REALbasic styled text-to-HTML solution gets update
The PandaWare Company (http://www.pandaware.com) has released version 2.0 of its PWStyleHTMLField classes for REALbasic. The update offers improvements for creating email messages that contain non-ASCII text.
Sending HTML emails with embedded images is one of the features of PWStyleHTMLField. Now it sends messages that render properly in email clients that are less robust at handling content and subject lines with non-ASCII characters.
Developers can download a free compiled demo application that demonstrates the capabilities of PWStyleHTMLField. The application is available in Mac OS X, Windows and Linux versions. Developers can also request a time-limited demo project for testing in their own Real Studio or REALbasic projects. Licenses for using PWStyleHTMLField in compiled applications are US$50.
New lawsuit accuses Apple retail store of racism, gender bias
A new lawsuit against Apple and one of its senior retail store managers accuses Apple of racism and gender bias when it comes to promotions, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).
The case stems from the Apple retail store located at the St. Louis Galleria in St. Louis, Missouri. Plaintiff Barbara J. DuBose has accused Apple and the senior store manager, Robert Proffer, of race and gender discrimination and retaliation.
DuBose was a part-time employee who says she applied for full-time positions and was denied, even as other new hires were brought into the St. Louis store. She says that in late 2010, the store had more than 100 workers and only eight of them black, and two of those eight full-time workers, notes "AppleInsider."
"I've been part-time at Apple for three years and there has never been a minority to be promoted to any higher paying position," DuBose wrote in the complaint, written in the first person.
-- Dennis Sellers
Apple leads in customer service expectations and delivery
Computers have become a standard appliance in most households, and Apple is the leader across the buying experience -- though Dell and HP are not far behind, according to a new report from the Temkin Group (http://www.temkingroup.com/), a customer experience research and consulting firm.
The report compares the customer satisfaction of the leading computer suppliers in five stages of the consumers buying process. It also examines influences and decision factors on the consumer buying decision by major computer manufacturers. The Temkin Group finds that Apple consumers care more about customer service than PC buyers, consumers that buy PCs directly from the manufacturer are more satisfied than those that buy at a retailer and Best Buy employees are more helpful than those at other retailers.
Apple’s largest satisfaction gap with PC makers shows up in customer service and the smallest gaps are with the buying process and with the computer itself, says the research group. HP and Dell are...
ComScore: Apple has 26.6% of US smartphone market
ComScore (http://www.comscore.com), a company that "measures the digital world," has released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending May 2011.
Approximately 77 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in May 2011, up 11% from the preceding three-month period. Google Android ranked as the top operating system with 38.1% of U.S. smartphone subscribers, up 5.1 percentage points. Apple strengthened its #2 position with 26.6% of the smartphone market, up 1.4 percentage points. RIM ranked third with 24.7% share, followed by Microsoft (5.8%) and Palm (2.4%).
The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.8% market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 38.1% market share.
Lodsys files patent infringement lawsuit against more companies
Lodsys has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in East Texas against the very six companies -- including "The New York Times" -- who previously filed declaratory judgment actions against Lodsys in other jurisdictions, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/19F8p), a web site that covers software patent news and issues.
Last month Apple went to court against Lodsys, one of several so-called "patent trolls" that have been filing infringement suits against developers too small and poor to pay the legal fees it costs to fight them, notes "Fortune" (http://macte.ch/WuXTA). The patents in the iOS brouhaha were two that Apple claims it had already licensed on behalf of its developers.
In May Lodsys filed suit against seven developers for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The patent holding firm has been targeting small iOS developers with notices of patent infringement for providing in-app purchase and/or Apple App Store purchase links within...
Customers' views on tablets are overwhelmingly positive
Customers’ views on tablets are overwhelming positive. DigitalMR measured over a quarter-million positive comments for tablet devices from January to June, compared with just over 100,000 negative ones.
Apple has a commanding 48% share of these positive comments and 52% of the smaller group of negative comments. Next placed is Motorola with 16% of positive mentions and 18% of negative.
DigitalMR’s analysis (powered by SocialNuggets) is based on comments posted via a range of relevant websites and open access social media platforms. It measures not only the number of comments posted by consumers on the Internet, but also their sentiment -- whether posts are positive or negative in nature.
“Tablets seem to have launched on a wave of consumer optimism and currently the iPad is dominating online conversation," says Managing Director of DigitalMR Michalis Michael. "It is critical for brands to leverage their goodwill online, to create greater impact as the battle for second place...
Analyst: iTunes, App Store to grow at 39% over next three years
Apple's iTunes, iBookstore and Apple App Store is expected to grow at a rate of about 39% over the next three years and may contribute about US$13 billion in revenues in fiscal 2013, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdry tells clients in a note, as reported by the "International Business Times" (http://macte.ch/YgjTf).
In addition, the analyst adjusted his estimates on Apple to reflect a strong back to school sales of Macs. He's also expecting market share wins of Apple in the enterprise.
For the third quarter, Chowdhry now expects revenues of $24.80 billion and earnings of $5.81 a share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 58% and 65%, respectively. Wall Street expects Apple to earn $5.69 a share on revenue of $24.67 billion, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
Apple Hacked?
Posted by Greg Mills
Normally, when you read the term "Apple Hacked" Steve Jobs has his undies in a twist over something, someone's head is going to roll and Apple's attorneys are preparing to sue someone. This time, it appears there has been criminal access to iTunes accounts by a hacker or group of hackers.
While Apple to my knowledge hasn't confirmed the breech, blogs with numerous users complaining that iTunes Gift Cards accounts have been stolen have popped up over the weekend. While reports of user names and passwords being posted on line have been published, other sites state that only encrypted information has leaked.
Normally, companies that have security breeches don't say much, Apple is even more unlikely to acknowledge security issues in its servers. Keep in mind, we are just days away from Lion being launched and the iCloud form of computer information management being pushed.
Security at Apple is so much better than most computer systems, the vulnerability of even...
Apple ordering 15 million iPhone 5s?
Taiwan-based notebook maker Pegatron Technology is estimated to have landed orders for 15 million iPhone 5s from Apple and is set to start shipping them in September, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/iD50d), quoting unnamed "upstream component makers."
Due to its cooperation with Apple for the iPhone 4, in 2010 Pegatron expanded its plants, human power and equipment aiming satisfy the orders for 10 million CDMA iPhone 4s, the article adds. However, since the Apple's CDMA iPhone 4 sales were lower than expected in the first quarter of 2011, Pegatron shipped less than four million CDMA iPhone 4s, causing the company's utilization rate to drop to only 50% with its gross margin also drop to 1.8% in the quarter, says "DigiTimes."
HP's clunky new TouchPad widely panned
Posted by Greg Mills
As I read the "hands on reviews" by tech news writers on HP's new "TouchPad" the comparison with iPad is obligatory. Just as consumers compare all tablet computers to iPad for price, features and Apps, tech reviewers do the same thing.
At the end of the day, what you get for your money is the moving factor in the marketplace. If you can get 80% of the value for half price, you might sell something that isn't that great. When you try to sell a flawed product at the exact same price point as the "gold standard product", you are just out of luck.
RIM has sold about 1/3 the RIM PlayBooks they expected to sell for very predictable reasons that also are dooming HP's new TouchPad. While sort of solid in hardware aspects, both devices fail to offer critical features and both support an OS platform without enough apps to appeal to consumers.
Successful platforms are a complicated multifaceted issue. Developers are smart people and won't support a platform that won...
DistinctDev to offer Moron Test for Mac, PC
DistinctDev says The Moron Test for the Mac and PC is now available exclusively at Amazon’s Game Download store (http://macte.ch/Lv0lD) for US$4.99. The Moron Test is the first exclusive offer from Amazon's Game Download store.
Amazon will be the only outlet to offer the Mac and PC versions of DistinctDev’s flagship game for the first two weeks following the launch on June 27. The game challenges users through of a series of "light-hearted and mind-bending" quizzes. An iOS version is available at the Apple App Store for US$0.99.
COGS now available at the Macgamestore
Lazy 8 Studios' COGS is now available at the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com) for US$9.95 and requires an Intel-based Mac.
Here's how the game is described: "In this award-winning puzzle game, you'll build beautiful mechanical contraptions from sliding tiles. Players can choose from 50+ levels and 3 gameplay modes. New puzzles are unlocked by building contraptions quickly and efficiently."
CheckUp optimized for Mac OS X Lion
App4Mac (http://macte.ch/4hEEi) has updated CheckUp, a Mac OS X tool for checking the health and monitoring the behavior of a Mac computer (even from a remote computer), to version 3.0. It's been optimized for the upcoming OS X Lion. Version 3 also sports a new interface and a modern core.
A user license of CheckUp costs approximately US$40 and can be installed on two computers. Version 3.0 is a free update for registered users. Discounts are available for education and volume licensing.
CheckUp Requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher and a Mac running an Intel processor. A trial version of CheckUp is available at the App4Mac web site.
CheckBook Pro adds support for split line items, more
Splasm Software has updated CheckBook Pro (http://www.splasm.com/checkbook/), its personal finance manager for the Mac, to version 2.2. The upgrade offers enhanced support for split line items throughout the app and a user-configurable data location.
Keyboard shortcuts for the main modes of the user interface as well as the Schedule Reminder will also be available in 2.2. What's more, with the advent of OS X Lion, older versions of Quicken will be going away.
CheckBook Pro 2.2 is being offered at a special low price of US$19.95 for a limited time. There's also a standard version for $14.95 that, unlike the pro version, doesn't track investment accounts, liability accounts, or use direct connect for online banking. Both require Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; Mac OS X 10.4 is recommended.
PacketStream for Mac OS X gets native Cocoa toolbar
Code by Kevin has released PacketStream 4.0 (http://www.codebykevin.com/packetstream.html), an update to its Macintosh network-monitoring program. The upgrade sports an improved appearance with a native Cocoa toolbar, enhanced documentation and some bug fixes.
PacketStream provides point-and-click activation of the Mac's built-in network monitoring program, which is usually available only from the command line. By clicking a few buttons, you can monitor data as it streams over your network. All network data is displayed in the application itself, and you can save the data to a file for further analysis later.
PacketStream is shareware. Licenses cost US$24.99 and a 30-day demo is available. The program requires Mac OS X 10.6 to run.
URL Extractor for Mac OS X updated to version 3.3.1
Tension Software has released URL Extractor 3.3.1 (http://pomola.com/products_urlextractor/urlextractor.html). It's a maintenance release with some bug fixes.
URL Extractor 3.3 adds additional utility commands for the URL table list and imports list of keywords from an external text file to use for search engine extraction point. There are additional utility commands for the keyword table list . Also, version 3.3 adds google.co.jp (japan) and google.cn (china) to the list of available search engine for search engine extraction.
URL Extractor is a Mac OS X app for extracting emails address and generic URLs from files on the HD or directly from the web using a list of "starting" web addresses and working unattended after the startup. You can retrieve and start search from web pages using keywords from various international Google sites.
URL Extractor can extract thousands of URLs from the web starting from a single web page and using "cross navigation" and extraction. It requires Mac OS...
Keyboard Maestro for Mac OS X revved to version 5.0
Stairways Software (http://www.stairways.com) has released Keyboard Maestro 5.0, anew version of its productivity enhancer for Mac OS X. The upgrade revs the user interface and engine of the app.
It also adds control flow such as While loops and If/Then/Else statements, as well as permanently stored variables and a complete calculation engine. Version 5 also includes an extensible library of pre-made macros, with a variety of macros that you can build upon. Also new is undo/redo support and revisions, so you can try out new macros with confidence.
Using Keyboard Maestro's macros you can: control applications, windows, or menus; insert text; open documents, applications or URLs; execute scripts; control the system or iTunes; and more, all with the touch of a key, click of the mouse, periodically or at specific times, when an application is launched or running, or even over the Internet using Keyboard Maestro's built in web server.
Using Keyboard Maestro's Program Switcher and Window...
CrossVC XXL for Mac OS X updated to version 2.2
CrossVC XXL (http://www.crossvc.eu/), a graphical version control program for Mac OS X has been updated to version 2.2. The upgrade lets you adjust the user interface to the Mac OS X environment, as well as the simultaneous support of different versions of the version administration system, Subversion.
To this end, the architecture of CrossVC was extended so that different Subversion binaries can be provided as separate plug-ins for separate install. Currently plug-ins for SVN 1.4.6, 1.5.7, as well as 1.6.11, are available.
CrossVC XXL 2.2 works with Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's proprietary software and can be downloaded as binary. Without a valid license, CrossVC XXL is free of charge and available for non-commercial use only. In this case, several features are restricted or not available.
Phynchronicity for Mac OS X gets improved appearance
Code by Kevin has released Phynchronicity 4.0 (http://www.codebykevin.com/phynchronicity.html), a new version of the graphical user interface for the Fink Unix-software management system on Mac OS X. The upgrade sports an improved appearance with a native Cocoa toolbar and some bug fixes.
Fink is a command-line tool for installing and updating thousands of Unix-based applications for the Mac. Phynchronicity aims to make Fink easy to use with a three-pane interface.
Phynchronicity is shareware; a license costs US$24.99 and a 30-day demo is available. Mac OS X 10.6 is the minimum supported operating system.
Samsung Blinks
Posted by Greg Mills
The Apple lawsuit against Samsung has taken an interesting turn late thursday, suggesting Samsung is getting ready to settle with Apple, behind the scenes. Samsung has just withdrawn its counter-suit against Apple.
Apple sued Samsung for stealing the look and feel of both the iPhone and iPad devices and operating user interface features. Indeed, the pictures of Apple iPhones along side Samsungs recent Android handset products are so similar it is hard to tell them apart. There are numerous patents Apple cited in their suit, including obvious unique design elements that Samsung illegally copied, "lavishly".
Just in the last few weeks the first of a number of patent infringement lawsuits filed by Apple against every Android handset maker has begun to work through the courts and trade commissions. Samsung was perhaps the most bold of the copycats, but not the last one in Apple's sights. Stay tuned!
Apple recently forced Samsung to submit its unreleased Android...
iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps for July 1
Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).
Dtp entertainment and FAKT Software have released Crazy Machines 2 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Gamers must build wacky chain reactions out of different parts and complete the corresponding mission tasks, i.e. knocking over a vase or blowing out a candle. Crazy Machines 2 costs US$3.50 for the iPhone and iPod touch version and $4.35 for the iPad version.
Brainglass has announced Learn English Reading Obama 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. The $2.99 app is developed for learners with a basic understanding of the English language to help them improve their English language level anytime and anywhere.
Kenigart has introduced Independence Day 2011 -- 4 July HD for the iPad. It's an $3.99, interactive multimedia book that provides info about Independence Day 2011 and some additional bonuses and fun for celebration of the Fourth of July .
Icon has...
Mac OS X Lion goes Golden Master
Posted by Greg Mills
Lion is coming soon. Developers have gotten a version of Lion that is a "Golden Master". In the language of software, that means the version thus designated is free of known issues and will be the version shipped to the public. Various rumors regarding the release date have been circulating for a while now. Some have mentioned July 6 as being the release date.
From what seems to be reliable sources, Lion has some aspects of its user interface that will remind you of the iOS seen on iPhone and iPads. I have speculated that some sort of run-time sandbox for iOS apps might appear but haven't heard of any confrimation on that.
What is also known is that Lion is 64 Bit through-out. This uses the full power of recent chip sets to quickly run apps that are designed to run on 64 bits. Some legacy software will no longer run on Lion. The software required to run Power PC versions of Mac software will no longer be supported. Also, early Intel Macs won't run Lion....
MacFamilyTree grows to version 6.1
Synium Software has released version 6.1 of MacFamilyTree (http://macte.ch/9q2gJ). The new version has such new features as syncing between Macs, iPhones and iPads, new charts, new kinship report, a new database format and countless other improvements.
MacFamilyTree 6.1 requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. For new users the cost is US$49.99. Upgrades from previous versions prior to 6.x are $25. Version 6.1 is a free download for registered users of version 6.x. A demo is available for download.
MacFamilyTree is also available in the Mac App Store if you're running Mac OS X 10.6 or later. MobileFamilyTree, the companion app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad is available in the App Store for $4.99.
WWDC Interview: FastSpring
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 Todd Stellfox of FastSpring at WWDC. Todd was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
WWDC Interview: Orbotix
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 Brian Smith of Orbotix Inc. at WWDC. Brian was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
NetMarketShare: Mac OS X, Safari, iOS up
According to the latest market share survey from NetMarketShare (http://www.netmarketshare.com), the market share for Mac OS X, Safari and iOS all rose last month.
According to the report, among operating systems, Mac OS X had 5.37% of the global market share in June compared to 5.32% in May (that's global market share; in the US it's almost 10%). 5.40% was the highest percentage ever for Mac OS X. Windows remains dominant with 88.29% as of June. That's down from 88.69% in May.
When it comes to browsers, Safari had 7.48% in June compared to 7.28% in May, while Internet Explorer had 53.68% Firefox had 21.57% and Chrome had 13.11%. That compares to, respectively, May percentages of 54.27%, 21.71% and 12.52%, respectively, for the browsers.
The iOS's market share also rose, according to NetMarketShare. It had 2.63% of the global market share in June compared to 2.38% in May.
NetMarketShares' monthly surveys don't measure market share in terms of computer systems sold. Instead they...
Apple likely to overtake HP as portable computer vendor
Apple is likely to replace HP as the global number one notebook vendor in 2012 if tablet computers such as the iPad are included in the calculation of global notebook shipments, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/NRbP3), quoting unnamed industry sources.
Worldwide tablet shipments are expected to top 60 million units in 2011 with shipments from Apple likely to total 40 million units for a 60% share. Some market research firms are predicting global tablet shipments are to top 80 million units 2012 with iPads accounting for 60 million units, notes "DigiTimes."
What's more, Apple is also likely to ship 15 million MacBooks in 2012, bringing its combined shipments of notebooks and tablets to a total of 75 million units, accounting for 25-30% of the global notebook market, says "DigiTimes." HP shipped 40 million notebooks in 2010 and is expected to ship 45-50 million units this year.
Apple, Amazon gain ground in top retailers report
The view from the top hasn’t changed much, but the nation’s largest retailers are keeping a watchful eye on two companies -- Apple and Amazon -- that continue to make advances on their coveted territory, according to the STORES Top 100 Retailers.
The annual ranking of U.S. retailers by domestic sales, featured in the July issue of STORES Magazine, was compiled by Kantar Retail and sponsored by Verizon.
Known for its customer service and popular Kindle e-reader, Amazon.com jumped from No. 26 to No.19 on this year’s list, as 2010 U.S. sales grew 46.2% to $18.5 billion. Apple Stores climbed more than 30 spots -- from No. 52 to No. 21 -- with 2010 U.S. sales increasing 32.3% to US$18 billion.
Perennial No. 1 Wal-Mart boasted U.S. sales totaling $307 billion. The company is continuing to look for new growth opportunities by testing several smaller “Express” store prototypes in both rural and urban areas throughout the country.
As the largest supermarket company in the U.S., No. 2 Kroger...
Don't like Final Cut Pro X? Adobe wants to talk with you
Lots of folks aren't happy with Final Cut Pro X and Adobe knows it, so they've announced an upgrade program for video professionals who have purchased any version of Apple Final Cut Pro or Avid Media Composer and want to switch to professional video tools by Adobe--Creative Suite CS5.5 Production Premium or Premiere Pro CS5.5.
These customers will be eligible for a 50% savings on Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Production Premium or Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5, both launched in April at the National Association of Broadcasters Show. Eligible Adobe suite and point product customers also qualify for the program.
“We’re hearing from video professionals that they want pro level tools that address cutting edge work but also allow them to use legacy footage and workflows,” says Jim Guerard, general manager and vice president of professional video and audio, Adobe. “At Adobe we’ve been in the trenches with video pros for years and with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and CS5.5 Production Premium we’ve...
Nektony Disk Inspector is new file organizer for the Mac
Nektony has introduced Nektony Disk Inspector (http://nektony.com), the company's first product for Mac OS X. It's a disk space analysis and organization tool.
The program scans any supported drive and generates a chart representing the file system. This visual representation is designed to help identify the largest files and take further steps for optimizing the content of the drive and freeing up disk space.
Nektony Disk Inspector integrates with familiar system tools, so the user can preview a file using QuickLook and get detailed information about it with one or two clicks. The user can start managing the files shown on the chart immediately after they appear on the screen and doesn't have to wait until the end of the scanning and analysis process.
At the moment, Nektony Disk Inspector supports HDD volumes, CD and DVD discs, removable USB drives and even mounted DMG's. It's available in the Mac App Store for US$8.99 and requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
QuickerTek's 5dBi Tri-Band works for new Apple Base Station
QuickerTek has announced that their second generation, higher gain 5dBi Tri-Band Antenna upgrade kit was tested with the newly released Apple 802.11n Extreme Base Station MD031LL/A model A1408.
The folks at QuickerTek say their in-house testing showed up to three times better signal strength then that of the built-in antennas on the Base Station. The 5dBi Tri-Band Antenna Do It Yourself kit can be ordered from their website (http://macte.ch/pnIo7).
The do-it-yourself kit is US$129.99. To have QuickerTek install the antenna for you costs $179.99. Or you can order an already-modified AirPort Extreme Base Station for $349.95. Like most QuickerTek products, the 5dBi Tri-Band Antenna kit has a one year parts and labor warranty.
Kodak vs Apple round 2
By Greg Mills
Kodak has claimed Apple and RIM have violated patents that allow you to preview pictures on a screen before the picture is taken. Considering the wide spread use of LCD screens on video cameras and still cameras in common use the attack Apple and RIM have taken is to consider the Kodak patent claims invalid.
The case has been bounced around in the US International Trade Commission and the courts for a while now. Recently it appeared Kodak had won and their stock went up in anticipation of Apple and RIM paying Kodak upwards of US $1 Billion to settle the case. The defendants got a reversal and the case has gone back to reconsider the invalid claim a fresh. Kodak stock gave up all it gained and then some dipping as much as 19% in immediate trading. This make a settlement for chump change likely.
Apple wins some and loses some but with the army of lawyers they have at their disposal and $US 65 Billion in the bank, you don't fool around with Steve Jobs' legal team....
Apple, Microsoft, Sony, RIM, Ericsson and EMC win patent auction
By Greg Mills
It has just been announced that Apple, Microsoft, Sony, RIM, Ericsson and EMC won the Nortel 6,000 patents up for auction, covering a lot of important technology. Bloomberg reports that the final bid was a staggering 4.5 Billion dollars. The final bid was much higher than any of the analysts had predicted. Google bid $900,000 and lost to Apple and its partners.
The partners had agreed to share the cost of the auction and cross license the patents to all the partners. This leaves Google out and Android out in the cold on important cellular technology. Apple is playing to win the cell phone battle with Google and this auction proves that strategic opportunities do arise where Apple is willing to dig into the piggy bank.
The significance of the patents will be apparent when the Federal lawsuits against all Android handset makers goes to court later this year. Apple has filed patent infringement suits against every company manufacturing Android phones since they...
V-MODA premieres True Blood V-80 on-ear headphones
V-MODA (http://www.V-Moda.com) has announced the availability of the US$230, V-80 on-ear headphones, part of the V-MODA for True Blood line developed in partnership with HBO.
The V-80 is a lightweight headphone that offers customization options for True Blood fans. They can choose from a range of designs that showcase their passion for the show. The two V-MODA metal ear shields, on either side of the ear cushions, can be switched out to exhibit a variety of options featuring images and icons from the show.
The V-80 headphone is crafted from steel, aircraft-grade aluminum, Kevlar, microfiber suede, 24k Gold, unique textiles and an exoskeleton hard case. It sports 40mm dual-diaphragm, high-fidelity drivers that purportedly deliver multi-driver sound with the efficiency of a single driver.
Bweasel iPad 2 stand available at introductory price until Aug....
The Bweasel iPad stand (http://www.bweasel.com) -- an easel that attaches to the Apple tablet -- is being offered an introductory price until Aug. 31.
The Bweasel stand is able to support the iPad at any angle from nearly horizontal to nearly vertical. The stand provides for portrait and landscape positions and can be situated on a keyboard.
With the Bweasel attached, the iPad occupies a small footprint on a night table, coffee table, desk or counter for use as an alarm clock, photo frame, charging location or other personal use. The Bweasel stand also serves as a holding device.
A person can also stand for hours using the iPad, because no finger gripping is required to hold the iPad when the Bweasel stand is attached, according to the folks at Bweasel. This feature is useful for doctors, teachers and field reps. For travelers, the low-profile, three ounce Bweasel stand stows attached to the iPad in most soft sleeves, totes or briefcases for access to the Apple tablet during travel....
Keystone debuts portable solar battery charger
Keystone has introduced its portable solar battery charger. The ECO Solar & USB Power PAK (http://www.concordkeystone.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=664) purportedly doubles the talk time of iPhones and smartphones and triples the play time of iPods, MPdf3 players and hand-held games.
Keystone ECO Solar/USB Power PAK is a portable solar battery charger that lets users harness the sun to save up back up power. The light-weight Power PAK is equipped with a mono-crystalline solar panel that collects energy in direct sun and partial sun. Aside from charging via the solar panel, its built-in 1500 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery can be recharged by extending the built-in USB key and connecting it to the computer.
The Power PAK is fully charged after 5-6 hours in full sun or in 3-4 hours through the USB connection to a computer. It includes five connector tips to fit micro USB, mini USB, PSP, Nintendo DSi as well as a charging cable specific for iPod and iPhone. Users simply select the...
Calories update is ready for Mac OS X Lion
Danholt4mac has updated Calories (http://macte.ch/p8sIS), a nutrition tracking and analysis utility for Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard"), to version 2.8. The new version is ready for Mac OS X Lion. Also, new options have been added to retranslate your food database to more languages.
Calories is targeted at casual users who wish to keep a journal of their daily nutrition activities. Users may select foods from the applications database and add them to breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacking categories. Depending on his/her selection, Calories then automatically calculates and displays the total consumption of calories, carbs, fat and proteins for the whole day, or for one of the categories.
In addition to calories, carbs, fat and protein, the application calculates and displays more than 40 nutrients; minerals and ingredients like Alcohol, Zink, Vitamins, etc. Calories also offers simple reporting functionality. You may switch to reporting mode with the option to display reports for the day,...
Three-way color added to Boris Red 5
Boris Red's (http://www.borisfx.com) new 3-Way Color Grade filter gives you a professional color grading process complete with three custom color wheels for pedestal/gamma/gain adjustment.
The filter includes built-in masking and keying tools to isolate areas of secondary color correction. Separate color grading can be applied to the inside and outside of a mask, eliminating an extra compositing step. The 3-Way Color Grade filter is included with Boris RED 5.0.4, which is a free update for all RED v5.x users. The 5.0.4 update also includes other updates and enhancements.
Future Media Concepts to offer Final Cut Pro X courses
Future Media Concepts (FMC), a digital media training organization, says it will be offering three unique training options for the recently released Apple Final Cut Pro X.
FMC will provide 45-minute online training sessions; a one-day, hands-off workshop; and introductory and advanced courses, based on Apple's official curriculum when it is released. They include: "FCP -- A Complete Overview," "Migrating to FCP X" and "FCP X 101 -- An Introduction to FCP X." More information about FMC and upcoming courses is available at http://www.FMCtraining.com .
DTP Tools ships Annotations public beta
DTP Tools has released a beta version of its Annotations plug-in (www.dtptools.com/annotations) for Adobe InDesign. A
It allows a user to import notes and comments from PDF into its source InDesign file. The plug-in can match different pagination of the PDF and indd documents, so you user export just one page PDF for proof, or import notes from a whole book PDF to a single chapter file.
Annotations can also process pdf exported as spreads. For successful import of text edits and space dependent notes, the documents need to be identical. After the import, the text edits are listed in a panel where they can be approved or rejected one by one or as a bulk for the entire document.
The Annotations plug-in is sold for US$79 per license. A 14–day trial version for InDesign CS3-CS5.5, and for Mac OS and Windows, is available for download. If you try the public beta version, remember that beta software is unfinished software so use with care.
ITC extends target date on Apple/Kodak case
The International Trade Commission has once again extended its target date for making a decision on Eastman Kodak's complaint against Apple and Research In Motion, which claims the companies are infringing on a patent it owns, notes "CNET" (http://macte.ch/i8vmM).
In a notice about the investigation (PDF), the ITC said that it's determined to "affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand in part the final initial termination" from its administrative law judge (ALJ). It also said it's found no violation of a provision of the Tariff Act of 1930 regarding unfair competition. However, based on changes made to the claims, it's extending the commission's determination until August 30 based on another ALJ review.
The Commission modified the following key findings:
° Kodak appealed the meaning of the patent term “at least three different colors.” The Commission agreed with Kodak that all of Apple and RIM's accused phones infringe this term.
° Kodak appealed the meaning of the patent terms “...
Apple to ship over 12 million iPads in the third quarter?
Apple is turning "more aggressive" in placing orders for its iPad 2 and is set to ship 12-14 million units in the third fiscal quarter, reports "DigiTimes" (http://macte.ch/0m9Js) quoting unnamed "market watchers."
That compares to 7-9 million iPads sold in the second quarter of the year. Apple has been piling up its inventory of iPad 2 components such as panels in the second quarter to minimize the risk of facing component shortage, says "DigiTimes."
Apple opening office in Cork, Ireland
Apple will be providing up to 350 jobs in Cork, Ireland, after signing a property deal to establish an office in the city center, reports the "Irish Examiner" (http://macte.ch/OdBUH).
The company, which already employs more than 3,000 people in Ireland, has signed a deal to lease offices in Cork’s Half Moon Street, the article adds. Apple will lease the top two floors of a €75 million building in a mixed-use development by Owen O’Callaghan, completed in 2009.
The "Irish Examiner" says Apple is committing to 25,000 square feet, which could accommodate up to 350 employees. The office is due to open by year's end.
iPhone sees the most smartphone growth in recent months
Smartphones continue to grow in popularity. According to Nielsen’s (http://www.nielsen.com) May survey of mobile consumers in the U.S., 38 % now own smartphones. And 55% of those who purchased a new handset in the past three months reported buying a smartphone instead of a feature phone, up from 34% just a year ago, says the research group.
Android continues to be the most popular smartphone operating system, with 38% of smartphone consumers owning Android devices. However, while Android also leads among those who recently purchased a new smartphone, it's the Apple iPhone that has shown the most growth in recent months.
Android leads smartphone acceleration in Japan
ComScore Japan KK, a wholly owned subsidiary of comScore (http://www.comscore.com), which "measures the digital world," has released the latest insights into mobile usage in Japan from its comScore MobiLens product.
The report found that Google Android led as the top smartphone platform in March 2011 with 4.6 million users, more than doubling its subscriber base from December 2010. Apple ranked second with 3.9 million mobile subscribers in Japan.
Although Google Android has become the largest smartphone platform, iPhones remain atop the list of most popular devices in Japan. A ranking of the top smartphone devices by number of subscribers reveals that three of the top five devices are iPhones while the other two, Sony Ericsson’s Xperia and Toshiba’s REGZA, both operate the Google Android platform.
In March 2010, more than 9.7 million people owned smartphones in Japan (defined as those phones that use the Google, Apple, Microsoft and other platforms), an increase of 71% from...
Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 8 shipping
Blackmagic Design (http://www.blackmagic-design.com/) has announced the availability of DaVinci Resolve 8, an update to the color correction tool.
New features in DaVinci Resolve 8 include multi-layer timeline support with editing, and XML import and export with Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro. The new version includes OpenCL processing to allow use on an iMac and MacBook Pro computers.
New advanced processing tools have been added for real time noise reduction, curve grading, advanced multi point stabilization as well as automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment. DaVinci Resolve 8 also supports the Avid Artist Color, Tangent Wave and JL Copper control panels plus offers ALE export to relink graded DNxHD files back into Avid editors.
The new XML import and export combined with the multi layer timeline lets complex sequences from Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro to be imported, color graded and then exported directly back into Final Cut Pro 7 or Premiere Pro...
Buffalo launches MiniStation Plus
Buffalo Technology (http://www.buffalotech.com) has announced the MiniStation Plus USB 3.0 portable storage solution. (On the Mac it will run at USB 2.0 speeds as the Mac doesn't support USB 3.0.)
Because it’s USB powered, there are no additional cables to manage and no need for a separate power source; simply plug it into any available USB port on your computer and you're good to go. With 256-bit AES hardware encryption, you can protect your data from unwanted access by assigning a password.
Buffalo’s MiniStation Plus is backed by a limited one-year warranty that includes toll-free 24/7 US based technical support. It has an estimated street price of US$84.99 for the 500GB MiniStation Plus and $119.99 for the 1TB MiniStation Plus.
Monster announces Clarity HD speaker monitor
Monster (http://www.monstercable.com) has debuted its ClarityHD Model One High Definition Multi-Media Speaker Monitor (SRP: $749.95/pair). The US$749.95-per-pair, all-in-one speaker system features a built-in, high-powered digital amplifier and iPod dock.
The ClarityHD Model One will begin shipping worldwide in mid-July 2011. It will be available in several designer colors, including automotive grade gloss yellow, and red to start, with additional colors coming this fall.
The Monster ClarityHD Model One's audio performance is made possible thanks to the inclusion of advanced 6.5-inch bass drivers with 4-layer voice coils for deep extended low end response and proprietary soft-dome tweeters for smooth articulate highs with superior inner detail, according to Head Monster Noel Lee. The speaker's full complement of inputs accommodates virtually any type of source from consumer audio and video gear to professional recording and DJ gear, he adds.
In addition to the iPod dock, a...
appFlash transforms Adobe Flash into native iOS Apps
AppMobi (http://www.appmobi.com) has unveiled appFlash, a new web-based application that allows Adobe Flash websites, ads and apps to be converted to native iOS apps.
This experimental utility is available to any developer and leverages appMobi’s cloud-based cross-platform native app “build” service. With appFlash, HTML5 code is uploaded and compiled into native binary apps that are ready to submit to the Apple App Store, purportoedly without the need to set up and learn the Apple platform’s development tool stack.
Adobe Flash files are uploaded to Google Labs’ “SWIFFY” website (http://swiffy.googlelabs.com), which ingests Flash assets in the .SWF file format and outputs HTML5 files. appFlash then allows users to view and touch up the converted HTML5 using the appMobi XDK software.
Users can even test the HTML5 directly on their iOS device using appMobi’s AppLab. Users can then build the app as a native code app for the Apple App Store with a single click using appMobi’s cloud-based...
NetUse lets you monitor network traffic on the Mac
DewDrop Studios (http://www.dewdropstudios.net) has launched NetUse Traffic Monitor 1.0 for Mac OS X (10.6.6 and higher). It costs US$4.99 and is available at the Mac App Store in the Utilities category.
NetUse provides a way to monitor your network traffic on the Mac. Utilizing the SNMP feature of any modern Internet router or gateway, the software monitors and collects real-time Internet usage statistics for all the computers in your home or office that share an Internet connection.
If you have a traffic cap on your Internet usage, NetUse will help to make sure you don't exceed your limits, says Andrei Grichine, founder of DewDrop Studios. Set your billing date and a monthly traffic allowance and NetUse will accurately show how much bandwidth you consume, he adds.
