of 4.7 on the newer dual-core MacBook Pro, which it noted was in part due to the newer Intel processor and better ATI video card. The "hardware" report, the first in Computerworld's series about the use of Windows Vista on a MacBook Pro, notes a few shortcomings of running Vista on the Mac laptop using Apple's Bootcamp technology, including the lack of Windows' right-click (solved by instaling a separate third-party application called Apple Mouse), the inability to eject disks from the SuperDrive using the eject key on the keyboard (users can still use the menu in Vista), and the lack of elegant solution to boot back into Mac OS X, and some heat and battery consumption issues--due to the lack of power management functions.

Freeverse publishes Lineform

Freeverse today announced that it has published Lineform, a feature-rich vector drawing application for Mac OS X. Offering a powerful toolset and an intuitive user interface, Lineform can be used for creating everything from simple logos to complex designs and can be used for production level work. The software features Bezier editing, support for free-flowing text and gradients, CMYK preview, boolean operations, expert typesetting, SVG support for full document import/export, and a host of other options The software is available as a special free preview: from now until October 7th, images created during the trial period will be watermark-free. Lineform, a recipient of a 2006 Apple Design Award for technical excellence and outstanding achievement, is priced at $80 and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later; it is a Universal Binary for native operation on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs. A retail version will be available in stores later this Fall.

Miglia debuts TVBook Pro for MacBook Pro

Miglia today announced TVBook Pro, its digital TV card specifically designed for Apple's MacBook Pro. TVBook Pro ships with Elgato’s EyeTV 2 software and allows users to pause, rewind and skip forward live TV. The new ExpressCard/34 offers the ability to edit your favorite shows (via the included software) and delivers an amplified antenna (with optional USB power) for optimum reception. It offers an integrated TV Tuner - DVB-T for free-to-air digital TV broadcasts, an Antenna Connection that is compatible with passive, active and roof-mounted antennas, and more. TVBook Pro supports Digital Terrestrial Television (Freeview in the UK, TNT in France, DVB-T elsewhere): it requires Mac OS X 10.4.x and higher. Elgato's EyeTV software allow users to view, search or remotely schedule recordings using the integrated online TV guide (EPG) from tvtv (Europe). It is expected to ship in October for $150/€100 with a two-year warranty.

FUNDimensions 6.0 adds notes, backup

FUNDimensions v6.0 is a major upgrade to database application for small non-profits and schools. The software manages the entire fundraising process, helping people to identify the best fundraising opportunities, maintain personal relationships with their donors, and raise more money. Version 6.0 adds a new Notes module, Automatic Backup Module, support for XML imports and exports, fuzzy-logic searches, and expanded Membership Statistics reporting to better identify trends and problems. It also can easily compare records side-by-side with expanded multiple-window capability, features automatic transfer of security settings across upgrades, and delivers automatic data file recovery when corruption occurs. The Single-User edition is $2150, while the Client-Server editions start at $4545--including unlimited free email support for the software, and optional fee-based phone support.