Adobe announces Flash Media Server 4.5, Flash Access 3.0
Adobe announced at the IBC 2011 Conference and Exhibition new releases of its streaming video solutions, including Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 and Flash Access 3.0 software.
Flash Media Server 4.5 adds the ability to deliver video content to Apple’s iPad and iPhone devices. Adobe Flash Access 3.0, a content protection and monetization solution, will enable content owners to deliver on-demand content with massive scale and strict studio-level security across a broad range of devices, following the upcoming release of Flash Player 11 and Adobe AIR 3, according to Pritham Shetty, vice president, Video Solutions, Adobe.
Flash Media Server 4.5 also enables content owners to create HTTP content on the fly to reduce costs brought on by device proliferation. Delivery to iPad and iPhone enables businesses to use the same media and live streams to deliver full adaptive bit-rate experiences to platforms supporting Flash, as well as Apple devices, including the iPad and iPhone.
Flash Media...
MacBook Air dominates ultra thin, light notebook market
"Ultrabooks" are set to take the market by storm, gradually taking a piece of the traditional notebook market and providing new momentum for the entire IT industry. According to market research firm TrendForce (http://www.trendforce.com), chip giant Intel is leading the ultrabook revolution in 2011, with the MacBook Air dominating the ultra thin and light notebook market.
Intel, along with the rest of the computer industry chain, aims to produce an ultrabook as thin and light as the MacBook Air, with longer battery life and better computing efficiency than standard notebooks. Computer makers will be introducing different models of ultrabooks between the fourth quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012, according to TrendForce CEO Kevin Lin.
Clox lets you add a clock to your Mac desktop
Eltima Software has introduced Clox 1.0 (http://mac.eltima.com/desktop-clock.html) for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or higher). It costs US$0.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Lifestyle category.
Clox adds a clock to the desktop with individual settings like opacity, always on top and click-through mode, customizable size, 12/24 hour display and more. Each clock can have its unique name and place on the desktop.
Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to support iOS 5 Newsstand
Adobe says that publishers will be able to use Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to create magazine and newspaper applications that appear in the Apple Newsstand section of the iTunes App Store and the Newsstand folder on the iPad.
With more than 600 titles created to date, the industry-leading Adobe Digital Publishing Suite includes full support for Newsstand subscriptions, which can significantly boost sales and advertising revenue by combining greater content discoverability with flexible payment options required by readers, says Todd Teresi, vice president and general manager, Media Solutions, Adobe. Content owners can use Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to target their new digital editions at iPad, Android tablets and BlackBerry Playbook devices.
Publishers will be able to use Digital Publishing Suite to create files that are detected by Newsstand and automatically downloaded to the Newsstand shelf, eliminating long downloads times which can present a barrier to reading content on...
RackMac mini Xserver designed for a Mac mini With Thunderbolt
Sonnet Technologies (http://www.sonnettech.com/) will will introduce the RackMac mini Xserver rackmount 1U system with a PCIe 2.0 expansion slot for Thunderbolt technology-enabled Mac mini computers at IBC2011.
This system mounts a Mac mini inside a specially designed 1U enclosure, which also contains one PCIe 2.0 x4 slot, a 75W power supply, plus a Thunderbolt daisy-chain port. This system enables users to connect one half-length PCIe 2.0 adapter card to the Mac mini via a Thunderbolt cable, while allowing the connection of additional Thunderbolt peripherals to the daisy-chain Thunderbolt port.
The enclosure also delivers strategic airflow cooling to the computer, provides a front-panel power button and USB port, and can automatically power on/off the PCIe expansion slot in unison with the Mac mini, according to the folks at Sonnet.
The RackMac mini Xserver supports one half-length, x16 (x4 mode), PCIe 2.0 card to enable the use of professional video capture cards, 8Gb Fibre...
Silverstack LT H.264 designed for DSLR movie makers
Pomfort has introduced Silverstack LT H.264, software for professional filmmakers that has been specifically developed to support the entire H.264 clip management of CanonDSLR and GoPro cameras.
Silverstack LT H.264 automatically creates back-ups of film clips and systematically prepares clips for editorial tools such as Final Cut Pro or Avid. Its designed to match the needs for offloading, inspecting, labeling, rating and commenting on produced film clips.
For checking the quality of film clips, Silverstack LT H.264 comes with pixel accurate zoom as well as channel, focus and clipping inspectors. Comments, annotations and ratings can be added directly to film clips. All information is saved within the library and travels with clips when they're transferred to editorial programs like Final Cut Pro or Avid Media Composer.
Silverstack LT H.264 requires an Intel Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. It costs US$129 and is available at the Pomfort website (http://pomfort.com/).
Seagate announces 4TB GoFlex Desk Drive
Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) is shipping a new 4TB GoFlex Desk external hard drive -- the highest capacity hard drive in the industry. What's more, this latest addition to the GoFlex Family of external hard drives showcases Seagate’s new desktop design.
The streamlined industrial design delivers a smaller footprint and better reflects the aesthetic of today’s modern offices while still providing all the benefits of previous generations of the GoFlex drives, according to Patrick Connolly, vice president and general manager of Retail products for Seagate. The new 4TB GoFlex Desk drive is now available from Seagate and will be available from select online retailers within the month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$249.99 USD.
The entire line of GoFlex Desk products will also adopt the new industrial design in the coming weeks. The GoFlex Desk for Mac external drive featuring both FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 will be available in Apple stores by the end of the month....
Elizabethan Era comes to the Macgamestore
Red Marble Games' Build-a-Lot Elizabethan Era is now available at the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com). It costs US$9.95.
Here's how the game is described: "Travel back in time to Queen Elizabeth's kingdom where challenging fun rules the realm! In this exciting new addition to the Build-a-lot series, you'll take on a host of new adventures without the aid of modern conveniences. From a single thatched house you begin your journey through Elizabethan England. With wells and windmills, crops and carpentry, you'll grow your one cob house to a full, flourishing shire! Bestow happiness upon the people as you build gardens, theaters and pubs for their amusement, and prosperity will reign with the services you so kindly provide. With many tasks to tackle and towns to visit, Build-a-lot: The Elizabethan Era is royal entertainment for all the lords and ladies."
ATTO Technology demos Thunderbolt products
ATTO Technology (http://www.attotech.com) has announced its support for Thunderbolt technology, which is included on the latest Macs.
Prosumer and Professional storage providers offering storage for demanding post-production and broadcast applications that require managed latency and data protection while maintaining stream counts can explore Thunderbolt connectivity solutions at ATTO’s stand at IBC 2011 held Sept. 9-13 at the RAI Conference Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Hall 7, stand F41.
For years, typical eSATA, USB 2.0 and FireWire interface performance has maxed out at approximately 200 MB/s. Combining ATTO innovation with Thunderbolt technology gives prosumer and professional editors the ability to achieve performance levels up to 1000 MB/s of bandwidth, says Timothy Klein, president and CEO at ATTO Technology. In addition, performance of this magnitude has been out of reach for laptop and all-in-one users looking to edit multiple streams of uncompressed HD video, he...
eMedia Music announces eMedia Interactive Rock Guitar
eMedia Music Corp. (http://www.emediamusic.com) has released eMedia Interactive Rock Guitar, which has over 100 audio- and video-enhanced guitar lessons and rock gear tips.
The Animated Fretboard shows you all the fingerings. Instant Feedback helps you learn quickly and easily, according to the folks at eMedia Music. eMedia's advanced audio recognition software technology actually listens to your playing melodies and shows you whether the correct notes are played, they add
eMedia Interactive Rock Guitar lessons have full-screen videos and lessons written by Charles McCrone, a graduate of the Guitar Institute of Technology, with over 25 years of playing and teaching experience. It will be available at computer and music retail stores nationwide and online in October at an estimated retail price of US$49.95. The CD-ROM is a hybrid for both Mac OS X (10.5 and higher) and Windows (XP/Vista/Windows 7).
OWC iMac upgrade service adds $249 Solid State Drive option
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced a lower starting cost for installation of a 6Gb/s SSD via the OWC Turnkey Upgrade Installation Program for the mid-2011 iMac.
The program gives mid-2011 iMac owners/buyers the option of having OWC install up to three SandForce Driven OWC Mercury 6G Solid State Drives up to 480GB each. Program options also include a larger capacity hard drive up to 3TB and certified Memory Upgrades up to 32GB. Twenty-seven inch iMac owners also have the option of OWC installing the industry’s only eSATA interface and experience data transfer rates up to 600MB/s.
OWC’s installation service program offers multiple configuration options starting at US$169 with a 48 business hours or less installation turnaround. The Turnkey Upgrade Installation Program for 2011 Apple iMac is available for immediate ordering at http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/turnkey/iMac .
TrendNet offers 450Mbps wireless product family
TrendNet (http://www.trendnet.com) has announced a full line of 450Mbps wireless solutions.
The company says its 450Mbps Concurrent Dual Band Wireless N Router (US$225.99) is the first router to support 450Mbps speeds on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands at the same time. Gigabit Wide Area Network and Local Area Network ports transfer wired data fast, while embedded GreenNet technology reduces power consumption by up to 70%, according to the folks at TrendNet.
The 450Mbps Dual Band Wireless N USB Adapter (pictured) upgrades laptop or desktop connectivity to 450Mbps wireless speeds and costs US$225.99. The 450Mbps Wireless N Gaming Adapter ($82.99) networks gaming consoles, televisions, and NVRs to the Internet with a 450Mbps wireless connection.
MacXDVD updates all products for Lion
MacXDVD Software (http://www.macxdvd.com) has released minor update on all its products to support Mac OS X 7 ("Lion").
This update involves all the DVD rippers, video converters, and multimedia transferring tools in its product line. MacX DVD Ripper Pro (US$49.95) works as an ultimate DVD backup and ripping software on Mac for users to rip homemade and commercial DVDs to nearly any video format such as MP4, H.264, MOV, FLV, AVI, MPEG, M4V and so on for iPad, iPhone, iPod, PSP and more.
MacX Video Converter Pro ($49.95) is an all-in-one video converter that offers conversion, video output and support for input and output formats, including MKV, M2TS, AVCHD, AVI, MPEG, MP4, H.264, MOV, FLV, RM, RMVB, WebM, etc to Mac computer, iMovie, iTunes,iPhone, iPad/iPad 2, iPod, Apple TV, PSP, and more. This video converter also features the capacity to download online videos from YouTube, Myspace, Metacafe, etc., and convert multi-track HD videos for users to choose their preferred audio...
Vitamin-R for Mac OS X extends distraction elimination features
Publicspace.net has released Vitamin-R 1.68 (http://www.publicspace.net/Vitamin-R/index.html), an update of its Mac OS X compatible productivity tool for creative professionals. The new version adds ability to automatically close distracting Finder windows when beginning a new time slice.
Vitamin-R is a collection of tools and techniques for managing attention and maintaining motivation. According to the folks at publicspace.net, it complements the task capturing and organizing features of modern to-do list managers by forcing you to concentrate fully on one task a time and keeping distractions at bay. It breaks down large, vaguely defined tasks into a series of short "time slices" of between 10 and 30 minutes, each with specific and actionable objectives.
Vitamin-R provides you with the "Now & Later Board," complete with FastType magic, to give you a place to quickly dump all those things that go through your head and allows to get back to the task at hand. It requires Mac OS X...
Presence 2.7 for Mac OS X removes fees
Presence, the remote file access application for Mac, iPhone and iPad, has removed monthly subscription fees for its EasyConnect service and introduces configuration-free setup for most people.
The new release, version 2.7, also improves reliability for existing users. Presence provides Internet access to all a Mac's files by web browser and iOS app, as well as offering sharing of files and folders with no uploading. (Presence was known as FarFinder prior to May 2011.)
The new release removes the US$5 monthly subscription fee for EasyConnect. EasyConnect users can transfer up to 200MB a month, free of charge. Extra data can be purchased with prices starting at $5 for 2 GB.
Presence costs $40 for a single-user license or $70 for a family license; business pricing is available on request. EasyConnect, if required, is free for the first 200MB transferred each month. Additional data starts at $5 for 2GB; purchased data doesn't expire. Presence comes with a free 20-day trial period and is...
Cinematize apps ready for Lion
Miraizon has released Cinematize 3.01and Cinematiz Pro 3.01, new versions of the DVD clip extractor and converter products. They're now compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion").
Cinematize 3 is an introductory product that includes everything necessary to start DVD extraction and conversion projects, says Miraizon founder and CEO, David Salamon. It allows users to extract audio and video clips off of DVDs and convert them into many popular formats.
Those include QuickTime, iMovie, Final Cut, iDVD, DVD Studio Pro, Keynote, PowerPoint, iTunes, iPods, iPhones, and iPads as well as formats suitable for web sites such as YouTube. Cinematize is a subset of Cinematize 3 Pro, which sports even more features.
Free updaters for both Cinematize 3.01 and Cinematize 3.01 Pro for Macintosh are
available at http://www.miraizon.com/support/downloads.html . For new users pricing is US$59.95 and $129.95, respectively, for the downloadable versions. Demos are also available.
HTC files infringement claims against Apple
HTC has filed infringement claims against Apple, using patents obtained from Google last week, reports "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-07/htc-sues-apple-alleging-infring...).
The nine patents originated with Palm., Motorola and Openwave Systems, with Google taking ownership within the past year, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records. Google recorded transfer of the patents to HTC on Sept. 1, notes "Bloomberg."
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HTC sued Apple Wednesday in federal court in Delaware, claiming infringement of four of those patents that originally were issued to Motorola. The company also amended a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, alleging infringement of three patents first issued to Openwave and two others originally owned by Palm.
Apple has, as you doubtless know by now, has filed patent cases against handset makers using Google’s Android operating system, including Samsung, Motorola Mobility Holdings and HTC.
iCloud Communications drops lawsuit, changes name
iCloud Communications, an Arizona company, that sued Apple over the iCloud moniker has dropped the lawsuit and changed its name, reports "CNET" (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20102436-37/arizona-company-drops-iclo...).
The company alleged in a lawsuit filed in June that the name of Apple's online storage service copied its name and caused confusion over competing products. Now it's withdrawn its claim, says "CNET."
However, the voice-over-IP provider has filed a notice of voluntary dismissal with the U.S. District Court of Arizona that precludes the claim from being refiled. The company also seems to have changed its name to Clear Digital Communications.
"CNET" says a Facebook page for a company called Clear Digital Communications lists the same address and contact information as an iCloud Communications Facebook page, as well as a wall post from August 12 that says, "iCloud is now Clear Digital Communications."
Apple top stock among top 50 hedge funds
Apple was the most-held stock among the top 50 hedge funds in the second quarter, while Wells Fargo & Co. and Merck & Co. were the companies most-owned by the biggest equity mutual funds, according to Citigroup ,as reported by "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-07/apple-was-hedge-funds-most-owne...).
Apple has held the top position in the hedge-fund category since the third quarter of 2010, Tobias Levkovich, Citigroup’s chief U.S. equity strategist, wrote in a Sept. 6 note. It’s owned by 16 of the 50 largest U.S. hedge funds. Wells Fargo, based in San Francisco, and Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based Merck were owned by 17 of the largest 50 mutual funds in the three months ended June 30.
“Apple retains the top spot for both growth and value hedge funds,” Levkovich wrote. “The overlap in top stocks for these two investment styles implies a degree of consensus within the hedge-fund world and possibly a break from some firms’ traditional investment styles.”...
Apple spent $790,000 on lobbying in second quarter
Apple spent US$790,000 during the second quarter to lobby the federal government on issues such as patent reform, technology funding for education and electronic waste, reports the "Associated Press" (http://macte.ch/cNyO4).
That's up 41% from the $560,000 the company spent in the previous quarter and more than double the $330,000 it spent in the second quarter of 2010.Other issues Apple lobbied on included green technology, battery transportation, consumer privacy online and telecommunications- and trade-related topics, notes the "AP."
Adobe debuts Carousel Photography app for Mac OS X, iOS
During the Photoshop World 2011 keynote, Adobe announced Adobe Carousel for the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Mac OS.
Adobe Carousel is designed for anyone who loves photographs, takes a lot of them, and needs a simple way to view, browse, adjust and share them without worrying about manual syncing or storage, says Winston Hendrickson, vice president of Digital Imaging Products, Adobe. It utilizes the photo-processing technology used in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Adobe Carousel is comprised of a set of client apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac OS X desktops. When customers import their photo library into Adobe Carousel, or take new photos using Adobe Carousel on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, those photos are automatically accessible on any supported device through the cloud-based smart mesh technology incorporated in Adobe Carousel.
Once imported, any edits, deletions or additions to the library made on one device are automatically updated across all devices linked with the...
Analyst: Apple will sell 200 million iOS devices in 2013
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster thinks Apple will sell over 200 million iOS devices in calendar year 2013 for US$164 billion in revenue.
His estimates are 8% ahead of Wall Street's 2013 expectations for revenue, and 10% higher than the Street's earnings per share forecast, notes "AppleInsider." Munster sees Apple's revenue growing 19% in calendar year 2012 and another 17% in 2013.
The analyst predicts that iPhone growth will go from 30% in calendar 2012 to 29% in 2013. He forecasts that the iPad will account for 21%of Apple's revenue in calendar year 2013, with sales of 68 million units. Munster sees iPad unit sales growing 39% in 2012 and 35% in 2013.
Ans for the Mac platform, the analyst thinks it will earn 16% of Apple's revenue in 2013 with sales of 23 million Macs that year. He thinks that growth rate will shrink from 17% to 15% in the next two years.
QuickBooks for Mac 2012 ready for Lion
Intuit (http://www.intuit.com) has announced QuickBooks for Mac 2012, which offers compatibility with Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"). The new version also offers more than 50 new features and enhancements, according to Dan Wernikoff, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Financial Management Solutions division.
He adds that key features of QuickBooks for Mac 2012 include:
° Improved Search: You can use keywords to find items such as customer or vendor contacts, transactions, amounts and dates. You can apply filters to refine search results or save searches for future reference.
° Customer and Vendor History Panels: You can get an at-a-glance view of customer details, such as open balances and notes, right next to open invoices. Small businesses can now complete transactions and answer customer questions quickly and easily.
° Transaction List: You can browse and sort forms by date, customer name or other criteria while entering invoices, expenses and sales receipts.
° ...
Registration Now Open for Real World 2012
Real Software says registration for Real World, the Real Studio user conference, is now open.
The conference is scheduled to take place at the Royal Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida, on May 24-25, 2012. It will feature multiple session tracks with breakout sessions that are presented by Real Studio engineers, users and experts.
"Real World is where the Real Studio community comes together," says Bob Keeney, vice president of the Association of Real Studio Professionals. "At Real World you can learn more about Real Studio, network with other Real Studio consultants and developers, and find developers to help you with the project you’ve been working on. You’ll find no higher concentration of Real Studio geniuses on the planet."
Conference pricing has been set at:
° Early registration -- US$500 through Dec. 2, 2011;
° Advanced registration -- $600, Dec. 3, 2011, through March 10, 2012;
° Late registration -- $700, March 11, 2012, through May 24, 2012.
Conference attendees who register...
Apple's 'forgotten' founder pens autobiography
Best known as the third and "forgotten" founder of the Apple Computer, Ronald G. Wayne has written an autobiography now available at booksellers: "Adventures of an Apple Founder."
Apple co-founder Steve ("Woz") Wozniak contributed the foreword to the book. In an Aug. 26, 2011, interview with Bloomberg TV, Wozniak is quoted as saying: "Ron is one of those people ... He doesn't look back with regret. Your mind was working well and making the right decisions for the way you think at that point in time, and that was part of what made him credible to Steve and I. It's a type of integrity, I was sorry to see him leave."
"Adventures of an Apple Founder" purportedly offers a never-before-told backstory to the man whose passion for engineering and design spans nearly three quarters of a century. Wayne holds a dozen patents, has worked in aerospace engineering, at video game maker Atari, and has spent the better part of his life in pursuit of a long time passion -- building Las Vegas style...
Promise SANLink adapter offers Thunderbolt connectivity
Promise Technology (www.promise.com/SANLink) has announced products with Thunderbolt technology. Promise SANLink is the first Fibre Channel to Thunderbolt adapter and provides media professionals with native high-speed access to their shared Fibre Channel SAN digital assets.
SANLink provides a dual 4Gbps Fibre Channel link that can be used to connect to external Fibre Channel storage or to an Xsan or StorNext network using a high-speed Thunderbolt port. Each adapter features full-duplex capable FC ports, that automatically detect connection speed and can each independently operate at 1, 2 or 4Gbps. Two Thunderbolts ports are provided with SANLink that enable daisy-chaining to other Thunderbolt peripherals, such as monitors, to be connected through SANLink up to six total devices.
The Promise SANLink is compatible with Thunderbolt technology that ships on the new MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac and MacBook Air. SANLink requires zero software install and simply works out-of-the-box with...
Epson announces the Small-in-One
Epson has announced the Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One, featuring an all-in-one with the smallest footprint available for the feature set, says Kristi Lanzit, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America.
It sports wireless technology and built-in remote printing. The Epson Stylus NX430 comes with a 2.5-inch color LCD with touch panel, built-in memory card slots for computer-free photo printing, wireless connectivity, mobile printing capabilities, and quiet operation. T
The Epson Stylus NX430 also comes equipped with Epson Connect, a new portfolio of cloud and mobile services enabling mobile users to print documents and photos directly to their Epson printers from a mobile device. Epson Connect offers two solutions -- Email Print and Epson iPrint.
Email Print allows customers to print out e-mail and file attachments by simply sending an e-mail from their smartphone or other mobile device to an enabled Epson printer. The Epson iPrint application, for the latest iOS- and...
Inpaint for Mac brushes up to version 3.0
Inpaint for Mac (http://www.theinpaint.com/), which lets you remove unwanted objects from a photo in one click, has been updated to version 3.0. It's available for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher at the Mac App Store for US$3.99.
Inpaint reconstructs the selected image area from the pixels near the area boundary. The app may be used to remove undesirable objects from still images.
You can also use Inpaint to delete any unwanted object from your photo, such as a logo, watermark, extra power-line, people, text, etc. The program will automatically "inpaint: the selected area to erase it.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters comes to the Mac, PC
Electronic Arts has released Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters video game for the Mac and PC platforms.
Golf enthusiasts and gamers can now experience the iconic Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club for the first time in Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise history. An additional 14 championship courses are included, such as Pebble Beach, St. Andrews Links and TPC at Sawgrass.
Boxed copies of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters on the Mac/PC are now available for purchase at EA’s Origin.com for US$39.99, as well as other retailers. Each copy of the game includes a three-month membership to Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, a golf experience streamed directly through a web browser.
As a member, gamers will have access to additional features such as expanded multiplayer modes, additional courses and group tournaments. For more information about Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters, go to http://www.easports.com/golf .
Raidon launches new storage solution
Raidon (http://www.raidon.com.tw) has launched its latest internal SATA RAID 5/SAS JBOD storage solutions -- the iR2630 & iS2630 in two of 5.25-inch CD-ROM bay.
The iR2630 supports three of 3.5-inch SATA HDD with RAID 0 and 5 functions. It also comes with the Raidon standard feature of hot-swappable design to HDD installation, management and maintenance during operation. In addition, the Raidon iR2630 provides RS232 port for the integration of information to the system installed.
The iS2630 provides three of 3.5-inch SAS/SATA HDD housing with JBOD function, and offers options of using SAS or SATA hard drives. It can be upgraded to a RAID storage solution when collocating a RAID card for desired applications.
The Raidon 2630 series is structured from the size of two standard 5.25-inch CD-ROM and can be installed to industrial control systems or operating servers. It comes with removable tray and a hot-swappable design. Contact Raidon for pricing options.
DxO FilmPack 3 brings classic film looks to digital photos
DxO Labs has announced DxO FilmPack 3 and offering it at a special launch price starting at US$49 until Sept. 30.
DxO FilmPack 3 allows photographers to recreate black and white or color film stocks on their digital images in one click. It's compatible with Mac OS X (10.5 and higher) and Windows.
In addition to 10 new film looks and 10 new color filters, DxO FilmPack 3 also features new tools that provide photographers with full control of their images: creation of customized film looks; hue/saturation/lightness sliders for additional color creative control; a channel mixer for extended Black & White rendering styles; vignetting to give images a particular look; and a noise removal tool for more authentic grain rendering
DxO FilmPack 3’s interface has been completely revamped, according to DxO Labs CEO Jerome Meniere. Photographers can now choose among the numerous built-in film looks thanks to the user-friendly filmstrip, he adds.
Each DxO FilmPack 3 license includes the...
Maxon Cinema 4D 13 offers simplified character generation, more
Maxon has announced Cinema 4D Release 13 (http://www.maxon.net/products.html), the next generation of its 3D motion graphics, visual effects, painting, and rendering software application.
With all new character tools, integrated stereographic capabilities, streamlined multi-artist collaboration and physical rendering, Cinema 4D Release 13 builds on the company’s 25-year legacy of enabling digital content creators around the world to produce content quickly and easily for a variety of industries, according to the folks at Maxon.
Cinema 4D Release 13 works with Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher running on an Intel-based Mac with 1024MB of RAM and DVD ROM drive. Standard DVD installation can take up to 4GB of disk space. For pricing and upgrade info go to http://www.maxon.net/ .
fScanX 1.7 for Mac OS X adds support for high speed Fujitsu...
Elevated Software Development has updated fScanX (http://www.elevated-dev.com/Products/fScanX/), their scanning solution for Mac OS X, to version 1.7. It adds support for Fujitsu fi-5950C & fi-6800 production-level scanners. This provides the ability to scan single or double-sided documents in color, grayscale or monochrome at up to 135 pages per minute.
fScanX was developed specifically to provide native Mac OS X support for high-speed Fujitsu scanners. Rather than requiring the application to launch in order to perform scanning, fScanX's command-line utility gives developers the ability to control the user interface completely. This opens up a host of possibilities for prepress operators, developers and graphic designers alike to build custom workflows involving scanning, according to Scott Ribe, founder of Elevated Software Development.
Additionally, fScanX ships with an Automator action that enables creation of scanning workflows without scripting. fScanX also enables a host...
DocsFlow for InDesign revved to version 7.0
Em Software has announced DocsFlow 7.0 for Mac OS and Windows, an upgrade of their plug-in for Adobe InDesign that dynamically links online Google Docs with InDesign layouts.
Integrating the free Google Docs web application - a text editor that allows multiple users to simultaneously edit online -- enables an ideal editorial workflow, according to the folks at Em. DocsFlow lets writers, editors, and designers work together in concert because there's an active link between the text, in all its drafts, and the story placed in InDesign.
With DocsFlow, any number of collaborators can share Google Docs documents with the user and edit them on the web, even collaborating in real-time on the documents. Once a source Google Docs document is linked with an InDesign story, layout users will be immediately alerted to any edits that occur in the Google Docs content. By double-clicking on the source-changed icon in the InDesign Links palette, all changes can be merged into the story automatically...
MotionComposer for Mac OS X gets maintenance update
Aquafadas (http://www.aquafadas.com) has updated MotionComposer, a Mac OS X (10.6.8 or higher) app for creating interactive Web content using Flash and HTML5, to version 1.0.2. It's a maintenance update that improves stability and provide some enhancements.
Publishing to the Web, tablets, and smartphones often requires interactive content created in Flash and HTML5 at the same time, because Flash isn't supported by some platforms. MotionComposer is powered by WebKit and animations created by it run on the latest browsers, tablets, smartphones, and iOS devices such as iPhone and the iPad.
MotionComposer exports Flash / HTML5 hybrid animations. Just by copying the code generated by the app into existing HTML documents interactive animations can be published instantaneously, according to the folks at Aquafadas.
MotionComposer costs US$149 for new users. Version 1.0.2 is a free update for registered users.
Studiometry 9 for Mac OS X adds 140 improvements
Oranged Software (http://www.oranged.net/) has released Studiometry 9.0, an update to the Mac OS X compatible software for companies to organize, plan, invoice, track and create client and project data. The new version purportedly adds 140 improvements.
A number of user-requested CRM features have been added to the program, including direct integration with Apple Mail and the ability to automatically import, log, and link emails to Studiometry data. Oranged has also revamped Studiometry's capabilities to store and display contact information. Contacts records can now have an unlimited number of completely customizable fields containing text, dates, or URLs. Contact lists have been redesigned to greatly improve both beauty and functionality, according to the folks at Oranged.
In Studiometry 9, you can now create Client Statements showing a running balance of projects, invoices, and payments. There's also a Project "Quoted vs. Actual" report that offers an overview of the current status...
Screen Ruler for Mac OS X beefs up Grab Image tool
Sprightly Software (http://www.sprightly.ca/) has released Screen Ruler 1.5 for Mac OS X, an update to the utility for working with on-screen graphics. With the upgrade, the Grab Image Tool lets you take a screenshot of anything on-screen.
Screen Ruler includes four tools including box and line measurement tools for making measurements, a color picker for determining the exact color of a pixel, and a grab image tool for making screenshot selections. It sports keyboard shortcuts for initiating measurements, picking a color, taking screenshots, and copying width, height, length, color, and image data.
Screen Ruler is compatible with Mac OS X ("Snow Leopard") and 10.7 ("Lion"). It sells for US$5.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Graphics & Design category.
Navicat family for Mac OS X prowls to version 10
PremiumSoft has announced the immediate release of version 10 for the whole Navicat family, including: Navicat Premium, Navicat for MySQL, Navicat for SQL Server, Navicat for PostgreSQL, Navicat for Oracle and Navicat for SQLite
In this new release, PremiumSoft has introduced the Data Modeling Tool in the Enterprise Editions of Navicat. This marks a more complete feature offering for database professionals by Navicat.
The Navicat Data Modeling Tool allows user to create graphical representations of a relational database. The Reverse Engineer in Navicat Data Modeling Tool allows user to create a conceptual model from an existing database and graphically visualize and edit the structure of the database. Or a user can graphically create a conceptual model, and generate a database that supports the model.
In addition to creating conceptual model from database, Navicat Data Modeling also allows user to compare and synchronize between models and databases and generate SQL/DDL scripts. This...
URL Manager Pro ready for Lion
Alco Bloom has released URL Manager Pro 4.0 (http://www.url-manager.com/), the latest update of his shareware bookmark manager for Mac OS X. It's now available in the Mac App Store and is ready for Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion").
URL Manager Pro allows users to store, manage, and organize bookmarks independently of their browser. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.
URL Manager Pro 4.0 is available for US$14.99 until Sept. 12. After this it will be priced at US$24.99.
New MacUpdate Bundle Now Live
The newest MUPromo bundle has just launched (midnight). You can download it at here now.
Included apps are:Toast 11 Titanium* ($99.95) - The newest version of the venerable multimedia suite is the best way to burn CDs and DVDs, prepare your media files for playback on iOS devices or the Web, digitize your old records and tapes to audio CDs or MP3s, capture audio from any application, stream TV programming from your TiVo, create disc labels, and more. With the optional Toast 11 High-Def/Blu-ray Disc Plug-in (normally $19.99, but available to bundle buyers for $9.99), Mac users can finally burn data and movies to Blu-ray discs, as well as HD video to standard DVDs.
Data Rescue 3 ($99.00) - The #1 utility for recovering data from a crashed drive or accidentally deleted files, with more top ratings and reviews than any other. Included in our bundle are both the stand-alone app and a bootable DVD image, so you'll be able to use Data Rescue's full capabilities, even on your startup volume...
Sprint files suit to block proposed AT&T, T-Mobile...
On Aug. 31, the US government sued (http://macte.ch/QQ50v) to block AT&T'’s proposed US$39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, saying the deal would “substantially lessen competition” in the wireless market.
Now Sprint Nextel (http://www.sprint.com) has brought suit against AT&T, Inc. AT&T Mobility, Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile seeking to block the proposed acquisition as a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia as a related case to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) suit against the proposed acquisition.
“Sprint opposes AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile,” says Susan Haller, vice president-Litigation, Sprint. “With today’s legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal.”
Sprint’s lawsuit focuses on the competitive and consumer harms which would result...
Apple to overtake Nokia in smartphone market
Global smartphone shipments for 2011 will reach 462 million units and Apple is expected to overtake Nokia as the top ranking vendor in terms of shipment volume in 2011, according to DigiTimes Research (http://www.digitimes.com).
Apple's smartphone shipments are projected to top 86.4 million units in 2011, up 82% from 47.5 million units in 2010. Nokia's smartphone shipments in 2011 will decline to 74.4 million units from over 100 million in 2010, said Luke Lin, analyst for Digitimes Research.
Analyst: August sell-through strong for the iPhone, iPad
In a note to clients -- as reported by "Barron's" (http://macte.ch/Vagul) Canaccord Genuity’s Mike Walkley has raised his price target on Apple shares to US$545 from $515, reiterating a Buy rating, writing that “channel checks” suggest sell-through was “strong” in August for both the iPhone and the iPad.
"Our August checks indicated the iPhone 4 remained the top selling smartphone at AT&T (T) and Verizon [Communications (VZ)] despite consumer speculation regarding the upcoming iPhone 5 launch," he writes. "“Further, we believe Sprint[-Nextel (S)] will receive the new iPhone at launch and heavily promote it given the carrier’s unlimited data plan.”
Walkley raised his calendar 2011 iPhone estimate to 83 million units from 80 million, and raised his calendar 2012 estimate to 107 million units from 105 million. He now estimates Apple may sell 59 million iPad units next year, up from a prior estimate of 56 million.
Apple to open first Hong Kong store
Apple will open its first store in Hong Kong store in the country’s central IFC shopping complex in the third quarter and has plans to open a third store in Shanghai by the end of the year, reports "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/43JdH).
Apple currently has four stores on mainland China. The company wants more growth in China via the expansion of its Apple Store network and the "roll out of cheaper iPhones," says "Reuters" (although Apple has nothing officially about cheaper iPhones).
-- Dennis Sellers
Apple may have to reveal iPad sales numbers
Apple may have to reveal iPad and iPad 2 sales figures in the U.K. and U.S. to improve its chances of barring Samsung Electronics Co. from selling the Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer in Australia, reports "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/5GeLZ).
Apple’s claim that the Samsung tablet’s release in Australia will hurt iPad sales may carry little weight if it doesn’t provide the numbers, Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett said in Sydney Federal Court. The judge says she won't force Apple to release the sales numbers and denied Samsung’s request for them, notes "Bloomberg." Apple wahts to to block Samsung sales of the Galaxy 10.1 in Australia, claiming the tablet computer infringes its patents.
Mac OS X has 13.42% of US market share
Mac OS X Lion's release has helped Apple grow its share of the PC install base to nearly 13.5% in the U.S. and more than 6% worldwide, according to new statistics from NetMarketShare, as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).
Mac OS X has been steadily climbing the global charts, seeing its market share rise from 5.60% in May to 5.67% and 5.96%, in June and July, respectively. At the end of August, it had reached 6.03% worldwide and 13.42% in the U.S. A day after its release, Apple said Lion sales had topped one million, making it the most successful operating system launch in its history.
Ex-Apple exec: Apple HDTV 'has got to happen'
Jean-Louis Gassee, a former president of Apple's products division, says in his "Monday Note" blog (http://macte.ch/hzgGo) that an Apple-built HDTV "has got to happen." He's expecting a 50-inch, flat screen TV in the near future.
"Imagine a true plug-and-play experience," Gassee writes. "One set with only two wires: power and the cable TV coax. Turn it on, assert your Apple ID credentials and you’re in business. The program guide looks good and is easy to navigate; pay channels are just a click and a password away. The TV runs apps, from games to FaceTime and Skype, it “just works’’ with your other iDevices and also acts as a Wi-Fi base station using the cable provider’s Internet service."
Gassee is currently general partner at the venture capital firm Allegis Capital since 2003. In late 1990, he founded Be, Inc., a multi-media system software company, took it to the Nasdaq in 1999 and sold it to Palm in 2001. Jean-Louis started Apple France in 1981, moved to Cupertino, California, in...
Galaxy Tab sales blocked in Germany
Samsung "lost a chance to showcase its latest tablet computer at one of the world’s largest electronics shows after Apple won a second injunction blocking Galaxy Tab sales in Germany," notes "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/yLLYU). The companies are involved in legal brouhahas across three continents.
Samsung pulled the just-unveiled Galaxy Tab 7.7 out of the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin after a Dusseldorf court on Sept. 2 granted Apple’s request to ban sales and marketing of the product, James Chung, a Seoul-based spokesman for Samsung, told "Bloomberg." “Samsung respects the court’s decision,” he said, adding that the company will pursue all available options, including legal action, to defend its intellectual property rights.
Also, last month it was announced that Apple had won an agreement from Samsung that the South Korean company won’t sell the newest version of its tablet computer in Australia until a patent lawsuit in the country is resolved.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10...
Kvlt is new audio recorder for the Mac
Flux Forge KvIt (http://www.fluxforge.com/kvlt/) is a new audio recorder for Mac OS X. It's available for US$4.99 at the Mac App Store.
With Kvlt you can record podcasts, voice memos or any other kind of audio clips on your Mac. It supports the most common file formats such as .wav, .aiff, .m4a, .aac, .m4r and mp3. But the developers are working to include support for more formats like .ogg and .snd.
Kvlt was developed with 64-bit in mind. Also, it offers features like iPhone ringtone export and real time spectral analysis.
Yoink is new drag and drop app for Lion
Eternal Storms Software, has released Yoink for Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"). This application provides a small window to simplify dragging files between spaces, fullscreen apps or just between Finder windows.
Dragging and dropping files in Lion, especially between different spaces and more so between or to fullscreen applications, can be very cumbersome, so Yoink was created to help, according to the folks at Eternal Storms. The application fades in a small window every time the user starts dragging a file so they can drop it there.
Then they can switch to the space, fullscreen app or even the Finder window with the mouse and then re-start the drag from Yoink's window. Yoink's window, by default, sticks to the left edge of the display, but can also be sent to the right side.
Yoink is exclusively available on the Mac App Store for US$2.99 and requires Lion. A free 15-day trial is available at the product website (http://www.eternalstorms.at/yoink).
