02/13, 1:30pm
Mac interface to be overhauled
VideoLAN says it is working on a major v2.0 update of VLC, the group's free, open-source media player software. The project is described as a complete rewrite, one which will add major features to different platforms. The Mac version, for instance, will gain Blu-ray playback, a native fullscreen mode in Lion, and an overhauled interface, closer in appearance to iTunes. Media formats, for instance, are situated in a left-hand column.
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02/07, 7:40pm
Details contradict early rumors
Windows 8 on ARM may retain the same desktop as the standard OS, despite a number of early rumors that suggested otherwise. In a blog post on Microsoft's Windows 8 development site, several of Microsoft's lead program managers make references to both desktop and Metro-style apps for system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware.
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02/02, 9:00pm
Client offers push-to-talk, Bing integration
Skype has released an update to its desktop software for Windows machines. Version 5.8 adds a number of new features, including 1080p video calling and support for Facebook audio and video calling. Users can also take advantage of group screen share, presenting an entire screen view or a single application window with up to 10 contacts.
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02/02, 3:10pm
JavaScript, plugins, PDFs among focus areas
Apple has begun seeding a beta Safari 5.1.4 release to developers. Mac and Windows distributions are available, although if not on Snow Leopard the Mac version requires OS X 10.7.3. The Lion and Snow Leopard disk images measure about 44MB and 47MB, respectively, while the Windows ZIP file is 109MB.
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01/26, 2:00am
Supports Mac, Windows, openSUSE and Ubuntu
CoSoSys has updated their portable data security solution EasyLock to version 2.0, bringing with it cross-platform support for Mac, Windows and openSUSE and Ubuntu flavors of Linux. The program uses 256-bit AES encryption (CBC-mode) to turn any mobile drive into a secure data vault. Version 2 also sports a re-written user interface focusing on ease of use. The program can run off the USB or portable drive itself, requiring no installation or admin password.
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01/16, 3:30pm
Kopin shows early version of wearable computer
A company called Kopin has shown off its wearable, Motorola-branded computer, the Golden-i. It connects to the cloud using 4G and has many possible uses, from law enforcement, to medicine (such as surgery) to mechanical work at home. It sports Kopin's uniquely dense one-inch display, which equates to a traditional 15-inch monitor due to its proximity to the wearer's eye, and the display appears to be 18 inches away.
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01/11, 3:55pm
Blames drive shortages from Thailand floods
In two separate conferences in Las Vegas yesterday, Microsoft executives predicted that PC shipments industrywide for the fourth quarter of 2011 will be lower than expected. Tami Reller, chief financial officer and chief marketing officer of Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live Division, said that estimates of overall PC shipments were about one percent lower than expected. Reller made the remarks at a Nomura Holdings Inc. event yesterday. Bill Koefoed, Microsoft's general manager of investor relations, made similar remarks at a JPMorgan Chase & Co. conference. Koefoed said the actual number may be even lower.
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01/09, 12:55pm
New designs mimic Kinect
Intel has previewed the capabilities of Windows 8-based ultrabooks, some of which take advantage of touchscreen technology and voice recognition. The chip maker suggests more than 75 ultrabook designs will arrive on the market this year, as the company's third-generation Core-series processors become available this spring.
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01/04, 7:35pm
Feature described as "push-button reset"
Microsoft has detailed a Windows 8 feature that will allow users to 'refresh' the operating system or reset their computer to original factory settings. The reset option will wipe all personal data, apps and settings before reinstalling Windows, while the refresh capability will keep personal data, apps and settings while reinstalling the operating system.
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12/21, 11:00am
Current forum topics
Today in the MacNN forums vinodkalpaka has a question about using Mac mini with Lion Server with computers running Windows, read more and join in here. Yesterday one Fresh-Faced Recruit started a thread looking for advice on a printer problem in the thread titled "USB to Centronics adapter not working??" click here to join in.
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12/19, 8:05pm
Type inference brings faster JavaScript
Mozilla has posted the final version of Firefox 9 for Windows, Mac and Linux machines, following five weeks of testing in the beta channel. As expected, the release brings type-inference support that is said to significantly improve JavaScript load time for complex pages, along with expanded support for HTML5 and CSS standards.
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12/14, 7:45pm
Android expected to rebound
Microsoft's Windows operating system has experienced a slight surge in usage share from October to November, according to recent numbers published by data analytics company Chitika. The 1.4-percent gain negates Windows' slight slide in share between August and September, while pushing down competing desktop platforms and mobile operating systems.
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12/09, 6:30pm
Plug-in expected to be discontinued
As expected, Microsoft has released a major update to its Silverlight plug-in for Windows and Mac computers. Version 5 brings several new features, including hardware decoding for H.264 media and improved 3D graphics performance, however the release is believed to be the final major update for the application framework.
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12/08, 6:25pm
Kill switch designed to protect against threats
Microsoft is reportedly planning to equip its Windows Store marketplace with a security feature that will enable the company to remotely disable Windows 8 applications. The remote management capabilities were quietly revealed this week through documentation detailing the Windows Store terms of use, which includes a clause notifying users that some content may be disabled if it poses a security risk.
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12/08, 5:20pm
Apps lose reliance on Adobe AIR
Twitter has released two new versions of TweetDeck, its more powerful Twitter client software. The title is now available in native Mac and Windows editions. Previously the software was dependent on Adobe AIR, which runs apps based on common web frameworks. For the native apps Macs must be running OS X 10.6 or later, while Windows PCs require only Windows XP.
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12/05, 10:30pm
Company claims strongest R&D ability
Asus is reportedly attempting to downplay the significance of its lack of participation in the Windows on ARM (WOA) development project, following reports pointing out that the company had not been chosen as one of the initial partners, according to a DigiTimes report. As part of the computer maker's shipment goal disclosures, the company claimed to have the strongest research-and-development capabilities of any notebook vendor.
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12/02, 11:15am
Spy Files from Wikileaks show surveillance gear
Wikileaks has a web page called the Spy Files that shows off a number of Internet surveillance products meant for government agencies. The confidential brochures and slide presentations are made for law enforcement and authoritarian regimes and can be used to spy on the public and track political dissidents. In all, Wikileaks has 287 files for products from 160 companies and promises to reveal even more in the future.
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12/01, 10:25pm
Versions 5.1.2 and 1.0.1 respectively
Apple has posted minor updates to two different programs, its Mac-based slideshow program Keynote and its Windows-based iCloud Control Panel for iCloud subscribers who are on PCs. The Keynote update improves the handling of large slideshows in Mac OS X Lion, while the iCloud Control Panel update does not specifically mention what has changed from the initial 1.0 release, which came out when iCloud debuted in mid-October.
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11/29, 7:30pm
Allows PDFs to be displayed within web content
Apple has released Safari 5.1.2, a bugfix release that contains several improvements, including addressing issues that can cause some webpages to flash white and other issues that would cause hangs and memory leaks. The new version improves stability and allows PDFs to be displayed within web content. The update is available for Lion (10.7.2), Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and Windows XP SP2 or later.
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11/25, 10:55am
Malware targets Windows users
An email scam is exploiting Black Friday shoppers interested in picking up iTunes gift cards, says German site Eleven Security. The message uses the subject line "iTunes Gift Certificate," and has has an attached file listed as "Gift_Certificate_iT9581.zip". A simple body of text promises that the attachment contains a "certificate code" which can be redeemed for $50 in credit toward "video, music, games" at the iTunes Store.
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11/23, 8:10pm
Previews expected at CES
Microsoft is reportedly preparing to begin beta testing the next major revision to its Office productivity software. The release, which is referred to by the name Office 15, is said to be redesigned with a focus on touch- or pen-based input. As confirmed earlier in the year, the suite also features the company's Metro interface design to mesh with Windows 8.
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11/23, 3:25pm
Early Black Friday price cuts
For Black Friday many online retailers have begun offering special deals a few days early. At id America chose from a wide selection of iPhone 4 and 4S accessories and from 11/23/11 through 12/1/11 save up to 20% off your purchase when you enter coupon code 'BLKFRI20OFF' at checkout. Until Sunday 11/27/11 save 40% on Mariner Software's document management app called Paperless, which is available for Mac or Windows now for only $29.95, down from $49.95.
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11/22, 8:00pm
Name-your-own-price, DRM-free games
Days after the completion of the last Humble Bundle offer, developer Jeffrey Rosen has launched a new promotion, dubbed the Humble Introversion Bundle. As with previous offers, buyers set their own price for the bundle, which this time includes four games from Introversion (with an option to get two more games). All games work natively on all major platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux) and are DRM-free. The money raised is split according to the buyers' wishes.
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11/14, 1:25pm
Mad Catz teases Cyborg MMO7 mouse due in January
Gaming peripherals maker Mad Catz has introduced its Cyborg MMO7 gaming mouse for PCs and Macs. Made for its namesake massively multiplayer online games, the mouse shares many design elements and tech specs with the existing Cyborg RAT Albino. It gives users access to 78 unique commands thanks to its thirteen action buttons and six programmable modes.
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11/10, 11:10am
PlayStation Suite SDK beta opened to developers
Sony is now offering developers a chance to sign up for consideration on joining its closed beta PlayStation Suite SDK. With it, they will have the ability to develop games for the upcoming PS Vita and Android devices that aren't Sony-branded. The SDK uses the C# programming language and will run on a C# virtual machine.
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11/04, 4:45pm
Exploit could wreck files or alter permissions
Microsoft has confirmed a vulnerability in the Windows kernel that was being used in the Duqu exploit. If used, an attacker could install apps, change data, or create new accounts with full user rights. Microsoft is working on a full fix, and in the meantime, is offering a workaround for download (free, Fix it tool).
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11/02, 4:40pm
Some perceive anti-Linux plot
Dell and HP will reportedly allow users to choose wether or not to use the secure boot option that will be available in Windows 8. Although Secure Boot is marketed as a way to help improve device security, the feature is viewed by some Linux advocates as a conspiracy to block alternative operating systems from being installed on computers designed for Windows 8.
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11/01, 5:15pm
Microsoft confirms Duqu exploit in Word files
Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed that a Windows kernel vulnerability does indeed exist in Duqu malware and is working to patch it. The zero-day kernel exploit could allow hackers to remotely execute code in an infected system, CrySys and Symantec found. Duqu can be installed by modified Word documents and can potentially slip by.
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10/26, 10:30pm
Updates mostly debut or enhance Thunderbolt
Late in the day, Apple Support released a group of EFI firmware updates to recent Mac models, including the current iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Air models, along with one for the just-discontinued "early 2011" MacBook Pros and one for Lion 10.7.2 specifically. With all four EFI updates, the firmware is being modified to either support or enhance existing Apple Thunderbolt Display compatibility and Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode. In addition, the company released QuickTime 7.7.1 for Windows.
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10/26, 2:45pm
Skifta Android app lets users stream to devices
Qualcomm Atheros just announced the release of the Skifta 1.0 Android app (free, Android Market) that will allow users to stream content from their Android devices or saved on the cloud to any DLNA-compatible device. It will offer a Channel library, that will let users access content from their Picasa, Photobucket, Soma.fm, Napster, ShoutCast, Revision 3 and TED Talks accounts or service, among others, without launching those apps separately.
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10/20, 6:30pm
Microsoft justifies slow PC business in results
Microsoft in discussing its summer results Thursday was evasive on acknowledging the iPad's effect on PC sales. It estimated that the PC field as a whole grew just one to three percent but used metrics that made it seem bigger, claiming that Windows copies for "traditional" PCs, excluding netbooks and Windows tablets, were up 14 percent. The software developer also pointed to business PCs growing five percent to a new high of 35 million.
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10/14, 3:00pm
New update "fixes" bundled Google software "issue"
Yesterday, Microsoft officially
finalized its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype. Although the VoIP service provider is now a unique division within Microsoft, and the company reiterated it would stay
platform agnostic, subtle changes are already taking place. Skype today released version 5.6 for Windows users (free, Skype), and it includes a noteworthy functional change. Google apps are no longer bundled in the installation package.
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10/13, 9:20am
Releases complete epic series of updates
Apple concluded a series of major software updates yesterday by releasing Security Update 2011-006 for Snow Leopard and the iCloud Control Panel for Windows. The former mostly reflects security issues addressed by OS X 10.7.2, solving problems linked to: Apache, ATS, BIND, graphics, Jabber, Mailman, MediaKit, CoreFoundation, CoreMedia, PHP, Python, the application firewall, root certificates, HTTPS servers, QuickTime, Tomcat, X11, the App Store's help content, and finally the web server. The last fix is a part of the Server release of the Security Update.
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10/12, 5:05pm
Simultaneous Mac, Windows updates
Included with OS X 10.7.2 and also available for Windows is Safari 5.1.1, an update of Apple's signature web browser. The release adds iCloud support and is said to increase JavaScript performance by as much as 13 percent over Safari 5.1. Much of the upgrade, though, is dedicated to patching up bugs, such as ones causing hangs, excessive memory use, instability and opening links in windows instead of tabs.
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10/11, 2:50pm
Release proves unusually Windows-centric
While most of the changes in iTunes 10.5 are aimed at supporting iOS 5 and iCloud, Apple has also made some significant changes for Windows users. Central is the removal of QuickTime from the installation package, since iTunes is said to no longer require it. In the past some Windows users have complained about being forced to install QuickTime, which can potentially hijack some filetype associations.
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10/05, 4:30pm
Compatibility described as 'experimental'
Parallel has released a new version of Desktop 7 for Mac, v7.0.14924. The update's main addition is "experimental" support for the Windows 8 Developer Preview, giving people a chance to test the platform inside a virtual machine. Windows 8 is scheduled to ship sometime in 2012.
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10/04, 1:20am
Syncs directly with iPad, Mac, PC
A company called Joypad has released a self-title free app for the iPhone that turns it into a Wi-Fi, ad-hoc or Bluetooth synced controller for some popular retro-style games, including Super Mega Worm, Vertex Blaster and others. The app offers multi-button presses, five controller layouts (with support for additional ones), accelerometer and multi-player support as well as options for retro gaming. Joypad supports select iOS as well as Mac or Windows games.
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09/28, 4:35pm
Extra games added for beating average donation
The group responsible for the Humble Bundle series of charity software collections has launched a new effort, this time known as the Humble Frozen Synapse Bundle. Frozen Synapse is a turn-based strategy game from Mode 7 in which players fight top-down gun battles. The twist is that each side runs its turns simultaneously, forcing players to take a best guess at where their opponents will be.
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09/21, 9:45am
Client expands beyond mobile
Splashtop has released the first edition of Remote Desktop for Mac. The software was previously aimed mostly at iOS and Android users, although a Windows client is also available. Like its Windows counterpart, the Mac app allows users to remotely access and control another computer, whether it's running Windows or OS X.
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09/20, 1:30am
New Guided Edits and movie themes, more
Just in time for the products' 10th anniversary, Adobe has issued both standalone packages and a bundle offering for Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10 for both Mac and Windows systems. The new programs offer new features, new format support, content-aware tools and a new online service that offers 20GB of storage for photos and videos along with additional themes, tips and templates for $50 per year.
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09/14, 8:30pm
Dropbox, iCloud compatibility, Blowfish encryption
Portland, Oregon-based mSeven Software has announced the launch of mSecure 3.0, a cross-platform password and security manager for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android systems. The new version offers 17 pre-categorized groups for passwords, as well as the ability to generate new custom groups and favorites for fast access. It also features improved data security when syncing with "cloud"-based services such as Dropbox and (when available) iCloud.
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09/14, 9:45am
Enables Lion in virtual machines
VMware is shipping Fusion 4, the latest edition of its flagship Mac virtualization software. The app lets users run Windows software within OS X, rather than dual-boot. Essential to the new release is support for OS X Lion, including the ability to access Windows apps through Launchpad or Mission Control, or switch between them using gestures.
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09/06, 10:10pm
Eases rapid app development for desktops, mobile
Embarcadero Technology has launched a "CPU and GPU powered" rapid application development environment called FireMonkey aimed at business developers who need video and 3D, animation, interactive data visualization and enterprise-level database connectivity with native performance for Mac, Windows and iOS. By being able to leverage the native GPU, the program creates apps with scalable vector graphics, UI components and powerful image effects.
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09/01, 4:30pm
ViewSonic shows one 10-inch, two 7-inch tablets
ViewSonic will bring three new tablets to the IFA show in Berlin. There are two 7-inch devices, with an Android 3.2-powered one called the ViewPad 7x and a cheaper, more e-reader like model in the ViewPad 7e. A 10-inch ViewPad 10pro will have Windows and Android with dual-booting.
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08/26, 10:05pm
Now imports Outlook contacts, adds auto backups
OfficeTime.net has updated its OfficeTime time-tracking software for Mac and Windows, as well as launched a version of the app for iOS devices. The new version of the desktop app improves speed and file opening, can optionally import contacts from Outlook (in the Windows version of OfficeTime) and now does automatic hourly, daily, weekly and monthly backups. The iOS version works with iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone comes in a regular and free edition.
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08/24, 5:10pm
iMac update deals with hanging issues
Apple has released a pair of new software updates. The first of these, iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0, upgrades the graphics firmware on iMacs, solving a glitch that could cause iMacs to hang "under certain conditions," according to Apple. The download is just 482KB, but notably intended only for Macs running OS X Lion.
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08/23, 12:00am
Software stack aims to maintain compatibility
Microsoft has finally demonstrated USB 3.0 compatibility for Windows 8. In the company's engineering blog, Windows team leader Steven Sinofsky pointed out the challenges in adopting the new standard without compromising compatibility with existing hardware and software built for the USB 2.0 protocol. The company worked to design a new USB software stack for the new controller, while retaining the existing software stack for older controllers.
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08/17, 12:25pm
Microsoft hints at speedy cloud-based OS
Microsoft has filed a patent application titled "Fast Machine Booting Through Streaming Storage." The application describes a series of local and networked storage systems that Microsoft calls "layers" that would be used to boot tablets, personal computers, set top boxes and other devices. The operating system would be cloud-based and constitute a virtual environment that would prioritize resources as needed to run different applications. Microsoft claims the new system would mean faster startup, since the layers containing the OS would be available immediately rather than being downloaded and saved as a local image before execution.
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08/17, 3:50am
Flagship model offers direct uploading
Brother International has announced a new range of low-cost small-office or home-office All-in-One (AiO) color inkjet printers ranging from $100 to $150 that feature Mac and Windows software, a front-loading four-cartridge ink system, free phone technical support and (coming at the end of the year) mobile device remote printing options. The flagship model offers built-in two-sided printing and CD/DVD direct printing, along with direct uploading to select websites.
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08/11, 11:25pm
Free-to-play on both Mac and Windows
A mix of simulation game and action sports title, indie developer New Star Games have made New Star Soccer 5 for Windows and Mac available for download. Featuring retro-style graphics and play, sport humor and a free-to-play model with over 5,000 registered players, New Star Soccer 5, the latest instalment in the series lets players live the life of a young soccer star, gaining skills and pursuing other leisure activities as well.
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