Archway ships "Universal" VersaCAD 2006

Archway Systems late last month began shipping a Universal Binary version of VersaCAD 2006 for Macintosh, its versatile, practical and economical design/drafting software for the Mac-based architect, designer, engineer or drafter. In addition to support for Intel-based Macs, it includes the latest DWG/DXF translation engine from Open Design Alliance and additional fonts and new features such as: building a group by chain, build a group by duplicate objects, an external modifiable color table, object snap to the midpoint of an arc and more. VersaCAD is available as an Unlimited Corporate License or for $800 per single-seat. Site licenses start at $1,000 per year for up to 10 users, $1,500 up to 20 users, $2,000 up to 50 users. Academic pricing is $200 per copy or $500 for an unlimited campus license.

Mac purchases triple at Princeton

Macs are becoming more popular at Princeton University, according to a new report. The number of students who have chosen Macs at the prominent Ivy league institution has tripled in the past three years. The Daily Princetonian reports that 45 percent of computers purchased this year were Macs, more than in any previous year. In 2003, the report notes, just 15 percent of them chose Macs: the number has been steadily rising as nearly 25 percent purchased Macs in 2004 and almost 40 percent in 2005. The article cites security issues, Apple's growing retail presence, and the "iPod halo effect" as possible reasons for Apple's growing influence on campus. Faculty have also been buying more Macs. "'A relatively high percentage of faculty use Macs,' said Steven Sather of OIT. 'And that percentage has also increased over the past couple years.' Many faculty members in the Engineering School have adopted Macs despite the fact that some engineering software programs only run on Windows."

Briefly: Fireworks beta; trademark

In brief: Adobe is inviting existing and prospective members of the Fireworks community to submit a request to participate in a private beta for the upcoming release of Adobe Fireworks, the popular Web graphics--acquired from Macromedia--that will be integrated with its forthcoming Creative Suite 3 (due early next year).... Hong Kong's trademark office today officially published Apple's registered trademark status for Photocast, which differs from U.S. filings by covering additional International Classes over Apple's U.S. published filings.... Google today began a soliciting Mac users in its new Google Mac Blog, requesting feedback on the company's Mac products and services.... Former Cobb County Schools superintendent Joe Redden, who resigned last year after an audit revealed that he manipulated a notebook contract in favor of Apple, failed to appear before a grand jury charged with investigating the program.... One user has created a Web-based video iPod resolution calaculator, allowing users to calculate source video resolution for MPEG-4 as well as H.264 in relation to the video iPod.... Stockicons.com today began offering half off the purchase price of any Basic or Basic EPS stock icon collection.

M-Audio ships Conectiv, Torq

M-Audio today began shipping its Conectiv 4 x 4 USB DJ audio interface, as well as its Torq DJ performance/production software. Conectiv is usable as a self-contained digital system, a multi-effects processor, or a slave from control CDs/vinyl. The device features a 4 x 4 USB 1.1 audio interface with 16-bit/48KHz fidelity, four RCA inputs configurable for line-level or phono signals, and four RCA outputs with a +10dBV peak output level. Two mix knobs allow users to blend audio inputs as well as USB output, and every Synchroscience device ships with Torq -- the company's DJ software. Torq enables users to cue, beat-match, and mix MP3, AIFF, WAV, WMA, and AAC files. The DJ software is designed to work seamlessly with Conectiv, and supports optional third-party effects. Conectiv is available for $350 with control CD/Vinyl, or $300 without.

Apple acquires Silicon Color...

Apple has acquired Silicon Color, the company responsible for producing FinalTouch color correction software. Apple will continue to honor maintenance agreements held by current Silicon Color customers until they expire, according to the company, and gains rights to all Silicon Color technology as well as its intellectual property. The announcement reads: "We are pleased to announce that all Silicon Color technology and intellectual property, including FinalTouch color correction software, was recently sold to Apple. Maintenance agreements held by current Silicon Color customers will be honored by Apple until they expire." Financial details about the acquisition were unavailable. Silicon Color caters to video professionals via its FinalTouch 2K, FinalTouch HD, and FinalTouch SD packages.

Apple files for "iPhone" trademark...

Apple has officially filed for the "iPhone" trademark, which all but confirms rumors that the Cupertino-based company will launch its own mobile handset in the near future. Discovered in a Southeast Asian trademark filing dated September 15th, the trademark uses the name in direct reference to a device which is listed both under the category of "MP3 and other digital audio players" as well as handsets capable of "sending and receiving telephone calls," according to AppleInsider. The filing also covers the role of a "stand-alone video game machine," suggesting that the new phone will allow users to play games -- such as those recently released via the iTunes Music Store for $4.99 each -- which currently work with Apple's video iPod models. Apple has previously filed for related patents in the U.S. but hasn't committed itself to specific descriptions or names until now. [updated]

X-Session Pro MIDI controller ships...

M-Audio today began shipping its X-Session Pro USB MIDI controller, a unit designed to bring traditional DJ-style control to the world of computer DJing and live performance. The X-Session Pro combines the standard controls of a two-channel DJ mixer with the transport and pitch controls of a turntable or DJ CD player, enabling users to control DJ and performance applications from a single interface. The mixer controls allow users to perform smooth crossfades as well as adjust level, cueing, and EQ, while the integrated transport and pitch controls allow starting, stopping, and beat-matching digital files within programs such as Ableton Live, Traktor DJ Studio, and other DJ/performance applications. X-Session Pro is shipping for $130.

Apps: AddressX, Studiometry, Ch

• AddressX 1.53 ($20) retrieves all of the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses f the people in an Exchange Global Address List (GAL), separated into their own group in Mac OS X's Address Book. The update adds a "Contact Information" field allowing users to add specified content into the "Note" field when updating GAL entries into the Address Book, and adds preferences to set the timeout for both the initial networking connection and for subsequent communications. [Download - [form]]


• Studiometry 4.0.2 ($170) is a free update to the client and project data management application, bringing native support to Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary. The update fixes a possible issue with backup size limitations, remedies problems with alignment of rows in Invoice Template data columns when the first row is blank, fixes an issue that could occur by attempting to view a project image in a separate window, and features a newly redone "Update Available" window. [Download - 21.8MB]


• Typinator 1.5 ($20) enhances the system-wide faster typing and typo auto-correction utility for Mac OS X, offering German localization. The application allows users to create shorthand typing sets that dynamically change into longer words, phrases, or images. Typinator speeds repetitive typing tasks, eliminating manually-introduced errors within the text it replaces. [Download - 1MB]


• Ch 5.5 (free, $200 for Pro) is a C/C++ interpreter for cross-platform scripting, shell programming, numerical computing, plotting, and embedded scripting. The update primarily adds Embedded Ch function callback features, more C99 options, and new plotting capabilities. Ch Professional Edition is supported in QNX, and the latest release fixes numerous reported bugs. [Download - 8MB]


• Cocktail 3.7.3 ($15) addresses a bug that caused high CPU usage on Intel-based Macs, and adds compatibility with Mac OS X 10.4.8. Cocktail is a general-purpose utility for Mac OS X designed as a digital toolset with a variety of maintenance features and tweaks to help users get the most out of their computers. The software offers adjustments to five basic categories which include disks, system, files, network, and interface. [Download - 1.8MB]


• iVeZeen 2.2 ($15) updates the video blogging tool that offers a number of unique ways to start and stop recording, including voice command and motion detection. The update runs natively on Intel Macs as a Universal Binary, and fixes a minor issue with the built-in iSights that are part of most shipping Macs as well as a rare crashing but on dual-processor computers. [Download - 688KB]

Quark Print Collection coming in Nov.

Quark today announced its new Quark Print Collection, a comprehensive set of prepress tools for QuarkXPress 7 and Adobe Acrobat 7. Quark Print Collection enables the creation of fully imposed, press-ready files. It includes Quark Imposer for QuarkXPress, Quark Imposer for Adobe Acrobat, Quark MarkIt, and Quark Item Marks. Based on technology originally developed by A Lowly Apprentice Production (ALAP, previously acquired by Quark), the tools can create fully imposed press-ready files. The Quark Print Collection enables users to preview imposed pages to ensure quality and prevent waste and save imposition and registration settings as reusable styles (for sharing with other users). Users can impose native QuarkXPress layouts using QuarkXPress 7 or PDF files using Adobe Acrobat 7: pages can be imposed in 2-up, 4-up, 6-up, and 8-up layouts and users can choose from among a variety of binding and imposition types and control settings for bleed, creep, and crossover. The company says that the original source files are never affected. It will be available by the end of the month for $300 and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later and QuarkXpress 7.01 and/or Acrobat 7.

Quark debuts QuarkXPress Server 7...

Quark today launched QuarkXPress Server 7, a dynamic publishing solution that combines QuarkXPress with server-based performance. Leveraging a a Web-based, template-driven process, the technology enables users to preview communications online, customize design and content, and print locally or remotely. Users can develop and deploy data-driven applications to automate production, eliminate redundant steps, and publish to multiple channels. Quark said that the solution can be easily integrated with existing infrastructures and data sources and is typically offered as part of a packaged solution from a Quark system integrator or OEM partner. QuarkXPress Server incorporates the new features of QuarkXPress 7, granting users access to productivity-enhancing functionality, such as layout-independent spaces and Job Jackets technology for collaboration, and enhancements for variable-data printing, including Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML) and optimized PDF output support.

Punch! Home Design Studio for Mac ships...

Punch! Software has released Punch! Home Design Studio for Mac OS X, an application for designing custom homes with realistic lighting effects, plant growth, and 3D views offering a controllable sun angle and shadows. Unique PowerTools allow design as well as editing from within the application, and logically-presented toolsets keep users' workspace free of clutter while working. Key Punch! Home design Studio features include a "Cabinet Assistant" to customize cabinet designs; "Landscape Tools" for property lines, paths, pools, slopes, fencing, and growth; a "Roofing Assistant" to automatically create roofing with pitch, soffit, and trim; and "Deck Design" allowing users to plan a new custom deck. Punch! Home Design Studio requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later, and is available for $150 as a digital download.

OWC offers Mac Pro memory upgrade kits

Other World Computing (OWC) today introduced its 512MB x 2 memory upgrade kits for Apple's Quad Intel Xeon-based Mac Pro workstation. The Apple-qualified fully buffered DIMM 667MHz DDR2 72-bit ECC memory upgrade is designed for Mac Pro owners who want to add matched sets of memory in 1GB increments. "OWC Mac Pro Quad Xeon upgrade kits are comprised of matched pairs of FB-DIMM modules manufactured to Apple's stringent Mac Pro specifications, far exceeding standard JEDEC specifications. All OWC modules for Apple Mac Pro towers utilize the best components including true Apple-qualified heat spreaders, ensuring maximum performance and long-term reliability." All OWC modules are backed by a lifetime replacement warranty, and OWC 1GB Apple-qualified FB-DIMM kits for the Mac Pro are available from $250.

Apps: xBack, Snippet Monkey, TinyBooks

• xBack 3.6.5 ($10) is a utility allowing users to replace the desktop picture with a screensaver, effectively bringing the desktop to life. xBack can quickly start/stop the desktop screensaver, allows users to easily change the running screensaver, offers previews of screensavers without opening System Preferences, and offers menu-based usage with no wasted space in the dock. The update fixes a bug where "Stop when running on battery" would deselect upon waking from sleep. [Download - 927KB]


• Snippet Monkey 1.0 ($18) creates shortcuts for phrases frequently typed, which are dubbed snippets. Snippet Monkey allows users to create new snippets from the clipboard, or alternatively via an easy-to-use snippet editor. Snippets support text, images, date and time in a chosen format, and additional nested snippets. [Download - 762KB]


• Fan Control 1.1 (free) adjusts the minimum fan speed of MacBook Pro laptops depending on the current CPU temperature. The utility leaves the original automatic fan speed control intact for safety, and allows users to configure upper as well as lower fan speed thresholds. [Download - 2.5MB]


• TinyBooks 4.0.1 ($50) is a simple, flexible, non-bloated, single-entry bookkeeping and accounting system designed for home users and small businesses. TinyBooks handles invoices as well as taxes, handling transactions to track income sources as well as expenses. The update revises the help information, simplifies various dialogs, and improves the Reports window. [Download - 227KB]


• TanManager 2.2 (free) helps users track transaction numbers (TANs) used by many online backing services. The software logs each transaction with a date, copying the next available TAN to the clipboard ensuring it is ready to paste into a Web browser. TanManager 2.2 adds a shortcut to open a browser to online banking pages, fixes automatic comment entry with multiple accounts, and adds an import function from TanManager 2.0 or later. [Download - 3MB]


• TimeCache 6.1.5 ($50) updates the time expense tracking software for Mac, offering better support for invoicing. Users enter time and expenses on billable projects in a daily log that serves as an electronic timesheet. TimeCache 6.1.5 also supports easier data entry, more ways to custmize what as well as how to track time/expenses, more report options, and spell checking. [Download - 4.7MB]

Briefly: review, Apple FYQ4 webcast

In brief: MacNN has reviewed the iHiFi ($100, shown at right) from Zoom Technologies, a transmitter that plugs into an iPod or other MP3 player to send music to a receiver across the room wirelessly via Bluetooth technology.... Apple has officially announced its fiscal year 2006 fourth quarter results conference call, which will be held Wednesday, October 18th at 2:00 p.m. PDT and broadcast via a live audio webcast.... Yazsoft today announced its Apple iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition giveaway, where the company will select a winner at random from contestants who send an email to info@yazsoft.com.... MobiBLU has released the Cube 2, which it claims is the world's smallest MP3 player featuring a full-color OLED display with support for common image formats such as JPEG and PNG as well as videos transcoded to the MSV format.... Hewlett-Packard has announced that Intel's first quad-core processors will launch on November 13th in a new line of HP workstations, which are expected to use the Xeon 5300 processor.... After heavily promoting its FM radio recording feature as an advantage over Apple's iPod line, Creative has been forced to disable the feature in its Zen Vision:M music players, according to owners.

Gigabit Ethernet ExpressCard debuts

Small Tree Communications today debuted the first Gigabit Ethernet 34mm ExpressCard for the Apple's MacBook Pro. The PEG34m provides throughput and connectivity at speeds up to 100 times faster than the original Ethernet, according to the company. It has a unique foldable RJ-45 connector and is the thinnest ExpressCard on the market today. "The PEG34m provides MacBook Pro owners with a second fully functional Gigabit network for applications such as large file transfer and sharing," the company said. "Working in conjunction with the computer’s built-in Gigabit Ethernet port the PEG34m supports 802.3ad link aggregation and Jumbo frames up to 9000MTU." The Small Tree PEG34m offers high-performance Gigabit connectivity for $80 and is specifically designed to plug into a MacBook Pro (as well as other Windows desktop or laptop systems) equipped with an ExpressCard 34mm slot.

'Stack On Mi' USB 2.0 hub for Mac Mini

Macessity today announced its Stack On Mi, an aluminum color self-powered USB 2.0 Hub for customers using Apple's Mac Mini. Stack On Mi was designed for user who wants to show off their Mac Mini on their desk--with or without other Mac Mini enclosures--according to Macessity. "Four-port front access, self powered USB2.0 hub with the design and color to match your Mac Mini and other popular Mac Mini enclosures, Stack On Mi allows you to stack and organize your desk top like no other hub. So, go ahead and show off your Mac Mini, Stack On Mi will take it to a new level, literally." The hub is one-inch in height and offers an open top and bottom to allow better air flow for the Mac Mini. It is available now for $30 and includes a 12-inch USB 2.0 cable (and power adapter).

QuickerTek's 2W wireless Transceiver

QuickerTek has announced a 2,000 milliwatt (2 Watt) Transceiver, expanding QuickerTek's line of Point-to-Point long distance wireless networking systems. "Mounted inside or outside, this 2W Transceiver performs equally well. Most often used when wireless must reach across hundreds of yards of line-of-site distances, users have found that building-to-building wireless is easily within reach." The high-power transceiver, however, cannot penetrate solid objects such as mountains and hills, several downtown office buildings or other dense obstructions that occlude line-of-sight, according to the company. The new Transceiver works with all 802.11/b/g WiFi equipment including Apple's AirPort and AirPort Extreme and is compatible with all AirPort-supported Mac OS versions; it requires no software drivers. The device is $600 and includes a one-year warranty (parts and labor).

Face recognition SDK supports Mac OS X

Neurotechnologija today announced VeriLook 3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) for the development of fast, reliable and cost-effective biometric facial recognition systems on Mac OS X platform (as well as Windows and Linux). Using a standard Webcam or security camera, the VeriLook 3.0 algorithm can match 100,000 faces per second with high reliability and can detect multiple faces in a single frame and process all of them simultaneously, according to the company. VeriLook 3.0 works with any database and any user interface, providing hardware manufacturers, biometric systems developers and security system integrators with powerful facial recognition technology that can be used in a wide array of security systems. The VeriLook library ensure high reliability of the face identification, 1:1 and 1:N matching modes, and simultaneous multiple face detection. VeriLook 3.0 SDK is available now with several licensing options; it runs on Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later and requires QuickTime 6 or later.

WiebeTech ships eSATA Express34 card

WiebeTech has introduced a new TeraCard eSATA Express34 host card that allows users to add eSATA ports to the latest notebook computers with ExpressCard slots, such as MacBook Pro. "This addition to our TeraCard lineup of host cards allows users to take advantage of the high speed eSATA interface and fast SATA drives," said James Wiebe, president/CEO of WiebeTech LLC. The card supports SATA 2 drives with transfer speeds of up to 3.0Gbps and is fully backwards compatible with SATA 1. It includes drivers for Mac OS X and Windows 2K/XP/Server 2003, two hot swappable eSATA ports with two independent Serial ATA channels, and supports FIS-based switching with Port Multipliers. The card offers two LEDs indicate drive access. The TeraCard eSATA Express34 host card retails for $120 and is shipping now.

WSJ profiles Apple COO Tim Cook

Apple's second in command, chief operating officer Tim Cook, is the story behind the the story--the story of Apple's resurgence and success--according to one Silicon Valley executive. A new Wall Street Journal profile of the Apple executive offers a few insights: "Cook's low public profile notwithstanding, his contributions at Apple have earned him enough notice within technology circles that he is routinely solicited for CEO jobs, though the 45-year-old has voiced no near-term plans to leave Apple.... While Mr. Jobs is known to have a mercurial temper and a sharp tongue, Mr. Cook has the courtly demeanor of a Southern gentleman. People who work with him say his quiet manner and slow drawl have a disarming effect in a fast-paced environment like Apple, filled with its share of table-pounders.... Mr. Cook appears more than happy to stay off the stage that seems to be Mr. Jobs's natural habitat." [paid registration required]

Adobe Print Engine 1.1 supports OS X...

Adobe today announced version 1.1 of Adobe PDF Print Engine software technology, a comprehensive design-to-print solution that leverages Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and Job Definition Format (JDF) to deliver control, consistency and efficiency throughout the entire print workflow. The new version leverages common PDF technology across the Adobe Creative Suite and Acrobat to allow creative and print professionals to efficiently create, collaborate on, and automate the output of Adobe PDF files. New features include support for Mac OS X, PDF 1.7, PDF layer-management and enhanced color management.