May 09 - 04:50pm EDT   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. [full story]

May 07 - 12:10am EDT   An inside source at Palm has revealed that the company is working on two as of yet unknown devices, codenamed Zeppelin and Skywriter. While little has been unveiled as to the devices' nature, Palm estimates the devices would launch in the third quarter of 2008, according to TamsPPC. Palm is also seeking developers for the platform, setting a deadline of May 30th, with the potential of having the applications comarketed by the PDA manufacturer. [full story]

May 06 - 04:35pm EDT   Sun Microsystems on Tuesday announced it will soon be releasing JavaFX Rich Client Technology, a family of products for creating Rich Internet Applications without resorting to complex programming associated with Java. The announcement took place at the 13th annual JavaOne Conference. JavaFX programs will allow easier access and therefore appeal to more people who wish to create Java applications, the according to Sun's executives. [full story]

May 02 - 09:45pm EDT   In brief: We have a review of Boynq Sound2Go, FileExaminer is on sale, Belkin is offering pink-ribbon cases to combat breast cancer, and Peachpit is now on Adobe TV ... We have posted a review of the Boynq Sound2Go, a compact portable speaker system for your iPod or any MP3 player that measures 8.5 x 6.5 x 4.75 inches in height. Its one-pound weight is a bit hefty for a suitcase, especially if you're limited to one bag on your airline of choice. It is useful for vacation get-aways, if you can still afford gas to go anywhere, or as a personal sound system on your desk at work. [full story]

April 30 - 12:45pm EDT   Swedish cellphone maker Sony Ericsson is hoping to encourage new kinds of applications through a new set of APIs, writes IDG News. The company has announced that it intends to allow developers to merge Flash Lite and Java ME into a single Java application, bypassing technical shortcomings. Specifically this refers to an absence of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and secure payment hooks in Flash, and conversely, a lack of interface capabilities in Java. A game, for example, could be written mostly in Java, but use a Flash-based menu. [full story]

April 28 - 04:35pm EDT   FmPro Migrator Developer Edition 4.14 ($200) for migrating FileMaker databases. The new release as been enhanced with an automated 2-pass dependency resolution feature for FileMaker table consolidation conversion projects. Additionally, the XML code defining each layout can now be exported as a raw XML file, containing all of the embedded images, and layout object definitions. Layout XML files can be post-processed separately and used for projects in which FileMaker Layouts need to be re-purposed for other development projects. [Download - 16MB] Google Sitemap Automator 1.9.5 ($30) helps web-masters get their web site listed in Google, Yahoo and MSN search. XML Sitemap files were ... [full story]

April 25 - 12:35am EDT   The GRASS Development Team today unveiled GRASS GIS 6.3.0, a beta update to its popular geographic information system, adding hundreds of new module features, among other inclusions. The developers say that the version is merely the first step to a stable v6.4, and the impending v7.0. GRASS 6.3.0 introduces the wxPython user interface, the first change from the VAX 11/780 interface used since 1983. GRASS is open source, and is available from the project website. [full story]

April 23 - 11:20am EDT   WaveMaker has released the v3.2 update to Visual Ajax Studio, its development tool for both Ajax- and Java-based web applications. As with many visual tools, the software allows users to avoid entering custom code, forms or frameworks; VAS, though, is a free and open-source program, with a drag-and-drop interface. It is nevertheless intended for enterprises, and when combined with the Rapid Deployment Framework can quickly deploy apps to IT architectures such as Apache Tomcat and J2EE. [full story]

April 21 - 05:05pm EDT   Market research company ABI Research says in a new report that a Linux-based mobile operating system will find its way into in almost one out of every five mid- to high-end cellular phones by 2013. The study cites efforts by the LiMo Foundation, Google's marketing of its Android OS, as well as Nokia's Maemo and Trolltech purchases as some of the reasons the open-source OS system will grow. ABI's findings also conclude that despite the added cost of hardware necessary to support open-source operating systems, the move will offer better value because of the greater number of supported applications. [full story]

April 18 - 02:50pm EDT   It appears Samsung is trying to leapfrog the iPhone's touch display and go straight to a touch-free interface in its future mobile phones. The company has reportedly filed a patent for an interface based on hand signals. The phone's integrated camera will recognize users' hand gestures as commands and execute them. [full story]