Analyst ups his sales estimates for, well, all Apple products
Kaufman Brothers analyst Shaw Wu said in a note to clients -- as reported by "Barron's (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/12/16/apple-kaufman-ups-ta...) -- that he's raised his price target on shares of Apple to US $395 from $380. He says momentum for the iPhone and iPad appear better recently than he’d predicted.
Wu also says Black Friday shopping madness has carried over, leading to shortages of the iPod and the MacBook Air. For the fiscal quarter that ends this month, the analyst now sees: Apple selling 4.2 million Macs, up from 4 million; 6.1 million iPads (up from 5.5 million), 16 million iPhones (up from 15.5 million), and 17 million iPods, up from 16 million.
Beta of DEVONagent 3.0 available
DEVONtechnologies has released version 3.0 of its intelligent Internet research assistant DEVONagent as public beta. It comes with a reworked user interface, better browsing capabilities, new and updated plugins, and is based on a new technology foundation.
DEVONagent 3.0 supports wildcards, new advanced search operators such as "OPT," fuzzy searching, and natural phrase matching. Searches can be saved and recalled later. New scanners and plugins have been added, e.g. for Bing, the App Store, Unfolding News, or DEVONthink Pro Office. All other plugins, scanners, and pre-fab search sets have been updated.
Unsupported search engines can be added using the new Plugin Assistant. DEVONagent now also supports PDF, PostScript, OpenOffice, Oracle Open Office, RTF, and Microsoft Word documents.
In addition the integrated web browser has been improved. A new sidebar integrates the new bookmark management, search results, and objects, e.g. images or links, found and extracted from the page....
Aqua Connect Terminal Server to be optimized for Mac Pro Server
Aqua Connect (http://www.aquaconnect.net), providers of an enterprise grade Mac terminal service, has announce plans to optimize performance of Aqua Connect Terminal Server on the Mac Pro Server. This announcement comes after Apple announced last month that they will no longer offer the Xserve line of servers starting in February 2011.
The discontinuation of the Xserve puts the Mac Pro Server at the forefront of Apple’s server technology, according to Renee Mehrian, executive vice president of Aqua Connect. The Mac Pro Server provides features that are more suited for Mac terminal services and enterprise customers, but also brings some new challenges to the field. Aqua Connect has begun development to optimize performance of their products on the Mac Pro Server to provide enterprise customers with a greater user experience than what was possible on the Xserve.
“When Apple decided to end production on the Xserve, we looked at this as an opportunity to optimize remote desktop services...
Learning Tree introduces new iPhone/iPad programming course
Learning Tree International has announced the introduction of a new course entitled "iPhone® and iPad Programming: A Comprehensive Introduction."
In this four-day course, instructors will teach attendees how to create professional iPhone and iPad applications using Objective-C and the iPhone Software Development Kit. According to the folks at Learning Tree, attendees gain the skills to design and test user interfaces with Interface Builder and the iOS Simulator, display data effectively with interactive table views, and apply navigation tools and techniques to improve user experience.
Learning Tree will begin presenting "iPhone and iPad Programming: A Comprehensive Introduction at its Education Centers in January 2011. For more info and the latest course dates and locations, go to http://www.learningtree.com/2761 .
Hitachi ships one-disk, 7mm, 500GB hard drive
Hitachi (http://www.hitachigst.com) has announced its new 500GB, 5,400 RPM Travelstar Z5K500 drive -- a one-disk, 7 millimeter (mm) z-height hard disk drive (HDD).
The drives feature 1.8 watts read/write power and 0.55W low power idle, and purportedly deliver a nearly silent operation at 1.9 idle / 2.1 seek bels. All Travelstar Z5K500 drives feature an 8MB cache and a Serial ATA 3Gb per second interface. They are also Hitachi’s second generation Advanced Format drive, which increases the physical sector size on HDDs from 512 bytes to 4,096 (4K) bytes, thereby improving drive capacity and error correction capabilities.
All Hitachi Z-series 7mm drives feature common connectors and mounting points for standard integration into existing systems. They feature optional bulk data encryption (BDE) for hard drive level data security.
The 500GB G-Technology G-Drive slim will be shipping to retailers in early 2011. Pricing hasn't been announced.
Beta of DiskRadar 1.0 for Mac OS X available
The DiskRadar Team (http://www.diskradar.com) has introduced DiskRadar 1.0 Beta for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It's an utility featuring infographic display of the disk space usage, simple cleanup function, hard disk fault prediction, and temperature monitoring to prevent overheating.
Designed for use by non-technical users, the application provides access to HDD diagnostic data. Additional features include on-the-fly visualization of scanning results and history-based disk health evaluation.
DiskRadar performs real-time hard drive health status monitoring. It monitors the disk and also analyzes the changes in all disk parameters that are closely related to HDD failures (pending bad sectors count, reallocated bad sectors, uncorrectable bad sectors, CRC errors, etc.), and alerts the user to the possibility of impending failure. The app's health diagnostics algorithms are based on recent research in this field. DiskRadar detects not only OK/Verified and Failed disk health states, but also...
Deskovery 1.0 is new window management tool for Mac OS X
Neomobili has released Deskovery 1.0 (http://www.neomobili.com/products/deskovery/), an application that adds window management features to Mac OS X. Windows can be minimized to a titlebar or made transparent, aligned and resized in a single click.
Deskovery lets you manage Spaces with a visual Space switcher directly available in the Dock. Windows can become sticky in a single click in order to appear in all Spaces.
A full windows list is available and can be activated using both mouse and keyboard. In addition to a full multi-monitor support, Deskovery is 64-bit ready. It's also customizable and can be controlled using configurable hot keys.
Deskovery 1.0 costs US$24.99. A fully featured, 14-day demo is available for download.
Maxprog ring up version 7 of iCash for Mac OS X
Maxprog (http://www.maxprog.com/) has released announces iCash 7, an update of the US$49 personal finance and money manager for Mac OS X and Windows.
It offers unlimited categories, multiple accounts creation, multiple currencies, a SQL backend engine, password protection, export/import routines, search functions, and drag & drop support.
iCash is designed to serve several small accounting needs for either private users, clubs, associations, self-employed, or small businesses. It lets you keep track of incomes, expenses and Bank transactions a snap. Version 7 is available now in 16 languages.
Deskovery 1.0 is new window management tool for Mac OS X
Neomobili has released Deskovery 1.0 (http://www.neomobili.com/products/deskovery/), an application that adds window management features to Mac OS X. Windows can be minimized to a titlebar or made transparent, aligned and resized in a single click.
Deskovery lets you manage Spaces with a visual Space switcher directly available in the Dock. Windows can become sticky in a single click in order to appear in all Spaces.
A full windows list is available and can be activated using both mouse and keyboard. In addition to a full multi-monitor support, Deskovery is 64-bit ready. It's also customizable and can be controlled using configurable hot keys.
Deskovery 1.0 costs US$24.99. A fully featured, 14-day demo is available for download.
New expansion packs for Majesty 2 available
Virtual Programming (http://www.vpltd.com) has released two expansion packs for Majesty 2, Kingmaker and Battles of Ardania, for Mac OS X. Offering new missions, gameplay features, and monsters, along with multiplayer matches and a toolset for creating new missions and battles, the expansions continue Ardania's epic story.
Here's how the expansion packs are described: "Kingmaker serves up a new eight-mission campaign that introduces Lord Blackviper and his goblin army, challenging players who united Ardania in the main game to now hold together the kingdom. The expansion also features a mission creator toolset as well as a Majesty 2 gameplay update that includes: a randomize feature that shuffles non-quest monster dens; random treasure chest goodies; multiplayer functionality; a map editor; and more. Multiplayer lets up to four gamers compete in competitive or cooperative matches over a LAN or the Internet.
"Battles of Ardania continues the story with another new eight-mission...
Opera 11 features tab stacking, extensions, visual mouse...
Opera Software has debuted the newest version of its web browser today. Opera 11 is available for Mac, Windows and Linux computers at http://www.opera.com/ . New features include:
° Tab stacking: simply drag one tab on top of another to create a stack.
° Extensions, which help you personalize your browser and enhance what Opera can do.
° NoAds, an ad-blocking extension.
° LastPas, a password manager and form filler.
° FastestTube, which lets you download any video from YouTube.
° Image preview, which displays a pop-up preview of an image.
° Translate, which translates foreign-language web pages.
UA releases Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in
Universal Audio, a manufacturer of audio hardware and UAD-2 powered plug-ins for Mac and Windows has released the Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in for the
UAD-2 platform.
The Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder is a professional 2-inch multitrack tape machine ever made. Modeled by UA’s DSP engineers with help from AES magnetic recording expert Jay McKnight over a 12-month period, the Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in for UAD-2 models the entire tape path and circuit electronics of the hardware, plus the sounds of four distinct tape formulas.
Available for purchase via UA’s Online Store, the Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in sells for US$349. More info on the plug-in can be found at
http://www.uaudio.com/products/software/studer-a800/index.html .
The Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in is available as part of the new UAD Software 5.8.0 release. In addition to the Studer A800 plug-in, v5.8.0 includes the Solid State Logic-...
Valentina 4.8 expands technology to Apple development tools
Paradigma Software has released Valentina 4.8, an update of the cross platform columnar database system. This release offers greater native support for Apple Cocoa development, Valentina Studio support for SQLite databases and enhancements to Valentina Reports.
Valentina 4.8 also includes preview releases of Valentina Studio for Linux, and the soon-to-be-available iValentina free database clients for iOS for iPhone and iPad. Its Interface Building plug-in allows for codeless drag creation of database systems within Apple XCode, Key Value Coding, Valentina class support for garbage collection and Enumerator Objects and methods.
Valentina Studio is Paradigma Software’s visual database development tool for database design, administration and visual report building -- both for local databases as well as remote servers. Previously exclusive to Valentina DB format only, Valentina Studio now allows SQLite users to administrate, query and run visual reports with the public domain SQLite...
Fidelity Media unveils MegaSeg Pro and DJ Editions
Fidelity Media, creator of MegaSeg, the DJ Software and Radio Automation System for Mac, has revealed two new editions, MegaSeg DJ and MegaSeg Pro.
The new DJ edition targets DJs on a budget, home DJs, and those just starting out, giving them a live mixing feature set. The DJ edition also includes the same waveform visualizer and Magic Trackpad beat synchronizing features recently introduced in MegaSeg 5.5.
The new Pro edition adds video playback for VJs and many power features for pro DJs, such as instant sound effects, request lists, track color coding, library tools, and deep features for radio stations, TV broadcasters, and business background music, including automated playlist generation, scheduling, and track separation rules.
Fidelity Media also announced year-end sale pricing of up to 33% off through Dec 31 with MegaSeg DJ and Pro editions now US$99 and $199 (regularly $149 and $249).
The new 5.5.5 version also includes a MIDI preset for Numark's Mixtrack controller and an...
TranslateIt! for Mac OS X now lets you create user dictionaries
TranslateIt! for Mac (http://www.mac.gettranslateit.com/) -- a multilingual dictionary that allows looking up words on the fly -- has been updated to version 3.1. You can now ccreate user dictionaries, and add/edit/delete entries in user dictionaries.
Version 3.1 also offers more TID dictionaries in TranslateIt!. Plus, there's now enhanced processing of links inside entries in the pop-up window and the widget .
With TranslateIt!, you hover the pointer over an unfamiliar word (in any Cocoa Aapplication), and you will see its translation in a pop-up window. It comes with several free dictionaries for a large number of languages. TranslateIt! supports translation from/to any language (corresponding dictionaries must be installed), English sounds (it contains over 17,000 English words pronunciations) and printing of flash cards.
The software also comes with a Words Quiz (a game for learning new words), a built-in DictBuilder utility for creating custom dictionaries and a multilingual user...
New Class on Demand webinars planned
Class on Demand has announced the latest "Class on Demand Legends Series" weekly training webinars featuring digital media instructor Larry Jordan.
The new webinars, titled "Secrets of the Motion Tab in Final Cut Pro" and "Edit and Trim Faster in Final Cut Pro" can be accessed today in streaming video delivery format through the Class on Demand Learning Platform (http://www.classondemand.com/legends/).
An expansion of the current Class on Demand training lineup, "Class on Demand Legends Series" provides an exclusive "inside look" at the inner workings of influential industry experts and figureheads. This week, Jordan continues to delve into the "Fundamentals of Final Cut Pro" with both "Secrets of the Motion Tab in Final Cut Pro" and "Edit and Trim Faster in Final Cut Pro."
"Secrets of the Motion Tab in Final Cut Pro," details ways to harness the Motion tab to create unique motion effects; while "Edit and Trim Faster in Final Cut Pro" divulges Jordan's secret of speedy editing to...
YML looks at the how not to use a Mac, more
The new "Your Mac Life" episode looks at how not to use a Mac, App Awards and Apple at CES.
You can listen in this and every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 8 pm (Pacific). Live video is on Your Mac Life! You can watch the show live at http://yml.macosg.com/ -- or you can listen in to the plain old audio feed at http://www.yourmaclifeshow.com/QT/stream.mov .
You can join one of the two Chat Rooms that run during the live show -- on the live video site or on the dedicated IRC Server at irc.chat-solutions.org in the #yourmaclife Channel.
iPhone now in fifth place in Japanese market
Apple has risen to fifth place in the market ranking list for cellphone makers operating in Japan for the first time in the July-September period with its share coming to 12.2%, a market research institute says -- as reported by "The Mainichi Daily News" (http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20101214p2g00m0bu021000c.html).
The iPhone moved up from seventh place in the April-June quarter in the market led by Sharp Corp., whose latest share was 18.8%, according to IDC Japan. Apple's share broke through the 10% line for the first time, with iPhone's shipment coming to 1.06 million units in the quarter, while overall cellphone shipments stood at 8.66 million units, up 18.9% from a year earlier.
Apple releases LED Cinema Display Firmware Update 1.0
Apple has released LED Cinema Display Firmware Update 1.0 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1338) for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences.
This Firmware Update addresses intermittent audio issues some users have experienced while using the 27-inch LED Cinema Display. The updater application will be installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder and will be launched automatically.
Apple releases iTunes 10.1.1
Apple has released iTunes 10.1.1. You can obtain the update via the Software Updates Component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later.
iTunes 10.1.1 provides a number of important bug fixes, including:
° An issue where some music videos may not play on Macs equipped with NVIDIA GeForce 9400 or 9600 graphics;
° An issue where iTunes may unexpectedly quit when deleting a playlist that has the iTunes Sidebar showing;
° A problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit when connecting an iPod to a Mac equipped with a PowerPC processor;
° An issue where some music videos may not sync to an iPod, iPhone, or iPad.
Poster is new photo/video uploading software for Mac OS X
Reinvented Software has introduced Poster 1.0 for Mac OS X (http://reinventedsoftware.com/poster/). It's an US$19.95 app for uploading photos and videos to multiple sites and accounts.
Poster works with popular photo editing and management applications and can also perform some tricks of its own, such as rotating and resizing photos before uploading. With it you can post photos and videos to Flickr and photos to Facebook.
For Flickr, Poster can post both photos and videos, auto-complete tags, allows you to create and choose sets, submit photos to groups, tag people and moderate your photos all within the app. Its All Items view lets you work with an entire set of photos as easily as just one.
For Facebook, Poster will not only post to your profile, but also any pages that you administer, making Poster suitable for anyone whose business, band or cause takes advantage of Facebook's user community. Also, as a convenience, plug-ins are provided for iPhoto and Aperture to launch Poster...
iBooks 1.2 adds Collections feature, more
Apple has updated its iBooks app for iOS devices to version 1.2. The new version introduces Collections and lets you group books or PDFs together. By default, Apple includes Books and PDFs collections, but you can add and edit 'em as you wish.
There's also AirPrint support, support for full illustrated books and a tweaked icon. Additionally, iOS 4.2 users can now also fit more words per page using automatic hyphenation.
The iBookstore features books from major and independent publishers. Once you’ve bought a book -- or download a free one -- it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The iBooks is a free download at the Apple App Store.
Apple is leading vendor of all-in-one computer sales
Sales for all-in-one computers are on the rise, as is usual during the holiday season, and Apple's iMac is the top selling computer in this category.
"DigiTimes" (http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/NewsSearch.asp?DocID=PD000000000000000...), quoting "industry sources" indicate that Apple is the leading vendor of all-in-ones, accounting for almost 40% of the total market in 2010.
Quanta Computer is the leading maker of all-in-one computers in 2010, accounting for 60% of the original equipment manufacturer market. Its clients include Apple and Hewlett-Packard. Second-place Pegatron Technology is mainly making all-in-one computers for Asustek Computer.
In what is good news for the iMac and Apple, the all-in-one computer market is expected to reach around 10 million units in 2010, and 12-14 million units in 2011. All-in-one computers currently see better demand from the enterprise market, and its overall market is expected to increase as prices get more competitive with better touch...
New books come to iBookStore
HarperCollins Children's Books says more than 30 of its most beloved picture books are available as e-books in time for the holidays. For the first time, Fancy Nancy, Splat the Cat, and that feisty dog Marley can be viewed digitally on the iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone through the Apple iBookstore and on NOOKcolor by Barnes & Noble.
Also, Disney Publishing Worldwide has debuted illustrated books from Tron, Toy Story, Cars and other favorites on the iBookstore. The books --- priced from $2.99 to $9.99 each -- offer full-color, two-page spreads.
The iBookstore features books from major and independent publishers. Once you’ve bought a book -- or download a free one -- it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The iBooks is a free download at the Apple App Store.
Canada's government gives thumbs-up to the iBookstore
The federal government in Canada declared on Tuesday that having a Canadian version of Apple Inc.'s iBookstore would be of net benefit to Canada, reports the "Leader-Post" (http://www.leaderpost.com/news/iBookstore+gets+thumb+Canada/3978206/stor...).
In September, then-governor general Michaelle Jean ordered the government to review the digital bookstore's Canadian iteration to ensure it posed no risk to the nation's cultural identity. On Tuesday, the government found it didn't.
"Apple has demonstrated how iBookstore Canada represents new opportunities for Canadian authors and publishers, and I have determined that this investment will be of net benefit to Canada," Heritage Minister James Moore said in a statement announcing the approval.
Some of the new opportunities outlined in the agreement include promotion of Canadian-authored books in both French and English, reports the "Leader-Post." Increased access to titles by aboriginal authors and publishers is also expected to be...
Stores carrying Apple products burglarized
Stores carrying Apple products should be on guard. Burglaries of such establishments seems to be on the rise.
A security camera caught this smash and grab robbery at an apple store in Greenwich, Connecticut, reports "NECN" (http://www.necn.com/12/15/10/New-England-Apple-stores-step-up-securit/la...). Thousands of dollars in merchandiser were stolen.
Several stores selling Apple products in Vermont and New Hampshire have also been targeted recently, notes "NECN." Police say the suspects were looking for drug money and knew the popular products would help them get it.
And yesterday South Burlington (Vermont) police responded to an alarm at Small Dog Electronics at about 0605 hours and found the front door had been broken, reports "WPTZ" (http://www.wptz.com/mostpopular/26140038/detail.html). Officers found a display case where the glass was broken and an unknown number of iPad were stolen.
Last Thursday, the same store was burglarized. The Waitsfield location of Small Dog Electronics...
Apple ranks number 20 on Best Places to Work list
When it comes to great employers, the employees know best. Glassdoor.com, a jobs and career community where people share workplace insights, has just released the third annual Employees' Choice Awards, listing the top 50 "Best Places to Work" based on surveys collected from U.S.-based employees in 2010. Apple placed number 20 on the list.
The top five Best Places to Work, according to employees, are: Facebook, Southwest Airlines, Bain & Company, General Mills and Edelman. Of the 50 employers honored, 16 have been on the list for each of the last three years, and 21 are debuting on the list this year, including Facebook.
"Glassdoor's Employees' Choice Awards recognize stand-out companies that have retained the support and commitment of their employees despite the tough economic climate," says Robert Hohman, co-founder and CEO of Glassdoor. "Through anonymous employee reviews and surveys, Glassdoor offers a unique look into the top U.S. employers and some of the factors that make...
iPads, iPod touches increasingly incorporated into classrooms
iPads and iPod touches are increasingly common in classrooms across North America, it seems.
iPads are being provided to students at several Bay Area public and private schools this year, including Hillbrook, which claims to be the only K-8 school in America using tablet computers in class and sending them home, reports the "San Jose Mercury News" (http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_16860666?nclick_check=1).
At Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose -- which introduced 32 iPads into the classroom this fall -- the devices are used only in class. And Stanford's School of Medicine gave 92 iPads outright to its first-year students this September. At Hillbrook, which received its iPads last summer as a gift from the parents of two students, seventh-graders such as Sophie slip the handheld devices into backpacks at the end of the school day. Hillbrook's program has been such a hit that it will be expanded next year to include eighth-graders, says the "Mercury News."
What's more,...
Analyst: Apple will sell nine million Verizon iPhones in 2011
Apple will sell nine million Verizon iPhones in 2011, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster told clients a note, as reported by "Business Insider" (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-will-sell-9-million-verizon-iphones...).
What's more, he says that estimate may be conservation. Munster thinks that Apple could sell closer to 20 million iPhones at Verizon next year.
The analyst thinks Verizon will activate 25 million smartphones next year. His estimate of nine million would only represent 36% of all activations for the year. Note that there's been no official word on if or when Verizon will carry the iPhone.
ooVoo launches first 4G mobile video chat service
oVoo (http://www.ooVoo.com) has launched ooVoo Mobile, a mobile video chat service on the Android marketplace. It allows up to six users to simultaneously participate on a video call.
ooVoo Mobile users can make calls to friends, family and colleagues on Macs, PCs, tablets and other mobile phones. And it works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G networks.
As well as six-way video chat and unparalleled quality, ooVoo Mobile also features free ooVoo-to-ooVoo voice calls, text chat, contact list integration and video calls to any person not on ooVoo via a web browser. Available immediately on the Android Market for the HTC Evo and Samsung Epic, ooVoo plans to support new devices every day as well as iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in early 2011.
Slideshow update for Mac OS X sports revised QuickTime formats
Apimac (http://www.apimac.com) has released Slideshow 9.6, an update to their slideshow and presentation tool for Mac OS X. The update includes revised QuickTime exportation formats to support the iPad and iPhone 4.
Slideshow allows you to create slideshow presentations and portfolios that can be distributed as freestanding programs for Mac and Windows or as movie files. The files can be distributed as freestanding programs for Mac and Windows systems or as movie files optimized for YouTube, CD-ROMs, the Web, iTunes, iPod, iOS (iPad, iPhone and iPhone 4) mobile devices and computers.
Slideshow 9.5 also offers mproved compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"), Apple Remote support updated to work with Snow Leopard and the new Aluminium Remote, user interface improvements and more. It costs US$39; a demo is available for download.
BBEdit for Mac OS X gets maintenance update
Bare Bones Software (http://www.barebones.com) has released BBEdit 9.6.2, an update to its HTML and text editor. It fixes reported issues and adds syntax coloring and function navigation support for JSON.
A refined Translate command simplifies the process of converting documents between HTML and plain text, according to Rich Siegel, founder and CEO of Bare Bones Software. BBEdit 9.6 also includes support for directory-specific settings and a new command-line option for creating projects.
The update is available free of charge to all registered BBEdit 9 customers. For new users it has a suggested retail price of US$125. Any registered owner of BBEdit prior to version 9.x can upgrade for US$30.
Raidon launches internal, 2.5-inch SSD storage
Raidon Technology (http://www.RAIDON.com.tw) has announced two internal 2.5-inch iR2420-2S-S2 and iS2420-2S-S2 storage device with aluminum textures and a tray ejection design.
They accommodate two 2.5-inch SSD or SATAII hard drives that offer quick installation. They're the size of a 3.5-inch and can be installed in any 3.5-inch HDD slot in a computer.
The tray ejection design can be installed SSD or HDD without any screws. What's more, the SSD or HDD is removable while the system is still running. Contact Raidon for pricing options.
Chronos announces upcoming SOHO Notes 9, SOHO Organizer 9
Chronos has announced a special pre-release sales event for its forthcoming release of SOHO Notes 9 and SOHO Organizer 9. The aim of this sales event is to introduce the new features in these forthcoming products and give users a chance to save money.
SOHO Notes 9 and SOHO Organizer 9 will be officially released before Jan. 31. Users may pre-order either product at a 25% discount before midnight on Dec. 31 at http://www.chronosnet.com/store/version9presale.html . Similarly, currently registered customers may pre-order an upgrade at a 25% discount.
During the pre-release pricing, you can purchase SOHO Notes 9 for US$29.99 (it's regularly $40). You can buy SOHO Organizer 9 for $74.99 (it's regularly $100). Pre-release pricing for upgrades is: upgrade to SOHO Notes 9 for $18.75 (regularly $25) and upgrade to SOHO Organizer 9 for $37.50 (regularly $50).
SOHO Notes 9 -- digital note-taking application for the Mac -- will offer the following new features: a widescreen view; bookmarklets...
Tickets on sale for tenth annual San Francisco FCPUG SuperMeet
The FCPUG Network has announced the Tenth Annual San Francisco FCPUG SuperMeet will take place on Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco, California.
Doors open at 4 pm and presentations begin at 7 pm. The San Francisco FCPUG SuperMeet kicks off a year-long celebration of the tenth anniversary of the SuperMeets and promises to be the single largest gathering of FCS, Adobe and Avid editors, gurus and digital filmmakers in the Bay Area for all of 2011.
At 4 pm will be the "SuperMeet Digital Showcase," featuring over 25 software and hardware developers. Presentations will begin at 7 pm and continue until 11 pm. Tickets are on sale online for the early bird price of US$10 each plus ticket fee (early bird pricing ends Dec. 28) and $6 for students with a valid student ID.
The San Francisco FCPUG SuperMeet agenda will feature presentations from Autodesk and AJA, show-and-tells from local Bay Area filmmakers and tips and tricks from Alex Lindsay,...
FmPro Migrator upgraded to version 5.5.8
.com Solutions has announced FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition 5.5.8 (http://www.fmpromigrator.com/products/fmpro_migrator/index.html). The new version creates .Net database front-end applications from popular desktop database applications.
Compiled applications can be deployed as Windows desktop or cross-platform SilverLight apps. This feature leverages the automated layout and relationship importing features of FmPro Migrator Developer Edition, along with FileMaker Pro Advanced or Microsoft Access and Visual Studio 2010.
FmPro Migrator Developer Edition is priced at US$200 per developer. It includes a copy of FmPro Migrator Developer Edition for both Mac OS X and Windows platforms.
Zevrix Deliver beefs up emailing feature
Zevrix Solutions (http:/www.zevrix.com) has announced Deliver 2.1, a maintenance update to its automated solution to send and share files across the Internet and local networks. The upgrade update lets users add email recipients at delivery time.
Deliver lets users send files to remote and local destinations with e-mail notifications, compression, encryption and other powerful capabilities. It supports FTP, Amazon S3, MobileMe and other services, and lets users send files to multiple destinations at once. Deliver also lets users send output files directly from Adobe InDesign.
Deliver 2.1 can be purchased from Zevrix web site for US$19.95 (it's free with purchase of BatchOutput for InDesign). A demo is available for download. The upgrade from File Courier is free for licensed users. Deliver works with Mac OS X 10.5 and higher.
Apple updates printer drivers
Apple has released updated printer drivers for various Canon, Fuji and Lexmark printers. You can download them via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app.
By default, Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard installs software supporting the printers currently used by your Mac (if available), nearby printers on your network, and popular printer and scanner models. You can learn more about the latest printer updates at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3669 .
Apple releases Apple TV firmware update
Apple has released a firmware update for the latest Apple TV. The update will appear automatically for Apple TV owners.
There are no release notes or other info on what the firmware update entails. The only thing we know is that the moniker of the update goes from iOS 4.2 Build 8C150 to iOS 4.2.1 Build 8C154.
Mac sales surge in November
Mac sales surged last month, according to new data from the NPD research group (http://www.npd.com). Sales rose 19%, and the new MacBook line has sold well. Apple is also being adopted by more businesses, notes "24/7 Wall Street" (http://247wallst.com/2010/12/14/apple-and-lenovo-take-pc-growth-lead/).
Toshiba saw November sales improve 22% improvement over October and Lenovo saw a 69% gain. On the other hand, HP saw a 15% dip in sales.
iPad is Most Memorable New Product Launch of 2010
The iPad secured the number one spot as the Most Memorable New Product Launch of 2010 (http://www.mmnpl.com), a host of equally interesting product introductions garnered consumer attention in this year’s Most Memorable New Product Launch survey. by Schneider Associates, an integrated marketing and public relations agency.
Technology products took five spots, with the Windows 7 coming in a close second to the iPad and compensating for the failure of Vista in 2007. Rounding out the tech trend were Motorola Droid (#4), the iPod nano (#6) and Samsung 3DTV (#8). Quick, low cost breaks were also a theme, with consumers remembering small indulgences in the form of small but tasty impulse purchases like Pretzel M&Ms (#3), McDonald’s Smoothies (#5), and Starbucks VIA instant coffee (#7).
As always, a few innovative and nontraditional product offerings made memorable impressions, with Huggies Jeans Diapers (#9), Kleenex Hand Towels (Tied #10) and the KFC Double Down Sandwich (Tied #10)...
Analyst expects 'smart TV' from Apple by 2012
In a note to clients -- as reported by "Forbes" (http://blogs.forbes.com/ericsavitz/2010/12/14/apple-off-morgan-stanley-b...) -- Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said she removed Apple from her firm’s best idea list, noting that the stock is up 28% over the past six month, twice the gain for the S&P 500 over the same span. However, she keeps an US$375 price target on the shares.
She also sees lots of new goodies from Apple over the next two years. For 2011, she expects a Verizon iPhone, the iPhone 5 in July and lower priced iPads by April. For 2012, she expects Apple to unveiled a "smart "TV, a redesigned iPad and and LTE iPhone.
First iAd for iPad is for 'Tron Legacy'
The first iAd for iPad will launch Tuesday for the upcoming Disney movie, "Tron Legacy." This is a preview of what Apple's mobile ad format will look like on the iPad, and the only iAd planned for Apple's tablet for this year, an Apple spokesman told "Advertising Age" (http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=147660).
Here's how "Advertising Age" describes the ad: "Like its iPhone and iPod Touch predecessors, the first iPad iAd is chock-full of the rich graphics, touch navigation and video native to apps. The full-screen 'Tron' ad, which will run in iPad apps such as TV Guide, includes close to 10 minutes of video, images from the movie, a theater locator with showtimes, and a preview of the movie soundtrack with the option to purchase on iTunes without leaving the ad. For the first time in any iAd, users will also be able to send email straight from within the ad."
Ads combine the emotion of TV advertising with the interactivity of Internet advertising, according to Apple CEO...
BitDefender releases Antivirus 2011 for Mac OS X
BitDefender (http://www.bitdefender.com), a provider of Internet solutions, has announced the latest version of its antivirus solution, BitDefender Antivirus 2011 for Mac. It's designed for Mac OS X users, networks running both Mac and PCs and users operating a dual-boot Windows and Mac system.
In addition to proactively securing Mac computer systems from viruses and removing malware threats, the latest version incorporates BitDefender’s antiphishing technology to protect households using multiple operating systems.
“We’re seeing more and more Mac-specific threats as the market grows. Moreover phishing attacks can expose sensitive information or an identity regardless of the operating system, making security software a must for any computer,” says Catalin Cosoi, BitDefender’s head of online threats lab. “The latest release of BitDefender Antivirus for Mac offers protection that’s essential to combating the next generation of - threats that will impact both businesses and consumers...
OWC announces do-it-yourself SSD kits for laptops
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced the OWC Do-It-Yourself (DIY) SSD Storage Upgrade Kit starting at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$109.99.
Available in 14 configurations with capacities up to 480GB, the OWC DIY SSD Kits let you upgrade your Mac or Windows laptop to the solid state drives (SSDs). They also work with Mac minis.
With the OWC DIY SSD Storage Upgrade Kit, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and PC laptop users can upgrade their computer’s internal hard drive with SSDs from OWC. They can then continue to use their old drive by installing it into the provided OWC enclosure for a pocket-sized portable external drive.
Select kits include a $200 retail value disk utility software bundle. For bundle details, visit http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/solutions/software_bundle/
US soldiers may get choice of free iPhone or Android phone
The Army wants to issue every soldier an iPhone or Android cell phone and pay every soldier's monthly phone bill, reports the "Army TImes" (http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/12/army-smart-phones-for-soldiers-121...).
Lt. Gen. Michael Vane, director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, said the Army would issue these smart phones just like any other piece of equipment a soldier receives, the article adds. In February, the Army plans to begin fielding phones, network equipment and applications to the first Army brigade to be modernized under the brigade combat team modernization program, says the "Army Times." The test won't be limited to smart phones but will include any electronic devices that may be useful to troops.
“We’re looking at everything from iPads to Kindles to Nook readers to mini-projectors,” said Mike McCarthy, director of the mission command complex of Future Force Integration Directorate at Fort Bliss, told the "Army Times." The Army plans to roll out wireless...
Theme Studio released FileMaker Pro
ISO Productions has released Theme Studio for FileMaker Pro (http://filemakerthemes.com/), a design solution for FileMaker Pro users and developers that contains a suite of tools and resources for helping the FileMaker user or developer in the visual design process of a FileMaker database.
Theme Studio includes access to collections of icons, whole layout templates, layout elements, colors and gradients. it an be used with any version of FileMaker Pro from version 9 thru 11 on both the Macintosh and Windows operating systems. The software runs within the FileMaker development environment itself and does not require the user to exit to another application.
The software allows users to create custom icons quickly (by merging two or more icons), re-color whole FileMaker layouts, start or update projects from pre-designed Layout Themes and add many commonly used layout elements which have been pre-formatted for easy use, says Matt Petrowsky, the developer of the Theme Studio. Users can...
Intego releases Remote Management Console 2 for Macs
Intego (http://www.intego.com) has released Remote Management Console 2, an update of the tool for remotely managing Intego software on multiple Macs.
Remote Management Console 2 lets administrators manage Intego software on any number of Macs, in different locations, all from a central administration console. The new version is a full rewrite of the program, introducing a new client-server architecture, greater flexibility in usage, a new interface and improved reporting tools.
Remote Management Console 2 allows administrators to manage and configure Intego security software on any number of Macs over a local network or via the Internet. The administrator can contact client computers via a Remote Management Console server and set policies for certain programs.
Remote Management Console 2's Console, Server and NetUpdate Proxy components require Mac OS X 10.5 or later, or Mac OS X Server 10.5 or later, running on either a PowerPC or Intel-based Mac. Client components require Mac OS...
Seagate releases Barracuda Green hard drive
Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) has released the Barracuda Green hard drive, which it describes as "the industry’s highest performance eco-friendly 3.5-inch desktop drive for low-power personal computers, multi-drive home networking systems and external storage."
The Barracuda Green hard drive spins at 5900 RPM and sports Seagate’s SmartAlign technology, which purportedlyl enables all the benefits of the new 4K sector standard while simplifying drive installation by eliminating the need for utilities often required to ensure optimum drive performance. The Barracuda Green hard drive delivers whisper-quiet acoustics and helps reduce system costs associated with the fans and power supply devices often required for power-hungry systems, says Dave Mosley, Seagate executive vice president of Sales, Marketing and Product Line Management.
Barracuda Green hard drives also support Seagate Think Green programs. The drives are offered in capacities of 2TB, 1.5TB and 1TB; however, pricing hasn't...
REAL Software releases REAL Studio Web Edition
REAL Software (http://realsoftware.com) -- creator of object-oriented, cross-platform software development tools for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux -- has announced the general availability of REAL Studio Web Edition, a web application development tool designed for both ordinary people and traditional software programmers.
REAL Studio Web Edition allows users to create web 3.0 applications up to 50 times faster than traditional web development tools by using a single programming language rather than several web technologies, says Geoff Perlman, REAL Software founder and CEO. Because of its unique interface, almost any app built for the desktop can now be created for the web with ease without the need to learn five different web technologies, he adds.
REAL Studio Web Edition uses a single, high-level, object-oriented language that is tightly integrated with the REAL Studio web framework. This allows developers to focus on what makes their application unique, says Perlman.
Web Edition’s...