MapMemo 3 links files and places

German developer MapMemo has released the third edition of its self-titled program, which links files to locations on maps, charts, drawings and photographs loaded within the software. Maps can be imported from route-planning applications, and private files can be hidden in their own layer. MapMemo 3 adds several features: key among these is printing, whether directly to paper or to a PDF file. Users can also send data to a special export map, which has an indexed list and is accessible to Linux and Windows users. Finally, the program can now combine multiple maps through layers, and annotations can be made through a new marking layer. MapMemo 3 costs $25 and runs on any Mac with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher.

Caris & Co. raises Apple stock price target

Research firm Caris & Co. today raised its price target on Apple shares from $110 to $115 based on predicted higher iPod sales in the June quarter over the March quarter. Firm analyst Shelby Seyrafi says he sees iPod units in the quarter growing to 11.9 million units from 10.5 million in the first quarter, while his previous forecast predicted a decline to 10 million units, according to Barron's. Checks from the hard disk market reveal strong demand for Apple's fifth-generation video iPod, according to the analyst, which likely accounts for between a quarter and a third of total iPod shipments. The analyst further suspects Apple's guidance for the June quarter as conservative, and sees upside for the iPhone. Caris & Co. raised its earnings-per-share estimates to $3.52 from $3.43 for the September 2007 fiscal year.

Apple excited about Macs, iPhone, Apple TV

Research firm UBS met with Apple today to discuss the component cost environment & margin implications, prospects for Mac momentum, status of the iPhone, and the sustainability of Apple's iTunes franchise. "Apple seems very upbeat about prospects for the iPhone, Macs and Apple TV," wrote UBS analyst Ben Reitzes in a research note obtained by MacNN. "While the iPhone launch in June should garner significant attention, we believe that investors should also focus on prospects for continued Mac momentum with new products and the ability for Apple TV to become more of a DVD player replacement over the next few years." The analyst also believes UBS estimates could prove conservative, given Mac momentum and new products leading into 2008. UBS is estimating $0.70 on revenue growth of 20 percent to $5.22 billion in the third quarter of this year. UBS holds a price target of $133 on Apple shares, and is reiterating its "Buy 2" rating.

Mac Office 2004 v11.3.5 addresses security

Microsoft's Mac Business Unit (MacBU) has issued an update to Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, offering several improvements to security as well as stability. Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.5 includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker could use to overwrite the contents of a computer's memory with malicious code, and provides all of the improvements released in previous Office 2004 updates. The update applies to Office 2004 Standard Edition, Office 2004 Student and Teacher Edition, Office 2004 Professional Edition, Word 2004, Excel 2004, PowerPoint 2004, and Entourage 2004. Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.5 requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later. [Download - 59.5MB]

Briefly: Apple store; AppleScript Pro Event...

In brief: Apple is preparing to host the grand opening for its newest retail store at 500 Baybrook Mall in Friendswood Texas, and AppleScript Pro Sessions has announced that AppleScript Product Manager Sal Soghoian will appear as a guest speaker at the training event in Denver, Colorado. Iconfactory has expanded its offerings of scalable vector icons with the release of several sets for the Harmony as well as the Satin stock icon families, and during the month of May TheMacPak will offer its first mystery bundle of 10 games and applications. Apple's newest retial store in Texas is due to open on May 12th, offering a Genius Bar as well as Apple's new "Personal Shopping" appointments and "One to One" customized personal training.

Nova media high-speed ExpressCard modem

German-based nova media has begun selling the Globetrotter Express 7.2 Ready ExpressCard modem specifically touted as compatible with Apple's MacBook Pro. The card's primary feature is tri-band support for some of the fastest HSDPA networks: whereas most cellular modems only support 3.6Mbps downloads, the Ready takes its name from its capacity for speeds up to 7.2Mbps. Upload speed, however, is a comparitively slow 384Kbps. The modem also connects to 3G UMTS networks, and where neither UMTS or HSDPA are available, it can fall back to quad-band EDGE and GPRS, rated at 220Kbps and 80Kbps respectively. Mac users also utilize launch2net, an application that simplifies modem installation and connection. The Ready is already available for $410.

MAMP, MAMP Pro 1.6 released

Living-e has released MAMP and MAMP Pro 1.6. MAMP is a free utility eases the process of installing and running the Apache Web server, PHP, and MySQL on Mac OS X systems; the Pro version is priced at $50, and includes MAMP while also allowing users to create local as well as remote tests, and features easier configuration of MySQL. Version 1.6 includes several upgrades, including Apache 2.0.59, MySQL 5.0.37 and PHP 5.2.1 (plus PHP4). The programs also support APC alongside the new XCache from lighttpd. MAMP and MAMP Pro are Universal Binaries for Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Apple no. 6 top MBA employer

Apple this year is ranked as the sixth most desirable employer in the Fortune list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Google topped the list, with Microsoft trailing Apple in the no. 7 spot, according to Fortune. Research firm Universum surveyed MBA candidates on where they would most like to work, revealing more interest in the west coast of the U.S. and increased focus on lifestyles over big paychecks. Of MBAs who offered their top five most desirable workplaces, 10.78 percent chose Apple. Some 9.75 percent of women surveyed placed Apple in their top five most desired workplaces, while 11.65 percent of men mentioned Apple in their top five.

Roxio Crunch released for Mac

Roxio has released Roxio Crunch, an application for converting computer-based video entertainment for viewing in the living room through the Apple TV. The software supports a broad range of personal video content including DVD video, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and DivX files. Roxio Crunch also enables users to view favorite content on-the-go with pre-defined options for output to iPod, as well as Apple's forthcoming iPhone. Roxio Crunch is available for $40, requiring Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later with QuickTime 7.1.5 or higher and iTunes 7.1.1 or newer.

Ticketmaster to give away iTunes tracks

The largest ticketing company in North America, Ticketmaster, has announced a free music promotion in conjunction with Apple's iTunes Store. Between Memorial Day (May 28th) and Labor Day (September 3rd), every concert ticket purchased will earn one free track from the iTunes Store; additionally, each ticket purchased from Ticketmaster.com will come with a ten-song digital sampler. The exact contents of the sampler are unknown, but the company aims to promote a mix of new as well as more familiar artists.

Apple posts three new 'Get a Mac' ads...

Apple has unveiled three new 'Get a Mac' ads starring Justin Long and John Hodgman. Two of the new spots focus on complications with Microsoft's recently released Windows Vista operating system, while the third highlights the company's Genius Bars located in its retail stores. "Choose a Vista" features PC spinning a colored wheel to land on one of the numerous versions of Windows Vista, only to "Lose a Turn" when the wheel comes to a complete stop. "Party is Over" details a disgruntled PC at a party with other PCs in business suits under a flashing Vista sign. After upgrading his graphics card and memory, Hodgman still finds himself unable to use some of his softare and peripherals. "Genius" features a Mac Genius answering several of Hodgman's questions, including how much PC loathes Mac on a scale of one to 10.

Digital elevation data for MacGPS Pro

James Associates has released MacElevation DVDs 1.0, providing digital elevation data for use with its MacGPS Pro software. MacElevation DVDs 1.0 is available for each U.S. state, adding digital elevation data to any waypoint, route, or track generated in MacGPS Pro. THe software also adds altitudes that are missing when GPS data is transferred from some GPS receivers. MacElevation is priced at $10 per state and requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later.