CES Photo Highlights: Gallery 1...

The second day of CES has drawn to a close, with many companies making major announcements about new products and services. Intel unveiled its 45nm Core 2 mobile platform with integrated SSE4 and 6MB of cache, available in speeds ranging from 2.1GHz to 2.8GHz. Microsoft announced that its Xbox Video Marketplace service will see content from Disney-ABC and MGM, and formally denied rumors that Xbox 360 with built-in HD-DVD is in planning. HP’s MediaSmart gear was given a complete overhaul, while also introducing several new laptop products. Seagate was on hand to show a number of different new storage options, while RealNetworks showed various products that use its Rhapsody media service.

Cheetah3D 4.4 gets Leopard support...

Cheetah3D 4.4, a new version of the 3D modelling, rendering and animation solution for Apple Mac OS X, was released today. It improves the MacOS X 10.5 (Leopard) compatibility and should solve the last minor problems. Furthermore Cheetah3D improves binding a skeleton to a mesh. Now it is possible to bind single joints to a mesh which don't build a bone with another joint. Other new features include enhanced OpenGL preview, replaced Sparkle Autoupdate function with new "Check update" function, fixed shear bug, fixed bug in FBX embedded texture export, fixed bug when importing textures, fixed caustic photon number bug and many other small bug fixes and enhancements.

Intego to show X5 line at Macworld...

Intego plans present and demonstrate new X5 versions of NetBarrier, VirusBarrier, Personal Backup, Personal Antispam, FileGuard and Internet Security Barrier at Macworld Expo 2008. The company will also be presenting new versions of its Dual Protection line of software, which provide security features for Mac OS X and Windows. These new DP bundles include the latest software for Windows protection from BitDefender. In November, Intego documented a flaw in Apple's Leopard quarantine system that allows unsuspecting Mac users to open specially crafted files that run with nearly any application.

Flip4Mac Infinity gets new cam support...

Telestream has announced availability of new products and features that expand the company's Final Cut support for Thomson Grass Valley disk-based cameras and media servers. The new Flip4Mac Infinity Component imports media from Thomson Grass Valley Infinity Series Digital Media Camcorders and REV PRO drives directly into Final Cut Pro editing systems. The company also announced new HD support for its existing Flip4Mac K2|Profile Component which enables file transfer between Thomson Grass Valley K2 and Profile professional media server systems and Final Cut Pro for editing. The new Flip4Mac Infinity Component imports MPEG-2 HD and DV25 SD media directly from Thomson Grass Valley REV PRO drives without transcoding the media file. The component produces a .mov file that is placed directly into the Final Cut project bin ready for editing. Users can import and browse REV PRO drives.

OmniFocus task management tool ships...

The OmniGroup has announced the release of OmniFocus 1.0, their new task management tool. OmniFocus is a personal productivity application that can be used to implement the "Getting Things Done" work-life management method developed by David Allen. The tool is designed to quickly capture your thoughts and allow you to store, manage, and process them into actionable to-do items. Tasks can be assigned to projects and stored within contexts (for example: "Home", "Work", or "Garden"), with built-in visual cues that highlight the next action you need to take care of.

NewTech showcases NTI Shadow 3 backup app...

NewTech Infosystems today announced that it will provide demonstrations of NTI Shadow 3 at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. The company will showcase its backup application at booth no. 6634MP, detailing the software's ability to maintain real-time continuous backups of all changed files as well as an advanced scheduler that enables users to set backup start times by minute, hour, day, week, or month. NTI Shadow ($30) supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X 10.3 or later, and U3 environments.

FontXChange for Mac 1.0 released...

Morrison SoftDesign today released FontXChange for Mac 1.0, an easy to use font conversion application that supports OpenType (PS) as well as PostScript Type 1 and TrueType. The application features batch processing for converting entire font libraries, preferences to set font encodings, a font inspection window with preview functionality, and support for numerous font encodings like Adobe Standard and Unicode. FontXChange for Mac 1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later, and is priced at $60 for a single user license or $100 when bundled with FontDoctor.

Griffin: New audio, power products at CES...

Griffin yesterday unveiled several new products at CES, with the releases centered on home, personal, and automotive audio products, with a few power-related items as well. Griffin’s popular iTrip saw another revision, dubbed the iTrip AutoPilot with SmartScan. The updated iTrip FM transceiver displays RDS information on any capable car stereo, while the new SmartScan technology automatically seeks out the three best FM frequencies to broadcast over. The new AutoPilot charger puts music controls within easy reach of the driver; the controls sit on the back of the charging unit. iTrip AutoPilot with SmartScan will ship during the second quarter for $100.

Garmin readying special device for Macworld?...

Garmin is preparing a special device that it will launch next week at Macworld, says an official company blog. Though the GPS manufacturer expects to demonstrate typical Mac-compatible hardware and software at the show, it also claims to have a mystery project nicknamed "Bobcat." No details are provided for the product, though company blogger Chet expects it will receive a warm reception.

ProjectWizards releases Merlin 2.5...

ProjectWizards today released the final version of Merlin, its professional project management application for Mac OS X. Merlin 2.5 features multi-user functionality that enables project managers to work together to get real-time feedback on projects. Merlin 2.5 is priced at $205, with upgrades for Merlin 2.0 customers available for free (system requirements were unavailable.

OmniFocus task management software released...

The Omni Group today announced the final release of OmniFocus 1.0, its new advanced task management tool. OmniFocus is designed around David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” work-life management method, allowing users to quickly assemble notes and ideas into cohesive plans. The application assigns tasks to master projects, and can be viewed by context as well – such as “Go to the store” or “Garden work” – while automatic visual cues show the next step that needs to be taken. OmniFocus is currently shipping, available for $80; a 25-percent discount is available to users of OmniOutliner Professional.

Dell concept leads to new 16:9 notebook LCDs...

A new concept notebook unveiled at CES by Dell reveals the likely direction for future displays for the company itself as well as other portable makers. Confirmed by the company's official blog, the unnamed PC is built around a 16-inch display that follows a 16:9 aspect ratio closer to many HDTVs than the tall, 16:10 displays found on most widescreen notebooks. The LCD also reaches a 1920x1080 resolution that exactly matches the output needed for 1080p movies, such as those offered on Blu-ray. Dell currently offers Blu-ray as an option for multiple Inspiron and XPS notebooks.

Apple wins iPhone, iPod, MacBook patents...

Apple has won a total of 14 patents since the arrival of 2008, including its iPhone cellular handset which may be one of the fastest granted patents ever recorded for an Apple product. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has published patents covering Apple's iPod, iPod shuffle, iPod dock, MacBook, MacBook Pro, QuickTime Player, and others.

Sony reveals iPod-ready stereos, HD radios...

Sony's CES announcements are continuing with several new sound systems, most of which are in some fashion compatible with the iPod. The first two are shelf-based stereos, the CMT-BX20i and the CMT-BX50BTi. These feature docks inlaid directly into the main body, which in addition to piping out audio and recharging the battery, allow distant control of an iPod via the included remote control. The BX20i has an AM/FM radio and a single-disc, MP3-compatible CD player, which displays ID3 tags when available; total RMS power is 50W. It will be ready in February for $130.

Leak reveals iPod-ready videos on Fox DVDs...

Apple's previously rumored DVD/iPod movie combo discs have been confirmed, thanks to a contributor providing a tip to TUAW. After receiving a copy of the Fox-produced Family Guy spoof of Star Wars a week ahead of its January 15th release, one customer noted that the box backing makes reference to an iPod-resolution file included on the disc, described by the packaging as a Fox Digital Copy. Inserting the disc tells the viewer that transferring the file requires the as-yet unreleased iTunes 7.6 or later, according to the report. A serial number from the case is needed to authenicate the movie.

XP on 50% more PCs than Vista in 2007...

Microsoft's now six-year-old Windows XP came with many more computers in 2007 than its Vista replacement, according to Microsoft's own statistics at its CES keynote. Though outgoing company chief executive Bill Gates touted that Vista had crossed the 100 million-unit sales mark before the end of 2007, InformationWeek notes a Gartner assessment which claims that about 255.7 million PCs will have been sold over the course of the year, leaving Vista with just 39 percent of the new PC market despite going on sale early in the year, at the end of January. With most remaining systems shipping using a variant of Windows, the statistic points to almost 60 percent of all PCs shipping with the older XP variant -- or a more than 50 percent larger number than its newer counterpart, according to Electronista calculations.

Sony upgrades HD, standard-def Handycams...

As part of its efforts at CES, Sony has revamped nearly all of its Handycam models for the new year. The HD models now all receive face detection that auto-focuses on as many as eight human faces in a given scene and adjusts color balance to properly capture the subjects. For these HD cameras, more time is spent on encoding video for these pixels than the rest of the scene, Sony says. Topping the range, the SR12 (pictured) and SR11 are also the first Sony home cameras to use a new 5.7-megapixel sensor that nearly doubles to 10.2 megapixels for still photos alone or 7.6 megapixels while also recording video; this dual-record method can also be sustained on these models up to their storage limits. The SR10 uses a smaller 2.4-megapixel sensor that can take as many as five 3-megapixel shots in a similar mode.

ViewSonic announces VTV TVs, new monitor...

Display builder ViewSonic has announced eight new LCD TV sets (not pictured), all from the company's recently-created VTV division. The best-performing models are those in the 90 Series, all of which feature an ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, HDMI 1.3 support, and digital noise reduction. Additionally, the 26-, 32-, 42- and 47-inch versions all have a swiveling base, which is omitted for the 52-inch TV. The 26- and 32-inch screens are limited to 720p, but 1,500:1 contrast and 6.5ms response time start at the 32-inch mark, as does the inclusion of three HDMI inputs. 1080p becomes available starting at 42 inches.

Apple working to resolve EC's iTunes claims...

Apple is expected to announce steps in the near future to resolve charges from the European Commission, which state that its iTunes Store violates EU law by offering varying pices on a country by country basis. Following the forthcoming announcement, the European Union regulator will likely announce the closure of the case, according to Reuters.

Sony-Ericsson intros stylized BT headset...

As a quick follow-up to its phone announcements at the start of CES, Sony-Ericsson today released the HBH-PV712 Style Edition. The Bluetooth earpiece is targeted at women who want hands-free calling but are still image-conscious: in addition to three different faceplates to match its colors to clothing, it also incorporates an ear hook designed to accommodate long hair. Carrying the headset is also unique. While a pouch keeps it and its companion phone from being crushed in a bag, a necklace bundled with the headset lets women hang the headset from their neck without its seeming out of place with dress clothes, Sony-Ericsson claims.

Apple updates Xserve hardware...

Apple has released the newest version of the Xserve (Apple Store down for updates), its Mac-based network server. The new model can be configured with up to two quad-core Intel Xeon 5400 processors running at 3GHz, each CPU having 12MB of L2 cache. Another addition is the presence of a new general architecture, including two 1.6GHz front-side buses, and as much as 32GB of 800MHz DDR2 RAM. Two PCIe 2.0 slots are said to provide up to four times the I/O bandwidth of the last Xserve model, enabling support for multi-channel 4Gb fiber and 10Gb Ethernet cards.

FileMaker ships Bento personal database app...

FileMaker on Tuesday announced the immediate availability of Bento, its easy-to-use personal database application. Designed exclusively for Mac OS X Leopard, Bento leverages a single-window interface and FileMaker database technology to help users organize contacts, calendars, projects, events, and more. Users can easily create databases to manage information with dynamic 'smart' collections as well as expand around Apple's own Address Book and iCal storage engines. Bento is priced at $50, or $100 for a family pack of five licenses. The personal database requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

Apple intros 3.2GHz Mac Pro...

Apple today introduced its first comprehensive update to the Mac Pro since August 2006. Using the 45-nanometer Penryn architecture that forms the foundation of the Xeon 5400 line, the new workstation clocks at up to 3.2GHz with a faster, 1,600MHz bus and as much as a 12MB Level 2 cache. Using 800MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM memory, the system can hold as much as 32GB of memory across eight slots and has 61 percent more memory bandwidth than the past model, according to Apple.

Samsung shows Q1 Ultra Premium, dual-screen monitor...

Continuing a wave of announcements, Samsung has uncovered another version of its Q1 UMPC (pictured), the Q1 Ultra Premium. The machine now runs on a faster 1.33GHz Core Solo processor, and is fitted with 1GB of DDR2 RAM. The lithium-ion battery should now provide 7.5 hours of use instead of 4.5, and the computer's signature split keyboard has been given larger caps for easier typing. Specifications should otherwise remain unchanged, including the default 80GB hard drive, SD/MMC slot, and wireless in the form of 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0. Samsung has not announced a price and release date for the Premium, but the price of other Q1s will drop in order to clear inventory.

Paramount to return to Blu-ray?...

Film studio Paramount is likely to return to the Blu-ray camp after Warner's highly publicized abandonment of HD DVD, according to sources reportedly in touch with the Financial Times. Those "familiar with the situation" claim that the Hollywood firm has a clause that will let it drop its months-long HD DVD contract for exclusivity in the case that Warner defects. This will save the company from having to produce HD movies in the disc format regardless of whether genuine support exists, says the report. DreamWorks Animation, whose movies are distributed by Paramount, may also follow suit.

CES Photo Highlights: Motorola...

Motorola unveiled the Z10 and ROKR E8 media phones during the first day of CES 2008, as well as several new speaker products. The compact EQ5 and higher-end JBL-powered EQ7 speaker systems use Bluetooth to interface with compatible music phones to provide richer sound than the phone’s built-in speaker. The Bluetooth-based ROKR S9 headphones were another highlight, giving users a utilitarian, albeit sporty headset option. Motorola had plenty of demos on hand to demonstrate to curious show-goers.