Briefly: free widget; eCart update

In brief: PassAlong Networks today launched its OnTour website, offering a free Mac widget -- which is available on Apple's widget download page -- to connect fans and artists.... WebAssist today released eCart 3.7.0, its eCommerce extension for Adobe Dreamweaver with support for Website Payments Pro from PayPal.... Marware today announced that it is shipping its Sportsuit Convertible ($30, shown at right) for Apple's second-generation iPod nano.... MacSpeech has released a new ScriptPak bundle for iLife 06 ($30), allowing users to do virtually anything in the six iLife 06 applications that are normally possible using keyboard shortcuts or menus.

Apps: VPN Tracker, Barcode Producer

• VPN Tracker 4.8 ($40) adds support for Netgear FVS124G as well as Fireware 8.x Watchguard firmware to the VPN client for Mac OS X. VPN Tracker features IPsec for encrypted traffic, and offers compatibility with more than 250 VPN firewall devices. The upgrade is free for all existing users. [Download - [form]]


• Barcode Producer 4.1 ($150) updates the barcode creation software suite, integrating with Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Distiller software packages. Version 4.1 includes a new "Send To" menu that sends barcodes directly to supported applications with no saving required, and incorporates custom font selection with light margin indicators and background colors. [Download - 6.7MB]


• Remote Buddy 1.0 Preview 8 ($40) adds support for infrared receivers that comply with the eHome 2005 standard, allowing Macs without an IR receiver to benefit from various remote controls. Remote Buddy allows users to fully control any Mac using an Apple Remote, Keyspan RF Remote for Front Row, Griffin AirClick USB, numerous Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, or a keyboard. [Download - 2.1MB]


• Boinx Mouseposé 2.5 ($15) dims the screen and puts a spotlight on the area around the mouse pointer, easily guiding the attention of an audience to an area of interest. The update allows audiences to view keys pressed during a presentation via an elegant overlay. Boinx Mouseposé 2.5 requires Mac OS X 10.4 and a graphics card with Quartz Extreme support. [Download - 2.7MB]


• ClickPix 1.1 ($10) makes use of digital camera photos by creating a desktop background for Mac users. The latest version of ClickPix allows users to easily create desktop pictures consisting of as many of photos as desired, and supports the addition of various effects to photos. ClickPix 1.1 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. [Download - 1.1MB]


• Bloxter 1.3.3 ($20) updates the 3D falling-blocks game, adding the option to clear the high scores rather than resetting them to default, as well as several other minor improvements. Bloxter is an arcade-like puzzle game challenging players to drop colored blocks in lines of three or more. Bloxter includes more than 30 game variations ranging from simple designs to arcade boards with alien monsters and bonuses. [Download - 2MB]

Sling Media ships three Slingboxes

Sling Media today began shipping three new Slingbox models which include the flagship Slingbox Pro, AV, and Tuner editions. The Slingbox Pro is designed for complex home theaters where users might wish to stream video from any one of multiple devices to a computer or smartphone; though the Pro can also output HDTV through component AV cables with a $50 attachment. The Slingbox AV is a smaller, simpler device meant to connect only to a set-top box from a cable or satellite provider, while the similarly-shaped Slingbox Tuner includes only a co-axial cable jack but features the unique ability to connect to a cable modem and serve as a second Slingbox that gives its own choice of video programming. All three are already available, with the Pro model shipping at the same $250 price as the original and the two other versions retailing for $180 each, according to Electronista.

FileWave 2.6 goes "Universal"...

FileWave today announced the latest version of its software management suite, FileWave 2.6. The software is designed to ease distribution, installation, and configuration of software in multi-platform environments. Version 2.6 significantly simplifies the automated installation and configuration of software on computers running Microsoft Windows, improves Tiger support, and also brings Universal Binary support for the Mac OS-based components of FileWave. Software installation and management on Microsoft Windows computers is now easily achieved with Fileset WinMagic Assistant, which gives system administrators a full overview of all changes made to a disk and Windows Registry by a software installer. Remote control of FileWave Clients has also been further expanded through integration of Apple Remote Desktop 3.0. FileWave Administrators have the possibility to control or observe remote computers screens via Apple Remote Desktop 3.0 or Timbuktu as well as command line remote control via Secure Shell (SSH).

Aspyr launches re-designed website

Aspyr Media today re-launched its website to celebrate its 10th year in operation, offering visitors improved functionality, design, and style. The new site was designed and built by Aspyr's internal creative and information technology teams to provide expanded information about the company's current and upcoming titles, as well as its catalogue of previously released games. A new "Find a Game" search system enables users to easily locate particular Aspyr titles, and a calendar in the left column of the page informs visitors about recent as well as upcoming releases. Additionally, a "Game Advocate" section allows Aspyr employees to lend their personal voice to the company's game offerings. Another section specifically dedicated to videos will showcase all of Aspyr's trailers, and each title will feature a synopsis of the storyline coupled with system requirements.

Apps: hawkeye, Kids Server, CoverScout

• hawkeye 1.0.9v6 ($30) simplifies creating custom DVD mixes with minimal knowledge, allowing users to import various titles/chapters from a DVD while shrinking file size and yielding minimal quality loss. The update adds support for the 640x480 H.264 Baseline Low Complexity format, which is utilized by Apple's new iTunes Music Store downloads. [Download - 17.4MB]


• Kids Server 1.7 ($180/5 years for 5 users) updates the proxy server software with advanced Web filtering capabilities, offering native support to Intel-based Mac users as a Universal Binary. KidServer restricts browsers on any operating system, and features a new Web interface coupled with Universal Binary CGI scripts. The update also restricts blog sites, supports forced safe searches, and improves movie as well as words restriction. [Download - 3.1MB]


• WebcamTweaker 1.2.0 ($30) is an iSight companion featuring Timelapse Picture and Movie recording. Users can record video messages or shoot photos with special effects which include bump, glass, pinch, black & white, bloom, crystallize, dots, halftone, pixel, pointilize, thermal, TV, warhol, xray, balls, Christmas, crazy heart, cube, love, moving glass, spacewrap, teapot, and custom effects developed with Quartz Composer. [Download - 2.4MB]


• Phantasm CS trial (free trial, $40 for full version) provides Adobe Illustrator CS and CS2 users with full Brightness/Contrast control for all artwork including vector objects, text, images, and other effects as a filter or live effect. The trial version does not expire and any effects saved with a file remain entirely editable in both the trial as well as the full versions. [Download - form]


• CoverScout 2.1.1 ($20) ensures compatibility with iTunes 7, and enhances the software's ability to locate hard-to-find album covers to complement the latest revision of iTunes. iTunes 7 only discovers around 30-40 percent of missing music covers, according to Equinux, and CoverScout is designed to discover the leftover missing album artwork. [Download - [form]]


• Ten Thumbs 4.3 ($26) updates the typing tutor application, adding Danish keyboard and language support with improvements to Spanish translation. Version 4.3 also fixes problems with text importing, symbols on Linux, issues with Extra practice, and more. [Download - [form]]

Universal Messenger for Mac 6.0 debuts

Microsoft's Mac Business Unit has released Messenger for Mac 6.0, the first Universal application from Microsoft to run natively on both Intel-based Macs as well as PowerPC systems. Messenger 6.0 offers users more choice and customization options, as well as "worry-free" instant messaging via a new option to spell check messages. The Universal application allows Mac users to chat with Yahoo! buddies, and features "Personality Plus" that supports creation of custom emoticons as well as a personal display message, including "What I'm Listening To" -- a feature that displays what a user is listening to on iTunes. Business users can benefit from the choice to deploy Live Communications Server only, enabling easier IT management. Messenger for Mac 6.0 is available for free, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.

iTunes 7.0.1 fixes CoverFlow issues

Apple today released an update to its iTunes multimedia software, addressing stability as well as performance issues with Cover Flow, CD importing, iPod syncing, and more. iTunes 7.0, which Apple released during its special event in San Francisco on September 12th, recently came under fire as numerous users complained of problems ranging from video download issues to an inability to access the online store. The update requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, or Windows 2000/XP.

Apple preps Mac OS X 10.4.8 for release

Apple is gearing up to release its eighth maintenance update for Mac OS X Tiger, which will increase performance as well as stability. Mac OS X 10.4.8 is currently free of any known issues, according to a report from AppleInsider, and Apple posted a 30.8MB PowerPC update (build 8L2125) on its developer website alongside a 206MB Intel Mac update (build 8L2125). Apple is also said to have put out a call to developers, requesting that they extensively test scientific applications with the new Rosetta PowerPC emulation environment, which is rumored to feature performance improvements. The update will also include enhancements to AFP, DVD Player, Graphics as well as Graphics applications, iCal, iPhoto, Mail, Microsoft Word along with OpenType fonts, Modem usage, Networking, Printing, Safari, and USB support. Mac OS X 10.4.8 is also likely to provide support for new Core 2 Duo-based Mac laptops due for shipment near the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

Woz's Acquicor buys semiconductor firm...

Acquicor Technology -- an equity firm headed by three former Apple executives, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak -- today announced that it has acquired foundry provider Jazz Semiconductor for $260 million in cash. The three former Apple execs leading Acquicor include Gilbert Amelio, Ellen Hancock, and Steve "Woz" Wozniak. Acquicor -- also known as the "blank check" equity firm -- intends to focus on acquisitions in the technology sector, rather than manufacturing or selling products. Jazz Semiconductor is to become a subsidiary of Acquicor once the merger completes, and because Acquicor is a publicly traded company, Jazz Semiconductor will cease pursuit of its initial public offering, withdrawing its registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to eeTimes online.

FileBrowse enhances media browsing

R Green Blue today released FileBrowse 1.0, its unique file and media browser for Mac OS X. FileBrowse picks up where the Finder leaves off with thumbnails for most common file types, 3D icons as well as thumbnails rendered in real-time using OpenGL, folder icons that show miniature icons or thumbnails of the items inside, and large previews for most common file types shown in-context. The application also features enhanced grouping and sorting routines by kind, date, color label, artist, album, camera, and more. FileBrowse 1.0 is priced at $25, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Briefly: Panoramic Photokina; Extensis

In brief: The International VR Photography Association (IVRPA) is offering live panoramic coverage of Photokina 2006 in Cologne, Germany.... Extensis has launched new user forums for sharing advice, tips, and best practices with other users regarding Extensis software.... Sony has unveiled its Personal Reader System, the first mainstream eBook reader in North America using electronic paper to display still text and images with minimal battery power.... Sony has also introduced its new VAIO C Series, an offering of slim notebooks available in five colors.... Dover Studios today released its latest training DVD entitled "Maya: Surface Materials" offering tips and techniques designed to help users create realistic surface materials.... Speck is offering its Specktone Retro tabletop stereo speaker system for half off ($75) until October 3rd (coupon code: specktone).

Analyst forsees Apple pullback

Senior analyst Shaw Wu of American Technology Research today removed Apple from the firm's Focus List due to increased hype over Apple's expected cellular handset. "While we remain long-term positive, we believe Apple shares may reflect too much near-term cell phone optimism," wrote Wu in a research note obtained by MacNN. Apple shares have appreciated 15 percent vs. 3 percent in the NASDAQ since the firm added the Cupertino-based company to its Focus List roughly three weeks ago. "We would not be surprised to see a near-term pullback and would be aggressive buyers at lower levels (low-$70s, high-$60s)." The analyst also commented on Microsoft's new Zune media player, pointing to the company's possibly forsaken PlaysForSure Digital Rights Management (DRM), as well as its "partners" in the digital music industry. "We believe the unexpected side effect will be further fragmentation in the Windows Media market, creating more confusion to consumers," said Wu. The firm maintains its "Buy" rating on Apple shares with a $91 price target.

Billable 1.0 creates, manages invoices

Clickable Bliss has released Billable 1.0, an application for Mac OS X that helps users track the billable services they perform for a client and then lets them create and manage invoices based on those services. Users can keep track of clients with a simple Client Editor, store per-client specific hourly rate defaults, and import clients from your Address Book. In addition, it can create time-based Services with a time span and hourly rate, calculate the total cost, and use a built-in timer to start and stop a service. Users can view time progress of an active service via the badged dock icon, create flat fee services and specify a manual total cost, easily select services for invoicing, and export their data to XML. Billable features customization options to edit invoice layout and attributes, including: Due Date, Partial Payments, Optional Messages, etc. Billable 1.0 is available for an introductory price of $20 ($10 off regular pricing) through the end of October.

Martian SlingShot syncs music, files...

Martian Technology has released SlingShot 2.0.3, an update to its file and music synchronization application for Mac OS X. SlingShot 2.0.3 fixes several bugs related to synchronizing music in iTunes 7 between computers connected over a network. SlingShot allows users to easily back up all of your important (and costly) music and to share it among all the computers they own: unlike the "iPod reverse sync" now supported by Apple, SlingShot allows you to synchronize all of your music--not just songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store. Users can Publish an iTunes Playlist of music onto the network and then Subscribe to the Playlist from other computers. SlingShot 2.0.3 is available as a Universal Binary, supporting both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs and requires Mac OS X 10.4. Version 2.0.3 is a free upgrade for existing customers; new licenses are $30.

Pictage announces Aperture plugin

Pictage has announced a new Aperture plug-in that allows the Pictage subscriber community to open and edit their RAW/JPG images for post-production from within the recently released Aperture 1.5, Apple's all-in-one post production tool for photographers. It allows photographers to upload to the Pictage event site by simply selecting a menu from within Aperture that allows automatic connection to Pictage's Digital Express Client tool, file conversion (RAW to JPG, if needed), event submission, and automatic upload. "Pictage is committed to helping our photographers spend less time on administration and more time building their client base and shooting events," said Jeff Jochum, Vice President of Marketing for Pictage. "The pairing of Pictage subscribers with Aperture's superb photo management tools allows our community to better organize their business and substantially decrease their workflow." The Pictage Aperture plug-in is currently being previewed at PhotoKina 2006 and will be available to Pictage subscribers in the "near future."

MathWorks updates control design apps...

The MathWorks today announced major upgrades to three of its control design software products: Control System Toolbox 7, Simulink Control Design 2, and Simulink Response Optimization 3. The new versions provide a stronger integration with Simulink to create a streamlined platform for control design and optimization using Model-Based Design as well as a new graphical user interface (GUI) that unifies the three products. The trio of products facilitates the control design process: Control System Toolbox gives engineers the ability to systematically analyze, design, and tune control systems; Simulink Control Design enables the design and analysis of sophisticated multi-loop control systems directly in Simulink; and Simulink Response Optimization, enables engineers to use numerical optimization to tune the response of systems modeled in Simulink, satisfying performance requirements. Prices start at $1000 for each product.

Pencils Down 3.0 helps teachers

Elgebar Studios today released Pencils Down 3.0, the third major release of their Pencils Down test-creation software. Pencils Down allows teachers to create tests and quizzes for students quickly and painlessly. Version 3.0, the largest upgrade to Pencils Down since its release, allow users to add up to 26 choices on multiple choice questions, instead of the previous mandate of 4. It also supports "header text," which allows teachers to place needed info or fields before the main test. Pencils Down 3 also adds an "Informative Text" question type that allows teachers to place new instructions in the middle of their tests. The software also supports multiple question types, including the new "Informative Text" type, enables more than one correct answer for Multiple Choice, and a simpler user interface. It is available for $20.

Apps: FastScripts, Paid!, GrowlCode

• FastScripts 2.3 ($15) is a free upgrade for registered users of the script management software that offers support for unmodified keys as script shortcuts. FastScripts 2.3 also refines the grayscale menu bar icon, adds a new preference for toggling "Launch at Login," and includes improved AppleScript access to FastScripts script hierarchies. [Download - 1.4MB]


• Paid! 3.9 ($80) is a free update to registered customers adding a Quotes Header title option. The latest revision fixes a bug in the Return Address display, modifies the "Include Contact" button on printed invoices, and improves the software's "Monthly Summary Report," "Batch Invoice Printing," and "Client and Crew" address book printouts. [Download - 10.5MB]


• 24U SimpleCode Plug-In 2.1 ($40) addresses two main text encoding issues for solutions migrated from FileMaker 6 to FileMaker 7 and 8. The plug-in fixes text that was previously incorrectly converted to Unicode, and enables users to use old-style FileMaker 6 compatible plug-ins with non-English languages. The update runs natively on Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary and works with FileMaker 7.0 through 8.5. [Download - 1.6MB]


• GrowlCode 0.7 (free) provides notifications when an application needs attention. The plug-in for Apple's Xcode development environment provides notifications for when a build succeeds or fails, preprocessing is complete, compilation succeeds or fails, disassembly completes, and when cleaning is complete. GrowlCode works in Xcode 2.4 on Mac OS X 10.3 or later. [Download - 683KB]


• Relaunch 1.2 ($5) saves a snapshot of all running applications and launches them automatically after the next login or reboot. Relaunch 1.2 adds the ability to monitor individual documents in 20 common Mac applications including Office, iWork, Omni Outliner, SubEthaEdit, XCode, and VoodooPad. [Download - 1MB]


• iVisualize 1.6 ($price) brings iTunes 7 compatibility to the iTunes visualization software, and fixes all known bugs. Users can also change all composition settings on-the-fly with iVisualize 1.6. The application allows iTunes to access Quartz Composer, reacting to music while displaying song information. [Download - 9MB]