Apple ships Final Cut Studio 2...

Apple today began shipping Final Cut Studio 2 from the online Apple Store, according to shipment confirmations received by readers. Announced last month at NAB, Apple's revved Final Cut Studio 2 update the industry-standard video production suite--which now includes Final Cut Pro 6 with Apple's new ProRes 422 format for uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes and support for mixed video formats and frame rates in a single Timeline. It also includes Motion 3, which offers an intuitive 3D environment, paint and new behaviors; Soundtrack Pro 2 with tools for multitrack editing, surround mixing and con- forming sound to picture; Compressor 3, which offers batch encoding for multiple formats with a single click; and DVD Studio Pro 4.2 for SD and HD DVD authoring. The suite includes "Color," a professional color grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent color and creating signature looks.

Free Vue 6 Infinite learning edition ships...

E-on Software has released the free Personal learning editions of Vue 6 Infinite and xStream. Vue 6 Infinite and xStream are applications designed for creating, animating, and rendering natural 3D environments for movie, broadcast, and architecture. The Vue 6 PLE is a fully functional version of Vue 6 Infinite/xStream that enables users to create complete projects, save work as well as export to other applications, and render stills or animations without size/length limitations. Vue 6 Infinite requires Mac OS X (specific system requirements were unavailable), though xStream is currently unavailable on the Mac platform.

Eclipse Lotus Sametime video chat released

IBM today released Eclipse Lotus Sametime 7.5.1, its Mac-compatible video chat software offering point-to-point video integrated with desktop applications on Mac as well as Linux systems. The free download includes Sametime Mobile, which is built on the Eclipse and allows users extend the environment with mobild devices such as RIM or Nokia. The trial period lasts for 90 days, and users can develop plug-ins using the Sametime Software Development Kit (SDK) to enhance or extend Sametime to suit personal needs. IBM Lotus Sametime requires Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later with at least 512MB of memory.

Study: iPod users to switch for iPhone

Surveys based in Europe and the UK published today suggest that nearly half of Europe's iPod users are likely to consider Apple when making their next mobile phone purchase. "Apple’s rating improves dramatically when you talk to existing iPod owners," Canalys senior analyst Pete Cunningham said. "Almost half the respondents who owned an iPod rated Apple as likely to be considered for their next phone, compared to just 20 per cent for those who didn’t have an iPod, and they were five times as likely to give Apple the highest rating. There is a lot of loyalty that Apple can tap into." Respondents were asked how likely they were to choose different cellphone manufacturers, according to Macworld UK, with Nokia coming in first place and Apple ranking in the mid-range behind LG and just ahead of smartphone vendors such as RIM and Palm.

Analyst: Amazon move a "me-too" effort...

Amazon today revealed the forthcoming launch of a direct-download music store offering tracks without DRM (Digital Rights Management) in the open MP3 format. "The announcement is a carbon copy of Apple's deal with EMI," said Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster. "Amazon will offer the same DRM-free tracks as iTUnes, and therefore will have no competitive advantage over Apple." The analyst says Amazon is playing catchup with iTunes, and points out that Amazon's music store will not carry any DRM-free tracks that Apple's own iTunes store doesn't already offer. "We believe the Amazon music store will not materially impact Apple's business," said Munster. "In fact, although Apple's dominance frustrates music studios, the reality is that Apple's market share (70 percent in the U.S.) gives Steve Jobs and iTunes the upper hand." Piper Jaffray maintains its "Outperform" rating on Apple shares with a $140 price target.

SanDisk contradicts self, praises DRM-free Amazon...

In a surprise statement, SanDisk this afternoon said that it praised news of Amazon's DRM-free music store and EMI's support. The company claimed that it welcomed the development, saying that the embrace of a universal format was crucial to establishing the digital music business.

"This is the first time a major record label and a major retailer have come together to offer consumers the freedom to buy music compatible with all MP3 players," said company general VP Daniel Schreiber. "As consistent advocates of consumer choice, we believe this is an important step forward."

Sony batteries still causing fires?...

Sony's global recall of lithium-ion batteries may not have completely resolved Sony's battery problems, say reports. Toshiba has noted tat at least one instance of one of its portable computer's Sony-made batteries catching fire in late April, despite the system using a model of the power supply that had been altered to fix the original issue, which would often ignite batteries without significant warning or a comparatively modest impact.

MacCase rolls out Premium Leather cases...

MacCase has begun selling an entirely new line of Mac accessories, dubbed the Premium Leather collection. Everything comes in five different colors (tan, pink, red, black and chocolate), and is purportedly inspired by car makers like Ferrari and Aston Martin, which use white stitching on curved panels. The shoulder bag costs $200, and should fit 15-inch laptops, as well as a phone or MP3 player in a side-mounted pocket. The sleeves meanwhile are all priced at a flat $90, despite coming in 13-, 15- and 17-inch sizes. Finally, pouches are available for full-size iPods ($25) and miscellaneous accessories ($35).

iPhone: "largest electronics launch in history"...

AT&T CEO Stan Sigman has described Apple's forthcoming iPhone as "the largest commercial product launch in the history of electronics" during a graduation speech at the West Texas A&M University. "This is you. AT&T and Apple will release the iPhone," Sigman said. "Since we announced this product earlier this year, over a million people have written in to express interest in being first to get one." The executive went on to announce that the first pre-released iPhone in the state of texas was given to the president of WDAMU. The president proudly held up the sleek device for all the crowed to see, and Sigman offered students a unique memory to take with them in future travels.

Formac disk mini drive aims for looks, tiny size

Formac has released a new portable hard drive, a version of the disk mini that supports FireWire 400, as well as the alternative's USB 2.0. Capacities from 60 to 160GB are available, and because the mini relies on six-pin FireWire, either connection can be used as the power source. The casing is notable for having a Mac-friendly black or white aesthetic, and also using a shock absorption system, protecting the drive from less dramatic impacts. Formac is currently marketing the new disk mini in Europe, where AppleMac.biz is selling it for prices ranging between £60 ($120) and £135 ($270) without VAT. [via Tech Digest]

Championship Manager 2007 released...

Virtual Programming today released Championship Manager 2007, its football management game challenging players to experience the highs and lows of real football management. "Think you can do better? It's your decisions that count: your budget, your buys, your formation, your tactics... your chance to prove it! Use your skills and knowledge to manage your club the way you feel it should be -- now it's your turn." Championship Manager 2007 is available as a digital download for $40, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. Boxed games are due to hit shelves within 7-10 days.

DragThing 5.8 supports Drop Drawers, more

TLA Systems on Wednesday released DragThing 5.8, a significant update to its popular dock application for Mac OS X and announced that DragThing is now the official upgrade path for all existing users of Sig Software's Drop Drawers. DragThing can now directly import settings from Drop Drawers, including the contents, keyboard shortcuts, and appearance of drawers. "Many new features have been added to this release specifically to make Drop Drawers users feel more at home, and we're confident DragThing users will enjoy them too," the companies said in a joint statement. DragThing, the original dock designed to organize your Mac, puts documents, folders, and applications just a single click away and supports multiple, customizable docks. Registered users of Sig Software's Drop Drawers can upgrade to DragThing for the special price of $20, a $10 discount on the normal cost of $30. This release is also free for registered users of DragThing 5.

Pinger sends mobile voice messages from Macs

Pinger -- a mobile voice messaging service -- today released an application enabling Mac users to quickly upload Address Book contacts as message recipients. Pinger supports Address Book as well as Microsoft Entourage, and Mac users can import contacts to instantly send voice messages. Pinger works with all major carriers and mobile phones in the U.S., and offers a system preferences panel that allows users to select which folders to synchronize with the Pinger service. The panel works on Mac OS X 10.3 or later systems, and the software is available for free as a public beta test.

Skype for Mac 2.6 offers call transfers...

Skype today released Skype for Mac 2.6, the latest release of its communications software for Mac that offers a new feature currently unavailable to Windows users. SKype has introduced a new call-transfer feature exclusive to the Mac platform, enabling users to transfer an ongoing call to another Skype user on a contact list. Skype is available for free, requiring Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.

Amazon reveals DRM-free music store...

Online retailer Amazon today announced the upcoming launch of a direct-download music store completely without digital rights management on its tracks, making it one of the few stores to offer music from multiple unrelated labels without the restrictions. Songs will be offered in the unguarded MP3 format, allowing users of Macs, Windows PCs, and most any operating system to download and play the songs regardless of the playback software. The choice also means that music bought through the store will play both on iPods as well as competing players such as the Zune or Creative's Zen series.

ezGear to ship three iPhone cases in June...

ezGear today unveiled three new cases for Apple's forthcoming iPhone which include the ezSkin, ezSkin Bumperz, and ezSkin Xtreme. ezSkin cases are made from high quality silicone for a snug fit along with a smooth coating to repel dirt, and provide unfettered access to the iPhone's physical functions. The company is offering a thin transparent screen protector with all ezSkins that allow users to manage the touch screen normally while protecting the multi-touch display from scratches. The basic ezSkin is a slimline protective case with a separate removable belt holster, removable neck strap, and a protective flap for the iPhone's dock connector. ezSkins for iPhone are slated for shipment in June of this year alongside iPhone's planned launch (pricing was unavailable).

Time zone navigation software for iPod

Cocoia has released Cocoia Timezones 1.0, the full version of the time zone navigator for Apple's iPod. Cocoia Timezones 1.0 features themes, personalized overlays that indicate time differences, and a city bar that shows settlements per time zone on an iPod. The full version is personalized to always show the difference between the selected time zone and users' local time, and comes with a wide array of themes to choose for a world map -- including limited editions. The software works with first- and second-generation iPod nanos, as well as iPod with color display and video iPod. Cocoia Timezones 1.0 is priced at $3 (system requirements were unavailable).

WiebeTech's FW800 Notebook DriveDock

WiebeTech on Wednesday announced price reductions on many fourth-generation DriveDocks as well as a new FW 800 Notebook DriveDock (NBDD8v4) with FireWire 800 connectivity. The new dock allows quick access to any PATA/ATAPI 2.5-inch notebook drive and offers power options, including Bus-Power through a FireWire 800 connection, an optional +12V adapter or via a standard disk drive 4-pin molex power source: users can simply connect the drive to the Dock, plug-in power and attach a FireWire or USB cable to a host computer to quickly and easily transfer data from a "bare" notebook drive. For more protection, a mounting plate is included on the dock to protect the drive's circuitry. The Dock is priced at $170 retail and will ship early June. In addition, the company offered discount pricing on existing dock products: the SATADock now costs $170 and the FireWire and Notebook DriveDock are now $100.