Editor quits after PC Mag kills Apple story [updated]...

[digg this] The much adored Mac and iPod maker is certainly the darling of the media and there are not many who can draw a crowd like its boss, Steve Jobs, but the Apple CEO's growing influence may extend to even PC-centric publications. A new report indicates that PC World Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken quit this week because of differences over an upcoming editorial piece on Apple's Steve Jobs. Wired reports that McCracken quit abruptly today because the company's new CEO, Colin Crawford, tried to kill a whimsical article titled "Ten Things We Hate About Apple." Although it still was in draft form when Crawford killed it, the new exec, who has a close relationship to Steve Jobs, was unwilling to bend.

Apple's Steve Jobs was top paid CEO: $647m...

Apple's CEO Steve Jobs was the top paid CEO last year with nearly $647 million in total compensation--nearly double of the next highest paid exec--despite a meager salary of only $1. The publication notes that chief executives of America's 500 biggest companies got a collective 38 percent pay raise last year, to $7.5 billion -- or an average of $15.2 million.

Briefly: My Dream App, Apple execs sell AAPL...

In brief: Another Apple senior vice president today sold his shares of Apple stock, My Dream App has put out a call for developers for "Season 2" of its contest, Creative Manager Pro has released version 8.4.2 of its self-titled ad agency/project management software, and MacThemes has relaunched as MacThemes 2.0. Senior vice president Anthony Fadell on Monday exercised 10,000 shares of Apple stock for $15.48 each and sold them the same day for $100.05. The sale was conducted under a prearranged 10b5-1 trading plan which allows a company employee to set up a program in advance for such transactions and proceed with them even if the employee comes into possession of material nonpublic information, according to the Associated Press.

Firm uncovers evidence of iBook G4 flaw...

A groundbreaking decision by the Denmark Consumer Complaints Board could have crucial consequences for Apple and thousands of Apple laptop users on a global level. The board says it has evidence of a hidden original design defect in Apple's iBook G4 systems which the Cupertino-based company repeatedly denied. Thousands of users all over the world have tried to get Apple to acknowledge the fault and agree to take back the computers, according to the board, but all have failed. The Consumer Complaints Board now claims to have documentation proving the existence of a design fault, and decided in April that Danish consumers must be able to return computers with this fault to Apple.

Ambrosia upgrades to DEFCON v1.4.2

Ambrosia Software has released DEFCON v1.4.2, originally developed by Introversion. Loosely based on the 1983 film "WarGames," players of the game assume control of one of six continents, as a war escalates through the five namesake alert levels. Once DEFCON 1 is reached, nuclear weapons are unleashed, and the winner is the player that inflicts the most casualties, or suffers the fewest. Users can play offline against the AI or online against both Mac and PC users. The v1.4.2 update fixes sound-related crashes, as well as performance problems associated with naval fleets. The game runs on Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, and costs $25 for the full version; a trial download limits players to a single game mode, played against a single human or AI opponent.

TRI-EDRE launches Clone X v3

TRI-EDRE has released the third edition of Clone X, its disk copying and restoration utility. Owners can make local copies of the Mac OS, complete with updates, or copy over the contents of an entire hard drive, which can be returned to their source at a later date. On a less dramatic level, the program allows the creation of bootable Mac OS X DVDs with custom-picked applications, or simple system discs that can be used for tests or clean installations. Despite the change in version number, TRI-EDRE says that no content has actually been modified. The program is a Universal Binary for Mac OS X 10.4, and costs $50 for the complete package. A trial version is a 7.5MB download.

Firm drops shareholder resolution, applauds Apple...

Trillium Asset Management, the investment group which announced last week that it would urge Apple to go green at its annual shareholder's meeting, today withdrew its resolution and applauded the Cupertino-based company's environmental efforts revealed yesterday in an open letter written by CEO Steve Jobs. "With Apple’s new commitment to eliminate PVC and BFR’s in all products in 2008, the company has taken its rightful place in the environmental leaders’ circle," said Shelley Alpern, vice president of Trillium Asset Management. "With Apple's announced plan to eliminate BFR's and PVC in 2008 they have addressed the most specific issue raised by our resolution. Now, we're looking forward to seeing Apple move from aspiration to implementation, as its new, less toxic products enter the marketplace over the next year."

WiebeTech ships RT5 eSATA RAID

WiebeTech has begun shipping its RT5 eSATA RAID device that allows any five PATA (IDE) drives to create a single volume as large as 3.75TB. The RT5 eSATA features a built-in RAID controller that supports RAID levels 0, 0+1, 3, 5 (including hot spare options) and an eSATA connection that eliminates volume size limitations. Users can load bays with five IDE drives up to 750GB each for a single logical volume of up to 3.75TB. The storage solution offers many of the same features available on WiebeTech's RT5 series, such as a password protected button-driven menu on the front. A built-in alarm lets users know immediately when a drive fails, and the enclosure boasts sturdy aluminum and steel construction. The RT5 eSATA is priced from $1,700 for the base unit without drives, up to $4,150 for 3.75TB of storage.

Apps: Meetro; Shoo Apps; Tidy Up!

• Meetro 0.66 (free) combines instant messaging with social networking, allowing people to chat with Meetro users in their home town, while displaying profile information such as blog posts and Flickr favorites. Third-party IM clients such as AIM, ICQ and MSN can be integrated. The new release makes the program a Universal Binary, and includes previous "soft" updates such as interest highlighting and a dashboard displaying local information like weather and restaurants. Mac users have the option of two Meetro widgets. [Download - Size Unknown]


• Shoo Apps 1.0 ($15) is meant for Mac owners annoyed by overly cluttered desktops. Users set time delays within the application, and Shoo will automatically begin hiding programs as they fall out of use. Delays can be applied to all programs at the same time, or individually to keep them convenient. Shoo Apps is a Universal Binary for Mac OS X; the trial download lasts seven days. [Download - 4.2MB]


• Tidy Up! 1.2.6 ($30) is used to find and delete duplicate files on a computer, restoring disk space. Possible search criteria includes information like the duration and bitrate of music files, and the program can synchronize deletions with Mail, iTunes and iPhoto. Version 1.2.6 allows found items to be given Finder labels, and fixes several bugs, such as interruption of the "Move to Trash" command when an error occurs. Tidy Up! is a Universal Binary for Mac OS X 10.3.9. [Download - 8.4MB]


• MegaSeg 4.0.2 ($250) merges mixing and radio automation software into a single package. Users can trigger sound effects via hotkey, segue or beatmatch both songs and videos, and create dynamic or fully programmed playlists. The v4.0.2 update inserts over 40 changes, such as compatibility with Mac OS X 10.4.9, and proper DAC-3 support for PowerPC Macs. Some other notable adjustments include faster sorting and more options for importing from iTunes. [Download - 13.2MB]


• Montage 1.2.2 ($140) is a scriptwriting application developed exclusively for Mac OS X. Once a script is finished, it can be sent along with queries and/or synopses to numerous industry contacts, and tracked accordingly. The v1.2.2 update is devoted mostly to bug fixes, such as a problem that prevented Annotations from working, and another issue that prevented styles from applying in the Scenes and Script views. Montage is a Universal Binary for Mac OS X 10.3.9. [Download - Size Unknown]


• Avernum 4 1.1.1 ($25) is a fantasy role-playing game with hundreds of quests and many unique skills and spells. Players attempt discover the reasons for a sudden beastial invasion of the nation of Avernum, located deep underground. This upgrade mainly fixes a variety of bugs, but also makes more even use of system resources. The game functions with both PowerPC and Intel Macs. [Download - 20.1MB]

AT&T readying huge iPhone booths soon?...

AT&T is in the last stages of preparing demo booths for the iPhone that could dwarf many others, says a well-placed source. The store displays will be far larger than most at three feet wide and a full seven feet tall, guaranteeing that the Apple device will stand out versus many of the smaller and non-exclusive showfloor models. Each booth will also have exceptional power requirements, with a separate power supply instead of drawing on collective power adapters. The change is so great that stores will actually need to partially rewire their stores to accommodate the change, the tipster said.

Hard aluminum laptop case debuts...

RhinoSkin today unveiled its new Universal Aluminum HardCase (site not updated), a protective carrying case that fits most laptops and notebooks including Apple's latest models. The Universal Aluminum HardCase boasts rugged construction and convenience, featuring a set of patent-pending mechanisms to prevent any movement of the computer when the case is opened or closed. The mechanisms slide and lock to provide a tight, custom fit to the notebook, and permit airflow to prevent overheating during usage inside the case via ample ventilation. Users choose between opening the cover and locking the screen in place or folding the top of the case over to transform it into a laptop stand that angles the keyboard for comfortable typing. Retractable handles slide in and out for carrying the laptop in briefcase style, and a shoulder strap with an accessory pack enables owners to sling the case over the shoulder while stowing the power supply (pricing was unavailable).

Briefly: Apple VP sells shares; XtremeMac...

In brief: Apple's senior vice president Bertrand Serlet today sold 10,625 shares of the company's common stock under a prearranged trading plan at $101.58 each, XtremeMac has begun shipping its HDMI switch, Native Instruments has begun shipping TRAKTOR Scratch, and AssistiveWare has introduced the "Give Your Mac a Voice Promotion" with discounts between 25-34 percent. Apple senior vice president Bertrand Serlet filed a Form 4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell 10,625 shares of common Apple stock under a prearranged trading plan, according to the Associated Press, grossing the executive more than 1 million at $101.58 per share. The stock sale, which was conducted under a prearranged 10b5-1 trading plan, comes after Apple's record March quarter which sent shares soaring past $100.

Flip4Mac WMV 2.1.1 adds WMV 9 support

Telestream has released an update to its Flip4Mac Windows Media Components for QuickTime. As its name implies, the basic software allows users to play Windows Media files through QuickTime; paid upgrades, like WMV Player Pro, add functions such as import, export and editing. Version 2.1.1 enables playback of the Windows Media 9 Advanced Profile, also known as VC-1, as well as improved MPEG-4 support and two-pass VBR (variable bitrate) encoding. The software also better handles installation through Apple Remote Desktop, and has the option of reclaiming file types taken by other applications. The Components are free and require Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later -- upgrade prices and information can be found at the Flip4Mac website.

Sun to help port OpenOffice.org to Mac...

A Sun Microsystems developer has revealed via a blog post that Sun will help port Open Office to Mac OS X. "I'm excited to let you all know that as of now Sun engineering will add its support to the ongoing Mac/Aqua porting effort," wrote Sun developer Philipp Lohmann. "You can imagine my excitement when I first heard about renewed efforts to make an Aqua port reality. And now finally I can spend my paid time to add to this great effort." Lohmann notes that there was a plan to offer a native version of Open Office for Mac practically from the start, but adds that the community decided to produce an X11 port as a first step. The blogger says Sun is joining the Mac porting project because Apple has a significant market share in the desktop space, and the company's notebooks are appearing more and more at various locations such as conferences and airport lounges.

Form.Z 6.5 RenderZone Plus debuts

Auto-des-sys this week debuted form.Z 6.5 RenderZone Plus at the AIA National Convention and Exposition in San Antonio, Texas. The company says the latest release is a "new product that represents a major evolutionary step toward Global Illumination, which is now supported by different techniques, including Final Gather, Ambient Occlusion, and improved Radiosity," according to Architosh News. Form.Z RenderZone Plus was releaswe for beta testing in late March, offering the then new techniques via a simple set of interfaces enabling users to configure higher quality renders. The software features exposure correction, a post rendering process enhanced with shaders, an interactive OpenGL shader that can generate a variety of color gradients in a surface, and a re-engineered OpenGL renderer.

Apple Italy, Japan offer original ProCare

Apple's recent decision to split its ProCare program into two different services effectively doubled the cost of the company's prior offering in the U.S. as well as Canada and the U.K., but Italy an Japan still offer the original ProCare service (Italian) for the same price. Apple on May 2nd and May 3rd overhauled its retail services by removing training and adding a separate One to One training program as well as a new free Personal Shopping service for $99, effectively doubling the cost of the company's old ProCare membership. This change has yet to occur in Italy and Japan, however, as those countries still enjoy the full ProCare service for $99 per year with free training, according to Setteb.it.

ApertureToGallery export plug-in released

Ubermind has released its ApertureToGallery export plug-in, allowing Aperture users to export images directly from an Aperture library to a Gallery, a Web-based photo organizer. The plug-in offers a straight-forward user interface with stored settings for various gallery connections, an album browser for choosing the export destination, and new album creation functionality using captions as Gallery Image titles. ApertureToGallery is available for free, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Apple patent details multiple Dashboards in 3D...

Apple's latest patent application surfaced today describing multiple Dashboard interfaces with customizable settings for individual users that depicts 2D as well as 3D interfaces for swapping between those Dashboards. The patent, titled "Multiple Dashboards," details an interactive Dashboard cube that users can flip or turn to reveal several different collections of widgets, which will likely find its way into Mac OS X Leopard. Apple goes on to say that other geometric objects are usable to display Dashboards such as cylinders, spheres, triangles, diamonds, and more. Users can create separate Dashboards that include sets of widgets related to specific purposes, such as work and personal matters. The new technology supports customizable key combinations or menu selections to switch between Dashboards, and state information is saved for each collection of widgets to restore that Dashboard to its previous respective configuration.

Creative Zen Stone guns after iPod shuffle...

Creative today made clear its ambitions by introducing the Zen Stone, its first completely screenless music player and the first aimed at beating the second-generation iPod shuffle. Claiming to be even simpler than the Apple device, the Stone is loaded through drag-and-drop file transfers. It's also more intelligent, Creative says: the device can recognize folders and will let the owner skip between them to limit in-order or random play to a particular album or playlist. Music is supported in MP3, WMA, and WAV as well as Audible audiobooks.