First Look: Fusion 2 Beta, virtualization...

Since switching over to Intel processors, the Mac is now capable of running practically any operating system. The simplest option is to use Boot Camp to create a dual-boot system that can run Mac OS X or Windows XP/Vista. A more flexible solution is to run Mac OS X and one or more additional operating systems at the same time. To run another operating system within Mac OS X, you’ll need a special virtualization program like Fusion. Although the program has been available for over a year, the company has recently released a version 2 beta to give you a glimpse of its upcoming features.

OpenOffice.org 3.0 beta offers Mac OS X enhancements...

The OpenOffice.org Community this week released a public beta release of OpenOffice.org 3.0, the open-source productivity suite for Mac OS X as well as Windows and Linux. The beta release will be the first to run on Mac OS X without X11, but is primarily designed to allow a broad user base to test and evaluate the next major version of OpenOffice.org: it is not recommended for production use, according to notes on the project. Version 3.0b brings a new "Start Centre", fresh-looking icons, and a new zoom control in the status bar. Updated spreadsheet features include improved calculations with a new solver component; support for spreadsheet collaboration through workbook sharing; and an increase to 1024 columns per sheet.

Nik Software offers Viveza plug-in for Aperture 2.1...

Nik Software this week released the Viveza plug-in for Aperture 2.1, Apple's photo editing and management software. The Viveza plug-in allows Aperture users to selectively control light and color in photographic images from within Aperture. Integrated seamlessly within Aperture's organizing and editing environment, users can simply place "U Point"-powered control points directly on colors or objects such as sky, skin or grass to make targeted adjustments to an image within Aperture. Software-based sliders enable users to easily adjust brightness, contrast or color with just a few mouse clicks. The Viveza plugin automatically selects objects and seamlessly creates masks based on where the photographer places a control point.

TapeDeck 1.0 quickly, simply records audio...

TapeDeck is an new audio recording application written exclusively for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard that is designed with a quick-capture workflow. New recordings called "tapes" can be started with a single mouse click (or keystroke); the software records directly to compressed MP4-AAC audio, making it useful for a variety of applications including simple high-fidelity recordings of a band, practicing speeches, and capturing hours of lecture. The application was designed to emulate a real cassette tape recorder with a few key differences, the company explained.

MCE offers 1TB HDD solution for 17-in MacBook Pro...

MCE Technologies on Friday said it will begin shipping a 1TB internal hard drive solution for the Apple's MacBook Pro 17-inch. The solution, which installs two half-terabyte drives and affects battery performance a bit, consists of the new MCE OptiBay SATA 500GB Optical Bay Hard Drive and an MCE MobileStor 500GB Internal SATA Hard Drive. The new MCE OptiBay SATA 500GB Optical Bay Hard Drive replaces the internal SuperDrive of the MacBook Pro 17-inch with a 500GB internal hard drive; however, the company provides a slim, portable enclosure for the internal SuperDrive, effectively converting it into a portable, bus-powered, bootable, external USB 2.0 SuperDrive able to load software, play DVDs, and burn media.

Oxygen XML 9.2 expands DITA support...

Syncro Soft has released the v9.2 update to Oxygen XML Editor, a cross-platform, WYSIWYG XML toolset, which provides a variety of services including XQuery debugging. It is available solo, or as an Eclipse IDE plug-in. The new version of the software improves DITA support, with a new DITA maps manager, and a toolchain for generating DITA output in formats including HTML, XHTML and PDF. The newest DITA Open Toolkit is integrated through normal transformation scenarios support.

MacNN reviews Maximo IP-HS2; MacDayLA; Flashforward...

In Brief: MacNN has posted reviews for the Maximo IP-HS2 iMetal Isolation Headset, and several Artwizz iPod accessories, Flashforward2008 Film Festival nominations have opened, and author Deborah Shadovitz will host MacDayLA at the CBS Studio Center. Mobile music listeners often assume that decent sound quality can only be achieved through high priced audiophile level headphones. In reality, there are affordable options that still offer excellent sound quality. The iPhone compatible Maximo iP-HS2 iMetal Isolation Headset falls into this category. These earbuds may not be the best on the market, but they certainly sound better than anything you’ll find for under $70.

AppMenuBoy returns hierarchical menus to Leopard...

Google is hosting a new extension for Mac OS X Leopard, called AppMenuBoy. Like Quay, the program addresses an interface change to Leopard, in which Apple removed hierarchical menus in the Dock. This has been partially restored in Mac OS X 10.5.2, which lets users set the Applications menu to list mode when dragged into the Dock, but this is not the same as in Tiger, which presents submenus for anything under Applications.

Apple pays out for replacement power adapters...

Apple on Friday announced it would refund between $25 and $80 to as many as 2.3 million iBook and PowerBook owners, after a significant number of adapters went defective, fraying and sparking. The Los Angeles Times reports that US District Court Judge James Ware granted preliminary approval on March 24th on the 2006 class action filing. The agreement makes Apple responsible for paying for a portion of replacement power adapters for the portables.

FoxTrot Professional Search roots through data...

CTM has released FoxTrot Professional Search, a tool for running deeper searches into Mac file systems. The app extends past filenames to search for content within metadata, as well as the text inside of PDF, HTML, e-mail and word processing files. Search results are categorized and ranked on relevance, and users can maintain multiple indexed collections and timed updates, without having to launch the program.

Autodesk ships SketchBook Pro 2009...

Autodesk has released the 2009 edition of SketchBook Pro, its painting and illustration program, designed for users of tablets and tablet PCs. The new application is compatible with Mac OS X Leopard, and boasts new support for Adobe Photoshop, allowing users to import PSD files for detailed drawing. Appropriately, SketchBook layers now support general locking and transparency locking, and the active layer is highlighted with an orange outline, which also sports interface controls such as a thumbnail view.

Jobs' world traveling low this winter...

In the past, Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty asserted that Steve Jobs' plane travel filings with the SEC are indicative of Apple product releases, since Jobs tends to travel more when signing deals with new companies. Silicon Alley Insider notes that while this is usually the case, March quarter filings show that Jobs' travel reimbursement is only $30,000 – contrasted against $550,000 in the December quarter – despite Apple sealing major international deals with cell carriers Vodafone, America Movil, and Telecom Italia.

Microsoft to appeal $1.4b European fine...

Microsoft today said it would appeal the nearly $1.4 billion fine levied against it by the European Commission earlier this year. The company has not explained its specific motivations behind the objection, but says the move is an effort to "seek clarity" from the Commission's court and that Microsoft's opposition with the appeal is to the fine itself rather than the ultimate verdict.

Google hunts Yahoo ties, dumps human rights motions...

Google is interested in pursuing closer ties with Yahoo, according to the former company's founders. Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt made the observation before Google's annual general meeting on Thursday, in response to questions on whether they would move beyond a two-week trial of Google advertising on Yahoo's network. "We have been talking to Yahoo and we are very excited to be working with them," says Brin. He calls the trial program "successful," and suggests that it is a "good basis to talk to Yahoo some more."

xVM VirtualBox supports Mac OS, Solaris, more...

Sun Microsystems on Friday introduced a new update for xVM VirtualBox, adding support for Mac OS X and Solaris, making it the first open sourcevirtual machine to support both operating systems. According to The Inquirer, Sun is offering both a free open source version which has no usage restrictions, as well as a free licensed version with more features for individual home users. Business customers are required to pay for licenses, should they want the full version.

Mailplane 2.0 enters public beta...

uncomplex has released a public beta of Mailplane 2.0, an upcoming revision of its Gmail client. The app is effectively a site-specfic web browser, and is intended to make Gmail more seamlessly integrated with Mac OS X. Users can for instance quickly browse and attach files from iPhoto and iTunes libraries, and convert or resize images as necessary. Multiple Gmail/Google Apps accounts can be switched to without signing in and out, and the app can bet set to launch directly from Address Book, Safari, or anything else with a "mailto:" URL.

Zune reaches 2m sales; flat versus iPod...

As part of its recent Zune update, Microsoft has revealed that it has sold two million of the music players since their launch in November 2006, revealing relatively flat growth for the device lineup. Although the company originally promised and slightly exceeded a target for its first million sales between the original launch date and June 2007, the company has largely remained silent on its data for its players in nearly a year.

Quay 1.1 extends Leopard Dock...

Coder Rainer Brockerhoff has released a fresh update to Quay, a Dock extender for Mac OS X Leopard. The app restores hierarchical menus to the OS -- last found in Tiger -- and also lets users sort Stacks in a variety of ways. Quay can be set to work only with specific Stacks, and can be toggled off completely by holding down the Option key.

Freeway 5.1 incorporates RSS feeds...

Softpress has released the first major update to Freeway 5, its WYSIWYG web design tool. The base application distinguishes itself with features such as CSS menus, and Google and script.aculo.us Actions; new in v5.1 is the ability to publish a feed from a page, using the RSS Feed Action. Designers can now also import SVG vector graphics, whether for conversion to JPEG, GIF or PNG, or simply as a pass-through to a finished page.

House passes Pro-IP copyright protection act...

The House of Representatives on Friday approved the controversial Pro-IP Act, a bill which is designed to protect intellectual property by imposing more rigid punishment in the case of copyright infringement. Ars Technica writes that the bill passed with a vote of 410 to 10, but has yet to be voted on by the Senate. Among the details of the bill, one segment states that law enforcement agents would be able to seize property from those charched with copyright infringement.

New Parallels Desktop build adds XP SP3, Vista SP1...

Parallels has released a new update to Desktop, its side-by-side OS virtualization app. The software is now at build 5600, and adds "full support" for the latest editions of Microsoft Windows; Vista is now handled up to Service Pack 1, while XP compatibility extends to Service Pack 3. Parallels has also improved compatibility with the MacBook Air.

Canadian iPod owners may gain $45 credit...

A select number of Canadian iPod owners may soon be eligible for a $45 credit from Apple, says a major regional newspaper. The Montreal Gazette writes that the credit would be applicable only to owners of first-, second- or third-generation iPods, and only those who purchased theirs prior to June 24th, 2004. It is part of Apple's proposed settlement for a pair of lawsuits filed in Montreal and Toronto, under which Apple stood accused of false advertising.

Apple worst among electronics peers in climate policy...

Apple has been ranked the worst among all major PC vendors and other large electronic firms in the fight against climate change. Climate Counts this week released its second annual Company Scorecard hoping to create a "simple, easy-to-understand ranking of companies would motivate both companies and consumers to step-up their efforts on climate change." Apple was ranked in last place among the list of 12 electronics companies, while companies such as IBM, Canon, Toshiba, Sony, and Hewlett-Packard were near the top of the electronics industry. Top honor went to Nike, which passed last year’s high scorer, Canon, to become the top scored company among the 56 companies evaluated. Apple was the only electronic company to receive a "Stuck" designation, with a recommendation as a choice to "avoid for the climate-conscious consumer," because the company has taken "meaningful action against climate change."