Ambrosia ships Redline racing game...

Ambrosia has released Redline, a new racing game for Mac OS X that features an advanced 3D rendering engine and a physics engine that ensures each car has a distinct feel: "Redline also shows that running someone off of the road isn't just cathartic, it's downright fun. Gun the throttle, light up the tires, and hurtle down the track in any of the three racing modes Redline offers: the realistic Simulation mode, an aggressive Arcade mode, or kick it into high gear in the insanely intense Turbo Arcade mode. No matter what your pleasure, take your pick from numerous cars, tracks, and jump into a racing game that delivers adrenaline via digital injection." Redline supports up to 12 people in a network race, either on a local network, or over the Internet.

New Intel chip to power Apple's iTV?

Apple's iTV media streaming device -- which was introduced on September 12th at the company's special event in San Francisco -- might use a new value chip from Intel which is set to launch within the same timeframe, according to Electronista. Walt Disney CEO Bog Iger recently confirmed the presence of a hard drive in the small wireless relay device, which would likely require a CPU powerful enough to decode H.264 high definition video using at least the 640 x 480 resolution of videos purchased from its own iTunes Music Store. The new Intel chip, currently codenamed "Pentium E1000," is a stripped-down version of the Core 2 desktop platform that uses only a single core and 1MB of L2 cache. This reduction lowers the costs and power requirements such that a device like Apple's iTV could make use of an E1000 variant without compromising Apple's desired $299 price tag.

Apple updates U2 iPod, reduces price

Apple has quietly updated its iPod U2 Special Edition and lowered its price. The update brings it in line with the current “enhanced” fifth-generation (5G) iPod and reduces price of the U2 iPod—from $329 to $279, just $30 more than the new 5G 30GB iPod ($249)--the new 5G pricing is about $50 lower than the previous generation iPods, according to iLounge. Apple has cut the The iPod U2 Special Edition also comes with an exclusive iTunes Store coupon you can redeem for a 30-minute video of music videos and band interviews. The report notes that new iPod not simply an upgraded-firmware iPod, but sports specs similar to that of the newer 5G iPods introduced earlier this month with a “new, brighter screen" and 14-hour battery life. The iPod U2 Special Edition, which Apple says is "as distinctive as the band it salutes," features a red click wheel and black metal back engraved with the band’s signatures; it was recently updated to the 5G platform this past June.

Apple updates refurb PowerPC offers...

Apple has once again updated its refurbished offers with its 12-inch 1.5GHz G4 PowerBook ($1,199) featuring 512MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive; 15-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook ($1,349) with 512MB of memory and an 80GB hard drive; 17-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook ($1,799) with 512MB of memory and a 100GB hard drive; and its 17-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook ($1,899) featuring 512MB of memory and a 120GB hard drive with Bluetooth 2.0. Additional refurbished G4 notebooks currently include the 12-inch 1.33GHz iBook ($799) with 512MB of memory and a 40GB hard drive; as well as the 14-inch 1.42GHz iBook ($999) with 512MB of memory and a 60GB hard drive. Apple refurbished Power Mac G5 systems currently only include the Dual 2.3GHz ($1,999) with 512MB of memory and a 250GB hard drive, as well as the Quad 2.5GHz ($2,699) with 512MB of memory and a 250GB hard drive.

Toon Boom Studio v3.5 released...

Toon Boom Animation today released Toon Boom Studio v3.5, an update to its animation software. Based on customer feature requests, this latest release provides significant improvements to animation creation and color palette management as well as the addition of new special effects. Version 3.5 also offers a more user-friendly interface with an interactive welcome screen, help wizard, and timeline improvements. In addition, it offers OpenGL anti-aliasing functions to preview animation in real-time. It is available for $400 ($100 upgrade from v2.5 or v3.x) with a special $100 of coupon (TBS350823) good through the end of September. It is available in both English and French. Toon Boom is also available as a 30-day trial.

Apple offers AirPort, Security updates...

Apple today released an AirPort update and Mac OS X Security Update 2006-005 for both Panther and Tiger (Tiger PPC-only also available) systems. Both the AirPort and Mac OS X security update address a reliability problem that occurs on a limited number of MacBook Pro systems as well as address security issues for two separate stack buffer overflows in the AirPort wireless driver that affects Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, a heap buffer overflow that affects Mac OS X 10.4.7 PPC in the AirPort wireless driver, and an integer overflow that affects Mac OS X 10.4.6 Universal in the AirPort wireless driver's API for third-party wireless software. Potential effects of malicious users abusing these security issues range from system crashes to arbitrary code execution. Users can retrieve the update using Apple's built-in Software Update feature, or via Apple's website. [updated]

Allume ships StuffIt Deluxe 11...

Allume Systems today released StuffIt Deluxe 11, the latest version of its data compression, access, and management tool for Mac OS X. Version 11, now a Universal Binary, features an Archive Manager for quick, convenient easy access to all archives and the ability to automatically group related files with a single click using (StuffIt Collections). In addition, it offers new search tools, including support for Spotlight, allowing users to search through archives located on CDs, DVDs, networks, external hard drives or other “offline” locations. StuffIt also bring support for Strong Encrypted Zip Support (256-bit AES), improved preview image thumbnails, better Mac OS X integration (Automator support) and improved performance, including multiple processor/core support and 20% faster compression.

Briefly: reviews; strict WMP 11 DRM

In brief: MacNN has reviewed EyeTV 2 software ($80) from Elgato, which allows users to record and rewind live digital TV.... MacNN has also reviewed Videator 2.0 ($50, shown at right) from Stone Design, its video editing software that uses Quartz Extreme, Core Image, and Core Video technologies found in Mac OS X Tiger.... An updated set of release notes for Microsoft's Windows Media Player (WMP) 11 has revealed that the company is quickly reducing the usage rights for copy-protected Windows Media files.... APC Magazine has reviewed two add-ons -- Saft ($6) and Safari Extender ($10) -- for Apple's Safari Web browser that add a host of new features and options, and slammed computer makers -- including Apple -- over restrictive warranty policies.... WorldSync today announced that its SyncDeK technology played a crucial role in providing asynchronous data replication for a custom FileMaker-based solution for Canon Professional Services (CPS).

AMD CEO Apple will use AMD chips someday...

AMD CEO Hector Ruiz has suggested that Apple will eventually use AMD processors in some of its future systems, so as not to be held "hostage" to exclusive pricing deals from Intel. At a late dinner in San Francisco the executive criticized Intel for reducing competition to a matter of price through its earlier monopoly of computer architecture, and cited previous examples of exclusive pricing deals with Dell as well as other manufacturers. Dell's recent decision to use AMD processors marks the latest in a series of defections that are breaking Intel's once unshakable grip on mainstream computer manufacturers, according to Electronista. [updated]

Jumsoft releases Keynote Animations 4.0

Jumsoft today released Keynote Animations 4.0, a one-of-a-kind collection of 150 animated objects with transparent backgrounds designed to add pizazz to Apple Keynote presentations and Pages documents. The company says it is the third major revitalization of a Keynote add-on program in the past months--earlier releases included Keynote Stills 3.0 and Keynote Photos 2.0. Jumsoft’s revised animations package contains 50 new movie clips for layering over or under Keynote theme layouts or electronic text files generated in Pages. Within Apple’s Keynote, these animations can be changed in size, rotated, increased or decreased in opacity, fitted with shadows or even overlapped with one another to create extra-special special effects. The full collection of 150 now includes animated illustrations applicable to the fields of business, science, education, engineering, law and many more. Keynote Animations 4.0 requires any version of Apple Keynote or Pages and is available as a download for $45 (upgrades from v3.x are $25).

Apple pulls further ahead of rivals...

Apple continues to distance itself from competitors with a slew of "small but pleasing" improvements, according to one columnist. "For now, fans can take solace in the fact that the creme de la creme of portable media devices has only gotten richer," wrote Edward C. Baig of USA Today. Apple's new iPod offerings, combined with its revamped iTunes software -- which has recently seen widespread criticism from both Mac as well as Windows users -- combine to place the market-leading Cupertino-based company further ahead of competitors struggling to seize some of its share. While Apple did not fulfill every desire on the wishlist of many industry watchers, most agree that the company delivered a satisfactory helping of product announcements and software revisions, coupled with its surprise iTV debut -- a device that wirelessly streams content from a computer to a TV.

Review: the "wow factor" with 24" iMac

Apple's 24-inch iMac, announced earlier this month, is getting rave reviews from the press. Following PC Magazine's review posted earlier today, Computerworld talks about a wow factor in its hands-on review of a full-loaded 24-inch iMac, which offers 30 percent screen space than the 20-inch model: "But you can forget all about the inner workings when it comes to pulling this particular all-in-one desktop computer out of the box. The only thing you're going to notice right away will be the screen. As it tugged it out of the box, two or three other online editors popped up to oooh and aaah, and one of Computerworld's graphics gurus -- who has a year-old G5-based iMac -- admitted flat out that he was 'drooling.' And he wasn't talking about the fast Core 2 Duo processor." The review notes that the Core 2 Duo is between 30 percent and 50 percent faster than the previous generation Core Duo processors, but that that full-loaded iMac ($2,749 from BTO) may be a bit of an overkill for most users.

Extensis offers Portfolio 8.1.1 update

Extensis today released Portfolio 8.1.1, its Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution for creative professionals. The update brings improved stability and performance, updated Raw camera support, added InDesign CS2 support, and a QuarkXPress 7 Drag-and-Drop support filter. Portfolio 8.1.1 for Mac now includes the InDesign CS2 Filter for extracting embedded previews from Adobe InDesign CS2 files as well as the Raw Filter v3.1 update to include support for Canon EOS 30D. The Windows update also includes Raw camera support for Panasonic Lx1/Fz30 and Fuji s3 cameras. The new update also includes support for QX-Drag-and-Drop XTension for QuarkXPress 7 as well as Intel-based Macs. Registered owners of Portfolio 8 are eligible to receive the free upgrades; a single-user license of Portfolio 8 is $200. It requires Mac OS X 10.4.4 or later.

Apps: Google Maps Plugin, ForgEdit

• Google Maps Plugin 2.6 (free) provides Google Maps functionality in Apple's Address Book application. The software enables users to hover the cursor over an address label, allowing selection of a Google Map menu item after clicking on the label next to the address. Google Map menu items include obtaining Google directions, bringing up a Google Map for the current address, and opening Google Maps Preferences. [Download - 288KB]


• ForgEdit 1.0b2 (unknown) is a programmers text editor for Mac OS X offering customization via user-definable key bindings and modes. ForgEdit boasts tabbed editing, a find feature with support for regular expressions, and more. [Download - 1.9MB]


• Number Press ($50) is numbering software designed to produce number forms, slips, raffle tickets, and more. The software can import PDFs or other graphic formats to set as a background to print as well as number in a single pass, while an interactive preview displays how the document will print as live numbers change from page to page. Number Press also includes a numbering assistant that guides users through properly setting up the numbering settings. [Download - 4.3MB]


• iPDA 3.1 ($20) updates the iPod personal information synchronization software with the ability to download Google calendars directly to an iPod, improving RSS feed organization on the portable player, and adding Atom feed support. iPDA enables users to transfer information from Entourage, Stickies, Mail, Address Book, and iCal onto an iPod for easy reading on-the-go. [Download - 744KB]


• Album Cover Finder 4.2 ($9) adds a faster, entirely new engine for adding artwork to music files to the album cover art discovery software. The latest iteration enables the Artist's Catalog to locate up to 64 album covers with track listings and reviews for each artist search. Album Cover Finder 4.2 also adds the ability to automatically add artwork to music files based on artist, playlist, or the entire library, and a new 'various artists' option improves results for compilations as well as soundtracks. [Download - 4.2MB]


• iDictionary 1.2 ($7) is a dictionary and thesaurus tailored for Apple's iPod. The update enables users to choose the file type for the dictionary creation, and adds an option to choose an "iPod Contacts" file type. iDictionary 1.2 also includes an update to Sparkle 1.1, and fixes a bug where some licenses would validate and provide no user feedback. [Download - 1.1MB]

Advanced Link Manager 3.1 released

Caphyon today released Advanced Link Manager 3.1, updating the tool designed to help manage incoming links to websites. Most major search engines rank Web pages based on the number of links that point to that page. Advanced Link Manager helps monitor these links, informing users about where the links come from and what their content is. The update adds the ability to generate link pages and upload them to a website, as well as support for retrieving referrer meta keywords and descriptions. Advanced Link Manager 3.1 shows reciprocal link details, adds custom notes for each referrer, and includes a category filter to the Domains Information report. The latest version also adds a link category filter to the Unverified Referrers report, and allows users to specify a proxy server for each project. Advanced Link Manager 3.1 is priced at $150 for the professional edition or $60 for the standard version, each requiring Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

RBGarage.com offers free IDE Script

Electric Butterfly today released its free, open-source version of the RBGarage.com IDE Script for REALbasic 2006. The script enables users to easily search RBGarage.com for related matches to selected Events or code in REALbasic's code editor. RBGarage.com lays claim to the largest independent online resource for REALbasic software developers, featuring more than 1,100 links to plug-ins, classes, modules, examples, tutorials, services, tools, and consultants. REALbasic is a graphical integrated development environment enabling programmers to easily design and implement software concepts without the need to handle low-level tasks -- such as memory allocation -- which consume large amounts of time.

Briefly: My Dream App; MS vs. EC

In brief: Phill Ryu today announced that voting is live for his My Dream App contest which launched three weeks ago, and that he is offering voters free Mac and Windows licenses of Pzizz relaxation software.... Microsoft today encountered further opposition from American software developers such as Adobe and Symantec, which are lobbying European Commission (EC) officials regarding built-in features of Windows Vista that will hurt smaller companies' ability to compete in the market.... After updating iTunes 7, one MacNN reader made several purchases from Apple's iTunes Music Store, but was left guessing about the status of his purchases; the user has posted screen shots of the entire process to document the event.... Northern Softworks today released its updated Alaska Desktop Photo collection, offering users scenic Alaskan photos edited for use as Mac OS desktop pictures.... Dejal is celebrating its 15th anniversary by offering all its products -- including Simon, Time Out!, Caboodle, BlogAssist, and more -- at discounted rates until September 30th.... One MacNN reader has reported strange occurrences of .Mac bouncing legitimate incoming emails, and discovered upon visiting .Mac mail forums that he is not alone.

Pogue looks at "When Apple Hit Bottom"

In his latest column, technology columnist David Pogue looks at where Apple has come in the past 10 years, digging up 10-year old predictions from major publications and industry analysts about Apple's pending demise: "Nowadays, Apple is a media darling. The critics like the company’s direction, and so does Wall Street. But it wasn’t always so. This summer marked the tenth anniversary of Apple’s lowest point–a time in 1996 when the company’s profits and products were hitting bottom. (Steve Jobs’s return to the company he founded was still a year away.) Not only was Apple NOT a media darling, it was the dog the media loved to kick. The analysts and columnists were amazingly confident that Apple would not live out the year, let alone the decade." Pogues includes quotes from TIME, Wired, BusinessWeek, Fortune, The Economist, and other industry leading publications.

SRS Labs debuts iWOW iTunes plugin...

SRS Labs today announced its SRS iWOW iTunes plug-in designed specifically to bring a richer, more powerful and brilliant audio experience when listening to music, movies, videos and podcasts on iTunes. iWOW, created using several patented SRS Labs audio technologies, was designed to provide immersive, 3D audio playing over headphones, desktop, laptop or monitor speakers: it delivers fully immersive stereo with cleaner sound, deeper bass and the ability for each user to personalize their acoustic preferences, according to the company. The software offers functions for 3D stereo enhancement, center control, bass maximization, speaker output optimization, and improved audio definition. In addition, users of the SRS iWOW plug-in can customize their audio experience with the option to select the preferred SRS Labs patented technology based upon an array of music presets in the toolbox (i.e. rock, classical, jazz, blues, country etc.). The SRS iWOW plug-in comes with a free trial period and is available for $20. It requires iTunes 6 (or later) and Mac OS X 10.2.

Norco ships PCI-X/PCI SATA host adapter

Norco Technologies, a manufacturer of server and storage products, has began shipping its NORCO-4618, a PCI-X/PCI SATA host adapter. The adapter offers four external SATA II ports at up to 3Gbps each, enabling users to setup individual drives, RAID 0/1/5/0+1 or JBOD RAID arrays for high performance storage systems. The card is fully compatible with Mac and PC systems. The latest firmware and driver included with the card allow Mac users to connect individual drives and subsystems with SATA port multiplier simultaneously. It is available now for $80.

PC Mag gives 24-inch iMac 4.5 stars...

PC Magazine has given the new 24-inch iMac a 4.5 rating out of 5, saying that the performance of Intel's Core 2 duo CPU ship is worth the added cost: "If you've been waiting to upgrade a G4- or G5-powered iMac, or even if you're looking to replace a G4 or single-processor G5 Power Mac, the new 24-inch Apple iMac ($2,794 direct) should be at the top of your list. Powered by Intel's zippy Core 2 Duo processor, it's a system that photo, video, and music enthusiasts—even graphics professionals—could love.... The screen is about as bright as that of the standalone 23-inch and 30-inch Apple Cinema displays, so the iMac could easily work for a layout editor or other midlevel graphics pro. And since it's so powerful, it could also be a good system for the Adobe Photoshop interns in your art studio."