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.
Apple on Tuesday released iMovie 8.0.5 [36MB], an update to its free movie editing software bundled with all new Macs. According to Apple, the update improves compatibility with a number of devices and fixes other minor issues, including improved compatibility with camcorders using the iFrame video format and with importing video captured on the iPod nano as well as fixed problems with resizing the iMovie window during playback. The update, available both online and via the Software Update, is recommended for all users of iMovie '09.
JVC on Tuesday exported its first-ever pocket camcorder to US shores. The Picsio GC-FM1 is one of the few cameras its size to record in 1080p (albeit 4:3) at a full 30 frames per second with image stabilization. It also has a 720p, 60FPS shooting mode and a toggle to switch to 8-megapixel still image shooting. All movies are captured in H.264 (AVCHD) in a format that can be immediately sent to iMovie, iTunes or YouTube without being transcoded first.
Creative tonight launched a small but tangible update to its Vado HD pocket video camera aimed at making it more affordable. While its only conspicuous change on the outside is a two-tone color scheme, the company now has a 4GB model that makes the camera more competitive with the falling prices of cameras like the Kodak Zi8. For the first time, the Vado line also gets Mac support: a new app known as Vado Central will let the Vado HD and earlier Vados shuttle videos directly to iMovie.
Apple today revealed that Google chief Eric Schmidt has resigned from Apple's Board of Directors. The executive had held a position for three years but is leaving due to a conflict of interest triggered by the unveiling of Chrome OS, which now puts Google in direct competition with Mac OS X. Apple CEO Steve Jobs characterized the departure as unwanted but necessary given how often it would force Schmidt to leave Apple meetings discussing strategy.
JVC this morning added a new, high-end HD camcorder to its mix. The Everio GZ-HM400 shoots the same 1080i widescreen, H.264 video as the GZ-X900 but has a more conventional form factor and has a sharper 10.2-megapixel sensor for shooting higher resolution photos. A new 10X Konica-Minolta lens also reduces chromatic aberration and is accompanied by extra controls to the left of the lens.
AudioMicro says it has licensed over 55,000 sound effects from The Hollywood Edge to add to its Online Stock Music and Sound Effects Library. The effects come from Soundelux, a studio with numerous films to its credit, such as Braveheart and Kill Bill. Public and professional access is charged on a by-the-minute basis or via subscription; effects can be acquired individually or in bulk.
Apple today released the latest update for its iMovie software, which is said to improve overall stability and fix several small issues. iMovie 8.0.4 has fixed a problem related to video rotation that appeared while working with files create on an iPhone 3GS and an instability problem that could occur when adding multiple beat markers in some languages. An issue that could cause the software to become unresponsive after using fine-tuning controls past stabilized portions of a clip has also been fixed.
Sony today significantly ramped up the quality of its HD Handycams with two new models that promise fundamental changes. The HDR-CX500V and HDR-CX520V both have significantly upgraded visuals with a new backlit CMOS sensor. Moving the illumination away from the front gives either camera about twice as much light sensitivity, improving shooting in darker scenes. Both sensors are also upgraded to 12 megapixels and can shoot still photos at the high resolution in addition to 1080i widescreen video.
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.
Using Mac OS X's Software Update feature, Apple has released updates to several key pieces of software. Among these is Digital Camera Raw 2.6, which extends RAW format support within Aperture 2.x and the '08 and '09 editions of iPhoto. Compatible cameras now include the Nikon D5000 and the Olympus E-30, as well as Canon's EOS-500D, Rebel T1i and EOS Kiss Digital X3.
Samsung on Wednesday updated its camcorder line with two new standard-definition camcorders that boost both the aesthetics and performance. The SMX-C10 and SMX-C14 both have the same Touch of Color visual trick on their bodies as Samsung's newer HDTVs to produce a unique, gradual shift between black and red. They also bring the Active Angle lens of the HD-capable HMX-R10 to let users hold the camera at a more natural angle while pointing in the right direction.
Apple today released updates to consumer movie editing application iMovie as well its professional photography application Aperture and remote administration tools for Mac OS X Server installations. iMovie 8.02 fixes an issue with projects having a size of 0KB where attempting to open these projects would cause iMovie to quit unexpectedly at launch. According to Apple, the update also addresses a problem where full-screen mode could not be accessed on some systems. Apple's Aperture 2.1.3 update improves overall stability and addresses minor issues in a number of areas, including the display of thumbnails on import and image rotation. The free update is recommended for all users of Aperture 2.3 and is available as a 48.1MB download.
Sanyo on Thursday said it had started shipping its combination photo and video Dual Camera Xacti line. The series is headlined by the FH1 and HD2000, which can both shoot 1080p video in H.264 while capturing 8-megapixel photos, carry 10X lenses, and both slow motion video as well as burst photo modes that take advantage of large memory buffers. The CA9 and WH1 (pictured) capture movies in 720p but are waterproof and snap 9-megapixel still shots, while the CG10 and TH1 have the same video resolution but 8-megapixel stills and either an extra-small (CG10) or horizontal (TH1) form factor.
Apple has released maintenance updates for iPhoto, iWeb and iMovie, along with general support updates for the iLife and iWork '09 software suites. The iPhoto 8.0.2 update improves overall stability, while addressing minor issues in Faces, Places, photo sharing, slideshows and other parts of the software. The download weighs in at 87.86MB. The iWeb 3.0.1 update is 14.23MB in size and fixes issues related to publishing to an FTP server and other minor bugs. iMovie 8.0.1 is a stability and usability fix, and is contained in a 24.53MB file.
Elgato on Thursday announced it has added 1080p compatibility to its original Turbo.264 USB video conversion dongle, resulting in the Turbo.264 HD. The new product is now much faster than its predecessor, and still allows users to convert videos into the H.264 format that is compatible with portable electronics such as iPods, iPhones, the Apple TV and Sony's PSP and similar devices. Besides resolution, it also adds support for HD camcorder formats such as AVCHD as well as MPEG-2- and MPEG-4-encoded HD content. The Turbo.264 HD automatically detects AVCHD camcorders and moves the recordings in standard- or high-definition to selected source devices.
In brief: Toolfarm a source for professional visual effects and motion graphics plug-ins has announced that it has acquired Pluginz. ToolFarm views this acquisition as a natural step in growing their site into a one-stop shop service. MacNN readers are now being offered a 30% discount on several video tutorials from Computer App Training. The latest releases include tips and tricks on working with iMovie '09 and Photoshop CS4. Separately, Macuarium, a spanish Mac news site, is celebrating its tenth anniversary and has released a special icon pack for its readers to celebrate.
Two versions ago, iMovie HD 6 offered powerful video editing for novices. For iMovie ‘08, Apple completely rewrote the program to focus on making video editing simpler, but at the sacrifice of its more sophisticated editing features. When users howled their disapproval, Apple quickly made the original iMovie HD app available as a free download. Now with iMovie ‘09, Apple has combined the simplicity of iMovie ‘08 with the powerful editing capabilities of iMovie HD.
Google may have consciously stripped multi-touch input from its Android mobile operating system solely to avoid a conflict with Apple over patents, a member of the Android development team claims. The iPhone maker reportedly asked Google not to use multi-finger input and, according to the source for VentureBeat, was granted its wish. The exact reason isn't known, though Apple has both the incentive of an early competitive advantage as well as patents that might have forced it either to negotiate a patent license or else challenge one of its closest partners in court.
Conventional wisdom would have had Pure Digital's Flip camcorders wash out because of their limited features, but it's precisely this which has led them to seemingly overthrow the budget camcorder market. Their dead-simple controls and narrow focus have made them ideal for a generation growing up on YouTube and video blogging. The Flip Mino HD promises to do the same for high-definition video and with even simpler editing. But does it live up to this promise? We find out in our full review.
Pure Digital today launched its response to a recent wave of ultra-simple HD camcorders from newer rivals with the launch of the Flip Mino HD. The camera matches the 720p widescreen, fixed zoom capture of most of its opponents but opts for a built-in 4GB of flash memory rather than the SD cards of others. This gives it an hour of storage for HD out of the box in the Mino HD's native MPEG-4 format, which also makes most videos relatively portable both to web video and to video editing tools, including iMovie. Pure estimates about two hours of battery life with the extra demand from the improved footage.
Sanyo this morning upgraded its Xacti camcorders with the North American version of the E2. This second generation of the company's hardened camera improves the recording performance and will capture 640x480 H.264 video at up to 60 frames per second and snaps up to eight-megapixel still shots, including at up to five continuous frames per second. It also brings live face detection and a specialized underwater mode that adjusts the colors to avoid some of the tinting that occurs in pool or shallow dives.
Casio today began its prelude to the Photokina show with three new Exilim cameras for the US and elsewhere, two of which introduce a new automatic image tuning feature. The Zoom series tops out with the 10.1-megapixel EX-Z300 and the 9.1-megapixel EX-Z250, both of which include a new Makeup feature: the optional setting can dynamically improve the look of faces in portrait shots by either eliminating blemishes or reducing the impact of long shadows. They can also automatically correct overly dark faces or stitch together three shots to simulate a long exposure time.
Samsung on Wednesday updated its MX series camcorders with a refresh targeted at the web and portable players. The SC-MX20 effectively replaces the earlier MX10 and adds a Web & Mobile mode that records H.264 video in a 640x480 format that can easily be transferred to video websites such as YouTube; it also lets users record home video that doesn't require transcoding to work with iPhones, iPods, and other H.264-aware devices.
JVC this morning unveiled three new HD Everio cameras that all offer something new to camcorders. The HD30 and HD40 (shown) are the first camcorders to capture HD in either AVCHD (H.264) or MPEG-2 format and give users the choice of format based on their editing environment; users can either record in the more efficient AVC format or else pick the larger but more widespread MPEG-2 format for easier editing on some computers.
Apple's recently unveiled Quicktime 7.5 update preceded updates released on Tuesday – iMovie 7.1.2 and iDVD 7.0.2 – two applications with heavy reliance on the company's multimedia platform. The update information pages say little about what specifically addressed, with both merely stating: "This update addresses general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues." Apple is supplying the updates through its support page, as well as through Software Update.
