July 16 - 4:15pm EDT   Sun Microsystems recently unveiled OpenOffice 3.0b2, a new beta preview release of the next major version of its business productivity suite, adding a number of optimizations, features, and fixes. The new version introduces new regional grammar and numeric standards for Indian customers, as well as refined behaviour of editing filtered rows. Sun also introduced 'y axis' error bars, allowing users to define a range of error for estimated figures. [full story]

July 3 - 9:25am EDT   Marketcircle Inc this week released Daylite 3.7.4, a new update to its established productivity suite. Aimed at easing Windows to Mac transitions -- especially in the small business arena -- this latest version of Daylite offers a host of new features. Boasting a Mac OS X-style interface, version 3.7.4 introduces full integration with Apple's Pages, Numbers and Keynote to ensure professional business correspondence. The software also combines improved Microsoft Word support with established features such as iCal, iSync and Mail integration, time-tracking and sharable schedules -- in an effort to to be a central hub for user's daily workflow. [full story]

March 11 - 5:15pm EDT   Microsoft has released Office 2008 12.0.1 for Mac OS X, a new update to the productivity suite that fixes vulnerabilities in Office 2008 that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code. The new release also fixes an issue that could give a local user who does not have administrator permissions access Office 2008 program files. This issue occurs when the non-administrative user account was assigned User ID (uid) 502. This issue affects only computers that have more than one local user account, and primarily affects environments, such as public computer labs and workplace networks, where access to program files is restricted. [full story]

February 27 - 7:55pm EST   In brief: MacNN has reviewed PDF2Office Professional, Daylite Productivity Suite, and a look back at Macworld part 2. Pre-orders of Apple's Time Capsule external storage device are "prepared for shipment," Quark has launched a community-based website for designers, Arizona's home listings are set to appear on Apple's iTunes Music Store & Homebuyer's iPods, and IK Multimedia is offering a two-for-one deal on qualifying IK plug-ins. [full story]

January 14 - 10:35am EST   Marketcircle has released Daylite 3.7, bringing three new product extensions -- MoneyWorks, LightSpeed and FileMaker -- as well as a time-saving report distribution tool called Daylite Delivery to the productivity suite. Daylite performs a variety of business functions, including identifying and qualifying opportunities to the delivery of projects and tracking/managing business activities and outcomes. In addition, Daylite takes advantage of Apple's Sync Services to bring Daylite contacts, appointments, tasks, and reminders to iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, Palm, Windows Mobile devices and many popular cellphones. [full story]

November 27 - 5:40pm EST   Microsoft's Mac Business Unit has updaed the Office 2008 Sneak Peek site, unveiling a few new features from PowerPoint and Word. PowerPoint 2008 now allows users to export slideshows directly to iPhoto in either PNG or JPEG format, which the company intends for users to be able to upload to their iPods so they can bring their presentations with them, without requiring a computer. Apple Remote support has also been introduced, allowing presenters to make use of the small six-button remote in PowerPoint. Word 2008's Notebook Layout View has been improved, providing greater flexibility for idea management. Users can customize their workspace background with different images, ... [full story]