Apple releases Boot Camp 1.1.2 beta [u]

Apple today updated its Boot Camp beta software, enhancing the utility that allows Intel Mac owners to boot into Mac OS X or another operating system such as Microsoft Windows. The list of specific changes for Boot Camp 1.1.2 is absent from Apple's website, however, despite the presence of its download link to the new version. Users wanting to update to Boot Camp 1.1.2 beta with a previously installed beta need only update the Boot Camp Assistant software and create a new Macintosh Drivers for Windows CD, installing the updated software it contains on Windows XP. Apple's Boot Camp beta software requires Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.6 or later running on an Intel-based Mac, as well as the latest firmware updates. [corrected]

"Compute" Keynote themes released...

Divine Fiat today released Compute, its latest theme set for Apple's Keynote presentation software consisting of "Workstation," "iTheme - Black," and "iTheme - White." Inspired by the industrial look and feel of the Mac Pro, Workstation is designed to give 'an elegant power' to presentations. From the 'cheese-grater' ventilation to the aluminum case, Workstation is meant to appear as sleek and strong as the computer that inspired it. Both iTheme - Black and iTheme - White incorporate the sleek, polished look and feel of the iPod as well as the new MacBooks. All three themes attempt to provide the same professional quality to presentations as all things Macintosh. Workstation, iTheme - Black, and iTheme - White are available individually for $20, or as part of the Compute collection for $50.

ATTO debuts SAS/SATA RAID cards...

ATTO Technology is planning to unveil a new line of SAS/SATA RAID Adapters that offer flexible SAS and SATA II connectivity while delivering fast data transfers of up to 3Gbps per port. The new ExpressSAS RAID adapters are the industry's first and only devices of their kind with a true low-profile form factor that fit standard-length PCI Express slots, according to ATTO, making them ideal for compact server applications. The adapters are also the only SAS RAID cards with hardware RAID 6 and RAID 60 support, offering selectable port configuration options for a custom mix of internal and external SAS connections. The ExpressSAS adapters are the only SAS RAID controllers that support Mac OS X, bringing the high performance of SAS storage technology to Mac owners. ATTO's new ExpressSAS RAID controllers are expected to ship in the first quarter of 2007 for $1,100.

SpamSieve 2.5 improves parser

Developer Michael Tsai today released SpamSieve 2.5, an update to the Universal application that brings Bayesian spam filtering to Mac email clients. SpamSieve allows users to control the software from within an email client to customize how the program interacts with message sorting rules. Compatible email clients include Apple Mail, Emailer, Entourage, Eudora, GyazMail, Mailsmith, Outlook Express, and PowerMail. The latest revision includes changes to the parser and classifiers for improved accuracy, and enhances the in-memory corpus representation efficiency. The Software Update feature is rewritten to show release notes when a newer version is available, and SpamSieve 2.5 improves accuracy on messages containing misspelled words. The update is free for registered users, and requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later. SpamSieve is priced at $30 for new users.

First Apple Store to open in Scotland...

A listed building planning application currently under consideration by Glasgow City Council reveals the future location of Scotland's first Apple Store. Located at 147 Buchanan Street in the middle of what some say is one of the busiest and most exclusive shopping streets in the UK, Apple will open its doors in a remodeled building that currently houses a home furnishings shop. The planning application depicts the replacement of the existing mezzanine floor, as well as the installation of a new elevator. Apple is also planning to install a new stone floor at the ground level, with stainless steel panels making up the rear wall and ceiling. A glass spiral staircase to the left of the main entrance will connect the ground and mezzanine levels, where an Apple "Genius" bar will service customers with questions who make appointments to speak with Apple employees. The plans do not indicate the presence of a theater, however, and the cost of alterations to the current building is estimated at £1,168,000.

Plextor ships 10X external DVD burner

Plextor today unveiled the PX-755UF, its first external DVD drive that breaks the 8X speed threshold for writing dual-layer discs. The PX-755UF records a full 8.5GB DVD+R disc at a 10X rate, making it suitable for backups of downloaded and purchased movies, according to Plextor. The drive is also capable of writing to dual-layer DVD-R discs at 6X and can record a single-layer DVD in either format within six minutes, according to the company's tests. The device features ports for both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connections, according to Electronista, and both are supported on Mac OS X and Windows systems. The PX-755UF is due to ship in mid-November for $160.

Apple CEO named greatest IT person

ComputerWeekly.com has declared Apple CEO Steve Jobs no. 1 of the top 10 greatest IT people. "For every world-famous name with a world famous fortune, such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell, there are hundreds of other individuals who have moved the IT industry and its technology inexorably forward." Changing the world through technology is the 'hallmark' of the IT greats, according to the publication, and some of these IT people alter the way technology is marketed, or have drastically influenced the way IT is perceived by society. Following Jobs is Microsoft founder Bill Gates in 3rd, followed by Linus Torvalds -- the man who initiated the development of the Linux kernel in the 5th spot. The Apple chief topped the 40th anniversary poll as a result of a devoted following he has generated through his work in personal computing and product design, according to ComputerWeekly.com.

Briefly: review, Audio Kontrol 1 ships

In brief: MacNN has reviewed iMuffs Wireless Headphones from Wi-Gear ($180, shown at right), a set of earphones designed for people who don't want to live on an iPod leash.... Native Instruments has begun shipping its Audio Kontrol 1 ($300), a compact high-performance USB 2.0 audio interface designed to address the typical needs of many musicians, producers, and DJs in a portable package.... O'Reilly Press has released "Practical Color Management" ($30), a designed to take readers from the history and science to setting up a color management-friendly workflow.... FileMaker today announced that it will showcase Web-enabled database technology during the Zend/PHP Conference and Expo being held October 30-November 2nd at the Doubletree Inn in San Jose, CA.... Dosch Design has released 10 detailed, entirely textured buildings including interiors and respective furnishings representing a range of architectural styles.... Dosch Design also released Dosch CAD, featuring many of the popular Dosch 3D models with optimized file formats for use with numerous CAD applications.

Apple ships second-generation Shuffle

Apple has reportedly begun shipping its second-generation iPod shuffle, as various users who first ordered the tiny players already claim to have received confirmation of shipment. This diffuses speculation of delays stemming from a previous report which claimed that the new Shuffle might arrive in mid-November, later than expected. One user confirmed the shipment of the new Shuffles with AppleInsider after receiving an email notice that the second-generation iPod shuffle had shipped, with delivery expected by November 3rd. Most users who received such confirmation placed their orders immediately after the device debuted at Apple's last Special Event on September 12th. "I placed my order immediately after Apple's press event, about five minutes after the Apple online store came back online," one customer said.

Speedflow Edit 4.0 enables PDF editing...

OneVision today released Speedflow Edit 4.0 for Mac OS X and Windows, its Java-based software that enables full PDF editing of text, images, and vector graphics from a user’s desktop computer. Speedflow Edit offers comprehensive prepress editing tools in the hands of authorized print production personnel enabling complete control of all data within PDF files to save money, time and effort. The editing tool is designed for use by publishers and organizations that produce all sizes and types of printed materials, including magazines, books, and newsletters: users can alter images and advertisements in virtually any PDF, including text, vector and raster elements--without having to obtain and access the original document or use the original program. PDF files from any application can be opened, edited and cleanly written as a PDF (v1.2-v1.6), including PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3 standards.

Flashforward at Macworld Expo 2007

The Flashforward Team today announced the first Flashforward event of 2007, a partnership with Macworld Conference & Expo offering attendees the chance to experience Flashforward while browsing the annual show. All Flashforward Macworld sessions will demonstrate the latest Flash and Flex development tools running directly under Mac OS X, focusing on Mac platform integration as well as workflow topics. Flashforward Macworld sessions include Adobe Introduction with Mike Downey, Mike Chambers, Justin Everett-Church; Adobe Tool Integration with Flash hosted by Michael Ninness; Animation with Flash by Chris Georgenes; Flash Video with Robert Reinhardt; Introduction to ActionScript hosted by Aral Balkan; and Introduction to Flex Builder 2 with Aral Balkan.

MacBook Pro replacement battery ships

Fastmac today began shipping its high capacity replacement battery featuring TruePower technology for Apple's MacBook Pro notebook. The new 62-watt/hour battery uses Lithium-Polymer cells with integrated charge indicator LEDs that utilize TruePower technology for increased safety during use, and lasts around 5 percent longer than Apple's default battery. TruePower technology incorporates sensors in the integrated circuit inside the battery that detect undesirable levels of swelling or a short circuit that will power off the battery in certain extreme conditions. TruePower batteries do not contain or use any Sony cells that are subject to the recent series of recalls issued by major computer manufacturers, according to FastMac. The TruePower battery for 15-inch MacBook Pro is available for $100 with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Macs rebounding on college campuses...

Apple's shipments of Mac laptops increased 49 percent over the same time last year as revealed by the company's fourth quarter financial results, which showed a 'blowout Mac quarter' and a 32 percent increase in U.S. PC market share. That increase was driven by MacBook sales and Apple's successful back-to-school promotions, challenging Dell's overwhelming dominance on college campuses. Experts tracking both student purchasing and institutional trends say Apple is quickly expanding its presence at colleges and universities, according to Inside Higher Ed. Eric Weil -- managing partner of Student Monitor, a national group that tracks the consumer habits of college students -- believes that the rise of iTunes as well as the iPod digital media player, combined with Apple's ability to position itself as an especially 'hip' brand, and an overall increase in notebook purchases contribute to the trend.

Briefly: Apple Greece; MacForensicsLab

In brief: Greek Apple users continue to demand service that is equal to the rest of Europe, following a similar initiative in Poland that launched earlier this year.... SubRosaSoft is offering free training courses on the operation of MacForensicsLab at the Huntington Beach Police Department in Huntington Beach, CA.... Gizmodo has reviewed Sonnet's Volta ($70), a rechargeable battery pack that boasts up to 16 hours of video playback on a single 5.5-hour charge.... Thursby Software Systems today announced that the U.S. Army has formally accepted its ADmitMac for CAC (AFC) as part of its enterprise desktop standards.... Smart Loops has released Smart Loops Studio Pack, a downloadable loop pack with four instrument libraries which include Dry Studio Kit, Electric Guitars, Bass Guitars, and Percussion Kit.... Former Microsoft technology evengelist and now podcasting expert Robert Scoble has criticized the company's Zune player in his blog, pointing to the media player's lack of appeal to the technology-driven early adopters that often determine new electronics' long-term success.

Sun, Netbeans release NetBeans 5.5...

Sun together with NetBeans today released NetBeans 5.5 Integrated Development Environment (IDE), the first and only freely available IDE to provide comprehensive support for Java EE 5. NetBeans 5.5 -- which runs only on Microsoft Windows systems -- features Java Persistence API and JAX WS 2.0 productivity tools, Subversion support, and enhancements to the NetBeans GUI Builder formerly known as Project Matisse. The latest revision ensures the common look and feel of applications post-deployment across Mac OS X, Solaris, Linux, and Windows systems. The application also provides support for Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE), Java Platform Enterprise Edition (Java EE), and Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME). Sun today also announced five value-added packs for NetBeans 5.5 which include NetBeans Enterprise Pack, NetBeans Mobility Pack, NetBeans Profiler 5.5 Pack, a technology preview of NetBeans Visual Web Pack, and NetBeans C/C++ Pack (beta). NetBeans 5.5 is available for free as a digital download, and requires Java SE JDK 5 or 6.

Canon ships new multi-function printer

Canon has begun shipping its higher-end PIXMA MP960 all-in-one multi-function printer with a flatbed scanner and copying capability. The device features seven ink tanks to achieve quality rivaling that of photo labs, according to Canon, and the printer completes a best-quality 4 x 6-inch photo in about 35 seconds. The flatbed scanner achieves 4800 x 4800 dpi while minimizing light distortion, offering auto exposure correction as a copier to prevent the transparency effect when working with thin pages. Unifying all three roles is the previously introduced scroll wheel interface that controls the visual menu system on the MP960's built-in 3.5-inch LCD, according to Electronista. The PIXMA MP960 is shipping for $400.

Mac Expo: More photos from show floor...

The Mac Expo in London continued with large Saturday crowds flooding into the event this weekend as numerous companies continued to demonstrate products and software. Event organizers handed out awards to HP as well as Griffin for best of show and iPod accessory manufacturer of the year, and Apple continued to impress visitors with ongoing demos of its products as it displayed non-functional second-generation iPod shuffles to attendees. The third day completed the Mac Expo after two prior days brought much excitement and a few surprises.

MacFair 2006 to offer 28 seminars...

The Southern California MacFair 2006 is set to begin this weekend with more than 40 Mac-related companies, 28 Mac seminars, and 15 Mac workshops for attendees. MacTech Magazine's Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Neil Ticktin will offer this year's keynote address for several hundred expected visitors. The event begins Friday, November 3rd and runs through Saturday, November 4th at Cerritos College in Southern California. Advanced online registration for the vendor expo, presentation seminars, and door prize entry is $17 until November 1st at 10:00 p.m., thereafter rising to $20 at the door.

Day three at MacExpo in London

The expected large Saturday crowds flooded into MacExpo this weekend, generating a massive influx of questions and interest in products as they perused the show. During the first two days, awards were handed out to honor those participants with outstanding products or services. HP won the "MacWorld Best of Show Award" for its B9180 A3+ inkjet printer (shown at right), while Griffin won the "Mac User iPod Accessory Manufacturer of the Year Award." Apple again attracted large crowds with ongoing demonstrations of its products and applications as the company showed off non-functional second-generation iPod shuffles to accentuate the small size of the new device. Elgato showcased its new "EyeTV Diversity" USB stick device offering dual DTT tuners with picture-in-picture capability, which it said is slated for shipment in mid-November for £110. IRIS held a strong presence at the show as well, demonstrating its Readiris Pro OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software, IRISCard mini scanner, and IRISPen express.