Smartfish unveils Whirl mini notebook mouse
SmartFish Technologies (http://www.getsmartfish.com) has launched the Whirl Mini Notebook Laser Mouse for Macs and PCs. It "adapts to the natural motion of your hand," according to Dr. Jack Atzmon, president and CEO of Smartfish Technologies.
The Whirl Mini Notebook Mouse was developed in collaboration with The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, whose mission statement is to “improve mobility and the quality of life for all.” This is the Hospital's first collaboration on a consumer product in its 160-year history, says Atzmon. A portion of the Whirl's proceeds will be donated to the Hospital for Special Surgery Rehabilitation Education Fund to help further research of technologies.
The Whirl Mini Notebook Laser Mouse features an ambidextrous design, 1600-dpi hi-def laser sensitivity, 2.4MHz wireless connectivity and long battery life. It comes in an array of colors -- including carbon fiber, black, blue, silver, red and white -- and is available for pre-order for US$49....
Analyst: Mac shipments outpace market 3-to-1
In sales to business, the Mac's year-to-year growth last quarter was nearly eight times faster than the industry average, according to Needham analyst Charlie Wolf. In a note to clients -- as reported by "Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/23/mac-shipments-outpace-market-3-to-1/) -- the analyst said the Mac's share of the business market last quarter was 4.36% and that:
° At 28.5%, Mac shipment growth in the September quarter easily outpaced the PC's market growth rate of 9.7%.
° The twin drivers of the Mac's outperformance were the home and business markets. Mac shipments grew 25.3% in the home market compared with a market growth rate of 10.4%. More significantly, the Mac became the dollar share leader in the U.S. home market with a 29.4% dollar share.
° Continuing the pattern first observed in June, Mac shipments in the business market increased 66.3% compared with just 8.5% shipment growth in the business market overall. Only time will tell whether these data points...
Freeverse releases Field of Glory for Mac OS X
Freeverse (http://www.freeverse.com) has released Slitherine’s hit wargame Field of Glory for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher), and its three expansion packs, Rise of Rome, Storms of Arrows and Immortal Fire.
Here's how the game is described: "For the first time ever, the incredibly deep yet accessible turn-based strategy masterpiece developed by HexWar is available for the Mac OS X. Drawing on the strengths of Slitherine’s original tabletop gaming system of the same name, Field of Glory gives players the chance to experience historical warfare set during the Rise of Rome, spanning Zama in North Africa to the battles of Boudicca’s revolt in Britain.
"Players can choose to battle against enemy AI or compete against other players in multiplayer mode online. Wage multiple battles at once, using the seamless asynchronous play mechanics of the play by email system (PBEM).
"And with the additional game packs now available, you can expand battles to include the most famous battles of the...
IntelliScanner Wine Collector 400 delivers automatic wine...
IntelliScanner's smart barcode scanner for wine organization received a major upgrade today with the US$279 Wine Collector 400 (http://www.intelliscanner.com/products/wine/). The newest IntelliScanner for wine automatically identifies bottles with its included mini barcode scanner, offering cellar management for Mac OS X (10.4.8 and higher) and PC users.
The Wine Collector 400 is now shipping with double the memory and an all-new integrated Wine Store. Also, IntelliScanner Corp. (http://www.intelliscanner.com) is bundling the newest IntelliScanner mini 250 barcode scanner with a full 500 barcode memory capacity and delivers an all-new Wine Store powered by Wine.com. Wine Collector 400 also sports iPhone and iPad web apps, a rechargeable memory scanner, and the Cellar Viewer grid visualize.
Also available for the 2010 holiday season is Wine Collector Special Edition, a special bundle for wine connoisseurs bundling the Wine Collector 400 scanner/software package, a roll of 500 barcode...
Personal Antispam adds Outlook 2011 support
Intego (http://www.intego.com) has announced a new version of Personal Antispam, the company’s intelligent spam filtering program. This release adds compatibility for Microsoft Outlook 2011, the e-mail program included with some versions of Office 2011.
Personal Antispam 10.6.5 now provides spam-filtering support for Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage (v. X, 2004 and 2008) and Microsoft Outlook 2011. It's sold as part of Intego Internet Security Barrier X6 and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.
Personal Antispam 10.6.5 is a free upgrade for all registered users of Personal Antispam 10.6 or later. The upgrade is available via Intego NetUpdate.
Standard licenses protect up to two Macs. A 5-Mac family plan is also available.
NewerTech announces NuPad Organizer
Newer Technology (http://www.newertech.com) has announced the US$49.95 NewerTech NuPad Organizer, a configurable keyboard tray with padded leather wrist rest & mousepad/trackpad area that arranges a variety of Apple Aluminum Keyboards, the Apple Magic Trackpad, and/or any Apple mouse into an ergonomically logical work environment.
The NuPad Organizer is designed to improve Mac user productivity by keeping various Apple input devices cleanly arranged and readily accessible with a factory-like appearance. The Optix acrylic base features a permanently affixed premium grade leather wrist rest for improved typing comfort. When used with a standard Apple Aluminum Keyboard, the NuPad Organizer offers open space for using either the Apple Magic Trackpad or any Apple mouse via the included top grade Brazilian leather mousepad.
iWebTemplate releases five new iWeb themes
iWebTemplate (http://www.iwebtemplate.com), in collaboration with iPresentee, has announced the addition of five new iWeb themes to be used with iWeb, Apple's web site building application.
The new themes are: Dreamy, Direction, Color, Cargo and Back to School. The new iWeb Themes can be customized. Each theme offers eight templates and include the following templates: Welcome, About Me, Photos, My Albums, Movie, Blog, Podcast, and Blank.
Each iWeb theme incorporates a number of different graphic elements that can be removed, moved and changed in size, opacity or color. All themes can be filled with different amounts of information. iWeb themes contains several different page layouts to accommodate various amounts of information.
The iWeb themes require Mac OS X 10.4.3 and later and iLife 08-iLife 11. Each theme is available for US$9.99.
Western Digital adds new features to WD TV media players
Western Digital (http://www.wdc.com/en/), has added several entertainment and social sites to the WD TV media player family. WD TV Live and WD TV Live Plus media player customers will now be able to connect with their friends and family through Facebook -- including uploading photos and videos, sharing their status, viewing their wall and getting the latest updates from their News Feed, all from their HDTV.
Meanwhile, WD TV Live Plus media player customers in the U.S. can now instantly rent or purchase the newest movie releases the same day they become available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc through the Blockbuster On Demand service. In addition, new features for the WD TV Live and WD TV Live Plus media players include:
° Deezer: a personalized on-demand music service for listening to seven million tracks anytime;
° Flingo: free Internet television from leading studios, TV networks, and video web sites;
° AccuWeather.com, a worldwide weather forecasting service;
° USB wireless keyboard...
MegaSeg gets performance, stability update
Fidelity Media, creator of MegaSeg, the deejay mixing software and radio automation system for Mac OS X, has released performance and stability update, in addition to announcing discounts of 20% off through Nov. 30.
New purchases are now US$199 and upgrades $59. The MegaSeg 5.5.2 update includes optimizations and addresses a stability issue with the category browser. The update also includes 30 improvements throughout the application, including changes to ambient video playlists, automatic volume control, track logging, drag-n-drop, video playback, the mixer, wave viewer, and more.
MegaSeg 5.5.2 is available for download from the product web site (http://www.MegaSeg.com) as a free update for MegaSeg 5 users, and, through Nov. 30, at a discount price of $59 for upgrades (regular $79), and $199 for new users (regular $249). A demo is available for download.
LightFrame gets new user interface, rendering engine
Corner-A today has released LightFrame 2.0 (http://corner-a.com/lightframe) for Mac OS X 10.6 and higher. The new version of the US$30 app brings an improved user interface and new rendering engine made from the scratch.
Other new features include frame stacks. LightFrame now allows to add even complex frames with a few clicks and set up every aspect of the frame.
LightFrame is a solution for framing digital photos with your Mac. It supports all image formats that are supported by Mac OS X, including RAW images.
K4 6.3 showcases Adobe DPS integration
MEI (http://www.maned.com) has announced version 6.3 of the vjoon K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform.
It's a scalable solution that allows publishing professionals to manage their design and editorial workflows and deliver multimedia content to a variety of output channels. Version 6.3 optimizes connectivity with the Digital Publishing Suite, Adobe's new toolset for designing and deploying engaging reading experiences across mobile devices and more.
According to the folks at MEI, K4 now comes standard with built-in features that make publishing to the iPad and other emerging platforms as intuitive and straightforward as producing for print: new metadata fields for handling tablet-specific content, powerful automation functionality for electronic issue creation, and more.
For example, K4 enhances productivity by substituting automated processes for routine manual tasks, such as converting individual pages into any format. In addition, it can automatically adapt styles and units of...
User Group Reunion 2011 set for Jan. 27
As part of Macworld Conference & Expo 2011 in San Francisco, user group members worldwide will gather at Moscone West in San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 27 (4:30-6:30 p.m.). This is the special User Group Reunion 2011, hosted by the Apple User Group Advisory Board (UGAB) and UGAB Support Services.
User group members are invited to see old friends and make new ones, enjoy refreshments, see highlights of past user group gatherings, enjoy a lot of fun surprises, and take part in the drawings for hundreds of door prizes including MS Office 2011, SEO PowerSuite, TechTool Pro, Data Rescue Center and more. This will be the twelfth in a series of user group Macworld events organized by the UGAB.
You can register for US$5 to cover the costs of the registration service. Sponsors and the UGAB will be covering the costs of the event.
To register, go to http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=211713 .Due to the location (inside Moscone West), attendees must have a show floor badge of some...
MaBaSoft releases Application Wizard 2.5.2
MaBaSoft has released version 2.5.2 of Application Wizard (http://www.mabasoft.net/products/applicationWizard/), which provides access to your applications, folders, documents, and pictures. The US$19 app lets you open, quit, and make applications active, turn single application mode on, and quit background-only applications and the Finder.
With Application Wizard you can also navigate volumes and frequently used folders to open enclosed items,access recent folders and documents, Address Book contacts, and your iPhoto or Aperture library, preview images, music, movies, and PDF files, copy pictures and display slideshows, view metadata and check system memory usage.
Application Wizard runs in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, and Italian. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later and runs natively on both PowerPC-based and Intel-based Macs.
iFresh is new, portable, rechargeable cell phone battery pack
Holiday Travelers Cut Stress with iFresh Rechargeable Backup Battery for Mobile Devices iFresh (http://ifresh.us.com) by Bridgepoint Technologies is a new, portable, rechargeable cell phone battery pack certified by Apple.
With a retractable Apple 30-pin connector, iFresh is a compact solution for travelers who don't want to spend time looking for places to charge their phones. The device's lithium polymer battery powers and charges all 30-pin iPod models, the iPad, and all iPhones -- including the iPhone 4 -- in less than two and a half hours, even when traditional chargers aren't an option, says William Wu, president of Bridgepoint Technologies.
The iFresh can be recharged over 500 times. The device's power meter control purportedly more than doubles the battery time other battery packs typically deliver. A smart chip protects the battery from overcharging, over-discharging, overloading and short-circuiting. As a back-up battery, the iFresh provides up to eight hours of talking...
Apple plans Black Friday sale
Apple has sent out an email informing customers of its plans for a Black Friday sale. The company will hold a special, one-day shopping event on Friday, Nov. 26.
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the US and the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season. The origin of the term is that this is when retailers get to go into the "black" as opposed to the "red." And it's the busiest shopping day of the year.
iPad-only daily publication to be announced Dec. 9?
John Gruber of "Daring Fireball" (http://daringfireball.net/2010/11/the_daily_and_recurring_subscription_b...) says that, per various media reports, Rupert Murdoch, head of the media giant News Corp, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs, will unveil a new, iPad-only (at least initially), digital “newspaper” called the "Daily" at the end of this month.
The collaboration has purportedly been in the works for several months. The "Daily" will purportedly combine “a tabloid sensibility with a broadsheet intelligence. The price? With no printing or distribution costs, the US-focused "Daily" is expected to cost US$0.99 per week.
Gruber thinks the announcement will take place on Dec. 9. At that time, Apple could also unveil a new subscription billing option for periodicals on the iPad.
Woz: Apple has bought Nuance
Apple co-founder Steve "Woz" Wozniak says in an video interview that Apple has bought Nuance, a voice recognition company, reports "mocoNews" (http://moconews.net/article/419-is-apple-buying-nuance-a-mystery-wrapped...).
“I think voice recognition is going to become, more and more, a part of these machines,” he says in the interview with Romil Patel, founder of TVDeck.com. “Apple’s probably thinking the same way. They recently bought the company Nuance.”
"mocoNews" says such an acquisition could make sense. "Apple, which has a $50 billion warchest, has been investing in companies that help extend its smartphone functionality, as it faces increasing competition from the likes of Google/Android, Microsoft and Symbian," the article says.
Drycase Folio is new waterproof case for the iPad
CS Ideas has announced DryFolio Folio (http://www.waterproofcases.net/drycases.html), a waterproof case for the iPad. The US$ case allows full use of touchscreen and controls on the Apple tablet while it's sealed inside.
The Drycase Folio is the first waterproof iPad case with a built-in waterproof speaker mic jack that will allow users to listen and speak through the iPad with a microphone headset, according to CS Idea President Toi Chance-Sangthong. This specialty jack gives users the ability to make calls, use voice apps and listen to movies by the pool, at the beach or even out on the boat.
The Drycase features a waterproof closure and vacuum seal system to lock the iPad safely inside the case. Users seal the tablet inside and use the included vacuum pump to remove the excess air, ensuring that the case is properly sealed. When properly sealed, the case is purportedly impervious to liquids, sand, salt and even submersion.
On the backside of the iPad case, the manufacturer has...
BatchOutput for InDesign updated to version 3.9.8
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has released BatchOutput 3.9.8, an update to its professional solution to automate printing and exporting from Adobe InDesign. The update improves handling of InDesign book files, streamlining book output and ensuring its reliability.
BatchOutput is designed to automate and simplify InDesign production workflows of service providers, printers, ad agencies and publishers. With BatchOutput, users only need to select the files to output and adjust the settings, and the rest will be done automatically.
BatchOutput 3.9.9 can be purchased from the Zevrix web site for US$129.95, as well as from authorized resellers. A demo is available for download. The upgrade to BatchOutput 3.9 is free for users of version 3.x, and $51.98 from earlier versions. It includes the Deliver application (a $19.95 value). Users who purchased BatchOutput 3.7 and earlier can contact Zevrix to receive a free Deliver license. BatchOutput is available for Mac OS X 10.4.2 and...
iPhone/iPod/iPad apps for Nov. 22
Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps announced. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).
Screenlife, the creators of Scene It?, has announced its new Scene It? Harry Potter App for iPhone and iPod touch and HD version for iPad are available on the Apple App Store, just in time for Warner Bros. Pictures' release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1." Scene It? Harry Potter takes players on a journey with real movie clips, puzzles and questions from the first six films from the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise. The iPod/iPod touch version costs US$1.99, and the iPad version is $4.99.
Cleversome has released Notica 1.0, their new visual memory companion for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's an $2.99 productivity app revolving around the concept of adding rich context to visuals, specifically photos and videos taken with the device's camera. Organized in stack-like groups, Notica's main elements are cards containing a large...
EagleFiler soars to version 1.5
EagleFiler (http://c-command.com/eaglefiler/) -- a tool that lets you archive and search mail, web pages, PDF files, word processing documents, images and more -- has been updated to version 1.5. This update includes the following enhancements:
° The new "Quick entry" hotkey lets you create a new RTF or text file from from within any application. You can enter the contents of the file, choose which library and folder it's saved in, and set metadata such as the tags, label, and notes.
° When importing via drag and drop or Save PDF to EagleFiler, you can now hold down the Option key to have EagleFiler show the options dialog (which was previously only available when capturing). This lets you set the destination folder, tags, label, notes, etc. There is also a new EagleFiler: Import (Ask for Options) system service, which presents the options dialog when importing the selected text or file from another application, and the options dialog is also available for bookmarklets.
° You can now...
iOS iWork apps updated with multitasking, AirPrint support
Apple updated the iOS versions of its iWork apps (Pages, Numbers, Keyntoe) to version 1.3. The updates are iOS 4.2 compatible and support multitasking, and AirPrint.
AirPrint lets you print email, photos, web pages, and documents right from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. There’s no software to download, no drivers to install, and no cables to connect. But for now it only works with certain HP printers.
GameSalad invents 'Free to Make' model with new Basic...
GameSalad (http://www.gamesalad.com) -- makers of GameSalad Creator, a free, groundbreaking, visually-based game creation software platform that enables any user to develop games without prior programming knowledge, has unveiled a new “Free to Make” subscription program for developers looking to publish to iOS, Mac, or the Web.
GameSalad has invented the “Free to Make” model by offering the Basic subscription at no cost to users. They have also announced a new Professional level account, which includes additional monetization features like iADs and promotional links, available today at the cost of US$499 a year. Developers will continue to publish games under their personal Apple iPhone Developer accounts, which will still be required in order to publish and test their iOS creations on Apple devices.
“By introducing the ‘Free to Make’ model, we’re holding true to what really sets GameSalad apart from everyone else,” says Steve Felter, recently named CEO of GameSalad. “Making game...
Ambrosia Software releases WireTap Anywhere 2.0
Ambrosia Software (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/) has released WireTap Anywhere 2.0, an upgrade to its audio routing and mixing software for Mac OS X 10.5 and higher. This low latency audio tool lets you take the audio output from any combination of Mac applications or hardware input devices, and route it into your favorite audio processing applications.
With version 2.0, you can:
° Create virtual input devices with an arbitrary number of channels of audio;
° Discretely map audio channels from software applications and hardware devices in any combination you choose;
° Adjust audio levels on a per-channel basis both pre- and post-mix;
° Preview your audio mix before you ever hit the record button.
WireTap Anywhere is available immediately for US$129. Registered users of WireTap Anywhere 1.x can upgrade to version 2.0 at the discounted rate of $69. A demo is available for download.
Apple TV update adds AirPlay support
Along with iOS 4.2, Apple has released a software upgrade for the new Apple TV, upgrading the device from version 4.0 to version 4.1 The update enables AirPlay.
AirPlay lets you stream music, photos and video from their iPhone, iPad and iPod touch directly to the Apple TV. Unfortunately, you can't stream media from the Apple TV to the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
By default, the Apple TV comes with AirPlay enabled and without password protection. And you can turn AirPlay off entirely if you want. Or add password protection.
Orange UK to offer new iPad purchase options
Orange UK (http://www.orange.co.uk) says it will offer new purchase options for iPad users, including more affordable prices when purchased with a data service plan, for iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G models in the coming months.
No details on pricing for the subsidized models or the data plan packages that will be required have yet been released. However, reports have claimed that the subsidized device could cost as little as £200 and launch early next month, notes "MacRumors" (http://www.macrumors.com).
Microvision unveils second gen laser pico projector
MicroVision (http://www.microvision.com) has unveiled the US$449 SHOWWX+, the second generation of its laser pico projector. With a 50% brighter display within the same slim size, it enables mobile device users to break free from the small screen and project large, clear 16:9 widescreen content wherever they are, on any surface, says Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision.
He says SHOWWX+ is the first laser pico projector to offer a big-screen, movie-length experience that slips into a shirt pocket. Boasting two hours of battery life, 5,000:1 native contrast ratio, 15 laser lumens, a contrast ratio up to five times higher than competing products, and the shortest throw ratio of any pico projector on the market, the SHOWWX+ is the perfect accessory for expanding viewing experiences beyond a palm or pad-sized screen, Tokman claims.
SHOWWX+ is a “Made for iPod, iPhone, and iPad" product that connects using the included video component cable. Users simply play media from their...
Survey looks at the tablet market -- and the iPad's...
With the tablet market shaping up to be the largest consumer tech battle of 2011, shopping site VoucherCodes.co.uk has commissioned the largest consumer survey to date to gain insights into Apple’s dominance and who can be the David to their Goliath.
The results show that while dominant, Apple has a few weak spots along with some interesting insights into what people want from a Tablet Device. Highlights of the VoucherCodes survey include:
° Dell and RIM have the largest amount of public trust in their tablet after Apple.
° For just an US$160 saving, over a third of the market would move away from Apple.
° Every age demographic indicated they wanted the device most for instant access to the web, suggesting clever tie ups with networks could win the battle outright.
° Older demographics indicated the highest interest in purchasing a tablet device.
° Women value price whereas men value breadth and quality of features as the factors most likely to influence their purchase of a tablet...
Analyst forecasts new iPad in April 2011
Apple will roll out a second-generation iPad next April, a year after the original's launch, according to analyst Brian Marshall of Gleacher & Co. As reported by "InfoWorld" (http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/expect-ipad-2-apple-next-april-says-...), he told clients that the iPad 2 will have the same form factor, but with dual-camera functionality, allowing iPad users run FaceTime.
But don't expect more storage in the iPad 2, says Marshall. "I don't think we'll see higher-capacity iPads," he told clients. He thinks we'll see the same 16GB, 32GB and 64GB configurations Apple now sells.
The analyst also thinks we'll see a CDMA iPhone in March. It will, he forecasts, able to run on mobile networks such as Verizon in the U.S.
Innodata launches ePublishing services for iBookstore
Innodata, an Apple-approved provider of digital publishing and conversion services, has launched an array of custom-designed eBook production services created specifically for publishers and authors making their work available through Apple’s iBookstore.
Innodata’s services will be made available to content providers via an online platform as they sign up with Apple to distribute content on the iBookstore. iBookstore is accessible through the free iBooks app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Content Providers who already have an Apple ID can register online for Innodata services at http://www.innodata.com/eBooks/Apple. Content Providers can obtain an Apple ID by submitting an iTunes Connect Online Application at https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wa/apply .
Here at last: Apple’s iOS 4.2
Apple says iOS 4.2, the latest version of their mobile operating system, is available today for download for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. iOS 4.2 brings over 100 new features from iOS 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2 to iPad including Multitasking, Folders, Unified Inbox, Game Center, AirPlay and AirPrint.
“iOS 4.2 makes the iPad a completely new product, just in time for the holiday season,” says CEO Steve Jobs. “Once again, the iPad with iOS 4.2 will define the target that other tablets will aspire to, but very few, if any, will ever be able to hit.”
iPad users can now run their favorite apps and switch between them instantly. Users can organize their apps with drag-and-drop simplicity using Folders, and Mail now features a Unified Inbox, fast inbox switching and a threaded message view.
Game Center allows iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users to challenge and play friends or be matched automatically with new opponents, showcase their scores and achievements, and discover new games their friends...
Archive for Mac OS X revved to version 6.0.4
Yenco.com has released version 6.0.4 of Archive (http://www.yenco.com/archive/ ) for Mac OS X (10.4 or higher). It's an application that catalogs the contents of your devices so you can find the info you're looking for.
Version 6.0.4 fixes a couple of issues that could prevent catalogs from being created for devices under certain circumstances and improves reliability of information returned for devices.
Archive is a shareware application. You can evaluate it free for 15 times to try out its features and decide if you like it before you buy it. It costs US$30 and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
Elasty 2.0 movie recording app for Snow Leopard available
Creaceed (http://www.creaceed.com) has released version of Elasty, an update of the toolbox for people who like recording movies. It's for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") only.
Elasty gives access to features pretty common in image processing but quite unusual in movie processing, according to the folks at Creaceed. Features include stabilization, motion tracking, special effects, screen breaks, retiming (acceleration adn slow motion) and the ability to rotate, flip, crop and separate rendering for sound and images.
The application is available in English, French and German, and costs US$49.95 .The upgrade is free for registered beta testers of version 2.0.
OCRKit for the Mac, iPhone gets updates
ExactCODE has updated the Mac version of OCRKit (http://ocrkit.com/), as well as the relating equivalent OCRKit Mobile for iPhone. The Mac version features 11 new OCR languages, advanced layout recognition for RTF output and an improved OCR recognition of special characters.
The mobile version for iPhone includes several user interface improvements, all new interface translations as well as vastly improved OCR recognition, accuracy and stability. OCRKit uses the OCR engine from ExactScan Pro, a Mac OS X scanning solution with built-in drivers for over 200 document scanners.
OCRKit 1.6 for the Mac is available for US$59.90. OCRKit Mobile 2.0 is on sale for $4.99 in the Apple App Store.
Update for Stock Investment Guide released
Churr Software (http://churr.com) has announced Stock Investment Guide 3.1.3, an update of the stock analysis tool for Mac OS X. The update adds the ability to print portfolio listings, a calculation of the sustainable growth rate. Other new features include a new price history graph, automatic updating of dividend yields in portfolio views, and more.
It provides investors with tools to analyze a company's earnings history to help forecast what earnings could be in five years. The Stock Investment Guide can then tell the investor if the current PE ratio is in-line with its historical price range.
Churr Software will be having a Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale. Customers will be able to purchase the Stock Investment Guide during the sale for a 15% discount. The normal price of the Stock Investment Guide is US$80, but will be available during this limited time sale for $68.
Oddmakers bet on Black Friday iPad sales
Black Friday is exactly one week away, and retailers nationwide are ready to host an overwhelming crowd of shoppers seeking deals in the latest gadgets, especially Apple’s iPad.
With the reported improvement in the economy, retailers are throwing holiday knockout punches in a bid for the largest number of shoppers. The competition is fierce: Who will win this year’s shopping competition?
CEO Mickey Richardson and his team at Bookmaker.com, a sportsbooks, have calculated the odds for this year’s Black Friday. Full odds are as follows:
Which store will sell the largest number of iPads?
Best Buy, +175, 36%;
Wal-mart, +120, 45%;
Amazon, +150, 40%;
Apple, +160, 38%
Which retailer will report largest sales?
Wal-mart, +100, 50%
Target, +120, 45.5%
Sears, +175, 36.4%
Amazon, +150, 40%
K-Mart, +200, 33%
Best Buy, +200, 33%
Macy's, +200, 3%
[The +/- indicates the teturn on the wager. The percentage is the likelihood that response will occur. For example: betting on the candidate...
MacBUS holiday party slated for Nov. 30
The next meeting of The Macintosh Business Users Society of Greater Philadelphia (MacBUS) will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 6:30 pm.
This month's meeting will feature an annual MacBUS tradition: a holiday party and round robin. Members are encouraged to come and enjoy some food, while taking a few minutes to introduce themselves to the group, explain their job, hobbies, and more.
A general Mac troubleshooting Q&A session will also be held. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and invite friends or coworkers who may find the meeting beneficial.
MacBUS was the first user group in the United States to focus on the business and professional uses of the Macintosh operating system. The group of approximately 75 members meets this month at:
Hunt Room
Dorrance Hamilton Hall
University of the Arts
320 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA
Meetings are usually held on the last Tuesday evening of each calendar month. For more info go to http://www.macbus.org/index.php .
Jobs number three on Fortune Businessperson of the Year list
Apple CEO Steve Jobs ranks number three on the "Businessperson of the Year" list by "Fortune" (http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/news/companies/1011/gallery.business...). Ranking ahead of Jobs were Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, and Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford.
Here's what "Fortune" has to say about Apple's fearless leader: "Steve Jobs and his company move from strength to strength to strength. In the past year Apple and its still-very-much-in-charge CEO have introduced the game-changing iPad, months ahead of the largely absent competition (latest stats: Apple controls 95% of the nascent tablet market); survived Antennagate (the iPhone 4 wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but no matter); escaped any bad publicity over the dozen-plus suicides this year at its main supplier, Foxconn; gone to battle with Google over the future of the smartphone; and begun the transition from disk-drive-based computers to the radical flash-memory MacBook Air. Oh, and Apple's 50% stock appreciation this...
Analyst forecasts iPad sales of 40 million for 2011
Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets said in a note to investors that Apple has made slight upward revisions to its iPad build plan for the fourth quarter of calendar year 2010, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). Apple also reportedly plans to build the same number of iPads in calendar year 2011: 40 million.
Abramsky said that Apple's increase for the end of 2010 suggests that the company expects strong holiday sales, despite concerns over new Android-based tablets and potential cannibalization from the thin-and-light MacBook Air. He's forecasting Apple to sell 20 million iPhones next year.
iPhone excels in new ChangeWave survey
To find out which smartphone manufacturers are currently winning and losing the market share battle, ChangeWave Research (http://www.changewave.com) asked 1,212 consumers who had purchased smart phones within the past six months to rate their new models. Not surprisingly, the iPhone came out on top.
The ChangeWave survey was completed November 2, 2010. First, the research group looked at customer satisfaction with the new smartphones that respondents had purchased during the past six months. Seventy-seven percent of iPhone users were "very satisfied," compared to 71% of Motorola users, 63% of HTC users, 45% of Samsung users and 44% of RIM users.
Among individual iPhone models, the iPhone 4 received an exceptionally high "very satisfied" rating (84% for 32GB; 78% for 16GB) -- confirming ChangeWave's earlier survey findings that despite the controversy surrounding its initial launch, the iPhone 4 has been extraordinarily well received by its owners. The iPhone 4 scores are even better...
'iPad 2' coming soon -- and in a 'world mode...
Ibiden, Tripod Technology and TTM Technologies have been named as the initial PCB suppliers for a second-generation iPad, which is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2011, reports "DigiTimes" (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20101118PD211.html). Four more suppliers will be added to the list in February 2011, when shipments of the new iPads ramp up, the article -- quoting "industry sources" -- adds.
The sources said Ibiden, Tripod and TTM have received certification from Apple, and will start shipping any-layer HDI boards for the "iPad 2" in small quantities in December. The updated tablet is will reportedly have two cameras similar to the iPhone 4.
Whats more, "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) says that the 3G model of Apple's next-gen iPad will be a "world mode" device with both GSM and CDMA radios, allowing Apple to sell one model for integrated wireless access. Analyst Brian Blair from Wedge Partners said in a note to investors that Apple is developing a new...
Nordic telecom operators eyeing iPad plans
Several Nordic telecom operators say they'll offer customers data subscription packages exclusively for the iPad, even though Apple hasn't given a launch date for the tablet in the Nordic countries, says "Dow Jones Newswire" (http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2010/11/19/swedish-telecom-operators-...?).
Hutchison Whampoa Ltd's European operator Tre, TeliaSonera AB, Tele2 AB and Telenor ASA all say they'll offer data subscription packages exclusively for the iPad, giving iPad users Internet connectivity through their respective networks. However, the telecom operators didn't say when they plan to launch the subscription packages and didn't disclose any price details, says "Dow Jones."
Europe's mobile providers not happy with rumored Apple-SIM...
"Reliable sources" suggest that some of Europe’s mobile providers are uniting in their opposition to Apple’s plans to embedding SIMs within mobile devices, reports "The Next Web" (http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2010/11/19/european-carriers-close-ranks-ag...?).
The providers -- thought to include Vodaphone UK, France Telecom and Telefónica in Spain --are privately saying that they could refuse to subsidize an iPhone that contained an embedded SIM, the article adds. Recent reports have hinted that Apple is investigating the possibility of embedding SIM cards within their mobile devices.
"The advantages for Apple are twofold, in addition to making the design and manufacturing process simpler by eliminating the need for users to have access to the cards, it would give control over the activation process to Apple, enabling their customers to choose carrier and activate their phones within the Apple store, or even online," says "The Next Web."
Apple releases firmware updates for laptops
Apple has released MacBook and MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.0. You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app.
The update -- which requires Mac OS X 10.6.5 -- is recommended for the MacBook (Mid 2010) model. The update resolves an issue where an attached external display may occasionally incorrectly show a purple coloration.
Apple releases Boot Camp update
Apple has released Boot Camp Update 3.2, which adds support for the MacBook Air, ATI Radeon HD 5870, and Apple's USB Ethernet Adapter. You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of Mac OS X's Systems Preferences app.
Boot Camp is designed to simplify Windows installation on a Mactel by providing a simple graphical step-by-step assistant application to dynamically create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, to burn a CD with all the necessary Windows drivers, and to install Windows from a Windows installation CD. After installation is complete, users can choose to run either Mac OS X or Windows when they restart their computer.
QNAP unveils new mid-range NAS servers
QNAP (http://www.qnap.com) has refreshed its mid-range NAS business lineup with new two and four-drive desktop models, the TS-239 Pro II+ and TS-439 Pro II+.
The Turbo NAS servers adopt Intel's new D425 single-core Atom CPU with 1.8GHz clock speed and 1GB of RAM. They provide maximum storage of 8TB (using four 2TB hard drives and single disk volume/JBOD configuration). The TS-239 Pro II+ and TS-439 Pro II+ NAS servers are compatible with VMware, Citrix and Windows 2008 Hyper-V clusters virtualization platform.
They're designed for file sharing, backup, and advanced server applications in the office environment. They'll be available later this month. Pricing hasn't been announced.
Workflow Manager is new Cumulus add-on
WorkflowManager is a new Cumulus add-on from Canto partner Moksa (http://www.moska.com). It works on Mac OS X and Windows and was originally developed by Moksa as a custom Cumulus integration for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Based on a modular architecture, WorkflowManager comprises a number of "tasks" that work together to enable customers to create advanced, multi-step workflows that include job routing, approvals based on voting, user-to-user communications and more, says Moksa President Vince DiPaola. A browser based interface offers access to files and work directives for freelancers and others working outside the organization's Cumulus system.
WorkflowManager is available for Canto Cumulus 8.0 or higher.
MacTech Boot Camp 2011 coming Jan. 26
On the heels of the success of MacTech Conference for IT Pros and Developers, "MacTech Magazine" has announced MacTech Boot Camp 2011: a one day event for those that support the home user, and small business market.
MacTech Boot Camp is a single-track, hotel based seminar that is specifically geared to serve the needs of consultants and techs wanting to serve their base better. It will be held in San Francisco on Wednesday, Jan. 26. MacTech Boot Camp attendees are encouraged to visit Macworld Expo San Francisco in the days following MacTech Boot Camp.
"MacTech Conference 2010 was an enormous success delivering amazing content and a quality conference to IT Pros and developers in the large organization, Enterprise, and ISV markets. We know that many consultants and techs in the market focus on serving the home and small business communities. MacTech Boot Camp is designed just for them," says Neil Ticktin, editor-in-chief/publisher, "MacTech Magazine." "If you're already serving the...
First MacTech Conference attracts attendees from 10 countries
"MacTech Magazine" has announced the results of its MacTech Conference 2010 attendee survey, and wrap-up information. Held in Los Angeles, almost 300 people took part in the first ever MacTech Conference from Nov. 3-5 at the Sheraton Universal. The conference had both general sessions, and two tracks focused on IT and developer topics for the Apple market. The session-packed, immersive conference provided not only an opportunity to learn, but all meals and evening activities as part of the conference registration.
The conference began with the first public demonstration of Mac-based Planetary Exploration Rovers, and a keynote address about Lion (Mac OS X 10.7) by Andy Ihnatko. The IT and developer tracks had over 40 sessions from speakers. Dozens of attendees took advantage of the option to take an Apple Certification Exam at the conclusion of the conference. In the evening hours, attendees took part in an exclusive trip to the world renowned Griffith Observatory including a behind...
Millennial Media: Android ties iOS for largest smartphone OS
Mobile ad network Millennial Media says its latest figures show that this month, for the first time, Android tied with Apple’s iOS as the largest smartphone OS on the Millennial network, with an 8% increase month-over-month and 37% impression share.
Android ad requests grew 65% month-over-month, and since January, Android has now grown 2182%. The iPod touch was included on the list of top mobile devices for the first time, and was number three (ahead of phones like the Motorola Droid) .
RIM ad requests grew 43% month-over-month, and RIM devices represented six of the Top 30 mobile phones (with the BlackBerry Curve being number two overall). iPad requests increased 112% month-over-month .
Motorola became the number three manufacturer and held a 15% impression share. Two new Motorola devices -- the Droid 2 and the Droid X -- both made their entrance into the Top 30 Mobile Device list. The top 4 countries globally (in terms of impressions) were the US, UK, Canada and South Korea.
