WWDC 2007 videos now on iTunes...

Apple has made available a series of WWDC 2007 session videos through the iTunes store. The videos are now available to all members of the Apple Developer Connection. They include "Designing Web Content for the iPhone." Apple describes the video "iPhone completely redefines browser-based web access on a mobile phone. Watch iPhone engineers provide the latest techniques on mobile browser-based user experience design and development, and how to optimize your web application and content for the features and capabilities of iPhone." Also included are eight Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) sessions from WWDC 2006, including "Welcome to Xcode" and "IT State of the Union." Purchase of the Leopard Early Start Kit is required to receive sessions from Leopard sessions WWDC 2007.

Apple releases iTunes 7.3.2

Apple has posted an update to iTunes, bringing the music/video playing and iPod/iPhone synchronization software to version 7.3.2. Apple's release notes state that the update "provides bug fixes to improve stability and performance." No other specifics on enhancements or fixes are included in the notes. The update is available as a 33MB download. Earlier this week, Apple announced that more than three billion songs have been purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store, making iTunes the world's most popular online music, TV and movie store. The company's catalog features over five million songs, 550 television shows and 500 movies and iTunes recently surpassed Amazon and Target to become the third largest music retailer in the US, according to market research firm NPD.

Parallels Desktop beta released for free...

Parallels on Thursday began another new beta of its Parallels Desktop software for Mac, and announced that the latest test version is available for free to anyone with a permanent or trial Parallels Desktop 3.0 key. Parallels Desktop is a program that allows Mac users to run Microsoft Windows XP or Vista right alongside Mac OS X without the need to reboot, and supports intuitive operations like dragging files from Windows to Mac OS X and vice-versa. The latest beta release brings Microsoft application windows to Expose and enhances the look of each PC-oriented window. Parallels Desktop only works on Intel-based Macs, managing machine code to make use of the Intel chips present inside every new Mac to drive Microsoft Windows.

Nokia sells 100m as Apple joins field...

Nokia today announced that it had sold just over 100 million cellphones this spring, extending its dominance of the global cellphone business. The results were a 29 percent jump over the same period last year and gave the Finnish company a record 37 percent of the 273 million cellphones sold worldwide. Much of the growth was on the back of strong smartphone sales, the company said: over 9 million N-series and 2 million E-series were sold, with specific devices such as the 5-megapixel N95 cameraphone faring especially well. Most of this was in areas such as Europe, Nokia added.

(Email | Print | digg it)Read More ...

The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Stuff coming to Mac

Aspyr Media today announced that it will publish The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Stuff for Mac, the third The Sims 2 stuff pack released specifically for Mac gamers. The game, which is licensed by Electronic Arts and is under development by Aspyr Studios, is expected to hit store shelves in September of this year. "Spice up your Sims' holidays with this updated collection of seasonal items, outfits, and décor. Deck their homes with traditional décor items from around the globe including mistletoe, reindeer lawn ornaments, and an all-new European-style Father Christmas. Indulge your Sims this season with this collection of 60 items of festive fun!" The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Stuff is available for pre-order on Aspyr's website for $25, and requires The Sims 2 for Mac OS X.

Creative first to 16GB with Zen V Plus

Challenging the likes of Apple, Creative has upgraded its Zen V Plus player to hold 16GB of flash memory, twice the amount available on the largest iPod nano, and more than on any other comparable device. Zen V Plus players are distinguished in general by their 1.5-inch OLED screen, and the option of line-in recording, eliminating the need to record via microphone or from a computer. MP3, WMA and IMA ADPCM music files are supported. The 16GB Plus is currently being sold only in Singapore for $399 SGD ($262 US); the upgrade is likely to migrate elsewhere, however, within a few months. [via Anything But iPod]

Apps: Quake 4, Hazel, RapidWeaver

• Quake 4 1.4.2 ($50) first-person shooter in which you play Matthew Kane, a member of the elite Rhino Squad, which is heading off the next wave of alien invasion. This update affects pure server and protocol consistency, and adds a number of other multiplayer fixes including support for QUAKE 4 TV. The ReadMe has a complete listing of bug fixes as well as directions on how to operate QUAKE 4 TV. This update will be necessary for Mac users attempting to play multiplayer against PC users with the PC 1.4.2 patch. [Download - 382MB]


• Hazel 2 ($22) watches whatever folders you tell it to, automatically organizing your files according to the rules you create. The latest release has new rule actions, including the ability to rename a file (by specifying a pattern based on file attributes), sort a file into subfolders (let's you define a pattern of subfolders into which the file is moved. Patterns can be based on different attributes like date added or the source domain) and more. It can also watch for thrown away applications and offer to throw away associated support files. Growl notification support has also been added. [Download - 1.5MB]


• RapidWeaver 3.6.2 ($50) website creation application for Mac OS X. This is primarily a maintenance release, but also contains some new features. The blog plugin has seen a significant upgrade, with a new custom RSS field (allowing users to take advantage of services such as Feedburner), and a new Dynamic Sidebar option allowing far quicker upload times. Also new in this release is a "Master Styles" feature that allows users to specify theme variation options and apply them across multiple pages within a project. [Download - 15.4MB]


• POP3it Pro 4.0 for FileMaker ($65) an email downloading and importing plug-in for FileMaker Pro. The new release has no-Script Downloading - add email downloading to your database without having to write a single script; SL/TLS Support - download email from secure mail servers like Gmail; email importing - POP3it Pro can import emails from files on your hard drive in several different formats including files that have the source of a single email or files in the "mbox" format such as those used by Thunderbird and Eudora.  POP3it Pro can also import emails from Apple Mail 2.x mailbox folders. [Download - 3.5MB]


• UniSudoku 1.7 ($15) sudoku game for the Mac. It features unlimited puzzle generation and full Undo/Redo support. Among the changes in version 1.7 is a new statistics sidebar that lets you compare your current time with the best and average times for the current level of difficulty. Also there are checkboxes for each number you have completed in the puzzle. Click the checkbox to quickly highlight all instances of that number in the puzzle. Track the number of given, completed, and remaining squares in the puzzles. And finally there is some improved consistency with the puzzle difficulties. [Download - 522KB]

Google still creating self-branded phone?...

Google is still pouring "hundreds of millions" into developing a cellphone based around its web services, Reuters' research firm Anian says in a new study. In addition to drawing on Taiwan's HTC for developing a custom, Linux-based phone for the start of 2008, the search engine creator has also invested heavily into deals with global carriers, picking T-Mobile as the provider for a Google phone in the US and Orange filling in gaps for Europe and other regions.

Microsoft and Apple extend font licensing

During the TypeCon2007 conference, currently underway at the Crowne Plaza in Seattle, Microsoft and Apple annnounced that they have renewed their font licensing agreement, giving Mac users ongoing use of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows core fonts. Though terms of the deal (including time length) were not disclosed, the agreement allows for licensure of Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana and others, which are included with Mac OS X. The announcement makes no mention of various fonts specific to Windows Vista, which currently do not ship with Mac OS X.

New IRISPen scans 128 languages...

IRIS Group today released its new IRISPen 6 hand scanner for students and others converting written words to computers. The new version is smaller, sharper, and more accurate; in many cases, the reader can copy text with no flaws at all, the company says. Intelligence also steps up as the update can recognize 128 different languages and, in a Translator version, will directly convert any of 11 languages. The pen is app-independent and now includes a smart wizard that helps negotiate scanning spreadsheets or other unconventional layouts.

Clique ships new flexible webcams...

Clique has begun selling its Hue HD webcam, which attempts to be both practical and aesthetically pleasing. The signature element is its lamp-like gooseneck design, which allows the camera to be posed at virtually any angle on a desktop. For portable use the camera can actually be removed from the base, and plugged directly into a laptop's USB port. In technical terms the Hue has a 1.3-megapixel sensor, and can display 1024x768 video at 30 frames per second; the native snapshot resolution is 1280x1024, though this can be interpolated to as high as 2560x2048. Clique has priced blue, black, green, pink, red and white Hues at $100. Mac OS X 10.4 or Windows XP/2000 is required.

Octaga Player launched for Mac OS X

Octaga today launched its Octaga Player for Mac OS X, a new 3D player developed on behalf of the Seattle-based Ymetech and the NASA. The player can run as a plug-in to Microsoft Windows software as well as Adobe Acrobat, and functions with all major Web browsers as a Java Applet. Octaga Player is designed as a flexible high performance viewer for X3D and VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language). Octaga says its player is constantly being extended to support new techniques stemming from the gaming industry as well as the emerging X3D standard, and that the software is in use by more than one million users globally. Octaga Player is available as a free download for personal use, while commercial licenses are priced at $40 each.

Taiwan suppliers seeing no iPhone slowdown?...

Fears that Apple is cutting production on iPhones due to low demand are unfounded, according to claims from multiple part suppliers for the device. Anonymous reports from Taiwan manufacturers say that they have seen no drop in the quantities ordered for the iPhone since its June 29th launch. Shipments themselves are also on schedule, the companies claim, dismissing suggestions that Apple may be facing an oversupply of components.

iWear secures iPod nanos to clothing

ModYFire of Hungary has unveiled the iWear, an iPod nano accessory that secures the device to clothing without revealing itself in the process. ModYFire's iWear is the winner of the first Hungarian iPod casing design competition, according to the company, and works with nearly any type of clothing -- including jeans, skirts, pants, T-shirts, sweaters, and scarves. The iWear is attachable or detachable with one movement, does not use any chemical or glue to secure the iPod to clothing, and holds the player in place while allowing users to move freely. The iWear works with first as well as second-generation iPod nanos, protects the player's screen when users place the device face down, and secures the iPod when performing physical activity like running or riding a bike (pricing was unavailable).

Timex launches wireless iPod/iPhone control watch...

The watchmaker Timex has announced the Ironman iControl, a watch with the unusual ability to interact wirelessly with iPods. Using the receiver, users can command iPods to play or pause, raise or lower volume, and skip backwards or forwards between tracks. The iControl is also said to function with iPhones, though this does require switching the latter into Airplane Mode. The watch additionally has a number of non-music functions: it can store up to 50 laps in memory, and can store a traing log with the current date, best lap and average time. It is water-resistant to a depth of 328 feet. The watch should go on sale today for $125 in pink, blue, green, orange and gray/black colors.

Plusmo offers 20,000 free iPhone widgets

Plusmo today launched its free and customizable mobile widget service for iPhone users that provides access to more than 20,000 widgets. Plusmo enables users to create personalized widgets from useful Web services, XML/RSS-based sources, and user-generated content like blogs and photos or videos. The widgets serve as miniature Web applications that offer traffic reports, store locators, games, blogs, specialized searches, live sports updates, and more. Plusmo's widgets support the iPhone as well as most Java-enabled phones like Symbian devices and RIM Blackberry handsets. The free widgets are already available online.

BofA begins AAPL coverage with $160 target

Bank of America yesterday officially began covering Apple Inc. with a $160 price target on shares of the Cupertino-based company. "While we recognize we are late to the Apple party, we believe there is a significant amount of upside possible in Apple's stock for a number of reasons," wrote Bank of America analyst Scott Craig, who suggested that continued growth and share gains for the Mac as well as strong unit growth for iPods and the iPhone are potentially underestimated by investors. Taking into consideration the iPhone's "game-changing business model," Craig believes the iPhone will generate operating margins of nearly 60 percent after two years of "conservatively estimated" monthly payments from AT&T at $6 a month. The analyst predicts earnings-per-share of $3.75 in September of 2007 fiscal year, $4.35 for fiscal 2008, and $5.57 in fiscal 2009. Craig says Apple should be valued on a cash earnings-per-share basis, however, as if all iPhone revenue were recognized upon the purchase of the device, according to Barron's Online.

Briefly: iPhone translator; iPod case sale...

In brief: One website provides a talking iPhone phrasebook, another heavily discounts iPod cases, Micronet releases a new clustering switch, and a space simulator makes a few changes. Coolgorilla and the travel site lastminute.com have developed the iPhone Translator, a website which provides a quick audio phrasebook for travellers. Users pick one of five languages (French, German, Italian, Portugese and Spanish), then filter through categories to hear phrases on topics such as food, shopping and emergencies. The words are both spelled out on-screen and read aloud by native speakers. Greek phrases are promised to be coming soon.

Apple patenting multi-touch computer UI?...

Apple hopes to patent an interface that would allow users to customize and learn multi-touch gestures similar to those of the iPhone on a computer, according to a recent filing noted by MacNN blogger Neo. First submitted just days before the iPhone's introduction, the document would offer a dictionary program, sometimes running in the background, that would monitor the user's individual finger chords (patterns) on screen. The dictionary could then show the user a range of possible gestures using animated or still icons with a description of what each command will accomplish. The dictionary could also be cued by less direct methods such as bringing hands close to the screen or pressing a physical button, Apple says.

Hitachi unveils first Blu-Ray camcorders [U]...

Hitachi today revealed full details of the world's first Blu-Ray camcorders, expanding on the company's early preview from just weeks before. The handheld models are no larger than conventional DV cameras but include a special mini Blu-Ray recorder that writes to 3-inch discs of AVCHD (H.264) video playable in most Blu-Ray movie players and computer drives without requiring the conversion process of previous HD cameras. A single disc will hold about one hour of full 1080-line footage, Hitachi estimates. Every model can also record 4.3-megapixel still shots.

Mac OS X Leopard receives Unix certification...

Apple's Mac OS X Leopard has received the stamp of approval as an official unix operating system. The official UNIX 03 certification, which entitled the company to use the Unix brand,d came from the Open Group thanks in part to the efforts of Apple's OS boss Kevin Van Vechten and his team and puts Mac OS X Leopard alongside the Big Three: Sun, IBM, and HP, according to Infoworld. The certification for the delayed operating system came in mid-May, but was only recently publicized. A publicly available document certifies that "Apple has entered into a Trademark License Agreement with X/Open Company Limited in accordance with which the following are registered under the X/Open Brand Program: UNIX 03, Registration P1190; Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard on Intel-based Macintosh Computers."

Microsoft delays Office 2008 until Jan 2008...

Microsoft's Mac Business Unit on Thursday announced that the next Mac version of its industry-standard Microsoft Office suite will be delayed. Saying the decision was purely "quality driven." The company told MacNN that the release of the highly anticipated Office 2008 for Mac suite has been pushed back from its originally projected late 2007 release date to early 2008 -- "hopefully" in time for the annual Macworld Expo Conference, which takes place in early January. As recently as June, the Mac BU said that Office 2008 was "on track" for release in the second half of 2007.

iPhone 1.0.1 update brings new features

Apple's recent iPhone Update 1.0.1 includes several new enhancements not documented by its own release notes -- which indicate only security fixes. For instance, there is now a BCC option in the iPhone's mail settings to send yourself a copy of outgoing mail, whereas before there was only a CC option. In addition, the Passcode Lock functionality now offers up to one hour to request the password when usage is idle, where before it the only options were immediately or one minute. Several users have also reported stability enhancements with this release, as well as alleviation of an issue where the the iPhone's battery appeared to not charge fully.

MS Exchange email through iPhone client...

Synchronica has announced a free trial of its Mobile Gateway 3.0 service, which provides synchronization between Microsoft Exchange and the native e-mail client of the iPhone. The issue with iPhone access to Exchange servers thus far has been the device's ability to only access services via direct IMAP/SMTP connections -- functionality that is blocked by many corporations due to security concerns. However, the new Synchronica tool allows users to send and receive corporate e-mail using their iPhones, without having to install any software on the device or behind the corporate firewall. It uses Microsoft's Outlook Web Access (OWA) to retrieve e-mail from the Exchange server, a service enabled by many enterprises to provide users with access to corporate e-mail from home or while traveling.

VMware Fusion to ship on Aug 6th...

VMware on Thursday announced that it will release VMware Fusion next week. VMware fusion is its own propietary virtualization software that allows Mac users to simultaneously run Mac OS X, Windows and other PC-based applications. Leveraging nearly a decade of desktop virtualizatio expertise, the company said that VMware Fusion delivers the most advanced Mac virtualization software available today. The software allows Mac users to take advantage of their hardware’s full potential by running both 32- and 64-bit operating systems and leveraging two processor cores at the same time, VMWare said that users can use a wide variety of USB 2.0 devices and the software will support more than 60 operating systems, It also features complete power management capabilities to safeguard virtual machines when laptops are running out of battery as well as support for DirectX for gaming aficionados and Boot Camp-based installations (Windows XP).