June 30 - 1:20pm EDT   Typinator 3.5 ($28) is a tool that will type out repeating texts and pictures. Users can set up a list of commonly used words and images, and then set up fragments that can be used trigger each phrase or image. Version 3.4 uses a new expansion technique which allows the software to operate faster than previous releases. The update also includes improved compatibility with XCode, BBEdit and TextWrangler, Eclipse and many Java applications. Additionally, several bugs have been fixed including one that could cause Typinator to forget its license information when synced with MobileMe. [Download - 2.7MB] [full story]

June 19 - 6:55pm EDT   In brief: To celebrate Father's Day, XtraLean Software is currently offering 50-percent discounts on two of its software products. Until the end of the weekend customers can purchase ShutterBug and ImageWell for $20 and $10, respectively. TiBITS Publishing has announced the release of "Take Control of Safari 4," a book which explains some of the new features in the latest iteration of the Safari browser. Deskology has announced that it will be relaunching its DESKSET accessory kit which features several pieces for organizing a desktop. All of the components are made of anodized aluminum and have been designed to match the style of Apple's computers. [full story]

June 17 - 5:55pm EDT   Following the iPhone 3.0 firmware release, Apple on Wednesday also updated Safari and Bluetooth firmware for Mac systems. The Safari update is designed to correct compatibility issues between Safari 4.0 and a number of features in iPhoto '09, such as Places and publishing to Facebook. [full story]

June 17 - 4:20pm EDT   With the launch of iPhone OS 3.0 today, Electronista and MacNN are taking a look at the major upgrade to see how well the features work in practice on existing iPhones and the iPod touch. We'll see whether the 3.0 update alone will be enough to satisfy owners or whether they still stand to benefit from the upgraded hardware in the iPhone 3G S. [full story]

June 12 - 10:25am EDT   Over 11 million copies of the final version of Safari 4 have been downloaded in a space of three days, Apple claims. The software became available for Macs and PCs on Monday, following Apple's WWDC keynote. Prior to the keynote, a beta version of the web browser had been available since February. It is not known how many downloads of the beta were recorded. [full story]

June 12 - 8:45am EDT   Microsoft's decision to pull Internet Explorer from Windows 7 in Europe isn't enough to address EU antitrust complaints about the company's abuse of the market, the European Commission said Friday. The continent's officials now say that Microsoft's proposed solution would actually hurt competition as it would leave the five percent of those buying retail copies of Windows each year with few options. Instead of having an immediate choice, buyers would have to resort to obtaining a physical copy of a web browser or else some alternative. [full story]

June 11 - 3:10pm EDT   In brief: The Mac U has released a new video designed to help customers become more familiar with the latest release of iMovie. The video includes approximately 90 minutes of content and covers topics ranging from organization to editing. Mophie has announced that its latest small-form case and external battery combo will be fully compatible with the iPhone 3GS. The case is claimed to be one of the smallest external batteries available, and add an additional 4.5 hours of 3G talk time. Meanwhile, a new petition has been started, in an attempt to see the tabs-on-top feature returned to Safari 4. The feature was introduced in the Safari 4 beta, but ultimately removed. [full story]

June 8 - 7:00pm EDT   The new Safari 4.0, announced today at the WWDC keynote address, includes a host of security enhancements. Issues with CFNetworks have been resolved, with the program examining the content of CFNetwork files and treat them as HTML, and downloading files to the user's secure temporary direction location. CoreGraphics has also been enhanced, fixing memory corruption issues by improving bounds checking, error checking and input validation of TrueType font data. [full story]

June 8 - 2:00pm EDT   Apple today announced the official release of Safari 4. A public beta version of the web browser has been available for several months, and introduced the Top Sites feature, along with a slightly modified interface. The official release has refined problems users reported with the beta, and also includes several new enhancements. Safari 4 is one of the few browsers to score 100/100 on the Acid test, and Apple also claims to have upped the browser's Javascript performance by 50 percent, arguing that Safari 4 is now 7.8 times faster than Internet Explorer 8. [full story]

June 3 - 9:45pm EDT   Adobe has unveiled its newest application, BrowserLab, releasing it as a free downloadable preview. The program, originally code-named Meer Meer, is used to compare webpages in Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox to ensure designs remain consistent between each browser. The program uses virtualization technology hosted through a cloud-based application, eliminating the need to install all three browsers. [full story]

May 22 - 12:30pm EDT   Macte! Labs has released a beta version of the Macte! Safari Toolbar, an extension for Apple's web browser. Although most toolbars for Safari are based on hacks, the Macte software is said to rely on officially-documented techniques. Integrated are several search options, including Google, Yahoo and Live. The extension also provides access to services such as e-mail, currency rates, stock prices and Google Translate. [full story]

May 21 - 3:25pm EDT   Google this afternoon launched an official update to its Chrome browser that it hopes will fight back against Safari 4 and other newer rivals. The upgrade further refines the software's distinctive JavaScript engine and is estimated to be about 30 percent faster when using web apps and other sites that depend heavily on the code. Chrome similarly gets updates that bring it up to par with some features on other browsers, such as autofill for forms as well as a full-screen mode and the ability to remove unwanted thumbnails from the "most visited" page. [full story]

May 12 - 6:15pm EDT   Following the availability of Mac OS X 10.5.7, Apple on Tuesday released updates for Safari, Mac OS X Tiger systems and OS X 10.5.7 Server. Safari 3.2.3 is recommended for all Safari users, providing fixes for a number of security vulnerabilities. The downloads are available for Tiger, Leopard and Windows operating systems, with file sizes ranging from 20MB to 40MB. [full story]

April 23 - 12:10pm EDT   Apple is considering integrating audio controls into the Safari web browser, a newly-published patent application shows. Although Windows and the Mac OS have dedicated volume controls, a recurring problem with websites is the tendency to impose unwanted audio, whether in the form of music, voices or sound effects. Many people are already listening to their own music while they browse, Apple notes. [full story]

April 21 - 3:35pm EDT   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. [full story]