News Archive for 09/04/21

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Letter Opener 2.1 adds file handling support

04/21, 11:45pm

Letter Opener 2.1 update

Restoroot.com has released Letter Opener 2.1, its data converter plug-in for Apple Mail that processes Microsoft Outlook winmail.dat files. The plug-in works within the Apple Mail program and allows winmail.dat file converting into attachments, iCal files, and vCards. Version 2.1 of the software adds improved integration with Apple Mail that enables people to work with attachments within a winmail.dat file the same way as they would any other attachment, along with enhanced support for Address Book, iCal, and converting Notes from Microsoft Outlook.

Fliq Notes, Docs 2.0 add two-way sync to the iPhone

04/21, 11:45pm

Fliq apps updated

Mark/Space has released version 2.0 updates for Fliq Notes and Fliq Docs on the iTunes App Store, adding support for two-way syncing of notes, documents and files with both Macs and PCs. Fliq Notes can sync notes on the iPhone with a desktop using Microsoft Outlook or Entourage, Bare Bones Yojimbo, or Mark/Space Notebook. Fliq Docs can sync documents between the iPhone and a Mac or Windows computer, supporting Word files, PDFs, photos, videos and music files.

Amazon offers HD Video on Demand content

04/21, 10:55pm

Amazon HD Video on Demand

Amazon has expanded its Video on Demand service with new HD content, including movies and TV shows. TV shows are available on compatible HDTVs, set-top boxes or on a computer as a stream or download. The HD movies are not yet available for computers, however. The company already has 500 TV shows and movies available, with more to be added in the future.

Mophie set to ship Juice Pack Air for iPhone 3G

04/21, 10:10pm

Juice Pack Air, iPhone 3G

Mophie ready to ship its thinnest external battery for the iPhone 3G, the Juice Pack Air. Doubling as both an external battery and hard-shell case, the device features a rechargeable 1200mAh lithium-polymer battery that is claimed to provide up to 270 additional standby hours, an extra 4.5 hours of talk and internet time, up to 20 hours of audio playback and roughly 6 hours of video playback. The hard shell is designed to help protect the iPhone from everyday use, with three available colors including black, white and purple.

Image leak shows upcoming Toshiba TG02, TG03

04/21, 10:00pm

Toshiba TG02 and TG03 leak

A leaked roadmap of upcoming Toshiba products contains several touchscreen devices, the TG02 and TG03, according to Techblog. The TG02 features a 4.1-inch display, integrated GPS and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The handset runs on Windows Mobile 6.5 and is powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The thin-profile case offers waterproof protection, while the interface includes a slider control located between the return key and home key.

1 billionth App Store download due on Thursday?

04/21, 8:30pm

Billionth app contest

As Apple's download counter edges closer to 1 billion, the App Store contest will probably be won by a customer sometime on Thursday, April 23rd, according to mobileSQUARED. If the promotion creates an even greater download rate, the win could even occur as early as Wednesday night. While the first 500 million apps were downloaded in six months, the second 500 million will take roughly half that time.

QuickerTek intros external battery for MacBook Pro

04/21, 7:20pm

QuickerTek MB Pro battery

QuickerTek has released an updated external battery/charger for the 17-inch aluminum-unibody MacBook Pro. The device powers and recharges the notebook, with a claimed battery life extension between 11.5 hours and 18 hours before the internal battery is used. The device is also designed for 1,000 full recharge cycles, according to the company.

Roku player gets HD Video on Demand from Amazon

04/21, 6:25pm

Roku player gets HD Amazon

Roku on Tuesday announced that its Roku player supports new HD content from Amazon's Video on Demand service. Customers initially will have a choice between 500 TV shows and movies from studios and networks such as Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Paramount, Universal and Showtime. Top movie titles include "Frost/Nixon," "Twilight" and "Yes Man," along with TV shows such as "Californication," "The Tudors," "Smallville" and "Gossip Girl."

ViaCAD 2D V6 adds architectural tools, drawing wizard

04/21, 5:50pm

ViaCAD V6 update

Punch! Software has released ViaCAD 2D V6, an update to its 2D drafting application for general-purpose design. The latest version adds new architectural features that can be used to create or modify intelligent self-healing walls, doors and windows. Users can now specify custom materials for each region of the wall with different styles.

AMD softens losses to $416m

04/21, 5:05pm

AMD Q1 2009 Results

AMD tonight showed slight improvement in its performance by reporting reduced losses for its first quarter of the year. The chip designer managed a net loss of $416 million; while worse than a net loss of $351 million for the first quarter of 2008, the figure is less than a third of the $1.4 billion loss reported just in the fall. It also notes that revenue was "flat" versus the fall and thus that its losses are under better control.

DealNN: iPods, digital cameras, wireless, more

04/21, 5:00pm

DealNN: iPods, cameras

DealNN deals today include iPods, digital cameras, wireless routers and more. Our featured deal today comes from Apples online store. For a limited time the refurbished 8GB iPod nano has been reduced by $30 from $129 to $99. The 16GB model has also been reduced by the same price margin to $149. Both models are available in black, pink, silver, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple.

Valentina DB 4.1 adds hierarchical data support

04/21, 4:40pm

Valentina DB 4.1 ships

Managing hierarchical data with recursive SQL commands is the leading new feature of Paradigma's Valentina DB 4.1. The update also includes performance gains and improvements to stored procedures, reports and Ruby implementations. The new Wiki in v4.1 adds multiple video tutorials, PDFs of developer references, and a developer blog to provide a deeper understanding of Valentina's features. Valentina DB provides database technology that claims 10x to 500x query speed gains over competitors, with Smart SQL, a royalty-free server and support for numerous developer languages.

Sprint Mobile adds Sierra Wireless AirCard 402

04/21, 4:30pm

Sprint adds AirCard 402

Sprint Mobile recently announced it has added the Sierra Wireless AirCard 402 for PC and Mac notebooks, endowing them with EV-DO Rev. A wireless access. The AirCard 402 ships with an adapter that allows for the card's use in a PC's card slot or its ExpressCard slot. Half of the AirCard 402's 64MB of memory can be used to store files, and the antenna is built-in, making for a totally contained form factor.

MacFamilyTree 5.5 enters public beta

04/21, 4:25pm

MacFamilyTree 5.5 beta

Synium has launched a public beta of MacFamilyTree 5.5, adding a History Database and a rewritten database engine to the genealogy software. Version 5.5 also delivers a redesigned search feature, an enhanced user interface, a customizable auto-save function and an improved GEDCOM importer. The History Database allows users to cross-reference historical figures, events and dates with a personal family tree, as well as add personally significant historical data.

NetGear introduces MoCA Coax-Ethernet adapter kit

04/21, 4:15pm

NetGear MoCa adapter kit

NetGear on Tuesday announced the release of its MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit (MCAB1001), made to speed up home networking and streaming of high-definition videos and online gaming. NetGear claims the kit allows speeds as fast as 270Mbps and uses a home's coaxial cable to bridge two devices and connect them to a home network. It is compatible with major cable TV services and homes wired for cable, and lets devices with Ethernet connections, including HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs and gaming consoles join the home network.

Cube intros H100 PMP with 1080i video output

04/21, 4:05pm

Cube H100 PMP with 1080i

China's Cube is readying to release the H100 personal media player, which has a 5-inch, 800x480 display like the Cube52 model it replaces. Unlike the older model, though, the new PMP has a newfound 1080i resolution TV output capability, in addition to the 720p output shared with the Cube52. Supported video files include RMVB, RM, AVI, FLV, DAT and MPEG.

Ngmoco unveils Star Defense trailer, screenshots

04/21, 4:05pm

Star Defense game trailer

Ngmoco has posted screenshots and a trailer for its upcoming tower-defense game for the iPhone and iPod touch, Star Defense. The game features 3D environments and multi-touch gameplay, and has players control a captain as he travels to a series of planets invaded by alien S’rath forces. Users must examine the terrain of planets to come up with the best defense possible, choosing from a range of turrets with various attacks that include plasma and electricity.

Apps: PopChar X, Blackout, Letter Opener

04/21, 4:00pm

iClip Lyrics, Countdown

PopChar X 4.2 ($40) allows users to add special characters into application documents without the need to remember a keystroke combination. The update includes a new menu command that allows a user to mark all fonts that contain a desired character and then jump directly to the marked character in a favored font. Version 4.2 also includes several fixes, including one that cause PopChar to forget its license information when preferences were synced with MobileMe. [Download - 1.8MB]

magicJack getting femtocell version, other upgrades

04/21, 4:00pm

Femtocell magicJack coming

The magicJack, a VoIP telephony device first introduced in 2007, is about to get a number of upgrades, according to a Tuesday Laptopmag report. The timeliest of these, number porting, is expected to arrive within the next 60 days, according to magicJack inventor Dan Borislow. The most requested feature from customers, it will allow users to transfer existing numbers to current and future devices.

Apple refurbs: iPod nano only $99, Touch for $159

04/21, 3:50pm

Apple refurbs: $99 Nano

Apple's online store is offering a variety of refurbished iPods at reduced prices. Fore a limited time the 8GB iPod nano is available for only $99, which is $30 off their regular refurb. price. The 16GB model has also been reduced to $149. Both models are available in black, pink, silver, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. First-generation iPod touch models are being offered starting at $159 for the 8GB and also include the 16GB model for $219 as well as the 32GB model for $279. Current-generation Touches are priced at $199 (8GB), $259 (16GB), and $349 (32GB). One and two gigabyte iPod shuffles are available in a wide array of current-generation and previous-generation colors for $39 and $59 respectively. The iPod classic is available in 80GB and 120GB capacities for $169 and $209 each.

Snow Leopard testing increasing in speed?

04/21, 3:50pm

S. Leopard tests quicken

The testing process behind Mac OS X Snow Leopard is accelerating, say closely-involved sources. The first developer build is noted to have been released last June, with a second arriving four months later. Subsequent builds were typically seeded in intervals of four to six weeks, but a new build, expected to deploy this week, should come only three weeks after the previous one.

MSI X-Slim X340 ultraportable hits US this month

04/21, 3:45pm

MSi X340 arriving in April

MSI on Tuesday announced the first notebook PC using Intel's CULV platform, the X-Slim X340, will become available in the US later this month. Introduced early this month, the notebook features a 13-inch LED-backlit LCD display, weighs 2.9lbs and is just under 0.8 inches thick. The 1.4GHz Intel CULV CPU consumes just 5.5W of power, according to MSI, but performs more like a traditional notebook than a netbook. The notebook also has the option of a WiMAX mobile broadband module but doesn't include an optical drive to reach its slim profile.

Cornell University working on low-power memory

04/21, 3:40pm

Cornell U memory chips

Research at Cornell University could lead to low-power, high-efficiency memory chips. It takes strontium titanate oxide and squeezes it on silicon in a fashion that would make the two organic compounds ferroelectric. Ferroelectric materials are already used as memory for storing data on subway passes, for example, but could find a use in transistors as well. Headed by Cornell materials scientist Darrell Schlom, the research could translate into faster, low-power transistors that can be turned on instantly.

Google's O3D promises multi-platform web 3D

04/21, 3:35pm

Google O3D

Google this afternoon took the covers from an early version of O3D, a new standard for controllable 3D on the web. The format is intended to be a truly browser- and OS-independent format that supports truly modern 3D graphics and which runs well when interacting with the modern web. It takes advantage of the shader (visual programming) effects of current graphics chipsets to produce visuals such as rippling water, reflections and fire, all while properly supporting JavaScript for elements such as real-time changes to the 3D world.

Xinet releases WebNative plug-ins for CS4

04/21, 3:10pm

WebNative plug-ins for CS4

Xinet has released three WebNative plug-ins for Adobe CS4: WebNative ID, Annotator ID, and Asset Browser ID. Each plug-in is designed to help merge the new features in CS4 with the company’s digital asset management software. WebNative ID is an application that creates previews for documents, and contains links to images used. Owners can also drag and drop images from the web preview directly into InDesign documents on the desktop. WebNative ID will only create previews for documents that have been saved after the program has been installed.

Bluetooth 3.0 spec official, hands off to Wi-Fi

04/21, 3:05pm

Bluetooth 3 Spec Official

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group on Tuesday confirmed its third-generation Bluetooth specification. Officially labeled Bluetooth 3.0 + HS (High Speed), the standard takes advantage of the presence of Wi-Fi on many Bluetooth-equipped devices to offload high-demand transfers to Wi-Fi. The speed theoretically boosts transfers up to 24Mbps on a typical 802.11g link and saves power versus using Bluetooth alone. The SIG anticipates the format being used to beam HD video from a camcorder or send large files from cellphones.

Heroes Battle Online game debuts for iPhone

04/21, 3:00pm

Heroes Battle Online game

Vincent Bellet has released Heroes Battle Online for the iPhone and iPod touch, a new multiplayer game in which players battle each other with a variety of powers and abilities. Gamers take control of a simple human, and fight strategic battles in order to increase their rank and become the top hero. Each character can be customized in terms of hair, shirts and outfits. Some powers include fireballs, storms and infernos.

Creaceed launches Prizmo document scanning app

04/21, 2:40pm

Prizmo document scanner

Creaceed has launched Prizmo, a Mac application that works as a scanner for users with digital cameras. The software scans documents of all sizes, including those in custom portrait and landscape ratios, formats such as US Letter and US Legal, and indoor and outdoor photographs. Direct browsing of camera content is provided, along with support for iPhoto, Aperture and Lightroom libraries. Tuning features help alter brightness, contrast, sharpness and saturation.

US Cellular now shipping HTC Touch Pro

04/21, 2:35pm

US Cellular Touch Pro out

Confirming an earlier April report, US Cellular is now offering the HTC Touch Pro smartphone handset on its network. The Touch Pro, equipped with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system and HTC's TouchFLO 3D interface for the 2.8-inch VGA display, costs $250 through the provider with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate. Contract-free pricing is set at nearly $600.

Pirates more likely to buy music: study

04/21, 2:30pm

Study on Piracy and Music

Despite a common perception that pirating music decreases sales, a new study published by Norway's Aftenposten this week suggests an opposite effect. Conducted by the BI Norwegian School of Management, the research finds that those between who frequently download music through file sharing services are 10 times more likely to buy music than those that cling only to legal purchases. It also notes that those between the ages of 15 and 20 are more likely to buy songs through download stores like iTunes than CDs.

Pentax K7D pro cam to debut in May?

04/21, 1:55pm

Pentax K7D Rumor

The rumored new Pentax digital SLR may ultimately be a new high-end model that sits at the top of the line. An Austrian forum leak corroborated separately suggests that a new camera known as the K7D will be unveiled in the third week of May and that it won't be a sequel to the K20D but instead its own, unique model. The single-digit naming scheme implies Pentax is pursuing the quality of a camera like Canon's EOS-5D Mark II.

Violet releases Mir:ror RFID tag reader

04/21, 1:20pm

Violet Mir:ror RFID reader

Violet, maker of the Nabaztag Wi-Fi Rabbit, has released the Mir:ror RFID tag reader, which can trigger pre-set functions on a connected PC or Mac. The product ships with three Ztamps -- basically RFID stickers -- that users can then attach to objects around their house. Scanning said Ztamp attached to a representative object can then trigger an action on the computer, such as unlock it from a password-protected screen, get weather information, play music or send out e-mails.

Sharp demos 10.1-inch netbook with LCD trackpad

04/21, 1:10pm

Sharp Mebius NJ70A netbook

The Japanese division of Sharp has announced the Mebius NJ70A, its newest netbook. While designed in a standard 10.1-inch format, the system is said to be the first netbook in the world with an LCD trackpad. The pad measures a separate four inches, and is equipped with LED backlighting and resolutions scaling up to 854x480. Users can run several apps directly from the screen, such as games and a paint program. It additionally recognizes multi-touch gestures similar to those on the Apple MacBook, such as pinching and expanding fingers to scale content.

iPhone apps: PhotoList, Gizmos & Gadgets, Hysteria

04/21, 12:40pm

NoiseBlaster, Trombone

PhotoList ($2) is a tool for organizing and locating photos on the iPhone and iPod touch. Users can organize photos into an unlimited number of folders and add titles and ratings. The ratings are scored on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and after doing this users can sort photos by rating. The photos can also be sorted by the given names.

Robot toy company Ugobe files for bankruptcy

04/21, 12:15pm

Ugboe files for bankruptcy

Ugobe, maker of the Pleo robotic dinosaur, has closed its doors, let its workers go and filed under Chapter 7 of the federal bankruptcy code in hopes to liquidate its assets on Friday, a Monday report says. The company, based in Eagle, Idaho, had sold 100,000 units at $200 each but had been unable to generate enough money to keep the company afloat without help from an outside source.

QuickerTek charger fuels 17-inch MacBook Pros

04/21, 12:15pm

QuickerTek MBP charger

QuickerTek has announced an updated external battery/charger unit, designed for the 17-inch MacBook Pro. The 3lb. device can extend the notebook's battery life by as much as 18 hours, and can also charge a Pro while it is still in use. The charger is designed to provide 1,000 full cycles, and takes approximately 12 hours to recharge from an empty state.

China Mobile confirms Mobile Market for apps

04/21, 12:10pm

China Mobile Mobile Market

China Mobile on Tuesday confirmed rumors and said it will launch a cellphone app store of its own before the end of 2009. The simply-titled Mobile Market will let third parties publish apps regardless of operating system through a single store on the carrier. Most details aren't known, though the store is being timed to launch with the government-backed TD-SCDMA standard for 3G, which should produce speeds fast enough to encourage downloading more apps.

Voice control features found embedded in iPhone 3.0

04/21, 11:35am

Voice control in iPhone 3

Buried in the beta iPhone 3.0 firmware are references to voice command systems, say sources experienced with the code. The technology is currently labeled under the codename "Jibbler," and said to be attached to Springboard, the software component which launches iPhone apps. Unfamiliar classes and methods discovered in the iPhone 3.0 beta include VSSpeechSynthesizer, VSRecognitionSession, SBVoiceControlDisableHandlerActions, SBSensitiveJibblerEnabled and SBVoiceControlSoundCompletion.

MSI debuts Wind U100 Plus with Atom N280

04/21, 11:20am

MSI Wind U100 Plus

MSI today unveiled a last real update to its starter netbooks in the Wind U100 Plus. The new version trades up to the 1.66GHz Atom N280 and its faster, 533MHz system bus. It also brings two new colors, midnight blue and rose champagne (light pink) alongside the existing black, red and white. MSI claims 7 hours of battery life for the system on a 6-cell pack.

Microsoft, Yahoo "hot and heavy" in deal talks?

04/21, 10:55am

MS and Yahoo in Hot Talks

Microsoft and Yahoo are now deeper into talks about possible ad and search deals, new tips show. All Things D understands that the initial exploratory talks are now "hot and heavy" and that an agreement could be struck "sooner than some expect." Most of the eagerness is said to be on Microsoft's side, where the company is most interested in a deal; Yahoo is receptive but more cautious.

CNBC: True PC cost includes Photoshop, other apps

04/21, 10:45am

CNBC on 'Apple tax'

Television network CNBC has joined the debate on Microsoft's controversial Apple tax strategy. The network's Silicon Valley bureau chief, Jim Goldman, observes in a recent segment of On the Money that while a PC may often be cheaper than a Mac, Apple tends to include features with its systems that most PC builders leave off, namely apps in the iLife suite such as iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto. Goldman does however make inaccurate statements about the cost of PCs, and the advantages of a Mac.

Dell reworks Studio 15 with 16:9 LED-lit display

04/21, 10:15am

Dell Studio 15 2009 Update

Dell today slipped out a quiet but significant update to its Studio 15 notebook. The new version switches from a standard 16:10 ratio screen to a 15.6-inch, 16:9 display with a minimum 1366x768 resolution capable of playing 720p video without losing screen real estate. LED backlighting is also now standard even on the base model and both lengthens the battery life and improves the screen's color performance.

OCZ reveals pro-grade Vertex EX SSDs

04/21, 9:30am

OCZ Vertex EX SSD

OCZ has dipped into the very high end of solid-state drives this week by launching the Vertex EX series. The line is one of OCZ's first recent storage options based on single-level cell (SLC) flash storage and is aimed at servers, workstations and other computers where longevity and performance matter more than a low price: in addition to taking longer to wear out than multi-level cell (MLC) drives, speeds peak at a high 260MB per second for reads and 210MB per second for writes.

Sony updates E-series Walkman, adds 8GB model

04/21, 9:25am

Sony updates E Walkmans

Sony on Tuesday updated its range of USB Walkman E-series personal music players with a slight redesign and a new model with a higher capacity, at 8GB, the NW-E044. There is also the 2GB NW-E042 and the 4GB NW-E043; each new Walkman includes one extra interchangeable skin, or what Sony calls a Style-UP Panel, with more available for purchase separately. There will be five bundles available at launch, each with two skins of different color and style.

LG's phone sales drop 7% year-over-year

04/21, 9:10am

LG Q1 2009 Results

LG on Tuesday reported results for the first quarter of 2009 that reflected a phone business that have at least temporarily dropped year over year. The Korean firm's cellphone division generated a profit of $187 million between January and March but sold 7 percent fewer phones than it did a year earlier, sinking to 22.6 million units. The reduction is an unusual drop for the company and is blamed on both the typical post-holiday drop as well as the world economic crunch.

Adobe Flash for Digital Home draws big crowds at NAB

04/21, 8:55am

Flash for TVs shown at NAB

At a recession-dampened NAB show, Adobe's demo of Flash for the Digital Home was one of few exhibits to draw large crowds on Monday. The company set up a mock living room, complete with an easy chair to demonstrate the ground-breaking technology, which could finally bring IPTV into the mainstream.

Adobe updates Premiere Pro, plans scriptwriting app

04/21, 8:45am

Adobe previews "Story"

Adobe is previewing a new scriptwriting application at NAB this week and has announced an update to Premiere Pro CS4. The new application, called Story, is being designed for collaborative scriptwriting for film and broadcast.

Samsung intros 500GB shock-ready notebook drive

04/21, 8:25am

Samsung Spinpoint M7 500GB

Samsung on Tuesday unveiled a new mobile hard drive that it believes will add a level of ruggedization to ordinary notebooks without losing storage. The 500GB Spinpoint M7 has the same footprint as a typical 2.5-inch drive but has a shock tolerance of 400G/2ms and a hardened shell that reduces the likelihood of the drive skipping or otherwise taking damage. Simultaneously, a new drive controller at once lowers active power consumption by about 25 percent while speeding up access by about 18 percent versus normal notebook hard drives.

Intel's Calpella to start with 3 quad-core chips?

04/21, 7:45am

Intel Calpella Early CPUs

A leak hints Intel's first use of its Nehalem architecture in a notebook processor, on the Calpella platform, may only include three processors all targeted at the high end of the market. Where most notebook processor launches often cover most of the range, DigiTimes hears the earliest chips will only be quad-core models (codenamed Clarksfield) and should include the Core 2 Quad P1, Core 2 Quad P2 and the Core 2 Extreme XE. Bulk prices would start at $364 for the P1 and scale up to $546 and $1,054 for the P2 and XE respectively.

Blackmagic intros 2 Videohub Routers, software update

04/21, 6:50am

Blackmagic intros routers

Blackmagic Design is adding two new Videohub routers, and has updated software for the line. Announced at NAB, the Enterprise VideoHub has a 144x288 SDI capacity, while the new Studio Videohub is a 16x32 model. Blackmagic has also released VideoHub 4.0 software for Mac OS X and Windows featuring a new interface.