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Jun 20
House of Reps eyeing ways to use smartphone, tablet technology
The US House of Representatives is considering a number of ways to use technology to modernize how Congress shares and delivers information, including increasing the use of smartphones and tablets such as iPhones and iPads "to handle the mountains of paperwork that lawmakers deal with every day," reports "InformationWeek Government" (http://macte.ch/LcoRS). Last week during a hearing, the Committee on House Administration's subcommittee on oversight polled a number of stakeholders about ways it can improve how it shares information, the article adds. With all the technology available to lawmakers, it's high time Congress considers better ways to leverage IT to streamline collaboration and cut costs by reducing the amount of paper it produces, among other things, said Phil Gingrey ( R-Ga.), chairman of the oversight subcommittee. Congress members are already using smartphones and tablets to do more of their work on the chamber floors, something one of the hearing's witnesses, Morgan...
Jun 20
WWDC Interview: Ultralingua
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and Jeff Ondich of Ultralingua at WWDC. Jeff was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 20
Verayo hires former Apple analyst as chief technology officer
Security and authentication company Verayo (http://www.verayo.com/) has named David M'Raihi chief technology officer and vice president of engineering, reports the "Silicon Valley Business Journal" (http://macte.ch/BRDUT). He was recently an analyst and architect of digital content at Apple. Before his stint at Apple, M'Raihi held senior executive positions at VeriSign as principal analyst of corporate strategy and led authentication research as principal scientist of VeriSign Security Services. While at Arxan Technologies., he was vice president of technology and chief technology officer, as well as co-founder of Arxan Labs. M'Raihi also spent more than 10 years at Gemalto first as a founding member of the crypto team and then as director of technology of corporate development, according to the "Business Journal."
Jun 20
Analyst: iPad will dominate indefinitely
A Sanford Bernstein analyst, Stacy Rasgon, says the iPad will dominate the global tablet market "indefinitely," reports "Know Your Mobile" (http://macte.ch/3OOy6). Rasgon points out in a 49-page document on the subject that Apple managed to sell 19.5 million iPads in its first year of availability. That's twice the amount of netbooks and three times the number of iPhones sold in the same period of time. "Apple has created a company the size of EMC in one year," says Rasgon. "We have never seen such a high purchasing intent for a new category in the past." An interesting aside: "Know Your Mobile" says previous Sanford Bernstein research has indicated that 20% of consumers plan to purchase a tablet in the next 12 months and that computer manufacturers shouldn’t be "too worried about PC cannibalization" as the affect of tablets on this market should be minimal."
Jun 20
Apple, Samsung in talks on patent disputes
Executives "at the highest levels" of Apple and Samsung are in talks about patent litigation between the two companies, a lawyer for Apple said in court, according to "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/UEtg3). The disclosure came during a hearing on Friday in the battle over the smartphone and tablet markets, the article adds. Apple attorney Harold McElhinny said the case has gotten the attention of executives "at the highest levels" of the two companies and that they are "meeting and talking." On Thursday Apple amended and expanded its complaint against Samsung, asserting more patents and other intellectual property rights than before against an extended list of allegedly infringing products, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/CFtjD). It's the latest volley in the Apple-Samsung legal battle. In April Samsung filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the U.S. firm's iPhone and iPad after Apple claimed Samsung's smartphones and tablets "slavishly" copied its products. This followed an...
Jun 20
Apple not among list of influential companies in India
Indian company directors, government ministers, charity leaders and newspaper editors were asked to identify companies they believed to be "thought leaders", defined as businesses that change the attitudes and behavior of customers, employees or other stakeholders. And Apple didn't make the cut. The TLG consultancy, which commissioned the survey of over 300 opinion leaders, told "The Register" (http://macte.ch/Qm5Ik) there could be a number of reasons why Apple was struggling to crack India. Among them: a lack of 3G network in India and a preference among Indian consumers for pre-paid phone cards, "which does not fit well with Apple's fixed contracts."
Jun 20
Paper Munchers Nom Nom Noms comes to the Mac
Big Blue Bubble (http://www.bigbluebubble.com) has unleashed Paper Munchers 1.0, a physics-based game, for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or later). It's available for US$3.99 at the Mac App Store. Here's how the game is described: "Explode your way through five worlds and 75 levels of munching mayhem. Paper Munchers is packed full of explosive physics, unique characters, and five worlds with a whole feast of new content to come. "That's right, the Paper Munchers are here and they're hungry! It's up to you to make sure they get fed. Use the explosive power of your touch to match deliciously cute monsters with the ferocious mouths of the Paper Munchers. That's right, Paper Munchers gives you an arsenal of bombs to launch those delicious monsters into the jaws of the malicious maws.
Jun 20
Line Art available for the Mac, iPhone
Kc8 (http://www.kc8.co.uk/) has introduced Line Ar(X) 1.0, a game available on the Mac, iPhone and, soon, the iPad. The goal of the game is to aim, fire and get your ball to the target goal. However, the game progresses with new obstacles and challenges throughout to keep your brain ticking, according to the folks at Kc8. Line Ar(X) has 64 levels and an original soundtrack created especially for the game. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher for the Mac version and iOS 3.0 or later on the iPhone. The OS X and iOS versions are US$0.99 each.
Jun 20
Wiley introduces new instructional Books forthe iPad/iPad 2
To help users learn about the iPad and get the most from the device, Wiley is introducing a series of new instructional books. Following is a list of the titles and their descriptions.   ° "Teach Yourself VISUALLY iPad 2" (ISBN: 978-1-118-05415-4, coming in July): "Teach Yourself VISUALLY iPad 2 is perfectly suited to an audience of users accustomed to an operating system driven by visual cues and tactile interface. The book covers all the features unique to the iPad as well as syncing the iPad with other devices and services to provide a connected and omnipresent user experience. This book includes all the latest information on how to access and download books, apps, music and video content, as well as send photos and emails, and effectively use the multi-touch display. Teach Yourself VISUALLY iPad 2 is written by Lonzell Watson, an Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Professional and Certified Avid Express Pro user."   ° "iPad 2 Portable Genius" (ISBN: 978-1-118-00412-8, now available): "...
Jun 20
Worms Special Edition available for pre-order at Macgamestore
Worms Special Edition for the Mac is now available for pre-order from the Macgamestore online store (http://www.macgamestore.com). It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and costs US$9.99. Here's how the game is described: "The turn-based comic mayhem is back in Worms Special Edition for Mac. In a game of Worms, each player takes turns to pick off their opponents’ worms using a host of crazy weapons and crafty tactics. Worms die if they lose all of their health, or if they drown in the water. The last player standing when the dust settles is declared the winner! "Worms Special Edition features up to four player offline multi-player destruction, a raft of crazy new and classic Worms weapons, all new high-definition landscape themes, new landscape editor, new play modes, hats, forts, skins and speech banks. To top it all off, there is also a highly-involving Worms single-player experience with tutorials, deathmatches, races, fort games and puzzles. The game is also packed with...
Jun 20
360Works releases DocuBin Enterprise Edition for Mac OS X
360Works has released DocuBin Enterprise Edition. It allows users to access documents from any platform while on-the-go. WebDAV allows you to connect to DocuBin from your Mac OS X or Windows system as if you were connecting to a shared folder or mapped drive. The Web client allows you to access your DocuBin files from any web browser. In addition, dozens of applications for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), and Android support, WebDAV allows you to browse and edit Microsoft Office or PDF documents on your mobile device before saving them back into DocuBin. DocuBin is a document management (DMS) and digital asset management (DAM) software package offering a single, structured location for all documents and files that your organization needs to keep track of. DocuBin's pricing starts at US$295 for single users and $1,800 for 10-user workgroups. DocuBin Enterprise Edition starts at $2,700 for 10-user workgroups and isn't available for single users. Discounts are available for educational...
Jun 20
Boom explodes onto the Mac App Store
Boom, a volume boosting app for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher), is now available on the Mac App Store. Boom can greatly boost the volume of your Mac so that you have a better audio experience while playing games, watching movies, watching online videos on YouTube, listening to music, and during Skype calls. It can also boost the volume of the music and video files in your iTunes playlist and automatically sync it back. See our review at http://macte.ch/zBdDp. Boom 1.1 is now available on the Mac App Store with an "early bird" pricing of US4.99 for a week. A 7-day free trial is available for evaluation at the product web site (http://www.globaldelight.com/boom/).
Jun 20
VeprIT Photo Sense 1.5.1 improves automatic image processing...
VeprIT has released Photo Sense 1.5.1, a new version of its photo enhancement software for Mac OS X and iOS. The upgrade improves automatic image processing results. It's also faster and has new creative effects. Version 1.5.1 additionally provides extended input image format support. Photo Sense lets you: ° Automatically apply professional image enhancement techniques to multiple photos; ° Compare photos before and after processing, and choose which ones to save; ° Adjust processing options for selected photos to improve automatic results; ° Improve the composition by cropping and straightening; ° Apply various creative effects; ° Speed up the workflow by copying and pasting processing options, effects and crop and straighten settings between images; ° Convert image formats and resize (downsample) images. Photo Sense can also be used as a batch image converter/resizer (down-sampler). For images of the same size, it can even be used to perform batch image cropping and straightening....
Jun 20
Black Cat Systems releases Audio Toolbox 2.0.3
Black Cat Systems has released version 2.0.3 of Audio Toolbox
(http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/audiotoolbox.html). This version fixes bugs that can cause problems when trying to play different waveforms at the same time. Audio Toolbox is an audio function generator for the Mac. Using no
 additional hardware, you can produce sine, square, triangle, and
 sawtooth waveforms of any frequency up to 22 kHz, as well as generate
noise. Audio Toolbox can be used to create all sorts of sound effects. You
 have full control over the frequency, type and volume of each sound
produced. You can generate up to 13 different waveforms. Each waveform can be routed to either the left or right channel, or to both. The amplitude of each waveform may be adjusted, as well as the volume on each channel, which is a mix of any 
waveforms routed to that channel. In addition, there's a sweep generator, Super, for producing "Whoop
Whoop" sounds, sirens, and more. Generated sounds can be saved as
WAVE...
Jun 20
SideFolders for Mac OS X updated to version 1.4
Code529 has announced SideFolders 1.4, an update to its file management utility for Mac OS X (10.6 and higher). It's available for US$4.99 at the Mac App Store in the Utilities category. A 14-day trial version is available on the SideFolders website (http://code529.com/sidefolders.html). SideFolders hides itself on the left or right side of the screen and pops up when users moves their mouse to the edge of the screen, giving them instant access to all their files and folders. Besides showing all devices and favorite places, the user can add files and folders so they can be accessed instantly, as well as access to files they recently worked with or downloaded. In version 1.4, a global hotkey can be set in the preferences for showing/hiding SideFolders. There's as new Lock button in the upper corner to lock a window in the open position. SideFolders 1.4 also adds a recent applications folder and a status bar menu.
Jun 20
Monotype Imaging adds new font collections
Monotype Imaging has introduced more than 500 Web fonts to its Fonts.com Web Fonts offering, now featuring more than 11,000 Web fonts. New fonts include selections from three type foundries recently added to Fonts.com Web Fonts: Omnibus, Emboss Fonts and the Tour de Force Font Foundry. In addition, the Klint Rounded typeface has been added from Monotype Imaging’s Linotype Library, as well as ITC fonts featuring extended character sets for supporting multiple languages. Among the ITC additions is the ITC Avant Garde Gothic face, the iconic sans serif design based on the logo for Avant Garde magazine, popular in the late 60s and early 70s in the New York advertising and editorial art communities. New additions from Omnibus include more than 250 typefaces, including the Vega family by designer Franko Luin, who describes his design as a free interpretation of 16th and 17th century typefaces, suitable for books and other text settings in addition to the Web. New from Stephen Boss’s Emboss...
Jun 18
WWDC Interview: HansaWorld
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and Erik Elmgren of HansaWorld at WWDC. Erik was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 17
Business, education pricing of Lion announced
Apple has released details (http://macte.ch/SkX46) on business and education purchases of Mac OS X Lion. At the recent Worldwide Developer Conference, it was announced that Lion would cost US$29 and be sold exclusively at the Mac App Store, which concerned some folks who need multiple installations. Business customers will be able to purchase Lion and Lion Server directly from Apple by contacting Apple at 1-‐800-‐854-‐3680 or through the Business Store at http://store.apple.com . Volume licenses will be available for $29.99 per licenses with a minimum purchase of 20 licenses. Maintenance contracts will be $49.99 with a minimum purchase of 20 licenses. Education customers will be able to purchase Lion and Lion Server through the Apple Education Licensing Program directly from Apple by contacting their Apple Education Account Representatives, or through the Education Store for their K–12 school, K–12 district, or Higher Education institution at http://store.apple.com. Lion will be...
Jun 17
WWDC Interview: Tethras
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and Brendan Clavin of Tethras at WWDC. Brendan was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 17
WWDC Interview: Houdah Software
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Brett Terpstra (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) and Pierre Bernard of Houdah Software sarl at WWDC. Pierre was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 17
Almost 10% of those in survey use iTunes for online video...
Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney polled Web users last week and found that most (69.2%) depended on YouTube for their video watching, though 9.8% listed iTunes as a source for their online videos, reports "All Things D" (http://macte.ch/bqsPJ). FaceBook tallied 27.1%, Netflix 24.5%, Hulu 22.5% and Amazon 7.3%. As Mahaney notes, these numbers also point out just how much potential YouTube has if it ever gets serious about pay-to-play video. Mahaney is also a bit puzzled to see how prominently Facebook figures in his survey, says "All Things D."
Jun 17
Average US smartphone data usage up 89%
According to Nielsen’s (http://www.nielsen.com) monthly analysis of cellphone bills for 65,000-plus lines, smartphone owners -- especially those with iPhones and Android devices -- are consuming more data than ever before on a per-user basis.  This has huge implications for carriers since the proportion of smartphone owners is also increasing dramatically, according to the research group.  (Currently, 37% of all mobile subscribers in the United States have smartphones.) In just the last 12 months, the amount of data the average smartphone user consumes per month has grown by 89% from 230MB in Q1 2010 to 435MB in Q1 2011. A look at the distribution of data consumption is even more shocking: data usage for the top 10% of smartphone users is up 109% while the top 1% has grown their usage by an astonishing 155% from 1.8GB in Q1 2010 to over 4.6GB in Q1 2011, according to Nielsen. Growth in smartphone data usage is clearly being driven by app-friendly operating systems like Apple’s iOS...
Jun 17
Apple amends complaint against Samsung
On Thursday Apple amended and expanded its complaint against Samsung, asserting more patents and other intellectual property rights than before against an extended list of allegedly infringing products, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/CFtjD). It's the latest volley in the Apple-Samsung legal battle. In April Samsung filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the U.S. firm's iPhone and iPad after Apple claimed Samsung's smartphones and tablets "slavishly" copied its products. This followed an Apple lawsuit filed on April 15 in the U.S. that claimed Samsung's mobile phones and Galaxy Tab "slavishly" copied the iPhone and iPad. The lawsuit, filed April 15 in US District Court in Northern California, alleges Samsung copied the look, product design and product user interface of Apple's products. Samsung violated Apple's patents and trademarks, the suit alleges. The Samsung counter-lawsuits didn't directly respond to the Apple suit. Rather they accused Apple of violating patents...
Jun 17
Ideaworks3D serves up Marmalade brand, services
Mobile application pioneer Ideaworks3D Limited has announced a new brand umbrella for its native, cross-platform SDK (software development kit) and cross-platform application development and distribution services, Marmalade (http://www.madewithmarmalade.com/) Also immediately available is Marmalade 5.0, the SDK that allows developers to write apps in standard C++ and deploy from this single code base as native applications to iOS, Android, WebOS and a range of other platforms. The new version incorporates an Extensions Development Kit (EDK) for developers to access any native APIs (application programming interfaces) they choose on iOS and Android, adding to features including multi-threading.  While hard core cross-platform development has traditionally been the purview of specialist developers and large publishers, the mobile application development market is developing very rapidly. Tens of thousands of application developers now want to deploy their apps to multiple operating...
Jun 17
APA, American Airlines testing iPads with electronic charting...
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), the certified collective bargaining agent for the 11,000 pilots of American Airlines says the carrier has begun final testing of iPads equipped with electronic-charting functionality. “Last year American Airlines became the first carrier authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to use iPads as electronic flight bags for pilots,” says First Officer Hank Putek, a member of the APA Safety Committee who has led the union’s efforts to develop and deploy EFBs. “American Airlines has now become the first to deploy iPads with an electronic-charting solution.” Electronic charting provides pilots with a digital image of their flight route. The final testing phase is a prelude to FAA approval of the devices to serve as Class 1 Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) during all phases of flight. “By eliminating bulky flight bags filled with paper, EFBs mean less weight for pilots to carry, reducing the possibility of injury on duty,” Putek says. “In addition,...
Jun 17
Kangaroo leather cases hope onto the iPad 2
Arnold Aranez (http://www.aranez.com/) has launched the first of a series of tablet and smartphone cases made from genuine kangaroo leather. The initial offering is an US$199.95 case for the iPad 2. The Aranez iPad 2 Notebook Kangaroo Leather Case has a professional slim notebook design that affords easy access to charging ports, buttons, and camera, says Aranez. It includes a business card holder and a foldout lap-stand, and comes with Aranez Leather Conditioner and a micro-fiber cleaning kit. Designed to hold the iPad 2 securely, the case is made of genuine Australian kangaroo leather, accented by synthetic silver stitching. For those concerned about the welfare of the 'roos, Aranez explains that the kangaroos aren't killed for the leather. The K-Leather used in the Aranez cases is a byproduct of strategic harvesting instituted by the Australian government to help control the kangaroo population in Australia, particularly in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Western...
Jun 17
Acclivity releases AccountEdge Basic for Mac
Acclivity has announced AccountEdge Basic for Mac. Their new small business accounting application creates sales, manages banking and customers, runs over 85 reports and integrates with many of Acclivity’s other small business apps and services. AccountEdge Basic makes use of AccountEdge’s command center. The sales command center allows for the creation of customizable quotes, orders, and invoices. A complete accounts receivable tracking system lets you know who owes you money and how overdue they are, according to Acclivity Managing Partner Tom Nash. In the banking command center, checks can be written, bank deposits prepared, and accounts reconciled. The card file tracks customer, employee, and vendor information, and syncs with Address Book. AccountEdge Basic works with many services and add-on applications offered by Acclivity, including Merchant Account Service, Full Service Payroll, and Enstore. Integration with AccountEdge Mobile is awaiting App Store approval and is expected...
Jun 17
Tipard releases Blu-ray Converter for the Mac
Tipard has released Blu-ray Converter for Mac, a versatile Mac Blu-ray ripper that can remove DRM protections from your Blu-ray disc. After that, users can easily convert any Blu-ray movie to a variety of video and audio formats on Mac. You'll be able to save the ripped Blu-ray movie in files that can be viewed on the iPad 2, iPhone, and other portable devices. In addition, with video editing functions, Blu-ray Converter for the Mac can help adjust brightness, saturation, contrast, hue and the volume for the output video. Users can trim or crop any source video and add a text or image watermark to videos to create personalized video. Blu-ray Converter for the Mac requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. It costs US$50; a demo is available at the product web site (http://www.tipard.com/blu-ray-converter-for-mac).
Jun 17
O'Reilly Media publishes 'Programming iOS 4'
O'Reilly Media has released "Programming iOS 4" (US$49.99), a book that digs into Cocoa, Objective-C and Xcode. "The book is aimed primarily at the intelligent reader who may know something about programming but has never programmed for iPhone before," says author Matt Neuberg. "Without a clear understanding of the basic linguistic and framework underpinnings of the iPhone API, you'll eventually be flailing. This book trains the attentive student into a knowledgeable, aware iPhone programmer, from the bottom up." Topics covered include: ° Objective-C language details and object-oriented programming concepts; ° The anatomy of an Xcode project and all the stages of its lifecycle; ° Key Cocoa concepts such as relationships between classes, receiving events, and model-view-controller architecture; ° How how views are managed, drawn, composited, and animated; ° Using Cocoa frameworks for sound, video, sensors, maps, and more; ° Advanced topics such as threading and networking; ° ...
Jun 17
Slakinov Games launches Space Rubbish on the Mac App Store
Indie developer Jonathan Mulcahy has introduced A Long Way Home 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. The game is available at the Mac App Store for US$1.99. Here's how the game is described: "You have been stranded 100 light years from Earth, can you survive the long way home? A Long Way Home is an action-physics-puzzle game set in space. Making you way through 100 levels across 10 stages you must jump from asteroid to asteroid collecting enough dark matter to open a portal to the next level.
Jun 17
A Long Way Home arrives for the Mac
Indie developer Jonathan Mulcahy has introduced A Long Way Home 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. The game is available at the Mac App Store for US$1.99. Here's how the game is described: "You have been stranded 100 light years from Earth, can you survive the long way home? A Long Way Home is an action-physics-puzzle game set in space. Making you way through 100 levels across 10 stages you must jump from asteroid to asteroid collecting enough dark matter to open a portal to the next level.
Jun 17
Colin McRae: DIRT 2 driving onto the Mac next month
Feral Interactive (http://www.feralinteractive.com) says Colin McRae: DiRT2, an off-road racing experience, will drive onto the Mac on Thursday, July 2. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.7 or later and can be pre-ordered for US$40. Here's how the game is described; "Colin McRae: DiRT 2 takes racing on the Mac to a whole new level. Nine stunning locations across the globe, a challenging career mode and a top-notch line-up of super-charged speed machines combine aggressively to deliver spectacular, nerve-shattering racing. "With more than 100 separate race events DiRT 2 puts players behind the wheel for a world tour that combines sublime handling, gorgeous visuals and dynamic competition in eight different racing disciplines. From the mud-soaked Malaysian rainforest to the open desert roads of Morocco and on to the rain-slick streets of Tokyo, racers compete in a variety of contemporary sports racing styles including three special ESPN X Games. Additionally, DiRT 2 lets players experience...
Jun 17
Raskin for Mac OS X gets Light Table view
Raskin Software (http://raskinformac.com/) has updated its self-titled Raskin application -- a zoomable single surface Finder alternative for the Mac -- to version 1.5. The upgrade adds a Light Table view for ad hoc presentations or as a dedicated review space. It also adds the ability to auto-open (drag and drop pictures and text straight into a layout document) and autofocus while dragging items. Raskin 1.5 has a new “Focus” menu and shortcut menu. There are also additional personalization options and performance optimizations (such as lower CPU and RAM usage). Raskin requires Mac OS X 10.6.3 or higher. It's available for US$48.99 at the Mac App Store or the Raskin Software web site (http://www.raskininformac.com). A 30-day demo is available for download at the latter. Raskin 1.5 is a free update for registered users.
Jun 17
DJ Cable released for iOS devices
Griffin Technology and algoriddim have teamed up for the US$19.99 DJ Cable (http://macte.ch/nz8c3) for iOS devices. It's designed specifically to work with algoriddim’s for djay app for the iPad and djay for iPhone and iPod touch. Users can take advantage of the Split Output mode, which cues upcoming songs through headphones, independently of the live mix that is sent through the speakers. This is the perfect solution for DJs on-the-go using headphones to preview and prepare the next song to ensure the audience can groove to the playlist, according to Griffin President Mark Rowan. The DJ Cable offers a unique experience for beginners and professionals alike turning any social event into the ultimate dance party, he adds. Using djay, users can mix songs directly from the iTunes library on a dual-turntable interface. You can perform live, record mixes on-the-go or enable Automix mode.
Jun 17
Trainz Simulator roars onto the Mac
Trainz Simulator for Mac is now available as a digital download from the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com). It costs US$49.95 and requires Mac OS X 0.5 or later. Here's how the game is described: "Trainz Simulator for Mac includes everything you need to build and operate your own dream railroad. You can build a fun layout in minutes, faithfully recreate a steam railroad from days gone by or develop a fully fledged 100 mile prototypical route; the choice is yours. All three models of Trainz, Driver, Surveyor and Railyard, is included with this release."

Jun 17
TidBits Publishing publishes 'Speeding Up Your Mac'
TidBITS Publishing says author Joe Kissell has completed his Mac Fitness book trilogy with the release of "Take Control of Speeding Up Your Mac" (US$15), which joins the new second edition of "Take Control of Troubleshooting Your Mac" and the recently revised "Take Control of Maintaining Your Mac." The 196-page "Take Control of Speeding Up Your Mac" is a compendium of detailed explanations, specific directions, and tips for testing and tuning a Mac. In it, Kissell explains how each component of a Mac contributes to its performance, and shows where bottlenecks can appear that can cause a previously swift machine to bog down with the dreaded spinning pizza of death cursor. Kissell provides answers to questions like the following: What are the eight quickest fixes for Mac performance problems? Which common claims about Mac performance are myths? How can I objectively measure my Mac's performance? Which popular Mac OS X features have hidden (and severe) speed penalties? What are the best...
Jun 17
ATC-NY releases Dropbox Reader forensics tool
ATC-NY has released a new, free forensics tool called Dropbox Reader. It's a collection of command-line Python scripts to aid cyber investigators in reading evidence files associated with the Dropbox cloud storage software. These tools can run on Mac, Windows and Linux systems. With Dropbox Reader, you can acquire information about the registered Dropbox account, shared directories, and synchronized files. For more information or to download this utility, go to http://www.cybermarshal.com/index.php/cyber-marshal-utilities .
Jun 17
FotoMagico for Mac OS X revved to version 3.8
Boinx Software (http://www.boinx.com) has released version 3.8 of FotoMagico, the slideshow creation tool for Mac OS X. The upgrade boasts some under-the-hood improvements and audio playback enhancements. FotoMagico is a storytelling tool for digital photographers and video editors. It allows you to create customized slideshows, mixing photos with movies and audio. FotoMagico 3.8 Pro for the Mac is available for US$139.99. A multi-license package is also available for $269. The update to FotoMagico 3.8 is free of charge for existing FotoMagico 3.x owners at their current license levels. A built-in assistant will guide users through the process of acquiring the proper license. Existing FotoMagico 2.x owners at their current license levels can upgrade to FotoMagico 3.8 Pro for $89.
Jun 16
WWDC Interview: blueHula Studios
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Victor Agreda, Jr. (Editor-in-Chief, The Unofficial Apple Weblog) and Craig Vanderzwaag of blueHula Studios at WWDC. Craig was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 16
Top web sites cater more to the iPad than Android tablets
The top 500 Web sites are catering more to the iPad than they are to Android tablets, according to tests by Blaze Software. Part of the problem for Android tablets is that many of these top sites as listed by Alexa send the same pages that they would send to an Android phone, which results in less rich, text-heavy pages that don't take advantage of the 10-inch tablet screens, Blaze tells "NetworkWorld" (http://macte.ch/dIKn1). Of those sites that have pages designed for Android tablets, only 16% send pages customized for Android tablets, and the rest send pages designed for Android phones, the study says. By contrast, 92% of the sites that have an iPhone customized page also have an iPad-customized page or an iOS desktop-customized page, according to Blaze.
Jun 16
Apple sued for use of 'iBooks'
Another day, another lawsuit. New York publisher John T. Colby filed a lawsuit against Apple in the Manhattan U.S. District Court on Thursday for trademark infringement over its use of the term "iBooks," reports "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/kPKnt). In 2006 and 2007, Colby bought the assets of various entities owned by New York publisher Byron Preiss, who had published more than 1,000 hardcover and paperback books under the “ibooks” name starting in September 1999, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Wednesday. Apple has a trademark on the name “IBOOK” for computers and once sold a personal computer known as the “iBook,” according to the lawsuit. However, Apple never used the term as a designation for electronic books or an application for the delivery of electronic books until it began selling the iPad in April 2010, Colby said in the lawsuit.
Jun 16
J. P. Morgan: MacBook Air could be a $3 billion biz
J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz tells clients in a note -- as reported by "CNN Money" (http://macte.ch/Z50CD) -- says he sees the MacBook Air as an US$3 billion business for Apple. Apple shipped 432,000 MacBook Air units in the first quarter of 2011, and Moskowitz expects that to grow to an average 700,000 units over the next four quarters. At an average selling price of US$1,500, that's $3.22 billion a year, which could tack another $0.30 on Apple's earnings per share. A new rev of the MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt technology is expected any day now. "In our view, the MacBook Air increasingly will be recognized as offering users tablet-like functionality -- ultra-portability, thinness, and instant-on -- while offering an integrated keyboard and a full computing applications suite to complete professional work-related tasks," Moskowitz says. "Given the underwhelming performance of the non-Apple tablets in the tablet market so far, we expect more PC...
Jun 16
WWDC Interview: AssistiveWare
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and David Niemeijer of AssistiveWare at WWDC. David was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Jun 16
Apple announces back-to-school promo
Apple has announced its back-to-school promotion. From June 16 through Sept. 20, if students and faculty members buy a new Mac, they'll get a US$100 Back to School Card to use with the Mac App Store. And that's on top of the education discounts for the Macs. Also, you can use the Back to School Card on the iTunes Store, the Apple App Store and the iBookstore. For more info go to http://macte.ch/alAC3 .
Jun 16
Apple revamping its Fifth Avenue Big Apple store
An "expensive" construction project has begun at the Fifth Avenue Apple retail store in New York City to completely remove the iconic glass cube entrance to the store and to then reinstall it, reports "ifoAppleStore" (http://www.ifoapplestore.com). Permits issued by the city’s Department of Buildings confirm the company will spend US$6,661,050 to completely remove the glass and its connection hardware, make upgrades to the surrounding plaza structure, and then “reinstall” the cube. "ifoAppleStore" says there's no indication of why the cube is being replaced, either because of safety concerns or simply to upgrade it to current technology. It’s also not clear if the glass panels or the TriPyramid Structures Inc. hardware will be be replaced with new, upgraded versions, the article adds.
Jun 16
Beacon Universal Remote Control System made for iOS devices
Griffin Technology and Dijit Media have partnered to create the Beacon Universal Remote Control System -- a wireless AV controller that when paired with an iOS device enables complete control over the entire home entertainment system. Beacon transforms iPhones and other iOS devices into an "easy-to-use, never-lost remote for home entertainment systems," says Matt Brown, director of Product Development at Griffin. It converts Bluetooth signals from iOS device into infrared signals required to control AV components. Beacon connects compatible iOS device via Bluetooth with Dijit’s free Universal Remote App. The iOS device’s MultiTouch screen display becomes the remote with Dijit’s Intuitive Program Guide, allowing users to change channels, volume, input, program DVR and more. Dijit App uses a constantly updated device code library for setting up controls for a TV, set-top box, sound system, media player and more. For components not yet included in Dijit’s library, the app also includes...
Jun 16
Tripp Lite offers new ECO-Surge Suppressors
Tripp Lite, a manufacturer of power protection equipment, has introduced two new ECO-Surge Suppressors (models TLP74TG and TLP78TUSBG) with timer-controlled outlet banks. Designed for corporate and home office use, these new surge suppressors feature two separate outlet banks, enabling users to set the exact time at which devices are turned on and off, based on time of day and day of the week. Timer-controlled outlets reduce phantom loads by cutting AC power to unused peripherals, according to the folks at Tripp Lite. The ECO-Surge Suppressors sport two separate banks of programmable outlets with 20 timer options. They have seven outlets with one designated transformer outlet. Model TLP78TUSBG features two USB charging ports (2.0 amps) for USB tablets, MP3 players and smartphones. For more info and pricing go to http://macte.ch/MSwcy .
Jun 16
Joy Factory releases iPod 2 mounting accessories
The Joy Factory has unveiled a suite of digital companion products to complement the iPad 2. A series of carbon fiber mounting systems, which range from a new C-Clamp to specialty Tripod-Compatible Mount, and iPad 2-Compatible Valet and Tournez line, allow users to stay active and engaged with their smart tablets in their daily lives, says Joy Factory President Sampson Yang. The products include: ° Valet Carbon Fiber iPad2 Auto Mounting Systems -- The Valet iPad seat bolt mount and headrest mounting system from The Joy Factory allows users to maximize navigation or entertainment features of the iPad 2 on the go. The seat bolt mount offers front seat passenger hands-free convenience to use their iPad 2 for navigation. The flagship Valet also offers a headrest mount that attaches to the back of the front passenger or driver seat in any car, truck or SUV. Passengers can rotate their iPad 2 in the case a full 360 degrees for landscape or portrait viewing. Both mounts offer an adjustable...
Jun 16
Automated soundtrack plug-ins announced for Premiere Pro, After...
SmartSound Software (http://www.SmartSound.com) has announced two new Sonicfire Pro Plug-ins for Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and Adobe After Effects CS5.5 software. The new plug-ins enable a music production workflow, allowing Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects users to choose from thousands of customizable tracks and set the length, mix and arrangement in a process started directly from within their Adobe applications. They're Mac and Windows compatible. Royalty-free music tracks, selected from among the thousands of SmartSound soundtracks available, are automatically fitted to exact video length and allow the user to quickly adjust the mood and arrangement to the action of the video as it changes, according to Milos Karovic, vice president of Product Engineering at SmartSound Software. Sonicfire Pro’s Smart Recall feature is built into every soundtrack so it can be edited and fine tuned, starting from within the Adobe applications. Sonicfire Pro Plug-in for Adobe Premiere Pro...
Jun 16
Graphic Node offers iWork add-ons at the Mac App Store
Graphic Node (http://www.graphicnode.com) says an entire suite of its template and image applications -- including iWork add-ons -- is now available at the Mac App Store. Among the numerous applications from Graphic Node, the Mac App Store features Templates Pro for Pages, Templates for Numbers, People Clipart, the Stills collection of 700 illustrations, and all four pieces of Keynote Quartet: Motion Themes, Still Themes, Motion Backgrounds, and Animations. These applications are tailored for use in presentations, spreadsheets, brochures, posters, newsletters, movies, Web pages, and other content. All eight applications feature preview screens. With one or two clicks, users can open their preferred products in their respective programs or save all items in any location on their hard drive. The Graphic Node add-ons require Mac OS X 10.6 or later. Apple iWork '08 or later is required for Templates Pro for Pages, Templates for Numbers, Stills, Motion Themes, Still Themes, Motion...
 

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B&H has Apple’s 13-inch M2 MacBook Airs o...
B&H Photo has 13″ MacBook Airs with M2 CPUs and 256GB of storage in stock and on sale for up to $150 off Apple’s new MSRP, starting at only $849. Free 1-2 day delivery is available to most US... Read more
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B&H Photo has Apple’s M2-powered Mac minis back in stock and on sale today for $100-$200 off MSRP. Free 1-2 day shipping is available for most US addresses: – Mac mini M2/256GB SSD: $499, save $... Read more
Mac Studios with M2 Max and M2 Ultra CPUs on...
B&H Photo has standard-configuration Mac Studios with Apple’s M2 Max & Ultra CPUs in stock today and on Easter sale for $200 off MSRP. Their prices are the lowest available for these models... Read more
Deal Alert! B&H Photo has Apple’s 14-inch...
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Department Of Justice Sets Sights On Apple In...
NEWS – The ball has finally dropped on the big Apple. The ball (metaphorically speaking) — an antitrust lawsuit filed in the U.S. on March 21 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) — came down following... Read more
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Amazon has Apple’s new 13″ M3 MacBook Air on sale for $100 off MSRP for the first time, now just $999 shipped. Shipping is free: – 13″ MacBook Air (8GB RAM/256GB SSD/Space Gray): $999 $100 off MSRP... Read more
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B&H has Apple’s base 13″ M1 MacBook Air (Space Gray, Silver, & Gold) in stock and on clearance sale today for $300 off MSRP, only $699. Free 1-2 day shipping is available to most addresses in... Read more

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