June 9 - 8:40pm EDT   Microsoft on Tuesday released updates to several of its Mac programs; Office 2008 and Open XML Converter. The Office 12.1.9 update focuses on improved security by addressing a vulnerability that can be used to overwrite the computer memory with malicious code. Users that intend to install Entourage 2008 Web Services Edition for Mac must also install the update for compatibility. The release applies to users of Office 2008, Home and Student Edition, Special Media Edition, Word 2008, Excel 2008, PowerPoint 2008 and Entourage 2008. [full story]

June 3 - 11:25pm EDT   EI Technology has released v8 of Electric Image Animation System. The update includes various new features such as textured Area lights that can replace a series of small lights to create a more realistic looking indoor scene. There is also an additional Area light function that creates light with arbitrary luminance shapes using real geometry instead of an abstract light shape. Photon Mapping can be used to calculate indirect illumination and light bouncing. The maps can also be stored and reused without re-rendering a setting. [full story]

June 3 - 9:55pm EDT   Roland has released V-Synth GT 2.0, an update to the operating system used for the Elastic Audio Synthesizer keyboard. The upgrade adds 22 new multi-effects and five new reverbs, as well as a new chromatic-scale pitch bender function. The software provides more USB storage functionality and an improved user interface. Roland believes the upgrade is better at importing sound features such as patches, tones, waves, and samples than its predecessor. [full story]

June 2 - 9:35pm EDT   Fetch Softworks has released an update to its flagship program, Fetch 5.5. The program uploads files to servers, where users can then download the content from remote locations. The update enables users to edit any sort of remote file using any application. The FTP program also utilizes Quick Look, allowing uploaded files to be viewed without leaving the software interface. The file transfer engine has been upgraded to handle larger file transfers and groups of files. [full story]

June 2 - 8:50pm EDT   Anthropics has announced that an update to its image editing software, Portrait Professional 9, is available as both a standalone application and a Photoshop plug-in. The software allows users to airbrush photographs to correct undesirable skin appearance. Portrait Professional 9 utilizes the new ClearSkin technology and is claimed to be programed with a knowledge base of "human beauty," referenced to automatically fix pictures. [full story]

June 2 - 6:10pm EDT   Yenco has released Finance 6.0, its banking software that provides tools for keeping track of bank accounts and managing budgets. Using an account import feature, the program can import files from the earlier Finance 5.0 version. The program also includes numerous features from the company's Framework application. The update also improves the account search feature and the repeating transactions feature which enters preset transactions. [full story]

May 29 - 11:40am EDT   Canto has updated its flagship product, Cumulus 8. The program is used to manage digital assets including digital images, animations, videos, and music over an online server. Cumulus 8 now gathers usage statistics and includes a reporting feature which assigns a value to assets by noting which are used most. The update can also organize assets via e-mail, enabling mobile device photos or security-camera feeds to be uploaded over a secure network. [full story]

May 28 - 6:55pm EDT   Excel software has announced a June 1st release date for two software updates, QuickLicense 4 and Safe Activation Service 2. QuickLicense is used to protect applications, written in any programming language, from unauthorized software use. Safe Activation works in unison with QuickLicence, acting as a server for product vendors to securely enter license information. [full story]

March 2 - 7:00pm EST   Apple has released software updates for Aperture 2, iPhoto '08 and iPhoto '09, along with a firmware update that is designed to extend the battery life of MacBooks. Owners of Nikon D3X and Epson R-D1x digital cameras will now be able to upload RAW-format images to Apple's photo software. The update also addresses compatibility issues with specific cameras and improves overall stability. [full story]

January 21 - 2:30pm EST   Apple's QuickTime 7.6 update addresses seven security issues. The first issue involved accessing a maliciously crafted RTSP URL may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution Description: A heap buffer overflow exists in QuickTime's handling of RTSP URLs. Accessing a maliciously crafted RTSP URL may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Version 7.6 fixes the issue by performing additional validation of RTSP URLs. [full story]

December 11 - 11:25pm EST   Apple is reportedly polishing the last details for its Mac OS X 10.5.6 update, suggesting that a public release may be imminent, according to Apple Insider. Developers were provided with build 9G55 on Wednesday, less than a week after receiving build 9G52. Sources have claimed that the two builds do not include any noticeable differences, which could indicate that the formal release is right around the corner. Other sources reported that Mac OS X 10.5.6 Server now parallels the client software, with both now sharing the same build number. [full story]

November 12 - 9:30pm EST   Mozilla has released the latest update to its browser, Firefox 3.0.4. The company claims to have addressed several security and stability issues. Icelandic and Thai localizations have been integrated. Additional EV root certificates have been added, and the Public Suffix list updated. A bug fix corrects an issue that would prevent certain passwords saved in version 3.0.2 from functioning properly. Another improvement corrects a problem with the IME input tool and Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indic characters. [full story]

November 4 - 5:25pm EST   A recent topic of interest in the MacNN forums revolves around one user questioning the benefits of the rumored update to the Mac OS, Snow Leopard. One forum member expresses their interest in the Netbook segment that has been gaining in popularity, and hopes that Apple will be coming out with a model to compete. Complaints about the MacBook Air bogging down when viewing such websites as YouTube is the topic of conversation in this thread. Forum goers discuss Alsoft: DiskWarrior and its incompatibility with the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models. Dedicated MacNNer, Robster1958, does not like the screen on the new MacBook and sparked a conversation ... [full story]

October 29 - 2:25pm EDT   Tension Software has released the latest version of its password management utility, Password Repository 2.5. The update offers an improved search function along with password print, preview, and PDF generation. Print settings can be customized to include only particular columns, with adjustments for the width. The main password table has been expanded to include additional columns and users can choose to show or hide passwords. [full story]

October 29 - 9:20am EDT   ExtendMac has announced an update to its FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and .Mac client, Flow. The software is designed to streamline certain tools that are normally excluded from FTP clients. Flow features a code editor that can be used for writing things such as HTML, and also includes features like tabs, colored syntax and code completion suggestions. Version 1.1 includes some of the most requested advancements, while also improving overall stability: it offers improved error-handeling, public iDisk support, as well as more secure WebDAV and MobileMe iDisk authentications. [full story]