Apple sued for wireless communications technology used in...
Another day, another lawsuit. Apple, HP and three other companies have been sued by Linex Technologies for patent infringement involving wireless communications used in laptop computers.
The May 6 complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, which has the power to block imports of products found to infringe patents, notes "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/vwdiE). Linex also filed suit in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, the same day, seeking cash compensation, the article adds.
Linex, a Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based licenser of technology, claims two of its patents cover inventions used in the standard for wireless communication, including a way to limit the fading of signal strength in buildings. The complaint cites Apple’s MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Airport Extreme and Time Capsule products.
Lock Desktop lets you lock your Mac
iZooLu has announced Lock Desktop for Mac OS X (http://www.izoolu.com/wp/lock-desktop/). It requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher and is available for US$0.99 at the Mac App Store in the Productivity category.
Once locked, the user can change user account or shutdown the computer. Applications and data continue to run safely in the background on the computer.
Additionally, Lock Desktop allows the user to switch between user accounts from the log-in screen while applications and data continue to run on the other desktops. It's a single click solution.
Foxconn to build Brazil factory to manufacture iOS devices for...
Foxconn Technology Group will probably start manufacturing Apple iPads and iPhones in Brazil as early as July, according to the local Folha de São Paulo daily -- as reported by "Forbes" (http://macte.ch/hDVX8).
The newspaper reports that Foxconn executives from Taiwan are due into Brazil later this week to discuss an US$12 billion investment over the next five years to make Apple products at Foxconn’s facilities in Jundiai, São Paulo. Last week, the company sent a letter to Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff with a list of requests before committing fully to the investment, says "Forbes."
Sources within the internal revenue service of Brazil told Folha that it will decide on taxation for the Apple smart phone and tablet in the next few days, the article says.. Taxation on the devices and its equipment were some of the questions Foxconn submitted to Rousseff last week.
Apple releases iOS 4.3 WebKit source code
After complaints about Apple's delayed compliance with open source licensing requirements for WebKit began, Apple released the iOS 4.3 WebKit source code on Monday, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).
Last week, Harald Welte of GPL Violations criticized Apple (http://laforge.gnumonks.org/weblog/2011/05/06/) for a delay in releasing the source code for WebKit in iOS 4.3. Apple is obligated to simultaneously release the binary and source code for WebKit because it uses code licensed under the Lesser GNU Public License.
Here's what Welte had to say last week: "As some people may know, next to a plethora of BSD licensed code, Apple is using some LGPL licensed code in their iPhone products. So far, it seems they have always provided the respective source code in a timely manner for each and every release they have made on a website www.opensource.apple.com.
"However, in recent months it seems they have deviated from that policy for unknown reasons. As my friend and webkit...
Adobe announces Photoshop Touch apps for the iPad
Adobe has announced three Photoshop Touch apps -- Adobe Color Lava, Adobe Eazel and Adobe Nav -- for the iPad.
Adobe Color Lava (US$2.99) allows you to use your fingertips to mix colors on the iPad, creating custom color swatches and themes to transfer back into Photoshop. Adobe Eazel ($4.99) takes advantage of cutting-edge painting technology by letting digital artists create realistic paintings with their fingertips, and introduces a new kind of interaction between “wet” and “dry” paints. These paintings can then be sent directly to Photoshop CS5 for compositing or for taking the artwork further.
Adobe Nav ($1.99) lets users select and control Photoshop tools using the iPad as the input surface, customize the toolbar, browse and zoom in on up to 200 open Photoshop files, or create new files. All three apps are available at the he Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).
Disk Alarm alerts Mac users before the hard drive is full
Pomcast.biz has introduced Disk Alarm (http://diskalarm.com), its first Mac OS X app. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher and is available for US$3.99 at the Mac App Store in the Utilities category.
Disk Alarm will let you know in advance how much free space is available for your Mac to run smoothly. The app optionally alerts you when you have reach a certain amount of disk space with a sound. Disk Alarm can run in your menu bar for fast access to available free space and more.
You can check your disk space manually if you don't want to have the software do it automatically. Disk Alarm offers the ability to see set the checked space in percents instead of MB/GB.
PhatWare Releases WritePad SDK 2.0 for iOS
PhatWare Corp. (http://www.phatware.com/) has announced WritePad SDK 2.0, a new generation of the handwriting recognition Software Development Kit for iPad and iPhone developers.
WritePad SDK for iOS enables handwriting recognition based text input in third party applications on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices. It's currently available in four languages, including English, German, French, and Spanish with more languages to be announced soon.
WritePad SDK includes handwriting recognition engine static libraries and dictionaries for all supported languages, API header files, documentation, and useable sample code allowing integration with new or existing iOS applications. WritePad SDK evaluation is free, while commercial redistribution is royalty-based.
Box Shot 3D updated to version 3.3.2
Applications for Life Company has released Box Shot 3D 3.3.2, an update to their utility that makes "shots" of 3D shapes. It's compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 and higher.
Using ray-tracing rendering technology, Box Shot 3D allows you to render software boxes, book covers, magazines, CD, DVD and Blu-Ray boxes, cans, bottles, mugs, bags and more. Version 3.3.2 fixes some batch-rendering issues and allows you to put several objects to a scene.
Now it's possible to render a book and CD, a set of boxes, different books in a stack and more. The upgrade is free for current customers. For new customers, Box Shot 3D costs US$80. A demo is available at the Applications For Life web site (http://www.boxshot3d.com).
Gefen releases new high-def 1080p scaler
Gefen has released the US$329 Gefen ToolBox HD 1080p Scaler (http://macte.ch/13aQR), which will automatically scale up or down any high definition signal to meet the maximum resolution supported by the connected HDTV display.
When used in an installation with more than one display in the room, such as in digital signage or home theater, it allows 1080p resolutions to be viewed on displays with 1080p full HD capability, while scaling the lower resolution display to its maximum resolution. For example, when sending a hi-def signal to four displays, one display may support 720p maximum resolution, while the other three displays support 1080p full HD.
Previously, installers would have to set the source to 720p, the lowest common resolution among all four displays, to ensure a seamless distribution. But when the HD 1080p Scaler is connected to the 720p display, it will accept a 1080p input and downscale it to 720p, while all other displays receive 1080p full HD.
In a home entertainment...
Cookie Stumbler for Mac OS X now deletes 'persistent'...
WriteIt! Studios has updated Cookie Stumbler (http://www.writeitstudios.com), an application to keep your Mac's privacy safe, to version 1.2.1. The upgrade adds the ability to delete persistent cookies such as "Evercookies" by managing all the possible storage locations such as local HTML5 databases, caches. etc.
Cookie Stumbler keeps track of all new visited sites by marking them with an "unread" flag. Additionally the support of Chrome 12 Developer Preview is improved.
Cookie Stumbler includes tools to detect ad/tracking cookies. It features schedules, on-click filter and automator actions to make the process customizable. The app requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.
With Cookie Stumbler you can scan and track cookies, then remove them with a single click. It supports Google Chrome, Firefox, OmniWeb, Chromium, Safari and Flash cookies,
Cookie Stumbler comes with a one-year subscription to WriteIt's update service, which includes software and definition updates. Subscription extensions...
iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps for May 9
Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).
Paul Solt has announced Wallpaper Evolution for iOS, an US$0.99 app designed to showcase original abstract and psychedelic wallpapers in addition to personal photos. The app features a wooden coffee table where images slide onto the table for multi-touch interaction. Users can tap, flick, zoom, and rotate the images in any configuration.
iGotIt Games has released Colorflys SD 1.0, a butterfly capture experience for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices. The iPhone/iPod touch version is $0.99, while the iPad version costs $1.99.
Pixite has introduced PhotoFresh, a $1.99 Facebook sharing app for the iPad. It offers a way to view, upload, and share Facebook photos and videos. PhotoFresh focuses on the users' photos and videos and includes features such as navigation, photo caching, and slideshow options.
Felix Mo has unveiled Locational 1.0, a location-aware...
Apple's Bud Tribble to testify at Senate hearing Tuesday
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law announced May 6 that Guy L. "Bud" Tribble, vice president of software technology at Apple, will represent Cupertino at a May 10 hearing titled "Protecting Mobile Privacy: Your Smartphones, Tablets, Cell Phones and Your Privacy."
At issue is the location-based data collected by smartphones. Last month, researchers said that iOS 4 location information was stored in an insecure manner and accessible to anyone who stumbled upon your iPhone, iPad, or the computer with which you synced your iOS device. That prompted concerns that Apple, and anyone who looked at that data, could track your whereabouts.
Tribble has testified on behalf of Apple before. He appeared at a July 2010 Senate Commerce Committee hearing about online privacy, during which he was also questioned about location services, notes "PC Mag" (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385038,00.asp). Google has also been asked to testify about the location...
iSuppli: Apple defies decline in smartphone market
Bucking a rare downturn in the burgeoning smart phone business, Apple in the first quarter achieved double-digit-percentage growth in iPhone shipments and posted the best performance among the Top 5 competitors, new IHS iSuppli (http://www.isuppli.com) research reveals.
No. 2-ranked Apple in the first quarter of 2011 shipped 18.6 million iPhones, up 14.9% from 16.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Apple’s increase represented the highest percentage growth among the world’s Top 5 smart phone brands, with No. 5-ranked HTC coming in a distant second given its 6.2% growth. It also marked a standout performance in a smart phone market that suffered a 1.5% sequential decline in shipments during the first quarter.
“Apple’s smart phone market share in the first quarter was boosted by the introduction of its first iPhone model with code division multiple access (CDMA) as well as by the addition of Verizon Wireless as a carrier in the United States,” says Tina Teng, senior analyst,...
Apple named World's Most Valuable Brand
The strength of the iPad has pushed Apple ahead of Google for the first time as the most valuable brand in the world, according to Millward Brown's 2011 BrandZ study (http://www.millwardbrown.com/BrandZ/Default.aspx) of the most-valuable global brands, notes "Advertising Age" (http://macte.ch/EFU1W). Apple ended a four-year run by Google at the top of the brand ranking.
In fact, this is the first time that Apple has topped the list since BrandZ began compiling its annual ranking of the world's most valuable brands. The company topped the list with an 84% surge from 2010 that put its value at more than US$153 billion.
According to Millward Brown, the subsidiary of the WPP advertising firm that compiles the list, Apple's burnished its image with consumers through a combination of low-profile strategies and high-profile marketing tactics. The firm says: "Apple continued quietly developing a cloud and loudly discovered an empty space in the computing category that it filled with a new...
Steve Jobs number three on Engineering Heroes list
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has ranked third in a list of Engineering Heroes, behind Isambard Kingdom Brunel and James Dyson but ahead of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, reports "PC World" (http://macte.ch/vUHr6).
The list of Engineering Heroes was chosen by around 900 engineering undergraduates in the UK who were surveyed by General Electric (GE). Brunel's work on bridges, dockyards and railways made him the top choice among engineering students, with -- put him in second, says "PC World." Jobs takes credit for Apple products such as the Apple II and iPod.
Analyst: older iOS devices often outsell Android devices
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- Canaccord Genuity technology analyst Michael Walkley says older iOS products sold at a discounted price, like the iPhone 3GS and first-generation iPad, are often more popular than newer devices running the Google Android operating system.
The iPhone 4 is "by far" the top selling device at both carriers AT&T and Verizon, he says. However, Apple's older devices continue to be strong sellers.
"Interestingly, our April checks indicated continued strong demand for the iPhone 3GS at AT&T and iPad 1 at Verizon, as these older generation products with reduced prices often outsold new Android products," Walkley writes. "We believe this highlights Apple's significant competitive advantage, and these older products help Apple offer a tiered pricing strategy at key channels."
Checks with Verizon stores found that the 16GB and 32GB versions of the first-generation iPad sold out in less than two weeks...
iPad among top three tablets in China
According to the statistics of ResearchInChina Smart Terminal Database (http://www.researchandmarkets.com), among the 220 tablet computers under 83 brands available as of February 2011, Apple, Gome, and Eben ranked top three by sales volume, while Apple, Eking, and Eben ranked top three by sales value.
"In 2010, Apple iPad set off an upsurge of tablet PC on a global scale and urged all the manufacturers that tried to compete with Apple to redesign their products, which postponed the release of the majority of competitive tablet PCs till 2011," Research and Markets says. "In 2010, the iPad not only fueled the rapid growth of tablet PC market but exerted a revolutionary influence upon the entire media industry and propelled the 3C manufacturers in the consumer electronics, computer and communication industry as well as the traditional media magnates into the tablet PC industry."
According to ResearchInChina, the market size of tablet PCs in China approximated 1.73 million in 2010. It's...
Clippings is new note pad for Mac OS X
Lagente has introduced Clippings for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or later), a note pad with security and encryption features. It's available for a limited time for US$0.99 at the Mac App store in the Productivity category. The regular price is $9.99.
Clippings (http://macte.ch/GaXn2) offers features such as import and export, encryption, a document format, highlighting features, QuickSearch, full search, word and character count and more. Each page is stored in the document bundle as a separate RTFD file and can be accessed directly if required, without launching Clippings.
Even encrypted pages can be accessed this way and be re-imported into a new Clippings file if you have the password. And don't forget that password, because if you do, the AES-128-encrypted pages can't be cracked, according to the folks at Lagente.
Demolition Physics 1.0 drives onto Mac OS X
Branovets Games has introduced Demolition Physics 1.0 (http://macte.ch/23LOf), a demolition simulator for Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later. It costs US$4.99 and is available on the Mac App Store in the Games category.
Demolition Physics offers 3D simulation for each type of explosive from the fiery trail to the atomic explosion. Each explosion has its own distinctive features and different impacts on the destruction.
Additionally, the special effects are connected, such as depth of field, motion bur, and others. Slowing down time will allow more details to see the interaction of objects in the explosions. In addition, play with ragdoll physics.
MacTech Boot Camp coming to Boston May 18
Like the San Francisco event, MacTech Boot Camp Dallas has sold out. And MacTech Boot Camp Boston is less than two weeks away (on May 18). Located at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, the event's speakers will include: Jeff Korn, Mike Zarin, Leon Lincoln, Adam Schechter, Josh Turiel, Max Buxton, Andy Espo, Al Willis and Neil Ticktin
The early bird pricing runs through today (Monday) for the Boston event, and attendees can save US$200 (making their price just $295, including lunch). For details go to http://www.mactech.com/bootcamp/register .
Those who want to get Apple Certified, can take an exam with MacTech Boot Camp's Partner FMC the day before with a special price for last minute study group and proctored exam. You can save $100 as a MacTech Boot Camp attendee. For more info go to http://www.mactech.com/bootcamp/certification .
MacTech Boot Camp is a one day event for those that support the home user, and small business market. It's a single-track, hotel based seminar...
TimePreserver updated, enters Mac App Store
Dalamser has updated TimePreserver (http://www.dalamser.com/TimePreserver/index.html) for Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher. It's available for new users at a price of US$34.99 at the Mac App Store.
TimePreserver lets you make archives of your Time Machine backups stored on a Time Capsule. To use you attach an external disk to your Mac, run TimePreserver, and then store the disk away from your Mac and Time Capsule. Re-attach the disk and run TimePreserver to update the archive. You can use multiple external discs in rotation to provide extra protection. A minimum of two is good, always keeping one in a different location.
According to the folks at Dalamser, the advantages of using TimePreserver are:
° Complete archive of the Time Capsule without it being unusable for hours;
° Integrity of the Time Machine backups is protected;
° TimePreserver understands Time Machine backups unlike generic backup applications.
TimePreserver 1.2 supports network attached storage and non-HFS disks for archive...
FarFinder updated, renamed to Presence
Flying Mac says FarFinder -- its remote file access application for the Mac, iPhone and iPad -- has been renamed Presence (http://flyingmac.com/presence/) and has received an upgrade.
Version 2.0 provides secure access to a Mac's files, by web browser from any Mac or PC, and by iPhone and iPad using the iOS client. New features include a native iPad client, sharing files with others right from the Mac, bridging between other iOS apps and a remote Mac, round-trip editing for iWork, better connectivity and more.
Presence is a Mac application that provides secure access to the Mac's files from anywhere on the Internet. Access is by web browser from any Mac or PC using a simple, unchanging URL, and by iPhone and iPad using the iOS client.
Presence runs natively on the iPad. The software offers the ability to pass files between a remote Mac and other iOS apps.
Presence requires OS X 10.6 or higher. Mac OS X 10.5 users can use version 1 of Presence, which has fewer features. iOS devices...
VideoCanvas 2.1 available now on Mac App Store
Norrkross Software (http://www.norrkross.com) has announced VideoCanvas 2.1, an update to their video editing, compositing and effects application for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher). It's available at the Mac App Store in the Video category for US$9.99.
Formerly known as Norrkross Movie, VideoCanvas is a real time HD video editor that lets you edit video in multiple layered tracks, add your on titles, transitions and filters, including green screening. Version 2.1 adds support for the Mac App Store and more.
You can export to popular formats such as MPEG 4 and QuickTime. Where Apple's iMovie offers professionally designed themes and templates, VideoCanvas instead offers lower level tools to allow the user to make the creative design decisions themselves and to offer more freedom in what is possible to accomplish, according to the folks at Norrkross. VideoCanvas is more basic than Final Cut Studio and Shake, both in that it is lacks some of the features, and that it requires much less...
The New Yorker comes to the iPad
Adobe says that Condé Nast is using Adobe Digital Publishing Suite to offer subscription sales of The New Yorker magazine’s digital edition on the iPad.
Adobe and Condé Nast have collaborated over the last year to deliver publications -- including WIRED, The New Yorker, Allure, Glamour, Self, Vanity Fair, Golf Digest and GQ -- for a new generation of tablet devices. Previously these publications have only been available as single-issue purchases. The New Yorker is the first digital magazine from Condé Nast to offer a subscription payment option directly within the digital magazine application, available for download through Apple iTunes.
Adobe Digital Publishing Suite supports a wide variety of purchase options, enabling readers to access content across multiple devices. This includes direct entitlement through integration with leading third party subscription fulfillment service providers, allowing publishers to offer subscriptions through the device app stores or from their...
Violence breaks out at Apple Beijing store
The long wait for Apple products in Beijing turned ugly over the weekend when a skirmish erupted outside one of the company's stores, resulting in a broken glass door and injuries to customers and one employee, reports "Computerworld" (http://macte.ch/tB8ib). The iPad 2 had just gone on sale, but it was the white iPhone 4, released a week earlier, that caused the trouble, the article adds.
News of Saturday's incident has circulated in the local Chinese press, with photos on the Web showing an Apple customer bloodied and laying on the ground. A spokesman for Beijing's public security bureau told "Computeworld" that the parties involved in the dispute had resolved the matter, but he gave no other details. Apple said in a statement that its Beijing store located in the Sanlitun district closed for several hours on Saturday after a group outside of the store "became unruly."
"The store team acted to protect themselves and our customers by closing the doors and preventing the group from...
OWC announces Mercury Aura Pro Express 480GB for the MacBook Air
Other World Computing (OWC) says its OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express Solid State Drive is now shipping in an industry-largest 480GB capacity for all 2010 Apple MacBook Air models.
First announced at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show this past January, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express line now offers up to 4X greater capacity and up to 68% faster real-world performance than factory available options. There are four models (each with 7% over-provisioning and a three-year warranty):
° 180GB Mercury Aura Pro Express -- US$479.99;
° 240GB Mercury Aura Pro Express -- $579.99;
° 360GB Mercury Aura Pro Express -- $1179.99;
° 480GB Mercury Aura Pro Express -- $1579.99.
For more information on the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express line, including reseller inquires, visit http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_Express .
Bare Reef launches Portfolio for iPad, iPhone, Mac
Bare Reef has launched its rebranded line of stock market portfolio tracking apps for the iPad, iPhone and Mac. The launch also includes a new web portal designed to simplify the process of entering and editing trade history.
Portfolio mobile (previously StockTrac) offers such features as: support for multiple portfolios; support for trading in multiple currencies; technical charting; PUSH-based price alerts (on the iPad and iPhone); broker integration using Open Financial Exchange (OFX); portfolio performance comparison and charting; and web-based management and backup
The iPad/iPhone/iPod touch version requires iOS 3.1.3 or later and is available at the Apple App Store. Portfolio mobile for iPhone 2.7 is US$11.99; Portfolio mobile for iPhone Pro 2.7 is $19.99; and Portfolio mobile for iPad is $19.99.
Portfolio mobile for Mac costs $24.99 and is available at Portfolio Mobile (http://www.portfoliomobile.com). A 30-day demo is also available for download.
SecureMac reports new version of MAC Defender malware
SecureMac says it's discovered a new version of the previously identified MAC Defender malware (http://macte.ch/JGEpO). The new variant is an updated version of the original malware, rebranded as
The new version didn't change the main functionality of the code, but rather cleaned up the existing code and added small updates including the capability to send information about the infected system back to the authors of the malware, along with an updated user interface to reflect the name change, according to SecureMac. This new version of MAC Defender exhibits the same behavior as the original variant detected by SecureMac, and should be removed as soon as possible, the company says.
MacScan users can identify the new malware by running a spyware scan with the latest spyware definitions update, which was release May 4. A 30-day demo of MacScan can be downloaded from SecureMac at http://macscan.securemac.com .
To update spyware definitions from within the program, click the "MacScan"...
Iomega expands network storage offerings
Iomega (http://www.iomega.com) has launched the Iomega StorCenter PX Series of network storage products, a series of desktop and rackmount NAS devices created specifically for high performance use at small- to medium-sized businesses and distributed enterprises.
Powered by EMC storage technology, the StorCenter PX Series features four-bay and six-bay desktop models and a four-bay rackmount model, each available in scalable configurations. SMBs, remote offices and distributed enterprise users will benefit from the optional use of SSD drives to drive even higher performance, as well as such advanced data protection features as multiple RAID levels with hot swap drives, UPS support, user quotas, device-to-device replication and certification for most virtualization environments, according to Iomega President Jonathan Huberman.
Iomega's new StorCenter PX Series of network storage devices range from diskless with no included storage up to 18TB of storage capacity. The PX Series also...
iWeb Themes Park adds new templates
iWeb Themes Park (http://www.iwebthemespark.com) has released new design themes for iWeb, Apple's web design component of the iLife suite. The themes are Contrast, Leisure Time, Passion, Scratched and White Ovals
Here's how the folks at iWeb Themes Park describes the themes: "Leisure Time theme is perfect for weekend activities or a family website while Passion is a theme for love and relationships. White Ovals theme will help to represent a great variety of different events like trips or festivals. Scratched theme has many uncommon, but natural elements while Contrast theme has outstanding color gradient and light effect."
To use iWeb Themes from iWeb Themes Park requires a Mac with iWeb from iLife '08 or later.
The iWeb Themes Box of 120 themes is priced at US$29.99. Each template is available for $11.99 or $12.99. Four iWeb Themes are free for everyone.
OS X Email Archiver free for a week
Spot Documents says their Mac OS X application for archiving Apple Mail on OS X is now free for a limited time at the Mac App Store in the Business category. It's normally US$9.99.
Email Archiver (http://www.spotdocuments.com/emailarchiverapp/) is a tool for Mac experts, sysadmins, or superusers. It creates a permanent, archival quality set of PDFs, one for each email on a computer. The software works with Apple's Mail, storing emails as PDFs. It makes them compatible anywhere a PDF works, not just with Mail.app.
The folks at Spot Documents say that by giving the application away free for a limited period of time the company hopes to gain mindshare among the OS X community. Email Archiver requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later.
Graphic Node launches clipart images for the Mac
Graphic Node (http://graphicnode.com/) -- a graphic design company that specializes in creating themes, templates, and illustrations for Mac OS X -- is presenting its first set of clipart images, People Clipart.
The set contains 100 images depicting people in work, home, and leisure environments. In addition, Graphic Node offers a number of products for iWork, iWeb, and Aperture, which were previously available from its parent company, Jumsoft.
The transparent backgrounds in People Clipart allow users to place images on top of different colors or patterns, whereas the PDF format enables them to resize images without compromising quality. People Clipart is compatible with Apple's iWork, iWeb, MS Office, and various other graphics programs.
It requires Mac OS X 10.4.3 or higher. People Clipart costs US$9.99.
Apple climbs 21 spots on Fortune 500
Apple climbed 21 slots into the top 50 of the Fortune 500 this year. How'd it get there?
"The company not only continues to expand its reach in existing markets, it also keeps creating new ones.
Take the iPad, which showed the world the power of tablet computing when it was introduced last year," says Fortune. "iPad 2 followed, and was one of the most highly anticipated electronic products this year. CEO Steve Jobs' appearance at its debut in March reassured shareholders worried about his most recent medical leave. Regardless of who's in charge, though, investors have plenty of reason to believe Apple's magic spell on consumers can continue."
What's more, Apple ranked eighth on the list of most profitable companies with its 2010 profits of US$14 billion. That's up from 26th place in 2010. In the Computer and Office Equipment category, Apple passed Dell in overall revenue to move into second place behind HP.
-- Dennis Sellers
Latest developments in the iPad digital mag business
The digital magazine subscription world of the iPad continues to be problematic for some companies -- but others are still diving in.
“In the quarter, we have lost about $10 million on The Daily,” News Corp President Chase Carey told analysts on the group’s Q3 earnings call, as reported by "paidContent.org" (http://macte.ch/3sTH5). A colleague said the iPad only publication has seen 800,000 downloads since launch.
A News Corp. spokesperson told "paidContent.org" that the download count is now higher than 800,000. The “loss” is mostly due to investment costs because the app has only just gone paid, the article adds.
News Corp has previously said investment in the tablet-only news title will run to $30 million by the time fiscal 2011 ends in June. That includes $7 million in Q2 and an early run rate of nearly a half-million dollars a week.
Meanwhile, the UK-based Telegraph has rolled out version 2 of its iPad app. The app is free; with it you can buy digital edition of The Telegraph...
Nielsen: iPad has 82% of the tablet market
The iPad still has 82% of the tablet market despite growing competition, according to the Nielsen research group (http://www.nielsen.com).
Samsung, Dell and Motorola have 4%, 3% and 2%, respectively. Nielsen's report also showed that:
° Around half of all tablet owners reported being the only ones in their household using their particular tablet, while 43% said they shared the tablet with others. Eight percent said that while they own a tablet used by other household members, they do not use it themselves.
° When asked whether they used other connected devices more often or less often since purchasing a tablet, 35% of tablet owners who also owned a desktop computer reported using their desktop less often or not at all, while 32% of those who also owned laptops, said they used their laptop less often or never since acquiring a tablet.
° Twenty-seven percent of those who also own eReaders said they use their eReader less often or not at all – the same percentage as those who also own...
IDC: Apple has 18.7% of worldwide smartphone market
The worldwide smartphone market grew 79.7% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2011 (1Q11), driven by a combination of vendors releasing highly anticipated models, widespread availability of older smartphones at lower prices, and sustained end-user demand, according to the IDC research group (http://www.idc.com). Apple reached a new record shipment volume in a single quarter, and inched closer to market leader Nokia with fewer than six million units separating the two companies.
The company posted market-beating year-over-year growth and recorded triple-digit growth in two key markets: the United States, with the release of its CDMA-enabled iPhone, and Greater China. Additionally, the company enlisted South Korean Telecom and Saudi Telecom as carrier providers of the iPhone.
According to IDC, Apple shipped 18.7 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2011, compared to 8.7 million in the year-ago quarter. The iPhone's market share has jumped from 15.7% to 18.7% in the time period...
Apple launches Customer Pulse feedback site
Apple has launched Customer Pulse (http://macte.ch/CC75R), a feedback site designed to "help us get the complete picture."
Apple says Customer Pulse is "an online community of Apple product users who provide input on a variety of subjects and issues concerning Apple." Currently, the site is only available via invitation.
Apple releases iMac, MB Pro software updates
Apple has released several updates for the iMac and MacBook Pro.
The Mac OS X 10.6.7 Update for iMac (Early 2011) 1.0 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1383) is recommended for all early 2011 iMac models. It includes general operating system fixes for Mac OS X Snow Leopard that enhance the stability, compatibility, performance, and security of your Mac. It's a 382.56MB download.
iMac EFI Update 1.6 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1380), a 6.1MB download, includes fixes that improve performance and stability for Thunderbolt.
MacBook Pro Software Update 1.4 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1382) includes fixes that improve graphics stability, address issues with external display support and 3D performance, and improve Thunderbolt device support. It's a 132.69MB download.
MacBook Pro EFI Update 2.1 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1381) includes fixes that resolve an issue with Turbo Mode in Boot Camp, and improve performance and stability for graphics and Thunderbolt. It's 3.06MB download.
Analyst: all remaining Macs on tap for updates 'soon'
Analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee has told clients in a note -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) that supply chain sources say that all Mac products that have yet to see a refresh this year are "due for refreshes" soon.
The analyst is expecting upgrades of the MacBook, MacBook Air, Mac mini and Mac Pro over the next few months. Not included on Wu's list are the MacBook Pro, which underwent a refresh in February, and the iMac, which saw a new version on Tuesday.
Hearst signs up for iPad mag editions
Hearst Corp. has agreed to sell subscriptions to the iPad editions of a range of its magazines through iTunes, reports "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/GIerP).
Starting with their July issues, iPad apps for "Esquire," "Popular Mechanics" and "O, The Oprah Magazine," will be available through a service from Apple that allows customers to sign up for subscriptions inside the apps and get billed automatically. Subscriptions to all three publications will be sold for US$1.99 a month or $19.99 a year.
Singular Software Presto released for Final Cut Pro
Singular Software (http://www.singularsoftware.com), has released Presto for Final Cut Pro. The app is designed to simplify the creation of presentation videos.
Working alongside Final Cut Pro, Singular Software Presto synchronizes, arranges, and edits the footage of the presenter, presentation slides, and video taken of the screen. The application utilizes sophisticated computer tracking and image-matching technology to simplify the entire editing process for creating presentation videos, according to Singular Software CEO Bruce Sharpe. Users need simply to import video of the presenter, screen, and presentation slides into Final Cut Pro, and Singular Software Presto will work its magic, he adds.
Singular Software Presto creates a precisely timed slide track with bright slide images in place of the screen video by automatically synchronizing the original slide images with video of the screen. The application's tracking technology captures the presenter to place alongside the slides...
Paragon releases NTSF for Mac OS X
Paragon Software Group (PSG) -- which specializes in data backup, disaster recovery, and data migration solutions -- has released two cross-platform technologies -- NTFS for Mac OS X 9.0 (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/) and HFS+ for Windows 9.0 -- designed to eliminate barriers between Windows and Mac operating systems, and ease data manipulation and data transfer for dual boot users.
Paragon NTFS for Mac OS X 9.0 is a standalone application that adds NTFS file allocation system support to Mac OS X, including the upcoming Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, and allows partitioning operations with NTFS volumes under Mac OS X. Paragon HFS+ for Windows 9.0 is an application based on a special driver that allows the operating system to access and manipulate HFS-formatted files.
With Paragon NTFS for Mac OS X 9.0 you can modify existing files, delete files and create or copy new files. You can also: mount any NTFS partition like a native one – no need to perform special commands to...
Kwik is new Adobe Photoshop plug-in
Kwiksher has introduced Kwik 1.0, a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS5 designed to simplify the creation of interactive, animated content for both iOS and Android devices. It's built for designers and illustrators who want to create comics, magazines, and interactive books.
Kwik allows users to add buttons and animations to static Photoshop compositions. The plug-in purportedly provides many of the basic sound, camera, and animation capabilities of Adobe Flash or Director without ever leaving Photoshop.
Kwik uses Ansca Mobile's Corona SDK [software developers kit] for previewing and publishing the final project. It requires Adobe Photoshop CS5 running on Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later.
Kwik 1.0 for Corona SDK is normally US$79.99, but is currently available at the special introductory price of $49.99 directly from Kwiksher (http://www.kwiksher.com). Kwik is free for projects with only one or two pages.
SyncMate now Syncs Android tablets with Macs
Mac users can now sync their Macs not only with Android phones, but with Android tablets too when using SyncMate from Eltima Software (http://www.eltima.com). SyncMate 3 fully supports Android phones synchronization and additional tests proved that SyncMate can sync Mac with Android tablets too.
SyncMate allows syncing contacts and calendars between Mac and Android devices for free. Upgrading to the Expert edition (US$39.95 for a personal license for two Macs) gives full access to all options SyncMate offers for Android devices -- folders, music, images, videos sync, bookmarks synchronization, possibility to manage SMS messages on Mac and mount Android as a Mac disk and more.
Please note that the list of options for Android devices is just a general reference and sync options for each specific device may differ. For example, SyncMate supports calendars and contacts sync between Mac and Android device, but if a tablet doesn't have contacts or calendars at all, SyncMate won't add these...
Mac-Based Digital Signage Software Gets Update
Media Sign Pro (http://mediasignpro.com) has released version 4.0 of their Mac-based digital signage software. Media Sign Pro is designed to simplify the creation of digital signage.
One of the highlights of the new release is the addition of dynamic playlists. This allows administrators to update video and slideshow playlists by updating the contents of the folder where the media is located. Dynamic playlists are fully compatible with cloud-based storage services such as MobileMe or Dropbox, allowing changes to be made remotely by simply uploading a file via a web interface.
Also included in this release is the Twitter zone, allowing audiences to engage directly with the digital sign by having their tweets displayed on the screen in real-time. The zone is fully customizable, has multiple display modes, and has a built-in content filter.
Version 4 also includes a revamped template chooser allowing users to choose from 12 professionally designed templates for their digital sign. All...
BMFM for Mac OS X beefs up batch folder ability
Publicspace.net has updated The Big Mean Folder Machine (http://www.publicspace.net/BigMeanFolderMachine/), a file/folder management utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.1.7. The new version adds the option of creating batch folders of specific size or number of files while preserving the existing folder hierarchy.
BMFM is a a tool for those who work with large file collections, including digital photographers, content creation, post-production, system administrators, and other creative professionals. Featuring an copying engine, The Big Mean Folder Machine walks you through each decision. BMFM also resolves name conflicts automatically. You can unify entire file collections from various locations into a single folder. Or, alternatively, you can split files into several folders based on a range of criteria.
BMFM is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. A single user license is US$14.95. Small business, family, business and...
Ohanaware releases HDRtis Pro 1.0.1 for Mac OS X
Ohanaware has released HDRtist Pro 1.0.1 (http://www.ohanaware.com/hdrtistpro/) for Mac OS X 10.5 (or higher) running on an Intel Mac. The upgrade sports over 50 changes, which includes the ability to specify bit depth and compression on export.
HDRtist Pro now performs better when used on Macs without hardware acceleration. Also, Ohanaware has fixed a bunch of small bugs.
HDRtist Pro is the more advanced version of Ohanaware's freeware HDRtist. It's been designed to provide more creativity with HDR images, while maintaing an easy-to-use interface, according to the folks at Ohanaware. Utilizing Apple technology, HDRtist Pro is able to wield and manipulate 128-bit floating-point images (that's 16,843,009 times more precision than a JPEG photo).
The app's engine has been designed to work with multiple exposures, single RAW images, and can make single JPEG images look like HDR. One-click styles, editable HDRs, and a "drop-N-click" system are all featured in HDRtist Pro.
Karelia Imedia Browser Revved To Version 2.0.1
Karelia Software has updated its free iMedia Browser (http://www.karelia.com/imedia/), an utility to add the familiar "media browser" experience to just about any Mac application, to version 2.0.1.The upgrade adds support for iPhoto event skimming, support for the Faces feature in both iPhoto and Aperture, and support for Collection groups in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.
Built from the ground up to resemble the media browser found in several Apple applications, the Karelia iMedia Browser is a stand-alone utility that can be used to access a user's library of photos, sounds, movies, or bookmarks.
The Karelia iMedia Browser allows users to browse their libraries of photos (iPhoto, Aperture, and Pictures folders); music (iTunes library, GarageBand songs, and Music folders); movies (from iTunes, iPhoto, and Movies folders), and bookmarks (from several leading web browsers). It can be activated either from the dock or from a small icon in the menu bar.
The Karelia iMedia Browser is...
Fontcase for Mac OS X gets overhauled interface, more
Bohemian Coding and Laurent Baumann have updated Fontcase (http://www.bohemiancoding.com/?Fontcase), a font manager for Mac OS X 10.6 and higher, to version 2.0. New features an overhauled interface, Typedia integration, Typesetter integration and a new way to preview fonts in any combination and on any website.
Fontcase focuses on metadata. For every font and weight, you can add a variety of metadata. You can set tags, genres, assign designers and foundries and more. They are not just pieces of text, but actually show up in the source list, right under your smart collections. Everything in the interface can be dragged.
Fontcase has several preview options. You can preview fonts with any sample text you want and you can view individual glyphs, as a waterfall text and as body text. If you want to go in more detail, there's a special Compare mode which was designed to compare a small set of fonts and allow you to choose the right font from them.
Just like in iTunes, you can share your...
Imagerie for Mac OS X updated to version 1.2
App4mac has updated Imagerie (http://www.app4mac.com/imagerie.html), their new image editor built for Mac OS X 10.6.6 (and higher), to version 1.2. The upgrades includes core improvements, including an improved bimap editor, a new levels editor and a tweaked user interface.
Imagerie features layers management, vector tools, gradient editor and a history navigator. The app especially made to be flexible, very speedy and clear while doing common editing. No complex windows or hidden features.
According to the folks at App4Mac, Imagerie makes it y easy and speedy for everyone to edit an image. Its features range from "basic and effective pimp-up to high-class filters for sophisticated stuff."
Imagerie is available for approximately US$29.99 and is available at the Mac App Store. Updates are always free for lifetime.
