Jumsoft has released Aperture Themes 2.0, a package of ten new themes for Apple's photography software. The new content adds to the six themes available in the previous v1.0 bundle. The styles are geared toward creating web galleries with photos via Aperture. Each of the 16 themes has up to ten different layouts for a total of 51 designs.
Gideon Softworks has launched updates for Dock-It, Snard and Snippet Monkey, adding Snow Leopard support to all three. Dock-It 2.7.2 is a multifunctional dock and Finder enhancement tool, enabling users to create or customize multiple docks and navigate folder contents without the need of a Finder window. Docks can be used to hold files, folders, apps and scripts; users can drag-and-drop as well as copy and paste text clippings or URLs.
The first public beta of Boxee will be shown on December 7th, according to its developer. The app is primarily used to stream movies and TV shows to an HDTV, including remote content from sources such as Hulu and Netflix. Music and photos can also be streamed; versions of the app have been produced for the Mac, Windows and the Apple TV.
Sailing Software has released v1.1.4 of Sailing Media Sync, its multi-platform file transfer software. The Mac edition syncs music and podcasts from iTunes with phones other than those made by Apple. Playlists are preserved, including those created with Genius. Photos can be synced from Aperture and iPhoto.
Windows 7 isn't having as large an impact on PC sales as initially thought, sources from manufacturers said on Friday. Although US retail sales were up 49 percent, those speaking to DigiTimes say they didn't see a major spike in late October and don't expect one for the rest of 2009. The turnout has been soft enough that some notebook producers are actually facing overstock as they ordered more portables than demand required.
BCMonaco has announced its latest point-of-sale utility designed for professional restaurants, bcResto. The software provides tools for managing daily restaurant tasks such as taxes, orders, tables and waiters, along with organizing products and prices. Users can also keep track of both sales statistics and cash, while keeping a detailed record of individual waiter bills. Additional money management features include summarized bills, tickets and receipts, and the ability to automatically change prices based on percentages.
Arten Science has launched new contact-management software, ContaX. The new software allows storage and viewing of contacts, with communication and interaction available between contacts. It has a flexible database that can be stored anywhere, including hosted or synchronized services like an iDisk or DropBox. It can be used by individuals or expanded to small-business levels, and can communicate across OS platforms. The new software is compatible with R10Cipher for encrypt text and e-mail; it is also compatible with R10BatchMail for sending batches of e-mails.
The NPD Group today revealed that initial Windows 7 sales were more than twice as strong as for Vista. Although declining to provide the number of copies estimated sold, the researchers note that boxed, retail unit sales of the new OS were 234 percent higher in the first few days than the 2007 release. The jump is credited to both to steep pre-order discounts, strong marketing and similar approaches that helped ship a large number of initial copies.
Following the release of Vue 8 Infinite and xStream this week, e-on is now shipping the rest of its Vue 8 animation utilities including Frontier, Pioneer, Esprit, Studio, and Complete. Frontier provides tools for creating scenic nature and Poser character rendering. The software supports any static Poser model and allows users to render the models using the native shading trees of Poser. A free version of SkinVue is included for enhancing skin realism.
Sales of Windows 7 have broken Microsoft's sales records for an initial operating system launch, company CEO Steve Ballmer said at a Japanese press event today. The executive said early sales have been "fantastic" and that the new OS has generated more revenue in its first 10 days than any earlier version of Windows during a similar timeframe. He declined to provide specific revenue or unit numbers.
e-on has launched Vue 8 Infinite and Vue 8 xStream, new editions of its environmental rendering software. The updates were announced in mid-October, and deliver a series of new features for 3D terrain sculpting, plus increased xStream integration for improved workflow with various CG programs. The apps also include a new shader-based OpenGL preview engine -- improving real-time performance and preview accuracy -- plus enhancements to the quality and realism of atmospheric shadows, clouds and "god" rays.
The MOTO Development Group is now making its 5-inch Android Media Platform (AMP) mobile Internet device (MID) available to developers. The device can run Google's Android 2.0 mobile OS and lets developers prototype interfaces, develop apps and extend hardware features. The MID is powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP3430 CPU and uses a 5-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen, though an LCD of the same size is optional.
Orb Networks has launched a Mac port of its self-named media streaming software. The app funnels music, photos and video from a computer to other Internet-connected devices, including game consoles, notebooks and various cellphones, such as the iPhone when using the companion OrbLive app. Content is primarily sourced from an iTunes library, but can also be pulled from webcam feeds and connected gadgets.
Kaspersky has introduced Anti-Virus for Mac, a port of its long-running Windows and Linux software designed to cope with threats such as worms, Trojans and bots. Some features include e-mail and attachment protection, as well as download scans, and alerts on blocked files and programs. The software recognizes up to 30,000 threats; self-protection functions guard settings with a password, and attempt to prevent techniques from being modified or deleted.
Malkinware has launched v1.5 of its reference manager and research utility, Reference Tracker. The software enables users to track all citations and references within essays or books, while creating a reference list that can be accessed whenever necessary. The latest version features improved accuracy for the formatted reference list importer. Bug fixes also deal with changes to the “Page Numbers” fields not immediately being recorded, along with newspaper articles not formatting correctly within the APA style.
Apple's latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta, build 10C540, reportedly includes a wide variety of new bug fixes for software and hardware issues, according to AppleInsider. The software addresses problems with graphics drivers, AirPort performance on the new iMacs, and the latest VMWare Fusion virtualization software.
Apple on Wednesday released an update to its audio burning app, Waveburner, for Logic Studio. Version 1.6.1 improves overall stability and provides a number of bug fixes. Mastering notes are now properly saved to disk, while the waveform display in the Mix Line renders more consistently.
Following a seven-year development delay, Strider Software has released a Mac OS X version of TypeStyler. The software generates text using a variety of different shapes and layouts. It newly supports both PowerPC and Intel Macs, along with Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard. Similarly, modern technologies such as Quartz, Core Image, OpenGL, Unicode and QuickTime have been integrated.
Word that Apple had disabled Atom support in a Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta seed may have been premature, an update from the same discoverer says. A newer build, 10C535, now appears to have brought the feature back and hints that the lack of Atom support may have been a bug or an otherwise temporary action. Apple's code doesn't have any immediate clues as to whether or not the move was intentional.
Automatic Duck has published a trio of new software releases supporting Apple's Final Cut editing tool. The first is ProDate DV, a plug-in supporting both Final Cut Pro and Express. The software scans DV media for timestamps, allowing date and time information to be imposed on-screen. It costs $39.
RemObjects has launched a new development tool for the Mac and iPhone, Data Abstract for OS X. The framework focuses on databases, allowing developers to focus on front-end presentation. It contains an Objective-C library supporting Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6, as well as the iPhone OS. It is said to work well alongside Cocoa and Xcode.
Sony's Creative Software division has released 1,000 Ringtones, a collection primarily intended for iPhone owners. The $20 DVD contains both M4R and MP3 files, the former of which can simply be added to iTunes for later device sync. The MP3s are meant for a broader selection of phones, such as those made by Sony Ericsson.
The Parallels 5 launch marks the latest salvo in the ongoing battle for those who run Windows on their Macs. The virtualization software has been updated with significant interface and speed improvements aimed at keeping the company's market share lead over the recently updated VMware Fusion. The new software adds substantial interface improvements, allowing users to choose how much, or how little, they want to see of the Windows interface. Parallels 5 is faster, while graphics performance has been substantially increased.
Pangea Software has released Bracketeer 4, the latest version of its photography utility that combines bracketed exposures into a single image, resulting in a wide range of shading in each photograph. The software provides users with an alternative to Tone Mapping, with a different technique called "Enfusing.” The program creates images directly from the bracketed source images, without ever having to create an HDR image first. This is claimed to help deliver a more realistic looking picture while improving processing time.
SuperMegaUltraGroovy and toastycode have launched an upgrade to the their Mac audio recorder, releasing TapeDeck 1.3. The software behaves like an old-style tape recorder, with the ability to export to WAV, AIFF and MP3 formats. Users can customize content with animations and sound effects, while past recordings can be managed from within the application interface.
Toon Boom Animation has launched a new animation title, Flip Boom All-Star, aimed at teens and older users. The software can import digital images and provides drag-and-drop drawings that are ready to be added to animations. It supports text entry and handles MP3 audio files. Animations can be uploaded to portals such as Facebook and YouTube, or transferred to an iPod or iPhone.
Boris has released a new Adobe After Effects plug-in, Boris XML Transfer. The utility transfers Apple's Final Cut Pro program sequences to After Effects, preserving all aspects of Final Cut projects such as effects, audio, media clips, transitions, geometric transformations, and multi-clip edits. Trimmed clips retain full editing capabilities in Adobe After Effects, presented as stepped-up or stepped-down layers.
Sorenson has launched Squeeze 6, an upgraded version of its video encoding tool. The program is aimed at professionals, and allows users to specify various audio and video controls such as compression, normalization and noise reduction. New to the code is a substantially faster encoding speed, as much as five times better when using H.264 or On2 VP6.
Blackra1n coder George Hotz has released blacksn0w, a new jailbreaking utility that unlocks iPhone firmware v3.1.2 and the latest baseband v05.11.07. The tool now allows users to upgrade to v3.1.2 from older firmware without losing the unlock. The process also enables tethering, allowing the handset to be used as a computer-connected modem even on carriers, such as AT&T, that still block the function.
Creative's sub-brand ZiiLABS on Tuesday released the previously unveiled optimized implementation of the Android operating system for its Plaszma development platforms, including the Zii Egg media player and ZMS-05 system module. The Android Plaszma release is based on Android 1.6 and lets supporting handheld devices play back 1080p videos for the first time.
Meizu's M8 phone is about to undergo a major overhaul that draws on interface elements from at least three major operating systems, a copy of leaked firmware shows. Version 1.0.0.1 will shift its attention more towards Android with an app launcher much like Google's. However, that launcher will also be available directly from the drag-to-unlock screen and like Windows Mobile 6.5 will let users unlock directly to the phone or e-mail apps instead of visiting a home screen. Android's influence is equally evident in a contextual menu showing in the M8's web browser.
Avanquest Software’s Nova Development unit in collaboration with Nickelodeon has launched three new children’s software titles for the Mac, consisting of Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego Go! characters. The two latest Dora the Explorer games include Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom and Dora the Explorer Lost and Found Adventure--both require children to search for various items that have been taken from them and hidden away.
The launch of Windows 7 has triggered at least a temporary spike in PC sales, Morgan Stanley analyst Katheryn Huberty says in an investment note issued yesterday. Pointing to NPD sales data, the researcher notes that computer sales jumped about 40 percent during the week of Microsoft's OS launch compared to the same time a year earlier. The number is partly offset by buyers holding off on purchases during the previous two weeks, when sales dropped 29 percent and then 2 percent versus 2008, but is well above earlier weeks, when sales were up by at most 19 percent.
Thursby Software Systems has announced ADmitMac 5 and DAVE 8, two updates in the company's line of Mac networking products. The apps are designed to connect Macs to Windows networks, enabling bi-directional file and printer sharing. The latest versions of both ADmitMac and DAVE provide multi-processor and multi-threaded optimizations for Apple’s newest Snow Leopard operating system, in both 64-bit and 32-bit modes, along with continued support for the older v10.5 OS.
Despite having launched less than two weeks ago, Windows 7 is already on track to have its first service pack ready in less than a year, a timetable posted today suggests. Wzor, one of the sites that slipped out pre-release betas of Windows 7 earlier this year, says Microsoft is already aiming to release its first beta of Service Pack 1 to testers by December and to offer a public beta by January. After this and a second beta, Microsoft is scheduled have two release candidates and to release to manufacturing (RTM) as early as June or as late as August.
The flip from daylight savings to standard time has created unusual problems for Snow Leopard owners, Apple's support forums indicate. Some Mac users note that nearing the point of the official changeover, 2AM on November 1st, their CPU usage peaked as high as 100 percent for no apparent reason. Aside from rendering software unusable, such spikes also run the risk of overheating a computer.
The launch of Windows 7 in October did nothing to stop an increase in Mac share online, the latest data from Net Applications shows. Although the Microsoft OS was on sale for nine days last month, Windows' combined share of Internet traffic actually dropped to 92.52 percent while Mac OS X profited directly, reaching a new high of 5.27 percent. Windows 7 did gain share and represents 2.15 percent, but its gain was more than offset by a full percentage point of Windows users abandoning Windows XP, in many cases opting for the Mac or other platforms.
Virtualization on the Mac has had to move forward rapidly in the past several months: where it was once enough to run basic tasks in Windows XP, users increasingly expect an experience much like what they would have in Boot Camp. That's all the more true with the launch of Windows 7, where the visual effects are not only useful but often essential. Between this and the changes in the background brought about by Mac OS X Snow Leopard, VMware's Fusion 3 has much ground to cover. We hope to find out in our review whether it's an essential upgrade or simply nice to have.
Anawiki Games has released Spooky Runes, a Halloween version of its Runes of Avalon 2 for the Mac. Spooky Runes is a puzzle-based adventure that takes place in Avalon, after it has been invaded by ghouls, bats, ghosts, and other various creatures. During the game players must solve a variety of puzzles which are spread throughout 35 different levels, in order to help the main character Evelyne collect enough magic runes to get rd of the monsters.
AKVIS has announced a new version of its photo enhancement tool, Noise Buster 7.0. The application is designed to remove noise in the color and luminance layers of images, both separately and together. The upgrade delivers a series of new features including support for Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, 64-bit Adobe Photoshop CS4, and Snow Leopard, as well as improvements to both the noise reduction algorithm and interface. Bug fixes have also been added for both the Mac and Windows versions.
Imagine Products has introduced new versions of its ShoutPut Pro and ProxyMill applications, which support workflows for Canon 5D Mark II and JVC ProHD digital cameras. ShoutPut Pro delivers tools for managing HD digital media, enabling users to make secure copies of a memory card or hard disk’s contents, in up to three locations, along with the ability to create Blu-ray or DVD archivies. ProxyMill is an HD conversion software, that allows users to create HD Log files, to customize QuickTime codec, image quality or bit rates, and to make low-resolution H.264 or MPEG-4 QuickTime movies.
In Brief: macProVideo.com has released a new tutorial video that provides lessons for working with Apple's MainStage 2 software. PlayHaven has announced a new platform that allows iPhone developers to create community sites for their games. Meanwhile, Infinity Data Systems has extended free phone support to customers using MailForge.
Excel has introduced QuickLicense Server 1.0, an application for generating a vendor-branded floating license system. Under such a system, a server and monitor pairing keep track of protected programs. Tools in QuickLicense allow users to configure a server, observe its operations, and alter the number of purchased licenses, and well as manage the number of protected apps that can be used at a customer site.
Primera has announced PTPublisher, new burning and printing software for the Mac. The app is based on the Roxio burn engine and allows users to burn or print discs through any networked Primera disc publisher. A real-time status bar displays bin levels, ink levels and system errors, while administrator functions give control over an authorized user list and password assignments, as well as e-mailed status notifications.
HTC is updating its own user interface for its touchscreen smartphones, as evidenced by the company's recent patent filing. The handset maker's design appears to be a spiritual successor to TouchFLO and Sense UI. While still unnamed, it would mimic the layout and organization of a virtual book, according to images and the description in the patent application.
MacUpdate has released MacUpdate Desktop 5, an update to its software management utility. The latest version features smart scanning, enabling automatic scanning and matching for more than 30,000 software titles. The user interface has been redesigned to be cleaner and easier to use, while users can download and install updates with a single click.
CrushFTP has released an update to its self-titled FTP software. Version 5.0.3 offers improved user-management functionality and options for consolidating multiple Virtual File Systems. SSH port forwarding has been added, along with support for additional FTP servers when acting as a FTP Proxy/Protocol Translator.
Mozilla has posted a first release candidate for Camino 2.0, the next major edition of the company's Mac-focused web browser. RC1 makes relatively few changes compared to previous betas, but it does enable new AppleScript abilities, improved Full Keyboard Access support and per-site whitelisting or blacklisting of Flash. More significant may be an upgrade to the Gecko 1.9.0 engine, which includes bugfixes, better treatment of plug-ins and greater standards support, for instance through the use of JavaScript 1.8.
Apple on Thursday released an update to its Remote app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.3.2 adds support for the Apple TV v3.0 firmware and corresponding iTunes 9.0.2 updates also announced on Thursday. Along with the Apple TV compatibility, the Remote download also offers several bug fixes.
Easypano says it has launched a Mac version of Panorama2Flash. The software batch-publishes images as Flash panoramas, viewable in a fullscreen mode. Easypano claims one-click publishing, and the ability to add top and bottom images. Users can also customize pan, tilt and FOV values for Flash output, along with rotation speed and scene quality.
