News Archive for 09/01/26

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Acoustic Refractions

01/26, 11:40pm

Native Instruments launches new Kore SoundPack

Native Instruments has launched Acoustic Refractions, a new Kore SoundPack that combines unique sampled material with advanced processing in Kore Absynth, and other sound engines. Acoustic Refractions has a 100 individual KoreSounds and comes complete with morphable sound variations and parameter assignments for sound tweaking in Kore 2 and Kore player. It also comes with musical metadata for all presets to help it integrate with Kore.

Monitor a Mac via iPhone

01/26, 11:35pm

IStat: Monitor your Mac on an Iphone

Bjango has released iStat 1.0, a network monitoring app that allows users to check up on thier Macs. The app also provides detailed iPhone stats, including available memory, IP addresses, usage and load averages. Included network tools allow users to ping servers and resolve hostnames with traceroute. The Melbourne-based developer says iStat also includes a "Free Memory" tool which works to free up unused space reserved by third-party iPhone applications.

Apple updates iLife, iDVD

01/26, 11:25pm

Apple updates iDVD, iLife Media Browser

Apple has released two new updates, one for iDVD and the other for its iLife Media Browser. iDVD allows users to create, customize and burn a DVD for watching on a PC, Mac, or television. With the latest update to iDVD 7.0.3, overall stability of the application has been improved and a number of other minor issues have been addressed. To run the program users will require Mac OS X 10.4.11, or Mac OS X 10.5.6 and later.

DTV Switch Delayed June 12

01/26, 11:20pm

Senate pushes digital TV shift to June 12

The US Senate tonight said it had cleared a bill to move the digital TV transition from its original February 17th date to June 12th. The tentative delay follows concerns by senators and the new Obama administration that there wasn't enough time for the new presidency to manage the process and for more end viewers to be ready for the switch, which cuts off analog, over-the-air TV broadcasts in favor of digital and full HD equivalents.

iPhone treats stuttering

01/26, 11:15pm

iPhone used as stuttering therapy tool

The iPhone is being used as a "real-life" therapy tool for stuttering. The Hollins Communications Research Institute says it has developed special software for the device that monitors and evaluates speech patterns to help patients overcome the speech impediment which affects an estimated 66 million people worldwide. The software provides training and feedback for patients in their everyday lives, outside of a speech clinic.

Fliq Tasks, Flash Tables

01/26, 10:45pm

iPhone apps: Nyuk Nyuk, MINI Liquid, Apples2Oranges

Nyuk Nyuk ($1) gives users 30 different kinds of laughter to choose from in its comic laughter application. Containing almost nine minutes of laughter recorded in high-quality, users can either scroll the wheel or shake the iPhone to have the program choose a laugh for them. Some of the laughs to choose from are kid laughter, bellyache, diabolical, baby giggles, snort, the throng of laughter, annoyed nerd, and infectious hilarity

Peggle for iPhone/iPod

01/26, 7:25pm

PopCap announces Peggle for iPhone/iPod touch

PopCap games has announced (via its Twitter feed), Peggle coming to the iPhone and iPod touch. Peggle is a pinball style game where users must eliminate pegs by shooting steel balls at them. Once shot, the balls bounce around the screen earning experience and power-ups until all the pegs are destroyed or the ball is lost. The company has not provided on whether the game will include the same levels as its PC version, or any other information regarding controls and features.

Keynote Air theme set

01/26, 6:15pm

Divine Fiat unveils 'light' Keynote Air theme set

Featuring soft shadows and grey tones, Divine Fiat has released Keynote Air, the latest addition to its line of Keynote theme sets. Keynote Air comes with two themes Lightly Serious and Seriously Light.

Apple patches DisplayPort

01/26, 5:50pm

NVIDIA update addresses DisplayPort adapter issues

Apple has released NVIDIA Graphics Update 2009 v1.0 aimed at addressing problems with the new Mini DisplayPort Dual-Link DVI adapter close . The update "improves cursor movement" on Mini DisplayPort enabled MacBook Air, MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks. Apple says the patch also improves playback of HD video running on systems with NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT or 9600M graphics chips.

Snapplr for Mac

01/26, 5:25pm

Snapplr screenshot taking/sharing tool for Mac

Briksoftware has launched Snapplr, a screenshot taking and sharing tool that can replace Mac OS X’s original screen-shooting capabilities and fully integrates into the system. Snapplr displays a small control panel on the bottom of the screen when taking screenshots, that enables users to select the destination of their screenshot whether it involves sending them via e-mail, copying to the clipboard, or saved as a file. The tool also automatically uploads screenshots taken directly to Snapplr and gives users a URL in their clipboard that can be shared and used to view the shot.

Avid Media Composer keys

01/26, 5:10pm

NeoTron releases KeyGuide for Avid Media Composer 3

NeoTron Design has released its Avid Media Composer 3.x KeyGuide, a 17-inch wide professional placemat that shows what the default keys are for Avid’s latest Media Composer software-only product. The placemat is double-sided with one side showing editing operations functions and tool access, while the other side displays audio, effects, and tile tools and controls. A keypad flap is also added to offer mouse-with modifier key commands.

Netflix Q4 2008 Results

01/26, 4:55pm

Netflix users jump 26% with Internet movie help

Netflix this afternoon bucked expectations by revealing a major leap in the number of subscribers to its movie rental service this past fall. The company says its subscriber base surged 26 percent versus a year ago to 9.39 million and that its net income has climbed even faster, jumping nearly 44.6 percent to $22.7 million. Both improvements are "near record" statistics, according to Netflix chief Reed Hastings.

First Look NPR Mobile

01/26, 4:45pm

First Look: NPR Mobile iPhone application

Even if you're a regular National Public Radio (NPR) listener, there's a chance you won't catch your favorite shows during the day. Many NPR stations offer podcasts, but if you're not keen on manually hunting for files and loading them onto a media player, you can let a program like the NPR Mobile iPhone app do the work for you.

Klipsch speaker systems

01/26, 4:40pm

Klipsch intros three home theater speaker systems

Klipsch Audio has recently announced the upcoming launch of three new, entry-level 5.1-channel surround-sound speaker systems. The HD Theater 1000 is the headliner, sporting five identical speakers for its five channels. Each houses two 2.5-inch fiber composite drivers and a 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter with a MicroTractrix Horn. The bass is reproduced by a 10-inch subwoofer with a fiber composite cone. All speakers are driven by a hybrid class D amplifier.

Intel intros Core 2 Duo

01/26, 4:30pm

Intel quietly introduces 3.5GHz Core 2 Duo CPU

Intel has given the public a small sneak peek at an upcoming Core 2 Duo processor, the E8700, with a 3.5GHz clock speed, by posting specs of it on its knowledge database. While the page is no longer active, TechReport has learned that the CPU will also sport 6MB of cache, a 1333MHz front-side bus and a 65W thermal envelope. The chip shares the same Wolfdale design as the existing E8600 processor, leading many to believe it could be a faster version of that CPU.

Comcast DOCSIS 3.0 expands

01/26, 4:20pm

Comcast continues local DOCSIS 3.0 roll-out

Comcast's systematic DOCSIS 3.0 release is quietly expanding, as it was reportedly launched last week in more Chicago suburbs and it is believed the service will become available in San Francisco's Bay Area before week's end. Comcast met its target of bringing 20 percent coverage to its markets by the end of 2008, and is now on its way to update all of its technology to the faster Internet access by the end of 2010. The provider's fast Internet service promises to bring download speeds as fast as 50Mbps to subscribers under its Extreme 50 service plan.

Sony adds colors to PSP

01/26, 4:05pm

Sony adds four bright colors to latest PSP

Sony Japan will release the PlayStation Portable gaming system in four carnival-themed colors, adding to the currently available black, white and silver editions of the system. The red, blue, green and yellow PSPs will be offered as standalone, with the console itself, an AC adapter and a 1,200mAh battery pack, or in a value pack, which adds a 4GB Memory Stick, a 2,200mAh battery and a color-matching carrying case.

Fortune best employers lis

01/26, 4:00pm

Apple left out of Fortune's 'Best Employers' list

Apple has again failed to make a list of the best American companies to work for, according to Fortune. In its 2009 compilation, the top company is named as brokerage firm Edward Jones, which has managed to avoid any ties to the credit crisis and during 2008 hired 698 new financial advisors in the first 10 months. In the upcoming year, the firm is said to be building a headquarters expansion for 500 more people.

Philips to cut 6,000 jobs

01/26, 3:50pm

Philips to axe 6,000 jobs after loss in fall

Philips Electronics said it will cut its global workforce to the tune of 6,000 because it posted the first quarterly loss in about six years, according to a Monday report. At the same time, the company stopped the buy-back program of its shares. The 1.47 billion Euro ($1.9 billion) loss in the fourth quarter of 2008 is partly due to a write-down of Philips' Lumildes diode light business as well as the downgrading of its shares in NXP Semiconductors and LG Display. Net losses for 2008 amounted to 186 million Euros (nearly $242 million).

Verizon Versa dated

01/26, 3:40pm

Release date for Verizon VX9600 Versa leaked

The recently leaked VX9600 Versa from LG will be making its way to Best Buy Mobile, thanks to a leaked inventory screen capture. If it holds true, the modular phone should be available at the retailer on February 22nd, with a release at Verizon Wireless expected around the same time. The handset introduces a new form factor, as it sports a detachable QWERTY keyboard that also has a small external display from the main, touchscreen section. When the two halves are joined, a cutout in the keyboard portion lets the camera in the touchscreen half take photos.

MSI GT627 Notebook

01/26, 3:25pm

MSI GT627 brings 9800M GS video, overclocking

MSI this afternoon expanded on its CES news by detailing its new mid-size G-series notebook. The GT627 has a typical 15.4-inch display size but carries a GeForce 9800M GS with 1GB of memory to give it video performance more characteristic of desktop replacement notebooks. It also draws on MSI's now-familiar Turbo Drive to overclock the Core 2 Duo chip when on AC power and comes in an aluminum body that weighs just over 6 pounds.

New Samsung handsets

01/26, 2:45pm

Samsung to release Win Mobile 6.5 phone, more

Samsung is getting ready to release three new handsets, one of which will include the yet-unreleased Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, according to a recent blog entry by online retailer Expansys. The code-named Samsung Pivot will replace the i780 and will reportedly run on the as yet unannounced Windows Mobile 6.5. The candybar handset will have a QWERTY keyboard, along with a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, assisted GPS capabilities, Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi radio.

Touch Cruise 09 to See US

01/26, 2:40pm

HTC Touch Cruise refresh to hit US in 1st half 2009

HTC tells Electronista that its 2009 remake of the Touch Cruise smartphone will ship to the US in the first half of the year. The company doesn't provide a release date or pricing, though the phone currently doesn't support native 850MHz 3G on AT&T or T-Mobile and is likely to appear as an unlocked-only device with EDGE and Wi-Fi as its picks for data on either carrier; Best Buy and other online stores have typically carried these models.

Win 7 Multiple Versions

01/26, 2:10pm

Windows 7 to mimic Vista's multi-version lineup

A leak of an updated Windows 7 beta build suggests Microsoft plans to closely follow Vista's approach of several feature-limited operating system versions. Although the publicly available beta has always suggested multiple versions by listing the software as Windows 7 Ultimate, the 7025 build gives users extra options for Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium and Business editions.

Studiometry 6.1 ships

01/26, 1:30pm

Studiometry 6.1 tracks vendors, purchase orders

Oranged has published an update to Studiometry, its business management suite. The software handles a variety of the tasks associated with business, such as invoicing, accounting and scheduling, as well as project planning and filesharing. Central to v6.1 is the ability to track vendors and purchase orders; the former can be created new or from old clients, while the latter can be monitored for each vendor.

Dell XT2 tablet specs out

01/26, 1:25pm

Dell posts specs, photos of Latitude XT2 tablet PC

The replacement for Dell's XT tablet PC is forthcoming, and the computer maker has posted the specs and service manual for the convertible notebook recently. Major changes include switching to an integrated Intel GMA X4500 graphics chipsets from the original computer's ATI video hardware, and there will now be a 1.8-inch SATA hard drive. The ExpressCard slot will now take smaller 34mm cards instead of the original's 54mm slot. The XT2 will support up to 5GB of memory, a useful bump from the original's 3GB capacity.

Acer prepping first MID?

01/26, 12:50pm

Acer looking to join mobile Internet device field?

Acer is looking to build its own mobile Internet device, patent applications are believed to show. The MID concept was developed by Intel, and typically describes a small handheld device used mainly for web browsing and e-mail; Acer's device would feature a display dominating the front surface, mostly likely a touchscreen, in a manner similar to many GPS units. Media playback would also likely be an important feature, as reflected by the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Verizon femtocell hardware

01/26, 12:10pm

Verizon makes Network Extender femtocell official

Verizon today revealed subscribers can now set up an extended cellular network in their home with the launch of the Network Extender. The Samsung femtocell connects to users' existing home broadband connections to supply a CDMA phone network coverage range of about 5,000 feet while maintaining the same call quality. Unlike AT&T's just-introduced 3G MicroCell, however, the Extender doesn't support either 3G (here via EVDO) or GPS.

Cocktails+ 1.5 update

01/26, 12:00pm

Cocktails+ 1.5 adds new recipes, substitutions

Skorpiostech has released the latest version of its drink recipe app for the iPhone and iPod touch, Cocktails+ 1.5. The app is said to contain over 2,000 mixed drink recipes, with detailed ingredient descriptions. The update adds a "Contemporary Masters" tab, containing recipes from Dale DeGroff and Goncalo De Souza Monteiro. The update also includes a new icon, definitions and substitution information for ingredients, new metric display options, and the ability to dismiss the keyboard when browsing search results by tapping the search button.

Acer Aspire One 10in Specs

01/26, 11:55am

Acer Aspire One 10-inch gets specs, Feb. launch

Acer's Aspire One 10-inch netbook lineup will come soon will be kept simple, a French leak shows. The PC builder plans just three core models and will start off with a basic D150-0B model that comes with a current 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of memory, a 160GB hard drive and a 3-cell battery; it will ship to France in February for €329 ($427).

Layers 1.0 released

01/26, 11:40am

Layers 1.0 does Photoshop-ready screenshots

wuonm has released Layers 1.0, a new screenshot tool for Macs. The software is distinguished by saving shots as Photoshop files, rather than just as static images; files are automatically separated into different layers for windows and the desktop, and can include objects such as icons, menu bars and the Dock. Adjustable factors include framing, shadowing and opacity.

Moto Drops Win Mo Staff

01/26, 11:10am

Motorola drops Win Mobile staff in Florida

The South Florida Business Journal has supported doubts regarding the fate of Windows Mobile at Motorola by revealing that that cellphone designer is cutting 77 positions at its office in Plantation, near Fort Lauderdale. The move is described as very specific for Motorola and will put an end to developing Windows Mobile phones at the Florida location. The particular cuts are slated to take place by March 27th.

Mac trojan hits Photoshop

01/26, 10:50am

Mac trojan expands to affect Photoshop CS4

A second Mac trojan is being spread through pirated software, Intego warns. Following the discovery of a trojan linked with copies of iWork '09, the security firm says it has now found a variant, attached to pirated versions of Photoshop CS4. OSX.Trojan.iServices.B also grants a remote user root access; the new trojan is associated with the crack application however, and is spawned under a different name whenever the crack is run.

Kaufman Bros on New iMac

01/26, 10:30am

New iMac "almost ready," may stay dual-core

Apple is nearing the release of its redesigned iMac but may not stick with the quad-core processors rumored for the system, Kaufman Bros. senior analyst Shaw Wu says. Investigations within the supply chain suggest that Apple is "almost ready" to launch updated iMacs but is still determining whether it will use the low-power Core 2 Quads introduced just last week or else will use faster Core 2 Duos with extra cache, though it's not known whether these last chips would be desktop or mobile parts.

Apple video adapter issues

01/26, 9:50am

Apple adapter triggering 30-inch LCD errors?

Apple's recent Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter may be causing problems with 30-inch LCD displays, complaints on Apple's support forums suggest. The adapter is mainly intended to connect modern MacBooks, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs, which are currently the only devices that support Mini DisplayPort. Users of the adapter are reporting a variety of errors however, ranging from graphics corruption to temporary blackouts.

Sprint Cuts 8K Jobs

01/26, 9:35am

Sprint cuts 8,000 jobs in bid to save $1.2b

Sprint this morning took drastic action to maintain its performance and said it would cut 8,000 jobs, most of which will be eliminated quickly and disappear by the end of March. The carrier describes the layoffs as reducing labor costs in a difficult economy and estimates it will save $1.2 billion per year from the efforts. Just over 10 percent of the jobs are those from a voluntary exit program started last year.

AMD Opteron HE Quad Core

01/26, 9:00am

AMD intros low-power 45nm quad-core Opterons

AMD early Monday upped its claims to performance with a new set of Opteron HE quad-core processors. The new chips are the company's first of the type built on the current 45 nanometer "Shanghai" architecture and use just 55W of average power while also reportedly consuming about 20 percent less power than an equivalent Xeon when idle. The semiconductor firm touts the technology as ideal for servers but also makes it available for workstations.

RIM on Storm Sales

01/26, 8:25am

RIM: Storm knowingly rushed, ships 250K/week

The BlackBerry Storm's initially buggy software was not only the product of being rushed for Verizon but should have been expected, Research in Motion co-chief Jim Balsillie tells the Wall Street Journal. He acknowledges that the phone was shipped "by the skin of our teeth" to meet the Black Friday deadline and help Verizon's sales but defends the decision by saying the need to patch the phone's code later is part of a "new reality" of shipping large amounts of smartphones.

ATT 3G MicroCell

01/26, 7:30am

AT&T unwraps 3G MicroCell with GPS

AT&T ahead of any official announcement has revealed the 3G MicroCell, the company's own approach to in-home cellular hubs. Similar to the Samsung AIRAVE for Sprint, the Cisco-made device serves as a cell tower for homes where coverage is poor and puts the data through an existing broadband Internet connection. Unlike the Sprint device, however, the MicroCell requires 3G and also supports GPS to provide location services.

TIME Top 10 Apple Moments

01/26, 3:00am

TIME Magazine lists 'Top 10 Apple Moments'

TIME Magazine has created a list of the 'Top 10 Apple Moments,' outlining notable achievements and transitions throughout the company's history. The founding of Apple marks the first item, dating back to 1976 when 21-year-old Steve Jobs joined forces with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The group brought experience from previous positions with HP and Atari. Wayne did not stay with the company through its incorporation, instead selling his stake back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800.

Apple ships iLife

01/26, 12:30am

Apple ships iLife '09

Apple has begun shipping orders for iLife '09, falling in line with the initial estimate of late-January, according to MacRumors. iPhoto now integrates facial-recognition technology, allowing the images to be automatically sorted or searched by the name of individuals. Geotagging support can be used to filter photos by location, while albums can be generated around particular people and single locations or vacations that pass through different areas.