Forums: OS X stablility, RAM, AppleTV

Forums roundup: Members are discussing the reports from one Mac switcher questioning the stability of OS X, after experiencing several freezes and crashes.... Other users are sharing experiences and problems when installing a second optical drive in a Mac Pro.... One user has asked for help choosing RAM for his MacBook, wondering what brand is best..... Other members are discussing the rant of one Mac user who is fed up with authentication requests by OS X.... Meanwhile, other members are discussing whether or not the AppleTV falls to the Mac Mini in terms quality and variety of streaming methods.

H-Squared ships Mini Shelf, Air Mount, more...

H-Squared today unveiled a revised Mini mount, a new Mini Shelf, and an Air Mount (shown at right) for Apple's latest AirPort Extreme 802.11n base station. The revised Mini mount serves as an improved wall mount for Apple's smallest desktop system, offering a lower-profile stop that is entirely hidden when mounted. The new mount also adds VESA mounting holes in both 75mm and 100mm configurations while retaining the older mounting holes. The company's new Mini Shelf is designed to stow a Mac mini system while deterring theft and maintaining full access to every and optical drive. H-Squared's Mini Shelf locks the Mac mini in place with a small "bar" that slides through the rear of the mount, and is stackable with other H-Squared units. The Air Mount is specifically made for Apple's AirPort Extreme base station for mounting both horizontally and vertically. H-Squared's revised Mini mount, Mini Shelf, and Air Mount are each priced at $40 each, or $55 with backlighting. [updated, images]

Virtualization: key to Apple in enterprise

Apple is trying to extend its reach into the enterprise market, and allowing users to run multiple 'virtualized' copies of Mac OS X on its own hardware will further its efforts, according to one report. Apple currently provides Intel Mac owners with a means to dual boot various operating systems -- such as Microsoft Windows -- via its Boot Camp beta software, and plans to integrate third-party operating system support in its forthcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard update. Enterprise customers are easier to manage, partition, create, modify, and maintain when compared to separate physical machines. That fact suggests that big business may soon adopt smaller numbers of much larger servers running multiple virtualized operating systems, rather than numerous individual servers linked together. Computerworld suggests that pressure will quickly build for the Cupertino-based company to support virtualization software capable of running multiple copies of Mac OS X on Mac systems.

Apps: SuperCard; TypeFitter; Yojimbo

• SuperCard 4.6.2 ($180) is an easy-to-use developer tool to create games, utilities, and teaching tools. While v4.6.2 is mostly a maintenance release, it also introduces a variety of code commands, both for SuperTalk and external additions. The program is a Universal Binary that requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 to run, though 10.4.3 or later is recommended. [Download - 14.1MB]


• TypeFitter (free) manipulates text in Adobe InCopy or InDesign to produce better results than just adjusting scaling or tracking. Users can tighten, loosen or restore text, and automatically find widows and oversets. TypeFitter for InCopy is now a free plug-in, having previously cost $60. The InDesign version is still a paid product. [Download - Size Unknown]


• Yojimbo 1.4.1 ($40) stores and organizes a variety of personal information, from notes and passwords to PDFs, serial numbers, and web archives. The v1.4.1 update is devoted exclusively to fixes, such as for crashes when viewing web archives, and when synching the program with outside sources. Yojimbo is a Universal Binary for Mac OS X 10.4.3. [Download - 10.1MB]


• WriteRoom 2.1 ($25) promises a full-screen, "distraction-free" environment for serious writing. Everything but text and the most essential control items are present on-screen. Version 2.1 displays a word count for currently selected text, and lets users adjust the scroll line position in the "typewriter scrolling" mode. Cursor positions and typing attributes are also better adjusted when switching views. [Download - 908KB]


• World Clock Deluxe 4.4.5 ($16) displays multiple times in the Dock, the menu bar or in a palette, and can also fetch current weather data for any location. The latest release adds 65 more cities from around the world, and reflects the Bahamas' changes to DST rules. Further, the position of menu bar items can be customized by the user. [Download - 1.7MB]


• Hangman Bible 1.0.5 ($15) is, despite its name, a game themed around Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Word topics include Apostles, Jewish Months, and Prophets in the Koran. Version 1.0.5 does not actually make any changes to the software, but instead reflects price drops for individual, site and district licenses. [Download - 986KB]

Apple: the 'worst nightmare' for CE industry

Apple is the worst nightmare of consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers, according to streamingmedia.com, as the Cupertino-based company repeats its 'slow-wind-up' attack seen during the digital music revolution on cellular phones and TVs. With the release of the Apple TV and the forthcoming release of the much anticipated iPhone, Apple stands to seize market share from CE companies while expanding its reach into consumers' living rooms, according to the report. Apple successfully dominated the digital music arena, despite widespread criticism from skeptics, and its Mac OS X-based iPhone may seriously harm the manufacturers of other consumer-oriented devices when it ships in June.

BBC: Mac users still 'lax' on security...

Mac OS X users are still slacking on security measures but Apple itself is warming up to improving its stance on security, according to independent researcher Kevin Finisterre -- one of two researchers to produce the Month of Apple Bugs (MoAB) website. Finisterre and another, anonymous researcher released one bug in Apple's operating system or its bundled applications each day for an entire month, which spurred security updates from Apple in Cupertino as the company worked to repair the flaws. Finisterre says Apple's own attitude toward security was one of the primary reasons he and the anonymous security pro began the Month of Apple Bugs project. "Try calling any Apple store and ask any sales rep what you would do with regard to security, ask if there is anything you should have to worry about?" Finisterre said. "They will happily reinforce the feeling of 'Security on a Mac? What? Me worry?'."

Jobs, Gates to take stage at WSJ's D5 in May...

Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates will make a rare joint appearance at The Wall Street Journal's "D: All Things Digital" conference this May. The two seminal figures in the development of the personal computer will jointly discuss the history and future of the digital revolution in an unrehearsed, unscripted, onstage conversation on May 30 with D co-producers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. Both executives have made multiple individual appearances at the conference, which will celebrate its fifth anniversary this year (and thus called 'D5'); however, this will be their first joint session at D, and a "highly unusual event," according to the WSJ press release.

Briefly: SMS widget; Warner to buy EMI?...

In brief: TxtDrop.com today released a free text messaging dashboard widget for Mac OS X, record label EMI confirmed that it was approached for a possible takeover by Warner Music Group, Google has conducted a study on the frailty of hard drives exposed to high temperatures, and Lexar kicked off its releases in advance of PMA 2007 by delivering a pair of updates to its card readers for pro photographers.... TxtDrop.com's new widget enables users to send free text messages directly from the desktop, and supports receiving replies to text messages via email. The widget follows callwave's recent release of an iPhone-like voicemail system for Mac users, and provides similar functionality to that company's free text message widget for Mac OS X, Yahoo, and Google (Gadget).

The Iconfactory launches Frenzic

The Iconfactory and ARTIS Software have released an all-new, fast paced, addictive game for Mac OS X. In the spirit of classic puzzle games such as Tetris and Bejeweled, Frenzic tests both the mind and the reflexes, offering a unique style and game play, which the companies claim, "dazzles the eye, teases the brain and keeps you coming back for more. It takes only minutes to learn, but months to master as you devise new, impressive play strategies to push yourself to the top of the Internet Leaderboards. Complete against your personal best, or other players testing their mettle around the globe. View stats, devise winning strategies, track friends and climb through seven levels of Devotion from Newbie all the way to the one, and only, Frenzic Grandmaster." The Frenzic.com website offers the game download as well as Leaderboards, current player stats and more. Frenzic is available for $15.

Apps: MediaDex, Maintenance, ClamXav

• MediaDex 2.0 (Standard $50, Professional $80) serves as a central media repository enabling users to efficiently organize and reuse most types of digital media files. The software supports organizing media using categories as well as collections, supporting custom organizational structures as complex or as simple as desired. Search functionality speeds the retrieval of media, and sharing functionality allows users to publish photos to the Web or create custom slide shows. [Download - 54.4MB]


• Maintenance 1.1 (donationware) is a system maintenance and cleaning utility for Mac OS X that runs miscellaneous tasks to repair permissions, run periodic scripts, reset Spotlight's Index, rebuild the LaunchServices database, and more. The update improves verification of the S.M.A.R.T status, verifies the start volume at launch, removes the font cache of Microsoft Office X, and modifies error messages while improving help content. [Download - 1.5MB]


• ClamXav 1.0.7 (free) is a virus checker for Mac OS X that uses the time-tested ClamAV open-source antivirus engine as its back end. The latest release runs natively on Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary. ClamXav is available in Chinese, Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Taiwanese. [Download - 26.7MB]


• DashRender 1.1 ($15) is a dashboard widget that renders Alias/Autodesk Maya scene files on Mac OS X 10.4 or later systems. Users drag-and-drop scene files onto the widget and click render to watch it progress. The widget features a simple interface to avoid fumbling in the terminal when trying to begin a render job, and the widget can notify users via email when renders are complete or when an error occurs. [Download - [login required]]


• TrashCache 1.4 ($20) is a trash management utility that automatically deletes files after they've been in the trash for a specified period of time. The software also doesn't allow users to delete files prematurely, instead removing the files on a set schedule. The latest revision runs natively on Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary, and improves application stability. [Download - 8MB]


• Cineon/DPX PRO 2.0.7 ($90) updates the QuickTime components for Mac OS X with improved Spotlight plug-ins to extract more information from DPX files. Spotlight plug-ins can extract S.two specific metadata from DPX frames created by the S.two Digital Film Recorder, and the update includes multiple bug fixes. The software also improves 64-bit sized movie loading, as well as multi-frame rate support. [Download - 2.6MB]

Wowza Media Server serves Flash files

Wowza Media Systems today released Wowza Media Server, its high-performance alternative to Adobe Flash Media Server that enables the company says offers significant improvements in Flash streaming economics. The Wowza Media Server utilizes a 64-bit architecture to enable Flash applications as well as content, including video on demand, live video distribution, video recoding, and chat. The software is designed to accommodate a wide range of uses, offering support for most major operating system platforms including Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, UNIX, and Linux. The server includes TiVo-like fast-forward and rewind capability that enables viewers to easily navigate pre-recorded video content, and offers unlimited connection support, according to the company. The four Wowza Media Server Pro editions are available to supplement 10 connections (free), 50 connections ($750), 150 connections ($2,250), and "unlimited" connections ($5,000).

mProjector 3 embeds Web content

Screentime Media today unveiled mProjector 3 for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, easing the process of using Adobe Flash to create organically shaped standalone widgets and applications for both operating systems. mProjector 3 adds alpha channel window drawing, the ability to embed Web content, seven new ActionScript classes, and more than 100 cross-platform functions directly into the Flash IDE. The software enables users to create applications with smooth anti-aliased "Flash shaped" windows, and includes synchronous window-to-window communications from ActionScript as well as custom document handling and improved language/http/xml support. mProjector 3 is priced at $100 for one operating system or $300 for both Mac OS X and Windows development. The upgrade is free for registered users, and requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 and up or Windows 98 or newer.

Sonnet to ship MacCuff Pro security bracket...

Sonnet Technologies has unveiled MacCuff Pro, an under-desk mounting and security bracket for Apple's Mac Pro and Power Mac G5 computers. MacCuff Pro enables users to hang a computer under a desk or table and secure it with an included steel cable while managing system cabling. The MacCuff Pro bracket is constructed from heavy-gauge steel and boasts a refined platinum finish with a durable plastic coating that won't mar the Mac's finish. The steel security cable is also vinyl coated to prevent scratching, and installation consists of drilling through a template and attaching the bracket using several supplied screws. Users can hang the Mac up off the floor to protect it from excess dirt as well as vacuum strikes, and route cabling through a strain-relief slot. MacCuff Pro will ship on February 23rd for $130.

Briefly: Apple store in FL, 802.11n MacBook...

Briefly: Apple today announced that it is opening its 11th store in Florida, while an enterprising group of Mac enthusiasts have shown how to add 802.11n to first-generation MacBooks and Gideon updated its five-application software bundle.... The Cupertino-based company announced that the grand opening of its newest retail outlet will take place on Saturday, February 24th at 10:00 a.m. The Apple Store Coconut Point will is located at 23151 Fashion Drive in Estero (Florida). As usual, the company will offer the first 1000 people to visit a free Apple t-shirt and is offering all users a chance to enter the Grand Opening Sweepstakes -- to win a Digital Lifestyle Collection valued at over $2,500. The company opened its ninth Apple Store in the UK in the Bentall Centre in Kingston, Surrey on Saturday, February 17th and is hiring for its upcoming store in Sydney, Australia.

Mono offers VB cross-platform capability

The Mono project today announced that it has developed a compiler that will enable software developers who use Microsoft Visual Basic to run applications across multiple platforms without any modifications to the code. The new Mono Visual Basic compiler allows developers to continue to code in their preferred Visual Basic/Visual Studio environment, compiling and running that same code base on a variety of operating systems including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. The Mono project's new compiler resembles REAL Software's REALbasic integrated development environment, which has enabled Mac developers to cross-compile on Microsoft Windows and Linux alongside Mac OS PowerPC and Mac OS X for several years. The Mono Visual Studio compiler is as part of the current Mono build. The software requires Linux or Microsoft Windows 2000 or later.

Life Fitness to offer iPod integration...

Life Fitness today announced that it would include seamless iPod integration it its commercial exercise equipment, allowing iPod users to plug in and charge their iPods, watch video on the equipment's large LCD screen and control the playing of their iPod music libraries from the console. The first Life Fitness product featuring iPod integration will be demonstrated at the upcoming IHRSA Convention in San Francisco and will be available in March with the rest of the line to follow later in the year. The iPod-integration will allow exercisers to sync their iPods with the equipment's LCD screen to conveniently view playlists and enjoy video content while working out.

Timberlake sells 50,000 videos via iTunes

Jive Records' Justin Timberlake, the first major recording artist to debut a new video solely on the iTunes Store, continues to shatter records and set new standards, according to a company press release: the pop artist premiered his video "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" on Friday, February 9th and sold over 50,000 videos during the first four days on iTunes. The company said that sales still continue at a record breaking pace, although did not provide details. The full length Directors Cut video, which features Scarlett Johannson and Shawn Hatosy, was directed by Sam Bayer, who has worked with Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie, Aerosmith and on Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

Nikon launches 8 new Coolpix cameras

Nikon on Tuesday commemorated both the 10th anniversary of its Coolpix line with launch of eight new cameras just before the upcoming PMA expo: the new 10-megapixel P5000 (pictured) is a bridge between point-and-shoots and entry-level digital SLRs, offering a larger fixed lens through a 3.5X optical zoom and a hotshoe for an external flash and converter attachments for either telephoto or wide-angle shots as well as optical stabilization and a special 5-megapixel, ISO 3200 shooting mode for active or low-light scenes. The company also launched four new models for the S-series: the S50 and S50c share a 7.2-megapixel sensor and optical image stabilization, as well as a full-resolution ISO 1600 mode, a 3-inch LCD and 3X zoom, while the S500 and S200 also feature 7+-megapixel resolution with 3X zoom, but include a smaller 2.5-inch LCD and "virtual" image stabilization (rather than optical).