Apple has released updated printer drivers for Samsung and Brother printers for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
The Samsung drivers are a 23.25MB download. You can download 'em at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL905 . The Brother drivers are a 100.02MB download; they're available at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL894 .
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Speck has introduced our new limited-edition Fitted Artsprojekt cases (http://www.speckproducts.com/products/fitted-artsprojekt/iphone-3g-iphon...) for the iPhone: Waves, Campsite, Chemical Girl and Bosque. They sport original and authentically crafted artwork, according to Irene Baran, CEO of Speck.
All are printed on soft but durable fabric, which is then fused to Speck’s Fitted two-piece snap-together hard shell design. The upholstery-style exterior increases in-hand ease while helping to secure iPhones when set down on surfaces, says Baran.
These awesome new Fitted Artsprojekt edition designs, as well as previously released editions for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, are available now exclusively at Apple Stores for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$39.95 each....
Another day, another lawsuit. A man named Stephen Vale is suing Apple because his iPod shuffle isn't sweat resistant. Or make that wasn't sweat resistant as it's bitten the dust, it seems.
According to a "Gizmodo" report (http://gizmodo.com/5494573/ipod-shuffle-owner-files-lawsuit-against-appl...), Vale is suing for five breach of warranty counts, one of false advertising and one of unfair competition, "all after Apple gave him a replacement cord and everything." It's not known whether he was using the third-gen iPod shuffle (pictured) or the previous version.
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BiddingForGood (http://www.biddingforgood.com), a cause-related e-commerce platform connecting affluent consumers and marketers to online fundraising auction events, has announced the top performing brands and categories in its platform. And Apple is in the top 10.
Our favorite tech firm places number six on the list. Ahead of it are the Hillton family, the Marriott family, Starbucks, the Starwood family and Nintendo. Trailing it in the top 10 are Mary Kay, Four Seasons Hotel, Ritz-Carlton and the Cheesecake Factory.
Charity auctions are a unique cause marketing channel because they reach the nations most affluent consumers through their trusted causes just as they are making purchasing decisions in specific categories, such as travel, says BiddingForGood CEO Jonathan Carson. These affluent consumers are educated females who, in bad economic times, retain the buying power for luxury...
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i-Got-it Corp. (http://www.i-got-it.com) has launched the US$69.95 i-Got-Control, a plug-and-play accessory that turns an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad into a universal remote, allowing the user to control virtually any infrared device -- TVs, stereo systems and more -- at home or on the go.
It boasts a database of more than 40,000 IR codes for consumer electronic devices worldwide, the i-Got-Control accessory and its associated app support a nearly unlimited number of IR electronics worldwide. With i-Got-Control's built-in IR library, users can connect, select and control their A/V components with no Wi-Fi network, wires or batteries needed, says Doug Schwartz, president of i-Got-it.com.
To user you download the free i-Got-Control application at the Apple App Stores and connect the compact accessory to a device running iPhone OS 3.0 or higher. Launch the i-Got-Control application and select the...
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Razer (http://www.razerzone.com), a manufacturer of high-end precision gaming and lifestyle peripherals, has announced the USS$59.95 Razer DeathAdder Left Hand Edition, a gaming mouse designed with the professional left-handed gamer in mind.
The Razer DeathAdder Left Hand Edition was created to meet community demands for a mouse that was purposefully engineered to give lefties the competitive edge, combining a comfortable ergonomic form factor with a powerfully precise 3.5G infrared sensor, according to Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff, president, Razer USA. It boasts five programmable Hyperesponse buttons, as well as the trademark 1000Hz Ultrapolling technology.
Loaded with a 3500dpi Razer Precision 3.5G infrared sensor that offers over four times more precision than a standard 800dpi mouse, the Razer DeathAdder Left Hand Edition is "fully equipped to frag, especially when you strike from the blind...
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Pragmatic Bookshelf has released "Beginning Mac Programming" (http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781934356517/?utm_content=em-pb-pr-Beginning...) by author Tim Isted. The US$34 book teaches non-programmers how to move from idea to application.
They'll learn how to: code in Objective-C, the programming language behind Apple applications program within the Cocoa framework Apple provides for developers; find and use free tools for developers, including Xcode and Interface Builder; and connect with Apple's...
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Digital Anarchy (http://www.digitalanarchy.com), a provider of software for photographers and digital artists, has announced a free update to their ToonIt! Photo plug-in for Aperture, Apple's software for pro and semi-pro photographers.
ToonIt! 2.5 is now fully compatible with the 64-bit mode introduced by Apple’s Aperture 3, while still supporting 32-bit architectures and Aperture 2. The plug-in automatically takes photos and gives them a variety of cartoon and illustrated looks.
A "toon" effect is created, and Aperture users have a control in customizing the cartoon with different paint styles, shading and outlines. The software uses algorithms from Toonamation to create its cartoon shading and lines. One of the key features of ToonIt! is the ability to turn people and faces into believable cartoons. It’s never been so easy to turn photographs into illustrated portraits or a graphic...
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ProClip USA (http://www.proclipusa.com) has announced that the US$119.95 TomTom car kit for iPhone is now available, along with a variety of ProClip mounts for mounting your car kit to your car, truck or SUV dashboard or console.
Unlike the original TomTom car kit for iPhone, which has a windshield mount, this new car kit screws onto a vehicle-specific ProClip mount. This lets drivers choose a convenient, permanent location, for their iPhone.
The new car kit broadens the TomTom for iPhone range and improves the in-car navigation experience for iPhone users with a GPS booster for uninterrupted navigation -- even in built-up areas, according to Tom Murray, vice president of market development for TomTom. The built-in microphone allows drivers to make and answer phone calls while the integrated speaker ensures navigation instructions are always clear, he adds.
An in-car charger keeps the...
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Xeric Design has released version 5.3 of EarthDesk (http://www.xericdesign.com/earthdesk.php), the real-time dynamic desktop map for Mac OS X. It provides a work-around for a long standing screen saver hang in Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").
EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with a photo-realistic image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination as well as real-time global cloud coverage (hurricanes, storms, and worldwide weather systems) on your desktop. It operates silently in the background, keeping your desktop updated while you work. Unlike a screen saver, which only appears when your system is idle, EarthDesk's dynamic desktop is continuously displayed as your desktop background (and optionally as a screen saver).
EarthDesk requires Mac OS X 10.5 or newer. Single user copies may be purchased online for US$24.95. Upgrades are available...
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Yazsoft has introduced Playback Media Server 1.5.1 (http://www.yazsoft.com/products/playback/information/), an update of their zero configuration media server for Mac OS X 10.5 and higher. Many MKV files that failed to convert previously will now work.
Playback Media Server 1.5.1 changes the way pictures are organized for improved browsing via the Playstation 3. Also, it now broadcasts a UPnP "reset" if/when the machine's IP address changes.
Playback can share media stored in folders or even make entire disks available to a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. No configuration is required. By default, it will share almost any content on the users system. And Playback automatically integrates with iTunes, iPhoto, and Aperture. Users can share all content from these applications transparently or choose specific playlists and albums.
Those who...
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Seznick Scientific Software has updated Password Wallet for Macintosh (http://www.selznick.com/products/passwordwallet/mac/index.htm) to version 4.5. The app now allows the user to automatically share all of their passwords between their Mac, iPhone and MobileMe accounts, as well as their Windows, Android, Windows Mobile and Palm Pre devices.
PasswordWallet is designed to offer a secure place to store all your usernames, passwords, PIN numbers, or combinations. For security, it uses the BlowFish encryption algorithm with 448-bit keys to protect your data. For safety, it lets you copy your password to the clipboard and clear it automatically after you paste. PasswordWallet can save URLs with your entries and launch your default browser for you. One "master" password unlocks all of your other passwords. It can automatically add your...
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WD has introduced its new 1TB and 750GB capacity My Passport SE for Mac portable USB drives. Available at WD's online store (http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdus/en_US/DisplayHomePage), the new My Passport SE for Mac portable drives are formatted for Mac and compatible with Apple Time Machine software.
They're USB-powered and don't need an external power adapter. They're also quipped with 256-bit hardware encryption with password protection for an extra level of security.
The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the My Passport SE for Mac 1TB portable drive is $199.99. The 750GB model costs $179.99.
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Noise Industries, developer of visual effects tools for the postproduction and broadcast markets, announced that one of their newest development partners, Phyx., has released Phyx Color for the FxFactory platform.
Phyx Color is a collection of professional color processors designed to work inside Adobe After Effects CS3/CS4, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Apple Final Cut Express applications. Its range of color processing tools let users add diffusion, sample color, control saturation and process a color shift/tint.
Artists can also use Phyx Color to simulate the legendary Technicolor 2-strip process utilized in such films as "Gone with the Wind," and "The Wizard of Oz," and actualize dramatic imagery with its Bleach Bypass process as seen in a multitude of cult films, including "300" and "Fight Club."
Phyx Color is available for $99 USD via the Noise Industries web site (...
Point In Space Internet Solutions has announced the availability of FileMaker Pro 11 database hosting on FileMaker Server 11 Advanced.
"FileMaker Pro 11 provides many new features and updates to the FileMaker product," says John May, Point In Space's president. "By hosting on FileMaker Server 11 Advanced, all of these new features are available to our clients, including Instant Web Publishing and ODBC/JDBC connectivity."
Point In Space is offering FileMaker Pro 11 hosting, available immediately, at the same price as their other FileMaker accounts. Current Point In Space clients should contact the company directly ( http://www.pointinspace.com/filemakerpro11hosting/) regarding special offers for migrating from previous FileMaker versions.
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Monkeybread Software (http://www.monkeybreadsoftware.de/) has released version 2.0 of the MBS plug-in for FileMaker. It purportedly extends Filemaker with over 400 functions.
New in version 2.0 are URL Scheme, GraphicsMagick and RPC. The URL Scheme handling functions allow you to register a filemaker runtime solution as an URL handler on Mac OS X. MBS plug-in version 2.0 adds over 200 functions for GraphicsMagick. You can load picture files from a container field or a file, modify them and write them back.
In your FileMaker database you can crop, scale, flip, rotate and roll images. There are image effects like Colorize, Emboss, Enhance, OilPaint, Quantize, Solarize, Shear, Sharpen, Swirl, Unsharpen and more.
With version 2.0 of the MBS plug-in, a FileMaker database can send a request to, for example, a REALbasic application and receives a response. This communication...
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Syncro Soft has released version 5.1 of SVN client (http://www.syncrosvnclient.com).
The upgrade improves working copy load time, automatically refreshes the working copy on external file changes, makes repository browsing more responsive, adds support for repository imports at file level, adds support for replacing resources, improves handling of obstructed resources, improves history support, allows creating branches/tags directly from the repository and offers options to print or save as image a revision graph.
Syncro SVN client license with a one year maintenance pack costs US$59. A Syncro SVN client site license with a one year maintenance pack is $2,970. Volume discount rates are available starting with five licenses. Syncro SVN Client can be run on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and Solaris systems. Version 5.1 is a free update for registered users of version 5.0.
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Google's Nexus One phone is selling at a a slower pace than the first iPhone, reaching about 135,000 units in the time it took Apple to sell one million, according to Flurry Analytics (http://www.flurry.com/) -- a cross-platform mobile application analytics provider.
The original iPhone hit the one million mark after 74 days on sale in 2007. The Nexus One will have sold about one-eighth as many units on its 74th day on March 19, estimates Flurry.
Google introduced the Nexus One in January, selling it through its web site. U.S. consumers aren’t accustomed to buying phones that way, which may have hurt sales of the Nexus One, Peter Farago, vice president of marketing at Flurry told "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&...
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UK broadband company TalkTalk is running a trial that will see staff in its London head office ditch PCs for MacBook Pros.
TalkTalk confirmed to silicon.com (http://www.silicon.com/technology/hardware/2010/03/15/talktalk-staff-swa...) on Monday that 150 of its employees have been moved over to the laptop devices -- with the possibility of extending the trial more widely over the course of the year. A move from PCs to Macs is relatively unusual in the business world as confirmed by a recent silicon.com CIO Jury poll which suggested a wholesale switch to Macs is unlikely for the majority of enterprises, the article adds.
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Pre-order numbers for the iPad topped 150,000 pre-orders -- and that doesn't count people’s store reservations, according to a BGR report (http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/03/15/apple-ipad-pre-order-numbers-t...).
"We have also been told Apple’s flagship 5th Avenue store in New York now holds around 1600 reservations for iPads, with 800 in the first day, and about 400 a day since," the article adds. "Lastly, store reservations seem to be split around 50% for the 32GB unit, 30% for the 64GB unit and about 20% for the 16GB, which is what Apple was expecting.”
The iPads themselves are still expected to ship on time. However, if you've ordered iPad accessories, they're being delayed, according to dates at the Apple online store, though...
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Monotype Imaging (http://www.fonts.com) has released the Creative Companion Library offering, which features designs from the company’s Monotype, Linotype and ITC typeface collections.
Comprising 2,433 fonts based on the OpenType® format, Monotype Imaging’s newest library combines typefaces previously unavailable as a single collection from any source, according to Allan Haley, director of words and letters at Monotype Imaging. Typefaces include newer members of families such as the Frutiger Serif and Palatino Sans faces from the Linotype collection, the Malabar font, also from the Linotype library, the popular Soho and Neo Sans designs from the Monotype collection, and the ITC Conduit typeface from the ITC library.
The Creative Companion Library includes a variety of fonts based on the OpenType Pro format, which enables the ability to use advanced typographic features and effects, such as the automatic...
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Nearly 40% of Blackberry users continue to prefer Apple's iPhone as their next smartphone purchase, but a third of them would also switch to the Android operating system, according to the second smartphone brand loyalty survey conducted semi-annually via Crowd Science's (http://www.crowdscience.com) research platform for online audience measurement.
The Crowd Scientists also found Android users rivaling iPhone users in loyalty, with about 90% of each user group planning to stick with their current brand when buying their next phone. Asked specifically if they'd swap their present phone for Google's new Android-based Nexus One, 32% of Blackberry users said "yes," compared with just 9% of iPhone users. This figure zoomed to 60% for users of smartphones not made by Blackberry or Apple.
"These results show that the restlessness of Blackberry users with their current brand hasn't just been...
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Apple has released Aperture SlideShow Support Update 1.1, which addresses an HD video clip playback issue. According to Apple, for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") users, Aperture 3 slideshows with trimmed HD clips should “now remain properly synced” with their audio.
Apple says this is a recommended update (3.29MB) for Aperture 3 users You can obtain it via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app.
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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/).
Nicolas Seriot and Anton Anton have announced TweetyShow 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. The US$0.99 app shows photos posted on Twitter in real time. iPhone users can scroll through an grid of photos coming live from the Twitter-sphere.
Tuparev Technologies of the Netherlands has introduced Plants 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. The $2.99 consists of a photo reference guide to plants, and a plant maintainance scheduler.
Innerplays is offering Star Cargo 3000 1.0, a $1.99 space combat game for iPhone and iPod touch users. The player is captain of a giant cargo vessel parked in orbit above an unstable mining planet. The goal is to successfully transport 10 modular cargo containers up to the ship, before it is destroyed by debris...
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In February, two weeks after Apple unveiled the iPad, Flurry Analytics (http://www.flurry.com/) -- a cross-platform mobile application analytics provider -- says there's been a dramatic upturn in the number of developers installing its analytics tools in new apps for the iPhone OS (which the iPad uses).
As reported by "Fortune" (http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/03/15/flurry-new-apps-u...), the company took a look at February's data and found that the pace of new development 00 "the single sharpest spike in Flurry history," in its words -- continued nearly unabated. In fact, the number of new iPhone OS projects started in Flurry after the iPad announcement shot up 187%.
"Over six weeks...
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