Getting 'Back on your Mac' without .Mac...

One Mac user has cleverly figured out a way to deliver Leopard's "Back on my Mac" feature without using Apple's subscription-based .Mac service. Apple's new Leopard operating system introduced a new feature called "Back on My Mac" that allows .Mac subscribers to retrieve files from from their Mac from any remote remote location; however, the feature requires a subscription to Apple's .Mac web service, which provides email, internet disk storeage and other integrated functions to the Mac desktop; it costs $100 per year. All Forces has outlined an alternate method of accessing a remote Mac using Leopard's advanced iChat, thereby circumventing Apple's .Mac requirement.

Mac Messenger v7.0 coming, Word 2004 updated...

Despite a report yesterday from an employee, Microsoft today confirmed that Messenger for the Mac is not being discontinued, and that a new version is on the way. Microsoft said that Office 2008 for Mac will include the current v6.x in the box and that the v7.0 update is expected time after the release of Office 2008 in January. The Mac Business Unit – Microsoft's team of Mac developers – said that the new version is currently undergoing private beta testing in a number of corporate environments that use Office Communication Server 2007.

New non-destructive image editor: Naked Light...

Naked Light, a unique new image editor, offers a simplistic interface as well as advanced features; Naked Light will allow users to take advantage of non-destructive image editing. The application is advertised as re-inventing how image editing works, featuring node-based compositing and live filters, as well as a concept called "Infinite Resolution" – very similar, in essence, to Final Cut Pro's open format timeline. The author of Naked Light is offering a public beta, which starts November 9th. Pricing is not available as of this writing, and the only requirement is Leopard, with ATI and Nvidia chipsets being highly recommended.

5,000 MacBooks arrive in Kansas City schools...

The Kansas City School District has launched the largest distribution of laptops in the metro area, according to the Kansas City Star, with 5,000 MacBooks being handed out to high school students for use at school as well as at home. Apple struck a deal with the District earlier this year, leasing all 5,000 devices to help students prepare for college. "It's actually here -- the day we have been waiting for," said Mary Stewart, an instructional coach at Wyandotte High School. "Classrooms in Kansas City, Kansas, high schools will never be the same after today."

EVE Online MMOG released for Intel-based Macs...

CCP Games and TransGaming Technologies today announced that they have completed work on the Mac OS and Linux versions of CCP's popular massively multiplayer online game, EVE Online. As the MMOG has been ported through the use of TransGaming's Cider, the game will only function on Intel-based Macs. EVE Online requires a subscription, with monthly plans starting at $15 per month, and is currently available for download from the game's website.

iPhone jailbreak utility updated: AppSnapp ...

AppSnapp, an iPhone jailbreaking app, has been updated to add some new features and bug fixes. The jailbreak utility will no longer run unless the iPhone's firmware is version 1.1.1, and the developer has improved the reliability by using HTTP instead of raw sockets to deliver the payload files, which the developer says will increase the probability that the jailbreak will only need to be run once. A progress indicator has been added, and the process is now a push-button concept. The developer has added log files so users can see exactly what happened during the update through the use of SSH or IPHUC – the latter of which now has AFC2 service. AppSnapp is a free download through the iPhone, although the developer is taking donations.

Yugma offers screen sharing to Mac, Linux

Yugma recently announced that its web-based screen sharing service is certified to work with all desktop platforms, including Mac OS X and Linux. The software is designed to allow off-site team members to collaborate on a group project, or to provide users with the capability to display desktop contents to many users at once – for a meeting or web-based seminar, for instance – across the internet. Yugma also allows for attendees to contribute to the session using a mouse and keyboard, and it provides whiteboard-type functionality for these users. The basic account is free, but advanced functions and support options are reserved for premium account holders, pricing for which starts at $10 per month. For a complete feature list and video demo of the service, visit Yugma.com.

Eisner: Apple hogs digital profits...

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner this morning said digital media distribution is currently at best a break-even business, and that Apple gobbles up most of what little money is made, according to a report from News.com. "[The studios] make deals with Steve Jobs, who takes them to the cleaners," Disney's chief explained. "They make all these kinds of things, and who's making money? Apple! They should get a piece of Apple. If I was a union, I'd be striking up wherever he is," Eisner remarked, presumably referring to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Qwest rep: Macs are practically "obsolete"...

One Mac owner who recently signed up for Qwest wireless experienced various technical difficulties getting online, and after numerous technical support phone calls was told by a Qwest employee that "Qwest should not have to train its employees in a practically obsolete system," according to The Consumerist. More than nine phone calls to Qwest resulted in several instances of blaming the customer's MacBook, not Qwest, for the troubles she experienced receiving internet service.

Iconfactory updates Twitterrific 3.0...

Iconfactory has released Twitterrific 3.0, an update to its software front-end for Obvious' Twitter.com. The update adds a number of different features, as well as improving upon older ones. The application no longer suffers from rendering issues in Leopard, but the company has stated that there is a potential hanging issue when a user changed which account they are logged in with. The application is available for $15 from Twitterrific's product page, and requires a Twitter account to function.

Sonic Studio updates PreMaster CD 2.0.2...

Sonic Studio has released a new version to its low-cost audio premastering application, PreMaster CD 2.0.2, which advertises increased performance and stability. While the company says that PreMaster is not yet Universal, this update will be providing the framework for the upcoming v3.0 release, which will be a Universal Binary. The update is free for all existing Premaster CD v2.x customers, and the cost for a new license is $500, available as a direct download from Sonic Studio's online store.

Apple sued over iPod/iTunes 'monopoly'...

Apple's legal woes are being compounded by a newly-launched class-action lawsuit, court documents reveal. A 19-page filing was originally submitted to a Florida court in August, but the case is just now seeing the light of day after having been moved to the US District Court for the Southern District of California. The venue change was requested by Apple, which argued that similar cases have been pending in the California court for more than two years. The latest incarnation was brought about by Floridian Frederick Black, who alleges that he and other state residents have been made victims of Apple's music DRM protections, according to AppleInsider.

Sandvox 1.2.4 offers Leopard compatibility...

Karelia Software has released Sandvox 1.2.4, the latest revision of its website creation software for Mac OS X that offers Leopard compatibility. Released on the heels of Leopard, the latest release of Sandvox improves site design elements and includes bug fixes as well as other optimizations. The update improves compatibility with iPhoto as well as other iLife applications, and offers up-to-date documentation via the Help feature. Sandvox 1.2.4 is priced at $50 for the regular edition and $80 for the pro version, both of which require Mac OS X 10.4.4 or later.

Intel launches Entry Storage System hub...

Marking one of the few instances where the company has released its own fully packaged system, Intel today introduced the Entry Storage System SS4200. The miniature computer is built to offer network-attached storage in homes or small businesses where having a common pool of data is increasingly important; the typical home may have as much as 1TB of information by 2009, Intel claims. To that end, the ESS is breadbox-sized but includes four Serial ATA drive bays that can each hold as much as 1TB, which is shared across a building through gigabit Ethernet; a Celeron M 420 processor and 512MB of RAM are onboard to manage data and optionally turn the system into a Windows Home Server, though both Macs and Windows PCs can use the device without the specialized Microsoft OS.

Steve Jobs takes No. 2 on IT influence poll...

Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is the second-most influential IT personality of the past quarter-century, a new poll suggests. The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) says it has conducted a survey on the question using 473 professionals from the IT industry, and among that group, 73 percent incorporated Jobs into their lists. He was surpassed only by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who was picked by 84 percent of respondents. Coming in third was Dell CEO Michael Dell, with 53 percent, while Linux originator Linus Torvalds shared the 47 percent mark with Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

ARM exec: Google no threat to iPhone...

Google's move into the world of cellphone operating systems is unlikely to dislodge the likes of Apple and the iPhone, says Warren East, CEO of mobile processor maker ARM. The executive is generally positive about Google's efforts, and comments that they should "stimulate further growth" in the smartphone world, in no small part because Google is backing its OS with both its reputation and research money. But, he cautions, solidifying a mobile platform can take years, especially when companies such as Symbian have been active for much longer.

Samsung brings high-color 245T LCD to US...

Samsung today announced the US launch of the SyncMaster 245T, the company's latest and most advanced 24-inch computer LCD. The screen is designed equally for average users and professionals who might be sensitive to color accuracy. An enhanced color spectrum gives the panel as much as 97 percent of the NTSC color gamut at one time, improving media for home viewers and media editors alike. Blacks are also reproduced more faithfully with a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,500:1 versus the 1,000:1 of a static-contrast LCD, Samsung says. Average pixel response times of 6ms and active motion compensation help eliminate ghosting artifacts.

Tests underway for 100Mbps phone Internet...

The first tests for fourth-generation cellular Internet accesss are proving successful, Nokia and several other cellular electronics firms announced today. Known as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), the service has been demonstrated as meeting its peak speeds both for connections fixed in place and mobile users, such as those traveling by car. An ideal linkup will provide as much as 100 megabits in downloads and 50 megabits in uploads; this would outperform even WiMAX by a factor of ten or more in real-world conditions, according to the claim, and offers speed closer to a high-end cable or fiber optic connection.

iPhone touchscreen supplier under scrutiny...

The primary supplier of touchscreens for the iPhone is being chastized for its poor financial affairs, according to a new report. Balda -- a German company, which builds the screens in China through a joint venture -- sold $50 million in "convertible profit participation rights" to institutional investors on October 31st. These rights came with 8 percent interest, which is being called too expensive for what was received. Moreover, Balda's management has explained very little about why it made its decision. The executives show a "needless lack of transparency," says analyst Tobias Loskamp of BHF-Bank.

Karelia Software updates Sandvox...

Karelia Software has announced a new version of its website creation utility, Sandvox 1.2.4. As with most recent software updates, Leopard compatibility is introduced in this version, as well as enhanced integration with Apple's iLife suite. The recent Apple Design Award runner-up has made improvements to how it designs sites and site elements, and has a constantly-updated help database that remains current as features are added. Karelia is offering the regular, single user version of Sandvox for $50, with many different licensing options available through its online store.