News Archive for 08/08/05

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Apps: SketchFighter, Baseline, Phone Plugins, more

08/05, 11:55pm

Apps: SuperNova 2, more

SketchFighter 4000 Alpha 1.10 ($20) is a one or two-player game featuring unique hand-sketched characters that look like a teenager's doodles come to life. Version 1.1.0 includes improved scrollwheel and full-screen video support, bug fixes, and an improved registration system. The Universal Binary app also includes an editor that lets users sketch their own backgrounds and create new levels of game play. SketchFighter 4000 Alpha 1.1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or higher. [Download - 8.1MB].

Corporate networks get new Mac integration, support

08/05, 11:20pm

Likewise Enterprise update

Likewise Software has announced Likewise Enterprise 5.0, an update to its network management tool, offering better support for Mac integration in large-scale network environments. The new update will streamline Mac management by integrating Mac OS X Server settings into Group Policy Objects in Microsoft's Active Directory. Likewise allows users to access Managed Preferences (typically requiring a Windows machine) from the Likewise Administrative Console on a Mac station.

Sonos update adds MIMO support, more

08/05, 11:05pm

Sonos adds MIMO support

Sonos System Software 2.6 was released today by Sonos, a developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home environment. The software update includes support for SonosNet, MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), larger music collections, NasBasic firmware and Mac OS X Leopard. Customers have been experiencing various issues when trying to connect to a Mac computer running OS X Leopard but version 2.6 should solve all of those conflicts.

Sony, MS, Dell contaminate Ghana land, water

08/05, 11:00pm

Recyclers pollute Ghana

Scientists sent by Greenpeace to Ghana have recently found extreme cases of chemical contamination at two "e-waste" facilities.  Soil and water tests were conducted at two electronics scrap yards where various items such as broken computers, monitors, and televisions are shipped from the United States and Europe for processing and extraction of scrap metals.  Brands of these items included Philips, Sony, Microsoft, Nokia, Dell, Canon, and Siemens.  The two scrap yards were located in two cities: one in the capital city Accra and another in the city of Korforidua.

iTunes pays off big for part time developer

08/05, 9:05pm

iTunes pays off for devs

The iTunes App Store is paying off for even part time developers; when developers were uncertain whether they would even meet the $250 store minimum, some have discovered they are making almost $2000 per day. 9 to 5 Mac reveals that Eliza Block, developer of the 2 Across crossword puzzle app, found through the various developer resources that hundreds of downloads per day have translated into the above figure, based on the $6 app.

Intaglio v3.0 improves features, adds tools

08/05, 6:20pm

Intaglio v3.0 adds tools

Purgatory Design has released Intaglio v3.0, featuring new capabilities and tools to the Mac drawing application. The new v3.0 features an improved drag-and-drop library for streamlined use of common drawing elements. It also adds editing within a group without destroying the group, scaling elements when resizing graphics and a Quick Look plug-in for use with Mac OS X 10.5. The new update adds a star/flower tool, paint textures and background colors for text blocks. It also now supports graphics hardware acceleration for Leopard users. The software costs $90 and works on Mac OS X 10.2 and higher, with some features requiring Mac OS X 10.3 and above.

Vue 7 to display at SIGGRAPH 2008

08/05, 4:45pm

Vue 7 at SIGGRAPH 2008

The next update of Vue will be on display at August 12th's SIGGRAPH expo, developer E-on has announced. The software is used to design, animate and render natural environments in 3D, for use in movies, architectural work or general illustration. Vue 7 will incorporate a third version of E-on's underlying EcoSystem engine, along with new editions of supporting technologies, such as SolidGrowth, the Spectral atmosphere engine, and the indoor Radiosity engine.

Epson announces new multimedia photo viewers

08/05, 4:40pm

Epson intros photo viewers

Epson announced the release of its new multimedia photo viewers for professional photographers on the go, with the P-6000 and P-7000. Either gives photographers the ability to download and view their digital photos on 4-inch, 640x480 (VGA) resolution LCD screens that are capable of displaying over 16.7 million colors. The P-6000 sports an 80GB hard-disk drive, with the P-7000 upping it to 160GB and both feature a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connection that allows download speeds up to one third faster than the models they sit atop in Epson's range, the P-3000 and P-5000.

Dev Team: iPhone 3G owners should avoid 2.0.1 update

08/05, 4:15pm

Dev Team on iPhone 2.0.1

iPhone 3G owners who want to run firmware hacks should not upgrade to Apple's v2.0.1 release, the unofficial iPhone Dev Team cautions. The creators of the PwnageTool note that while the update is officially meant to fix bugs, it also makes changes to the underlying baseband code, which could potentially block any future attempts to unlock an iPhone. At the least, the update undoes any jailbreaking performed with PwnageTool.

Garmin intros Road Tech zumo with Harley Davidson

08/05, 4:10pm

Garmin Road Tech zumo

Portable GPS device maker Garmin on Monday released the Road Tech zūmo it will offer as part of the Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories. The special edition unit will add all Harley-Davidson dealership locations preloaded on the unit, expanding on the more than six million points of interest previously available. The unit will come with a handlebar mount and support on Harley-Davidson.com that will allow users to create routes and upload them to the zūmo.

Meizu shows M8's Safari-like web browser

08/05, 4:05pm

Meizu M8 Web Browser

The web browser at the heart of Meizu's still-unreleased M8 smartphone will borrow more than a few elements from its closest cousin at Apple, according to a post made by company chief J. Wong shows the Windows Mobile phone running a custom browser that shares a similar design to Safari on the iPhone, including its minimal address bar and buttons that mimic the navigation and new page features of Apple's interface.

Delta announces Gogo Wi-Fi on all domestic flights

08/05, 4:05pm

Delta offers Gogo Wi-Fi

Delta Air Lines announced on Tuesday it will offer broadband Wi-Fi access on all domestic flights in 2009, equipping over 330 airplanes with the ability to access the Aircell-created Gogo network. The service will allow data transfer speeds of more than 12Mbps, and will be offered in both first and economy classes. It will give Delta the distinction of being the first and only US airline to offer in-flight Wi-Fi on all domestic flights.

Pioneer tests 500GB blue laser disc

08/05, 3:45pm

Pioneer 500GB Optical Disc

Pioneer today revealed that it has already developed a major improvement on optical technology it created just last month. Having already established a 400GB disc, the company now says it has produced a disc read by blue lasers made up of 20 25GB layers, fitting exactly half a terabyte of data on a single-sided disc. The size and technology are described as technically compatible with Blu-ray and could be used in a future reader able to recognize that amount of data.

PictureCode ships Noise Ninja 2.0 for Aperture

08/05, 3:30pm

Noise Ninja 2 for Aperture

As promised with the release of the Aperture SDK, PictureCode has shipped a new version of Noise Ninja, now designed as an Aperture 2.1 plug-in. The software is used to smooth out noise in digital photos, generally created by using high ISO settings on a camera. The plug-in can also be used to remove grain from scanned filmstrips or slides.

Sharp rolls out AQUOS SB budget 1080p sets

08/05, 3:10pm

Sharp AQUOS SB Series

Sharp on Tuesday grew its AQUOS TV range slightly by launching a larger version of the SB series. Competing against VIZIO and other budget TV producers, all the sets push a true 1080p image but shed 120Hz panels and other extras that often inflate the price. Despite this, they still manage an average pixel response time between 6ms and 6.5ms and have between two and four HDMI inputs on each model. Dual component inputs and a lone VGA port are also present to attach other HD sources.

DiskWrangler v3.0 goes Universal, improves interface

08/05, 2:55pm

DiskWrangler now Universal

PandaWare says it has added Universal Binary support, interface improvements and bug fixes to its new DiskWrangler 3.0 release. DiskWrangler is a keyboard-based file launcher and browser; without the need of a mouse, it opens applications, documents, web addresses and user-defined sets of files. The software can also browse files, with support for view, copy, move and deletion functions. Searches can be performed as well, including parameters that go beyond Spotlight's abilities, such as creation and modification dates. The full version of the program is $25, with a 30-day demo available. Mac OS X 10.3 or later is required.

Apple mulling new iPhone/iPod touch dock?

08/05, 2:45pm

Apple New Dock Patent

Apple has considered making a new dock for the iPhone and iPod touch that would let the device work for video without compromising its ability to be charged, according to a just-published US patent application. Though cosmetically similar to the translucent stand included with the iPod touch, the purely visual patent also shows a Dock Connector cable plugged into the stand, suggesting that it could be used to power and sync a given device while watching movies, rather than just holding the player on its side.

iPhone closes on Palm share as RIM looms

08/05, 2:20pm

iPhone Closing in on Palm

Apple's iPhone user base is likely to have surpassed Palm in earnest with the iPhone 3G launch but will face a serious threat by BlackBerry creator Research in Motion shortly afterwards, says a new ChangeWave study. A poll of over 3,500 home users in June showed Apple climbing to 11 percent of active users, up significantly from nine percent in March. The statistic is just three percent below Palm's 14 percent share of current users and on its current trend would have Apple edge out Palm by the researchers' next report.

Freeway 5.2 adds new iPhone website tools

08/05, 1:50pm

Freeway updates to v5.2

Softpress systems has updated Freeway 5.2, its traditional page application designed to create dynamic sites without the need to write code. The update brings new features such as Google actions and Blogger templates as well as tools that allow users to easily create iPhone specific pages. Users now have the ability to specify the icon that will appear on an iPhone if the site is saved as a web clip. Links for iPhone applications, Mail, Phone, Maps, and YouTube, have also been added in this release to allow designers to create websites that move readers to appropriate locations for viewing information.

PortAuthority updates GUI for MacPorts UNIX tool

08/05, 1:40pm

UNIX GUI updated

Code by Kevin has announced PortAuthority 2.6, an update to its graphical user-interface software for the MacPorts command-line tool for UNIX. MacPorts is an open-source community project that uses the Mac OS X command line, X-11 and Aqua software to bring UNIX to everyday users -- by providing a GUI for users seeking a simple interface over the command line complexity of MacPorts. Utilizing an approach featuring windows, menus and icons, PortAuthority works inside the MacPorts infrastructure, allowing users to update, install and search for specific MacPorts programs.

Gartner: Corporate use of iPhone should be narrow

08/05, 1:35pm

Gartner & corp. iPhone use

Corporations should limit their support for the iPhone, says the Gartner research group. Analyst Ken Dulaney notes that although the iPhone 2.0 firmware now supports a variety of corporate-friendly features, most notably Exchange sync, traffic encryption and remote wiping, holes remain in its security. The primary issue is encryption, because while iPhones can now operate on encrypted networks, it is currently impossible to encrypt local files, leaving data exposed in cases of physical theft.

Judge may retry RIAA's Thomas case

08/05, 1:35pm

Judge May Retry RIAA Case

A ruling in favor of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) may be overturned and set a precedent for file sharing, according to remarks made by the presiding judge in the case. District Judge Michael Davis now expresses doubts over a decision which fined defendant Jammie Thomas $222,000 for allegedly trading 24 songs through KaZaA, arguing that a closer review of the US Copyright Act used as the foundation of the case suggests that a retrial may be necessary. The Act requires actual proof of an illegal transfer rather than the simpler act of exposing the content through a public folder. Without the former evidence, the previous decision against Thomas may no longer hold weight, according to Judge Davis.

Ambio announces first iPhone synthesizer

08/05, 1:30pm

iPhone synthesizer coming

Ambido has announced that it will be releasing Noise.io by the end of the month. Noise.io will be the first official iPhone/iPod touch synthesizer offered in the App Store. It uses ESFM (Enhanced Subspace Frequency Modulation) synthesis to create all of the various sounds it is capable of producing. A unique multi-touch interface allows users to easily manipulate all aspects of created sounds and the created sounds can then be sequenced for playback and further enriched with various sound effects such as chorus, delay and flanger. Noise.io will also come prepackaged with 81 presets and a editor for modifying and saving them for later projects.

ViaCAD 2D/3D v6 goes on sale

08/05, 1:00pm

ViaCAD updated to v6

Punch! Software today announced the next major release of ViaCAD 2D/3D for PC and Mac. ViaCAD is a very functional, low cost 2D/3D design product that looks to revolutionize the entry point for general-purpose precision design. Version 6 includes enhancements related to usability, 2D drafting, 3D modeling, performance and data sharing. New to this version users will find additional verification tools, additional drafting tools including single click fill and hatch, 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator support and new architectural drafting tools and a drawing setup wizard. ViaCAD includes a powerful array of tools that are not generally seen in similarly priced software. New to this release is the ability to view a drawing from multiple angles, such as top, side or front. Its innovative user interface supports LogiCursor technology that allows the software to anticipate a users actions.

UBS turns to Apple analysis, predicts new hardware

08/05, 12:45pm

UBS posts first AAPL study

UBS Investment Research, writing in its first analysis of Apple stock, says it believes that several new products may be introduced between now and June of 2009. Expected in the second half of 2008 are new iPods, which have traditionally been revealed in September; UBS notes, though, that iPods are becoming increasingly less important to Apple's income, due mainly to increased Mac and iPhone sales. Apple's margins should also stay higher on the iPhone than the iPod, particularly as cannibalization forces the average selling price of iPods down.

Moto 'ultimate' phone named, spied

08/05, 12:35pm

Moto Alexander Leak

Motorola's future top-end phone and the company's purported last stand is a spiritual successor to the Q 9, according to leaks from BGR. Known in development as Alexander, the device appears to be a slider with a full QWERTY keyboard and will run Windows Mobile 6.1. The apparent slip also contradicts reports that Alexander would have a touchscreen to compete against the iPhone and instead shows a directional pad, which has been present for every existing Q series phone.

CEA mulls standards for MP3 players, more

08/05, 11:55am

CEA Mulls MP3 Standards

The Consumer Electronics Association is considering implementing technical standards for handhelds and other home electronics, according to an announcement late yesterday. The organization says it has formed a discussion group that would gauge interest in a cross-platform standard that would ensure digital cameras, GPS navigators, MP3 players, and video screens all obey a certain minimum standard for integrating with other devices in the home.

Study: Apple gaining corporate traction

08/05, 11:30am

Apple gains corp. traction

Apple is beginning to pave significant paths into the corporate world, says the research firm Yankee Group. Following a recent web survey of 750 global IT administrators and C-level executives, the firm says it has discovered that approximately four out of every five businesses have Macs running on their network. In general, says Yankee analyst Laura DiDio, adoption of Apple computers is said to be growing at a "steady and sustained pace not seen since the late 1980s."

Sonos revamps ZonePlayers with 2X range

08/05, 11:25am

Sonos ZP120 and ZP90

In addition to new software, Sonos today overhauled its ZonePlayer music streaming hubs with two new models that should both be more useful across more areas. Both the high-end ZP120 and simpler ZP90 are the first to use the company's in-house SonosNet 2.0 network. The standard uses the same multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) antenna technology as 802.11n Wi-Fi to roughly double the range of the device's mesh network and thus let users tap into music from the Internet and local network from a greater distance in a given home. The network is also encrypted in AES and is backwards-compatible with earlier ZonePlayers.

Elpida first to make 16GB FB-DIMM memory

08/05, 10:45am

Elpida 16GB FB DIMM Memory

Elpida on Tuesday claims to have broken a record by becoming the first memory manufacturer to develop 16-gigabyte fully buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM) RAM sticks, significantly expanding the memory ceiling for pro workstations and servers. The DDR2-based creation is twice as capacious as still-rare 8GB sticks and relies on a unique integrated packaging to fit the memory without creating excess. Although 16GB, the RAM is unusually thin at 0.3in deep and has the same power needs as a simpler 8GB stick.

iTunes maintains stranglehold on US music sales

08/05, 10:30am

iTunes controls US music

Apple's iTunes Store continues to control the US music market, a new batch of surveys suggests. Following several polls of Americans 13 and older, conducted between January and June of this year, the NPD Group says that iTunes maintained an existing lead, despite competition from major, firmly established corporations. The results are are also notable in that they reflect all forms of music sales, including not just iTunes' digital specialty but online and retail CD sales. Excluded are non-permanent options like the subscription services offered by Rhapsody and Napster.

Motorola rolls trio of Linux ROKR phones

08/05, 10:20am

Moto ROKR EM Series

Motorola today made a more aggresive leap into music phones with three mid-range ROKR phones, all of which are based on Motorola's more recent Linux-based operating system. The EM30 is based closely on the same dynamic interface as the ROKR E8 and illuminates different buttons depending on the context, swapping in media controls to make navigation easier but without the expense of a touchscreen. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, native integration with Windows Media Player 11 for those not using other operating systems, and microSDHC card support for storage of 8GB or more.

JVC releases XA-series portable audio players

08/05, 10:20am

JVC launches XA DAPs

JVC on Tuesday announced the release of its all-new XA-M10, XA-M20, and XA-M40 digital audio players. Available with 1GB, 2GB or 4GB of on-board memory, respectively, the three Alneo XA-series digital audio players feature a 6-line black and white OLED display. Either XA-series DAP will store up to 100 songs in a folder, making up a user's favorite playlist, by pressing the Favourites button when a track is playing. The players will replace the XA-MP line, which topped out at 1GB of memory and were smaller, but also had less features and a shorter battery life.

Details leak of Intel Calpella notebook platform

08/05, 9:55am

Intel Calpella Leaks

Information has surfaced for Intel's future Calpella notebook platform, according to an alleged leak from companies that will produce mainboards based on the technology. The design will be the first mobile design to drop the need for separate northbridge and southbridge chipsets by moving the DDR3 memory controller and other typical northbridge components to the processor itself, which uses the new Nehalem architecture; a new bridge chip, nicknamed Ibex Peak-M, will handle all the remaining duties.

Softbank introduces reduced iPhone data plans

08/05, 9:40am

Softbank iPhone cuts

Japanese carrier Softbank is introducing a revised version of its iPhone plans, an announcement reveals. The new options mean iPhone customers can pay as little as ¥2,990 ($28) per month. The price cuts reflect a new data rate system at the company, which scales in terms of regular fees. People are still able to use an unlimited amount of data, but are now being charged based on usage up to a certain maximum. Plans begin at a low of ¥1,695 ($16), and as data usage increases, increase to a maximum of ¥5,985 ($56).

Apple Store set to open in Monterey, CA

08/05, 9:30am

Apple Store Monterey

Apple is set to open another retail store in California, this time in Monterey. The new store is located in the Del Monte Shopping Center which recently received a $20 million renovation. The grand opening is set for August 9th which coincides with the opening of the new Chatswood Chase store in Australia, the second in the country. This will be the first official Apple Store in the Monterey area and the 39th in all of California.

Jobs: MobileMe launch 'was a mistake'

08/05, 9:15am

Jobs laments MobileMe

The launch of MobileMe was deeply flawed, and "not up to Apple's standards," according to an e-mail from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The message is said to have been circulated amongst Apple employees late Wednesday, and recognizes the serious technical problems subscribers have suffered through. These have ranged from a complete lack of access early on, through missing web applications, and persistent mail problems in spite of an all-clear signal recently sent by MobileMe staff.

Sony buys out BMG stake in Sony BMG label

08/05, 9:10am

Sony BMG Now Sony Music

Sony today announced that it has bought out Bertelsmann's 50 percent stake in Sony BMG and will now completely own its music label. The new label, named Sony Music Entertainment Inc. (SMEI), ends the short four-year run of Sony BMG and will let Sony create a "total entertainment experience" where the electronics giant can more closely integrate its music with its devices, according to company chief Sir Howard Stringer.

Forums: Apple keyboards, MacBook Air advice

08/05, 8:45am

Forum roundup keyboards

Forum roundup: MacNN forum goers today are debating the differences between the new Apple AI keyboard versus the old BT keyboard in an attempt to determine which one is better. One member is looking for advice on whether or not to buy a MacBook Air for college and finds the general opinion seems to be that a MBP might be a better choice in the long run. A new 2.0.1 software release has been announced for the iPhone and iPod touch and users wait to see if this will be the cure for the bugs that have been plaguing iPhone owners everywhere. A discussion about adding an Exchange account to Mail is featured in this thread. Iwgray, a Fresh Faced Recruit is trying to figure out the best way to configure their Mac Pro to work with Final Cut Pro.

Apple deals: iMac, Mac Mini, AirPort Express

08/05, 8:40am

Apple deals iMac

Currently the Apple store has a wide selection of re-certified aluminum cased iMacs. Starting at $949 is the base level 20-inch model with 2.0GHz processor, 1GB of memory and 250GB hard drive, and the 2.4GHz model for $999. Next in the 20-inch category is the 2.4GHz model with 1GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive for $1,099 and the 2.66GHz model with 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive for $1,299. Three 24-inch models are available: 2.4GHz, 1GB of RAM, and 320GB hard drive for $1,349 ; 2.8GHz, 2GB of RAM, and 320GB hard drive for $1,549 ; 3.06GHz, 2GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive for $1,899. Two configurations of refurbished Mac minis are available: 1.83GHz, 1GB of RAM, 80GB hard drive for $499 and 2.0GHz, 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive for $679. Apple certified refurbished displays are $499 for the 20-inch, and $749 for the 23-inch.

Olympus, Panasonic prep Micro Four Thirds

08/05, 8:25am

Micro Four Thirds System

Addressing complaints from amateur photographers hoping to graduate to digital SLRs, Olympus and Panasonic today teamed up to develop a much smaller version of the Four Thirds lens system. The new approach is simply titled Micro Four Thirds and aims to significantly shrink the dimensions needed for an interchangeable lens system while making relatively mild sacrifices. While not a true SLR system in that it drops the use of a mirror, the system will purportedly generate the same image quality as the full-size offering and allow for compact, light cameras that would be more familiar to point-and-shoot owners.

Micron promises fast, low-cost 256GB SSD

08/05, 7:40am

Micron RealSSD 256GB

Micron today made a concerted effort to bolster its RealSSD solid-state drives with extremely high-speed but potentially low-priced notebook models. The C200 line is one of Micron's first aimed at home notebook owners and uses the newest generation of multi-level cell (MLC) flash storage to supply speed without sacrificing capacity: every drive can read data as quickly as 250MB per second and write it at 100MB per second, while the conventionally notebook-sized 2.5-inch disk can hold as much as 256GB of data. A 1.8-inch drive for ultraportables holds up to 128GB.

FIN offers ergonomic feel to MacBook Pro

08/05, 2:20am

Fins-Up announces the FIN

Fins-Up, today announced the availability of a new product, the FIN. Designed to blend in perfectly with todays existing line of MacBooks, the FIN is constructed of durable aircraft-grade aluminum and features a powder coat finish. The FIN is attached with a few screws that go into existing holes on the bottom of the MacBook. Then when attached places the MacBook at a more ergonomic angle reducing stress on ones hands and wrists. The FIN also doubles as a convenient handle, that provides users with a spot that can be gripped firmly, making carrying much easier and safer. The FIN provides another advantage, because it lifts the bottom of the MacBook off of surfaces air can then circulate underneath, assisting in the dissipation of processor-generated heat, and increasing product longevity in turn.

ShotPut RED off-loads, verifies RED video data

08/05, 2:00am

RED video off-loader

Imagine has announcedShotPut RED, its media off-loader for high-resolution RED One video cameras. The new software automatically backs up RED video data at full speed (with no Finder overhead) from RED media and Compact Flash cards, to as many as three locations for redundancy's sake. RED One cameras are a beyond high-definition, 4000-pixel resolution video camera system, aimed at video producers and moviemakers. ShotPut RED can offload RED video data automatically upon insertion of the media, from one device or from multiple devices, and offers log files and verification of data transfers. ShotPut Red can also be set to reformat Compact Flash cards to prepare them for their next use.

StoneLoops! of Jurassica features prehistoric puzzles

08/05, 2:00am

New prehistoric game

Game studio Codeminion has released StoneLoops! of Jurassica, a dynamic-puzzle arcade-style game set in the prehistoric Jurassic period, for Mac OS X. The game-play features explorers smashing stones while avoiding meteors and pterodactyls, spread over 75 unique levels. Players pass to new levels by destroying sets of colorful stones while working to survive dinosaur attacks, with trophies and new abilities to be discovered while exploring different levels.

Proximi: systemwide copy/paste for iPhone [video]

08/05, 1:55am

iPhone copy/paste plan

Proximi says it developed a copy and paste user interface that works systemwide on the iPhone, and is hoping Apple adopts the feature in future versions. Even if Apple chooses not to adopt its solution, the company says it's working with other iPhone developers who may wish to include it in their software. Proximi has also announced that its MagicPad word processing app -- which includes cut/paste functions -- is available at the AppStore.

Active Directory Mac use enhanced by Likewise Open

08/05, 1:55am

Likewise enhances networks

Likewise Software's new Likewise Open Fall 08 allows network administrators to remotely access, control and manage multiple computers across 118 platforms, including Mac OS X, Linux, UNIX and more, all from one point of control on any computer. Using a Microsoft Active Directory environment, Likewise Fall 08 integrates non-windows systems by providing Active Directory Authentication services, with Kerberos, NTLM and SPNEGO security protocols supported. Its administrative console allows network managers to access and manage computers from Mac, Linux and UNIX stations and includes an Active Directory editor, a users and groups manager and an eventlog viewer.

Briefly: Otis now on the iPhone

08/05, 1:50am

iZen Garden updated

In brief: The game Otis is now on the iPhone, iZen Garden was updated to version 1.5 and FlipBook for iPhone is now available for purchase. Wonder Wrap software has added a port of Otis to the App Store. The object of the game is to remove all the blocks from a board by clicking on grouped blocks of the same color. Additional points are added for clearing larger groups, but only through careful maneuvering can the player clear the entire board. The iPhone version is available for $4.

Revolution products see monthly updates

08/05, 1:35am

Revolution monthly updates

Mirye has announced that its Revolution line of products will begin to receive monthly updates - referred to as issues. Each issue may include updates to the software itself – Revolution Studio, Revolution Media and Revolution Enterprise – but will also offer users new items meant to enhance the media tool set offered in the product line. The Revolution product line looks to allow users to create applications and rich media products in one OS environment, and then easily port that creation to other major OS environments. Each issue can include both temporary and long term member benefits for Mirye Revolution users. Temporary items include materials, applications and useful content that is available for only a single month, and only for Mirye Runtime Revolution update customers. All users who have purchased a new license or upgraded after July 28th, 2008 will receive and email continuing download and activation information.

IOGear adds HDMI, DVI switches and extender kits

08/05, 1:20am

IOGear DVI, HDMI products

IOGear has introduced several new DVI and HDMI accessories for home theaters and game consoles. New DVI and HDMI MiniExtender Kits allow users to expand their A/V network up to "hundreds of feet." IOGear has also released two HDMI switches including a three-port model that automatically switches to the port currently in use. A new four-port model switches HDMI via a remote control.

AMD Fusion chip to use Phenom CPU, advanced ATI GPU

08/05, 1:15am

AMD Fusion chip details

AMD's upcoming CPU/GPU chip will extend its portfolio of products as its rivals continue to search for new markets. On the heels of the Intel's Larrabee GPU unveiling on Monday and news of NVIDIA's upcoming integrated chip potentially finding its way into Apple's notebooks, leaks have revealed more details on AMD's Fusion "half-node" CPU/GPU combo chip -- which was in large part, one of the largest justification in AMD's acquisition of ATI. Citing industry sources, the TGDaily report indicates that AMD's half-node chip, due in Q1 of next year, will be manufactured by contract chip manufacturer TSMC, whose manufacturing headquarters on the main island of Taiwan (called Formosa). As the successor to the Puma platform, the first chip based on Fusion technology, code-named "Shrike," will integrate a dual-core Phenom CPU and an ATI RV800 GPU core, rather than the previously rumored dual-core Kuma CPU and a RV710-based graphics unit.

Switzerland app tests ISP data neutrality

08/05, 1:00am

Switzerland ISP neutrality

Following closely on dissent towards Comcast and AT&T – two firms that supply internet service, but lack a stance of network data neutrality – the Electronic Frontier Foundation has unveiled Switzerland, a new ISP testing tool that detects blocked communications. Comcast is accused of blocking peer-to-peer networking software, such as BitTorrent, without citing the practice in its license agreement or making any other mention of it whatsoever. The action counters the neutral stance put forth by the FCC in its 2005 "Internet Policy Statement."

UBS optimistic about Apple's finances despite delay

08/05, 12:35am

UBS lauds Apple's success

UBS Investment Research – a financial analyst firm that recently turned its attention to Apple – offered its views on the iPod manufacturer, leading with statements that the company's brand "stickiness" is a boon, while also noting that there could be a delay with a new ultra-portable. According to AppleInsider, analyst Maynard Um clarified that the delay is unfortunate, but not unexpected for the tech industry, saying that such slips are "typical," with no cause for concern. Um states that the delay should be no more than the first half of 2009.