Typinator 6.4 adds support for nested expansions
Ergonis Software (http://www.ergonis.com) has released Typinator 6.4, the latest version of its tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos systemwide across all Mac OS X applications.
The new version comes comes with a new feature that lets you nest existing abbreviations inside other expansions. You can use this feature to insert previously defined expansions in new ones, for example to insert a completely assembled date in another expansion, or to add a formatted signature at the end of a boilerplate mail template.
With an inclusion mechanism, text expansions can execute external scripts and include their results in the expansion. Typinator supports scripts written in in many different languages like AppleScript, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and arbitrary shell scripting languages.
Typinator requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. It can be purchased on the Ergonis Software web site for approximately US$30 for a single user license. The upgrade to Typinator 6.4 is free for anyone who...
Parallels Access 2.5 features Universal File Manager, more
Parallels has introduced Parallels Access 2.5 (www.parallels.com/access), available immediately on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
New features of the award-winning app include a universal file manager, computer-to-computer remote access and Samsung S Pen integration. Now all Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge customers get a free six month subscription to Parallels Access in their Galaxy Gifts. The new release also supports the recently released OS X Yosemite and Windows 10 Technical Preview.
Parallels Access 2.5 is available on the App Store, Google Play, Samsung Galaxy Apps and the Amazon Appstore for Android with a two-week free trial. Individual subscriptions are available for approximately US$16 for one year; they include the ability to access up to five remote computers from an unlimited number of iOS and Android tablets and phones, and an unlimited number of computer-to-computer connections.
Current customers will get Parallels Access 2.5 for free. Galaxy...
Worldwide IT spending on pace to grow 2.4% in 2015
Worldwide IT spending is on pace to total US$3.8 trillion in 2015, a 2.4%increase from 2014; however, this growth rate is down from earlier projections of 3.9%, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com).
The slower outlook for 2015 is largely attributed to the rising U.S. dollar as well as a modest reduction in growth expectations for devices, IT services and telecom services, according to the research group.
"The change in forecast is less dramatic than it might at first seem. The rising U.S. dollar is chiefly responsible for the change — in constant currency terms the downward revision is only 0.1," says John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner. "Stripping out the impact of exchange rate movements, the corresponding constant-currency growth figure is 3.7%, which compares with 3.8 percent in the previous quarter's forecast."
The U.S. dollar spending growth rate on devices (including PCs, ultramobiles, mobile phones, tablets and printers) for...
New frame pack available for AKVIS ArtSuite AKVIS (www.akvis.com...
AKVIS (www.akvis.com) has announced a new frame pack, Communion and Confirmation, for AKVIS ArtSuite. The program allows users to decorate their photos with frames and effects.
Extra frame packs can be installed to the program to increase its functionality. The new Communion & Confirmation Pack includes 50 hand painted frame designs.
AKVIS ArtSuite lets you apply effects to decorate pictures. The software lets you frame your photographs. Just place a photo into a frame and run image processing; the edges will be smoothed and hidden to fit the frame.
AKVIS ArtSuite, with all its frame packs, runs on Mac OS X 10.6 and higher. A 10-day demo version is available for download. AKVIS ArtSuite (the Home Standalone version) sells for US$69; the price of the new pack is $15.
Bushel offers Apple device management features
Bushel (http://bushel.com), a device management solution powered by JAMF Software, has announced general availability. It's a cloud-based solution designed to make it easy for "regular people" to set up, manage and protect their Apple devices anytime from anywhere.
Bushel brings enterprise Apple management features to workgroups and small and medium sized businesses without the need of an IT guru. It's designed to make complex tasks including Apple device setup, security and management, simple and quick. Bushel features hands-free device configuration through the Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP), as well as comprehensive device inventory features.
Bushel is free to use for up to three devices, forever. Paid accounts begin at two dollars a month for four devices, and two dollars per device per month for each additional device. Bushel features a pay as you go pricing model, with no long-term contracts.
2TB Mac mini returns to Apple's online store
A 2TB version of the Mac mini has popped up again at the Apple online store. After the most recent revision of Apple's smallest desktop, the option had vanished.
The new 2TB model is limited to the high-end, $999 configuration. It uses an Apple Fusion Drive instead of a conventional hard drive. It also packs a 2.8GHz dual Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of memory.
Kinsa thermometer to integrate with Apple's HealthKit
Kinsa (www.kinsahealth.com), the company behind a FDA-cleared smartphone-connected thermometer, has announced the integration of its app with Apple's HealthKit for iOS 8.
Through the free Kinsa app, users can create individual profiles for each member of the family and track fever, symptoms and illness history within the app itself. Kinsa's integration with HealthKit further allows for individual users to track temperature as part of their broader personal health and fitness context, says Inder Singh, founder and CEO of Kinsa.
The Kinsa Smart Thermometer, designed specifically with parents and children in mind, leverages smartphones to make temperature taking a more engaging, informative and useful process, he adds. The thermometer plugs in to the headphone jack and uses the display, power and processing of the smartphone to determine a temperature reading in less than 10 seconds.
Like traditional thermometers, the Kinsa Smart Thermometer can be used orally, under the arm, or...
Apple sues Ericsson for LTE wireless tech patents
Apple is suing Ericsson for charging excessive royalty rates on certain wireless Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, arguing that the company's patents aren't essential to overarching industry standards, reports Reuters (http://tinyurl.com/lqjqcty).
Currently, the two companies have a license agreement that covers many of Ericsson's allegedly standard-essential patents. The agreement was signed in 2008 soon after Apple launched the iPhone, according to the court filing.
In the in the lawsuit filed in a federal court in California, Apple says the royalties should be based on the value of the processor chip that includes the technology, The company adds that it hasn't infringed on the patents and doesn't owe royalties for them, notes "Reuters."
MoneyWiz for Mac OS X adds worldwide online banking integration
SilverWiz has announced MoneyWiz 2.0 for Mac OS X. The update to this personal finance software introduces more than 130 improvements and worldwide online banking integration.
MoneyWiz can now connect to more than 2,200 financial institutions in 41 countries. It's personal finance software that allows people to manage accounts, budgets and bills, generate reports and more.
It requires Mac OS X 10.8 or later and normally costs US$49.99. However, you can buy it for 50% off until mid-February. It's available at the M
Data Creator for Mac OS X gets faster algorithm for records...
Tension Software (www.tensionsoftware.com) has updated Data Creator, a Mac OS X tool that can create sample tables (rows and columns) fill them with pseudo-random proper content (rows of content) with a single click, to version 1.4. The upgrade provides a faster algorithm for records creation.
It also offers: better handling of creation of a higher number of records in a single command; improved more informative progress toolbar for longer operations; and more commands to add, delete and set number of records.
With Data Creator, you can select which kind of fields (columns) you like (name of animals, colors, fruits, etc.) and have all the contents filled for how many rows you like in a click. The app can export to comma separated value, tab separated values, HTML tables, even web pages.
Data Creator requires Mac OS X 10.9 or higher and costs US$9.99. It's available at the Tension Sofware web site or the Mac App Store.
CS Odessa announces Education Infographics Solution for...
CS Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com) has announced its Education Infographics Solution for ConceptDraw Pro. The solution contains 11 libraries of vector stencils for design elements of diagrams, charts, maps, pictures, and typography.
You can use the solution to create infographics that can be used to communicate education and statics-derived messages at a glance. These new additions to the ConceptDraw Solution Park are for current users of ConceptDraw Pro 10.
The ConceptDraw Education Infographics Solution is an add-on to ConceptDraw Pro 10 and costs US$25. It contains 11 libraries of vector stencils for design elements of diagrams, charts, maps, pictures, and typography.
ConceptDraw Pro is compatible with Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It retails for $249, and will open and save files that are in Visio 2013 format. ConceptDraw Pro 10 is now included in ConceptDraw Office 3, which retails for $499.
PDFpen Pro 7 supports Yosemite, iCloud Drive sharing
Smile (www.smilesoftware.com) has released PDFpenPro 7, the latest version of its all-purpose PDF editing tool for Mac OS X.
The upgrade features the ability to proofread and edit the OCR text layer and export to Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF Archive (PDF/A) formats, all with an interface updated for OS X Yosemite.What's more, PDFpenPro and PDFpen 7 support document sharing via iCloud Drive.
With the apps, users can sign PDF forms containing interactive signature fields, though this isn't cryptographic "digital" signing. PDFpenPro allows users to create PDF forms which include interactive signature fields.
PDFpen pricing starts at US$74.95 for a single user license. A single user license for the pro version is $124.95.
Steve Wozniak among Apps World Germany keynote speakers
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, will be keynoting the inaugural Apps World Germany event (https://www.apps-world.net) in Berlin this April. He will be joined by founder of Lionhead Studios; Peter Molyneux OBE and co-founder of Games Workshop; Ian Livingstone. The event taking place at CityCube, Berlin on April 22-23 is set to attract over 6,000 attendees over the two days.
Wozniak will be discussing the story of Apple, entrepreneurship, innovation and sharing his industry insight with developers in the free-to-attend Developer World conference stream. Both Molyneux and Livingstone will be sharing their insight on the Gaming World stage (part of International Games Week Berlin) this April with their individual keynotes discussing the evolution of mobile games production; the challenges, lessons and their future predictions.
Other speakers include; Jimmy Maymann, CEO, Huffington Post, Ulrik Nehammer, CEO, Coca-Cola, Ben Phillips, Global Head of Mobile, MediaCom, Miika Tams, Vice...
SEO PowerSuite tools updated with Moz’s PA/DA metrics
Link-Assistant.Com says Moz’s Page and Domain Authority stats (PA/DA) have been integrated into SEO PowerSuite tools. From now on, SEO PowerSuite users will be able to use PA/DA to analyze SEO authority of any domain or page.
What's more, users will be able to choose between PA/DA and Google PageRank to calculate Domain Strength, Keyword Difficulty, Link Penalty Risk, and Link Value in SEO PowerSuite. In October 2014, Google announced that it wouldn't be updating Toolbar PageRank, so it has become a top priority for SEO data providers like SEO PowerSuite to find an alternative to PageRank to keep providing accurate SEO data, says Erin Madison, User Experience Manager, Link-Assistant.Com.
Moz's Page and Domain Authority are popular metrics to estimate the SEO "strength" of any website and compare one site to another. Based on numerous link metrics — linking root domains, number of total links, link popularity, link trust, etc. — PA/DA scores can be a good substitute to Google PageRank...
Apple up 2.4% following Credit Suisse upgrade
Credit Suisse's Kulbinder Garcha has upgraded (http://tinyurl.com/p2bdljb) Apple to Outperform two weeks before its fiscal first quarter (FY 15) financial report, and hiked his target by US$20 to $130.
He's calling for 215 million FY15 iPhone sales, and a similar amount for FY16. The FY15 forecast assumes the acquisition of 76 million users for rival platforms, and a pickup the global iPhone replacement rate to 21 months. A 31.8% FY15 increase in purchase obligation guidance is seen as an indicator of strong demand.
Garcha also expects Apple to "announce a sizable increase in its cash return program for the next three years through the end of 2017 to over $200 billion." That's $165 billion or buybacks and $37 billion for dividends. He forecasts 20 million 2015 Apple Watch sales at an average price of US$400 and 50% gross margin.
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Cinematica for Mac OS X adds better Finder integration
Xeric Design www.xericdesign.com has launched Cinematica 2.4, an upgrade to its video management app for Mac OS X. It lets you manage your video library in detail, keeping track of dozens of properties for each and every file.
With Cinematica, you can sort and search by multiple criteria as well as by technical properties. Version 2.4 adds better Finder integration. Filenames are now directly represented in the "Name" field so that changing a filename in the Finder will be reflected in Cinematica and vice versa.
Cinematica 2.4 requires Mac OS X 10.8 or higher. Single user copies may be purchased online for US$24.95. Five user copies are available for $39.95. Upgrades from version 1.x start at $12.95.
IDC: PC leaders continue growth and gain shares
Worldwide PC (personal computer) shipments totaled 80.8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), a year-on-year decline of -2.4%, according to the IDC (www.idc.com) research group.
Total shipments were slightly above expectations of -4.8% growth, but the market still contracted both year on year and in comparison to the third quarter. Although the holiday quarter saw shipment volume inch above 80 million for the first time in 2014, the final quarter nonetheless marked the end of yet another difficult year – the third consecutive year with overall volumes declining. On an annual basis, 2014 shipments totaled 308.6 million units, down -2.1% from the prior year.
Although the U.S. and Europe remained stronger than other markets, growth in these mature regions slowed from earlier in the year. Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) continued to strengthen, seeing only a very slight increase in volume as a number of public projects and improving consumer demand helped stabilize the...
Gartner: global PC shipments grew 1% in Q4 2014
Worldwide personal computer (PC) shipments totaled 83.7 million units in the fourth quarter of 2014, a 1% increase from the fourth quarter of 2013, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com). These results indicate a slow, but consistent improvement following more than two years of decline.
"The PC market is quietly stabilizing after the installed base reduction driven by users diversifying their device portfolios. Installed base PC displacement by tablets peaked in 2013 and the first half of 2014. Now that tablets have mostly penetrated some key markets, consumer spending is slowly shifting back to PCs," says Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.
However, there are regional variations. Mostly, mature regions show an ongoing trend of positive growth, but emerging markets remain weak, Kitagawa said.
"The U.S. showed the highest growth in the fourth quarter of 2014. In EMEA [Europe, the Middle East, and Africa], the Western Europe PC market also showed...
XwaveSoft releases Chrono Plus 1.0 for the Mac
Xwavesofht (www.xwavesoft.com)has introduced Chrono Plus 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.7 and higher. It costs US$4.99 and is available at the Mac App Store in the Productivity section.
Features include the ability to track time and earnings, project visualization reports, and auto-generated invoices that can be immediately e-mailed to a client, saved to a cloud storage, or shared to DropBox. Also available for iOS devices, Chrono Plus can be synched across all devices.
With a click, users can set up tasks and sub-tasks in a multi-level task manager.
The reporting feature of Chrono Plus for Mac provides a visual representation of users' time and tasks. Reports can be created for the specific tasks/projects or for all tasks/projects according to a specific date range or cost value. Reports are furnished in the form of graphs and pie charts to provide a clear picture of the time and cost involved in the task/project.
Chrono Plus for Mac's built-in generator can provide detailed invoices in an...
Cinematica 2.4 for Mac OS X adds better Finder integration
Xeric Design (www.xericdesign.com) has launched Cinematica 2.4, an upgrade to its video management app for Mac OS X. It lets you manage your video library in detail, keeping track of dozens of properties for each and every file.
With Cinematica, you can sort and search by multiple criteria as well as by technical properties. Version 2.4 adds better Finder integration. Filenames are now directly represented in the "Name" field so that changing a filename in the Finder will be reflected in Cinematica and vice versa.
Cinematica 2.4 requires Mac OS X 10.8 or higher. Single user copies may be purchased online for US$24.95. Five user copies are available for $39.95. Upgrades from version 1.x start at $12.95.
Lawsuit over 'faulty' Mac laptop logic boards dismissed
Apple has seen a lawsuit dismissed accusing it of defrauding consumers by selling MacBooks with "logic boards" it knew were defective, and which routinely failed within two years, reports Reuters (http://yhoo.it/1I1NzIW).
U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco said the plaintiffs, Uriel Marcus and Benedict Verceles, failed to show that Apple made "affirmative misrepresentations," despite citing online complaints and Apple marketing statements calling the laptops "state of the art" or the "most advanced" on the market.
"Plaintiffs have failed to allege that Apple's logic boards were unfit for their ordinary purposes or lacked a minimal level of quality," Alsup said. "Both plaintiffs were able to adequately use their computers for approximately 18 months and two years, respectively."
Free label templates for Pages for Mac released
Worldlabel.com has released a large collection of free label templates for download for the word processor Pages, which works on Apple Mac computers.
The collection includes address, shipping, CD, DVD, mailing and other types of labels and sizes. Also included are templates for general labeling needs like filing, storage and many other application.
You can download free Pages label templates for laser and inkjet printing. Or you can design and create your own labels using these blank templates. The collection has over 100 sizes and types which include CD, DVD, mailing, address, shipping, VHS, diskette, round and other types of labels and sizes. Mini CD and Business card CDs.
This collection of free templates also includes label size similar in size to Avery, oval sizes, popular bottle and wine label sized templates, name badge, file folder and lots more. Also included are templates for general labeling needs like filing, storage and many other application. T
Templates are in Pages...
Apple updates iWork apps for OS X, iOS
Apple has updated its iWork apps for Mac OS X and iOS. Those apps are Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
In the update notes, Apple only says that the upgrades offer "bug fixes and stability improvement. Keynote for OS X has been update to version 6.5.2, with Pages at 5.5.2, and Numbers at 3.5.2. The three iOS apps have all been revved to version 2.5.2.
The Mac versions can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. The iOS versions can be found at the Apple App Store.
AppDelete for Mac OS X revved to version 4.1.5
Reggie Ashworth (http://www.reggieashworth.com/appdelete) has released AppDelete 4.1.5, an update to his application deletion utility for Mac OS X.
Via drag and drop, AppDelete will uninstall anything along with all of the associated items. Version 4.1.5 fixes an outstanding bug in the registration system that could cause a user to register multiple times, and fixes several bugs that could occur when using the Genius feature.
AppDelete 4.1.4 costs US$7.99 for a single user license. Upgrades from Version 2/AppDelete Lite are $3.99. A demo is available.
Data Recovery for Mac OS X gets maintenance upgrade
321Soft has introduced Data Recovery 5.5 ( http://www.321soft.com/macdatarecovery.html ), an update to the data recovery software for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. It's a maintenance upgrade with some small bug fixes and performance tweaks.
321Soft Data Recovery helps users recover data from Mac disks, external or internal hard drives, memory cards, or storage media. Version 5.5 is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 and higher.
321Soft Data Recovery is available as a full-featured demo. A single user license costs US$99.95. Version 5.5 is a free update for registered users.
Twocanoes brings Beacon solutions to NRF 2015
Twocanoes Labs (www.twocanoes.com) is launching their full line of Bleu Proximity Beacon Solutions at the National Retail Federation Expo in New York Jan. 11-13, 2015.
Among their new products will be the Bleu Station 300 Series, an all weather battery powered hardware beacon. Twocanoes is also rolling out new security bracket accessories to physically secure their Series 100 and 200 beacons.
Bleu Station beacons are available for deployment now with upgradable firmware for the future. Twocanoes Labs also offers hardware and integration support for developers building their own solutions. Twocanoes Labs provides deployment tools as well as access to the Bleu Station Admin SDK [software development kit] for integrating beacons into existing apps with no monthly activation costs.
All Bleu Station beacons are compatible with iBeacon-enabled apps, including Bleu Meetings, Geohopper, Bleu JSS, Bleu Setup and other apps from Twocanoes Software & Labs, available now in the App Store....
Privates ready for Mac OS X Yosemite
SweetP Productions has introduced Privatus 3.0, an update of the cookie management product for Mac OS X.
Privatus removes all tracking cookies, and unnecessary cookies, flash cookies, silverlight, and databases from your Mac, automatically. Version 3.0 is compatible with Mac OS X Yosemite.
According to the folks at SweetP Productions, there's nothing to configure, no favorites, no whitelists, and no blacklists. Privatus works in the background, clearing all unwanted data when you close your browser session. All the major Mac OS X browsers are supported: Safari, WebKit, Firefox, Chrome, Chromium, and even Camino.
Privatus works with Mac OS X 10.9 or later. It's available free at the Mac App Store and from SweetP Productions online (http://sweetpproductions.com).
QuarkXPress 2015 to support PDF/X-4 print output
This March Quark Software will roll out QuarkXPress 2015, the next major version of Quark’s design and layout tool for print and digital publishing professionals.
In addition to features already announced, including new 64-bit architecture and the top 10 most user-requested features, QuarkXPress 2015 will support PDF/X-4 output, the latest standard that allows better, faster printing. QuarkXPress 2015 will also continue to be sold as a perpetual license.
According to the folks at Quark, the upgrade will allow users to create PDF/X-4 files. The exported PDF/X-4 files are certified with the same technology used inside Adobe Acrobat. With this latest standard, designers can preserve transparency to enable faster output, smaller files and higher quality print output.
Until Feb. 25, everyone who purchases or upgrades to QuarkXPress 10 will receive a free upgrade to QuarkXPress 2015 when it's
available. With the extension of the Buy QuarkXPress 10, Get QuarkXPress 2015 offer, users on...
Audio Switcher for Mac OS X revved to version 2.0.5
Spike Software has announced Audio Switcher 2.0.5, an update to its menubar applet utility for Mac OS X.
Audio Switcher allows you to switch your audio input and output between different audio devices. It supports a range of devices, as well as the built-in audio hardware of your Mac desktop or laptop. Version 2.0.5 offers the ability to exclude devices from the menu and the Levels and Defaults preferences tabs.
Audio Switcher requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later. Version 2.0.5 costs US$4.99 and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Utilities category. Current users can receive the free update via the Mac Store. Visit Spike Software online (http://www.spikesoft.net) for more information, support and to leave feedback.
CES: Seagate floats out Personal Cloud devices
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Seagate has unveiled two new storage products for the home: the Seagate Personal Cloud and the Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay. They're designed to "provide the accessibility of cloud storage with the peace of mind that content is stored safely at home."
They can stream content to smartphones, set-top boxes, tablets, PCs or televisions via the Seagate Media application. Additionally, when used in conjunction with the acclaimed Seagate Mobile Backup app and Dashboard software, Seagate Personal Cloud also serves as a central backup device for PCs, Mac computers, USB drives, iOS devices, and Android gadgets.
The Seagate Personal Cloud is also designed to automatically and continuously back up every computer in the home. For Macs and Windows-based PCs, the Seagate Dashboard software provides a way to protect your content. Personal Cloud devices also work with Apple Time Machine software.
The Personal Cloud 2-bay device is for...
CES: Samson launches a Meteorite (sound capture solution)
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Samson (http://www.samsontech.com) has unveiled the US$39.99 Meteorite, an universal solution for capturing high-quality recordings on your computer.
It's designed for podcasting, creating audio for YouTube videos and recording music on your favorite software or apps. It's also build to improve your ability to communicate with friends, family and business associates on programs like Skype, FaceTime and other VoIP software.
According to the folks at Samson, Meteorite presents an immediate improvement over your computer’s internal microphone, bypassing the computers standard mic capsule and noisy sound card, in favor of the Meteorite’s 14mm capsule and dedicated audio conversion path.
It mounts to a magnetic base that lets you tilt and swivel the microphone to customize its positioning to your exact preferences. You can even take the microphone off its base and speak directly into it for recording or communicating in crowded noisy...
CES: Divoom rolls out 'weatherized' speaker
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Divooom has released the Voombox-Party speaker. It includes a built-in subwoofer with dual passive radiators and five drivers that feature two-inch, full-range drivers, one three-inch subwoofer and dual passive radiators.
The Voombox-Party delivers 20 watts of sounds. Created with the latest Near Field Communication (NFC), the speaker pairs with NFC-enabled devices by lightly tapping the devices together. Additionally, the speaker doubles as a speakerphone, allowing users to take make and take calls.
The Voombox-Party is also weather-resistant. The speaker’s rechargeable battery lasts up to 10 hours. The speaker delivers up to eight hours of battery life and charges via micro-USB. The Voombox-Party will available in black or silver toward the end of January at a manufacture's suggested retail price of US$119 at divoom.com.
CES: LifeProof announces waterproof battery case for the iPhone 6
LifeProof (www.lifeproof.com) has announced a waterproof battery case for the iPhone 6 and the LifeActiv universal accessory line. The LifeProof fre is a "four-proof" case, designed for maximum protection against water, drops, dust and snow.
Itincludes a built-in screen protector and full access to all device features and functions. fre Power not only provides protection from the elements, but also adds an additional 2,600 mAh of battery power. The lithium ion battery purportedly doubles the iPhone 6 battery life, while smart charging technology automatically shuts the case off when the device is fully charged.
According to the folks at LifeProof, the fre Power is waterproof to 6.6 feet, for one hour, drop proof up to 6.6 feet and is totally enclosed from dirt and snow when the case and all ports are sealed. It meets military standards for shock and impact protection.
LifeProof also unveiled the LifeActiv accessory line that utilizes a universal LifeActiv QuickMount system. A low-...
Reach79 unveils signal strength-boosting smartphone case
Reach79 has released a smartphone case that can improve a device’s signal strength up to 2X, optimizing performance and resulting in better communications.
CEO David Vigil says Reach79 cases have been tested at CETECOM, a CTIA accredited test facility, and verified to improve a phone’s signal strength by an average of 1.6X, with peak performance of over 2X. He adds that, while user experience may vary depending on device, carrier, and location, consumers can expect to see several benefits from Reach79, including:
° Speed: A stronger signal enables faster data speeds for browsing the web, streaming music, making video calls, managing emails, and more.
° Expanded coverage: With a stronger signal, users can stay connected farther from a cell tower—and greater range can decrease dropped calls and increase connectivity.
° Increased battery life: With Reach79, smartphones don’t have to work as hard to reach the tower, which can reduce the strain on the battery. More efficient performance...
ChronoAgent for Mac OS X gets re-worked Advanced panel
Econ Technologies (econtechnologies.com) has updated ChronoAgent for Mac to version 1.5. The upgrade sports an re-worked Advanced panel. The improvements allow for faster syncs and a greater control over network settings,
ChronoSync is an application that runs on a Mac that can synchronize, backup, and create bootable backups. ChronoAgent is a utility that runs on a destination Mac and communicates directly with ChronoSync running on another Mac.
ChronoAgent replaces Apple File Sharing providing a direct connection with full access to the destination Mac. ChronoSync costs US$40 and ChronoAgent is $10; all existing ChronoSync and ChronoAgent users update for free.
ChronoSync runs on the source Mac and ChronoAgent runs on the destination Mac giving you a direct connection between two Macs. With ChronoSync on your Mac, you can synchronize, backup, and create bootable backups to anything you can connect to your Mac. ChronoAgent runs on a Mac and provides a direct connection to ChronoSync...
Patriot launches new high capacity Ignite SSD
Patriot (www.patriotmem.com) has launched its latest addition to the solid-state drive (SSD) market: the Patriot Ignite SATA III SSD. Boasting the company’s largest capacity SSD yet, the Ignite will be available to consumers in capacities of 480GB and 960GB.
The Patriot Ignite utilizes the new Phison S10 controller to reach a maximum sequential read and write speeds of up to 560MB/s and 545MB/s respectively and backed by a SATA III 6.0 Gb/s interface, according to Les Henry, vice president of Engineering. "We were able to hit scores above 1000 using the AS SSD benchmark test with these drives, he adds.
The Ignite is backed by a three-year warranty. In addition, it comes with features such as end-to-end data protection, advanced wear-leveling, smartECC and Smart Refresh, designed with a standard 2.5 inch form factor. The Ignite SSD will be available for purchase later this month at online and in-store retailers such as Fry’s, Amazon and Newegg.
CES: The Tiffen Company offers Zing collection for the iPad
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, The Tiffin Company (www.tiffen.com) unveiled its new Zing Designs imageTAKER product collection. The lineup features portable cases custom designed for the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini, as well as portable Neoprene pouches and a Neoprene stretch utility and camera strap for carrying imaging accessories.
"We analyzed every aspect of the tablet photography process and came up with a patent-pending collection of cases that dramatically increase the protection, comfort and usability of iPads when capturing images on the go," says Steve Tiffen, President and CEO, The Tiffen Company. "Tiffen’s new Zing imageTAKER designs let iPad owners wear their devices much like they would a point and shoot camera or DSLR, providing easy access for capturing the world’s greatest images."
The Zing imageTAKER collection is a line of Neoprene iPad cases, accessory utility pouches and camera straps available in a variety of patterns and solid...
CES: BRAVEN expands Design series
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, BRAVEN (www.braven.com) announced it was expanding its design series speaker collection with the launch of three super-premium Wireless Bluetooth speakers, the BRAVEN 1100, BRAVEN 2200b and BRAVEN 2300b.
They're available in different colors and sprot BRAVEN Balance, a proprietary bass optimization system that pumps out deep rich sound even at lower volumes, according to BRAVEN CEO Andy Fathollahi. The 1100 is a HD Bluetooth speaker that supports aptX encoded audio and features hands-free phone calls with a built-in internal microphone and speakerphone.
It's also equipped with TrueWireless technology to pair with a second BRAVEN 800-series, 1100, or BRV-HD speaker for true left and right stereo channel sound. It will be available in the second quarter of 2015 in black, dark gray, light gray, red, orange and blue for US$249.99.
The BRAVEN 2200b and BRAVEN 2300b feature left and right channel stereo, interchangeable grill...
OGIO introduces Apollo, Ascent backpacks
OGIO has given us the Apollo and Ascent active backpacks. The Apollo (US$79.99) and the Ascent ($99.99) are now available at Ogio.com and retailers nationwide.
To solve the lack of protection that plagues most day packs, OGIO’s design team integrated padded spaces tailored to the active professional’s everyday gear including smartphones, tablets and laptops, says says Dan Jelinek, vice president of Lifestyle at OGIO. Additionally, the packs are crafted with convenience in mind, featuring an easy to access pocket located at the top of the bag and an organizational layout that allows users to carry a variety of daily tools. he adds.
OGIO designers injected the look and feel of an outdoor-friendly pack into the exterior design by tapering the shape of a traditional backpack and incorporating a slightly narrowed back panel to provide the wearer more freedom of movement. The team also used mountaineering-spec materials like high tensile-strength rip-stop nylon, to construct an authentic...
CES: BodyGuardz announces Crown screen protection
At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, BodyGuardz (www.bodyguardz.com) announced the Crown, which was created to protect the curved edges of today’s hottest mobile devices. It's patent-pending solution available exclusively from BodyGuardz, says President/CEO Kirk Feller.
The Crown is a custom-molded rim made of anodized aluminum, designed to fit around ScreenGuardz Pure and provide a protective solution. Distinct from traditional screen protectors, the it provides edge-to-edge screen protection for rounded edge devices such as the iPhone 6 and Galaxy Note 4, says Feller.
The Crown will be available in February for the iPhone 6 (US$39.95), 6 Plus ($44.95), and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 ($44.95).
CES: Scosche launches waterproof boomBOTTLE +
Scosche (www.scosche.com) has introduced a new member to the boomBOTTLE family: the boomBOTTLE + (plus), a portable Bluetooth speaker designed for streaming music while biking, hiking, camping and more.
The weatherproof, two 55mm driver equipped speaker features an IP67 rating (water and dust proof), dual pairing that produces true stereo sound when two boomBOTTLE + speakers are used and up to 11 hours of streaming. This speaker will be included in Scosche’s expanding Optimized for OUTDOORS series of rugged products designed to withstand harsh outdoor environments.
It features a shock absorbing TPU exterior designed to withstand drops or vibrations caused from rough terrain, plus non-slip side finger grip areas. The boomBOTTLE + is constructed with sealed dustproof speaker grills to keep the dirt out during backcountry rides. It also fits into most bicycle bottle cages, so you can take it with you while on the trail.
A Bluetooth wireless range of 33 feet eliminates the need for wires...
CES: Satechi announces BT Button Series
Satechi’s BT Button Series, announced at CES 2015, allows users to achieve wireless accessibility with a single press of a button. This trilogy series consists of a BT Shutter Button, BT Media Button and BT Home button, which users can tote on their key chains, steering wheel or dashboard to access several aspects of their smart devices including photos, music and GPS directions.
The BT Button Series boasts a slim aluminum metal design and is compatible with most iOS devices supporting Bluetooth and Android OS 4.4.4 or later. Each plug and play button is packaged with a mount, audio port keychain attachment, integrated 3M sticker for easy attachment, and CR2016 battery, which purportedly lasts for up to two years.
With Satechi’s BT Shutter Button, you can group photos and video recordings. Tap the Shutter Button and the paired smart device will begin recording or taking photos immediately.
The BT Media Button allows users to control the soundtrack of their lives wirelessly without...
OWC announces 1TB Envoy Pro EX
Other World Computing (www.macsales.com) has announced a new 1TB model of theOWC EnvoyPro EX ultra-portable SSD.
Designed in anodized aluminum to match modern Macs and PCs, it fits into a coat pocket, backpack, or briefcase. The heart of the Envoy Pro EX is an OWC Aura Pro 6G SSD that reportedly offers real world sustained reads up to 436MB/s and writes up to 429MB/s. It's bus-powered for maximum portability.
The OWC Envoy Pro EX is available immediately in the following configurations: 240GB for US$249; 480GB for $399; and 1TB for $599.
Dead Effect game available for Mac OS X
BadFly Interactive has released Dead Effect for Mac OS X and Windows systems. It's available for download via Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/286040/).
Here's how the game is described: "Dead Effect is a highly addictive single-player game, in which the ESS Meridian spacecraft is traveling through space with a new FTL technology, heading towards its destination, Tau Ceti f, the first planet outside of our solar system ever to be colonized.
"One of the crew members is awakened from cryogenic sleep, and quickly discovers that the nightmare has only begun. What happened to everyone aboard? Why are they all so aggressive, and why do they attack without any survival instincts?
"Dead Effect features not only a compelling story, but also incredibly immersive gameplay. You play the role of a character and member of Unit 13, an elite peace-keeping unit aboard the ship, and it is your task to discover what happened to the ESS Meridian and the remaining crew. Through 12 challenging...
PageMeUp for Mac OS X gets maintenance upgrade
Softobe has introduced PageMeUp 1.1 (http://tinyurl.com/ozgvtyr), an update to the layout editor for Mac OS X 10.8 or higher. It's a maintenance upgrade with some bug fixes and performance tweaks.
With PageMeUp, you create a document, choose its page format, size and background color, set the margins, bleed, custom guides, rows and columns and even apply RGB or CMYK ICC color profiles. Then you can drag, import or paste images and text onto the PageMeUp document and place/resize them on the page.
A snap assistant helps you align the boxes on the page. You can edit and format your text, scale the images (custom, fit, fill), apply shadow, fill or gradient background, border, mask, rotation, opacity, flip, web links, page HTML metadata. Finally, you can print or export your work in PDF, HTML, TIFF, PNG or JPG formats with custom resolution, compression and ICC profile.
PageMeUp is available as a full-featured demo. A single user license costs US$24. Version 1.1 is a free update for...
Reezaa releases PDF Editor 3.0 for Mac OS X
Reezaa has announced PDF Editor Mac 3.0, an update to their free PDF application for Mac OS X.
The utility allows you to add text, erase content, and insert images into your PDF file. You can also rotate the PDF orientation, draw lines, change font size and color of text, and add a watermark to each page. Additionally, PDF Editor Mac provides a choice of exporting the PDF to other formats and can permanently save the modified PDF content changes.
PDF Editor Mac requires Mac OS X 10.8 or later. It's free and available at http://www.pdfeditormac.com/ .
iDevices introduces HomeKit-enabled connected plug
iDevices has announced an Apple HomeKit-enabled product: the iDevices Switch (http://idevicesinc.com/switch/). This Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi compatible connected plug is set to start shipping during the first half of 2015.
Through a free iDevices Connected app, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can control, monitor and schedule products around the house with the iDevices Switch. Hundreds of appliances such as lamps, fans, humidifiers, Christmas lights and stereos can be intelligently managed through the device.
The iDevices Switch plugs directly into an electrical outlet, and connects to a home’s Wi-Fi network. Once you download the iDevices Connected app from the iTunes Store, you can instantly control any product you have plugged into the Switch through an iOS device.
The iDevices Switch doesn't require an external hub or subscription fee. Switch’s HomeKit integration provides away to control Switch using Siri on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. You can even create your own...
New Philips 34-inch curved display unveiled at CES
EPI (www.lcdmonitors.philips.com) has announced the 34-inch Philips Brilliance Curved UltraWide LCD Display, an UltraWide screen "with a gentle curve provides a pleasant yet subtle immersion effect, which focuses on you at the center of your desk."
The arc and UltraWide QHD 3440 x 1440 resolution and Panoramic 21:9 cinematic aspect ratio are designed to envelop users who seek a "natural" media viewing experience, according to EPI. The display also features built-in stereo speakers and MultiView technology.
The 34” Brilliance Curved UltraWide LCD Display has a 21:9 panoramic aspect ratio with over one billion color depth, as well as an UltraWide Quad HD 3440 x 1440 resolution. The super widescreen makes the display ideal for viewing spreadsheets, editing multiple documents and running several programs at once. Additionally, the monitor’s MultiView technology enables active dual connect and view. Pricing and availability haven't been announced.
OWC releases Mercury Helios PCIe Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis
Other World Computing (OWC) says the OWC Mercury Helios PCIe Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis (http://tinyurl.com/9l6j2yv) has been updated with Thunderbolt 2 technology. The newly updated Helios handles throughputs of up to 20Gb/s, bringing Thunderbolt 2 technology to the original Mercury Helios' throughput of up to 10Gb/s.
OWC’s Mercury Helios PCIe Expansion Chassis is a solution for using half-length professional-level PCIe 2.0 cards with Apple’s entire line of Thunderbolt enabled Macs that do not have PCIe slots due to size or design limitations. It's bootable with AHCI-compliant cards and can daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices. Types of PCIe cards Helios can use include: Fibre Channel, 10GB Ethernet, RAID controller, video capture, digital audio, solid state drives, SAS controllers such as the OWC Jupiter, as well as FireWire, USB 3.0, eSATA host adapter cards.
The Mercury Helios PCIe Thunderbolt Expansion Chassis is now available for order at a manufacturer's...
Levitating backpack floats onto the scene at CES 2015
STM (www.stmbags.com) is showcasing its The Drifter "levitating backpack" at this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It conceals two floating sleeves crafted for holding a laptop and tablet safely.
If the Drifter is dropped, the floating electronics pockets will remain safely suspended inches above the ground, says Adam Ziegelman, vice president of STM. It's constructed with water resistant fabric for the main body and reinforced bottom fabric.
The top loading design of the Drifter makes the bag easy to navigate through without dumping out all of the contents, says Ziegelman. The Drifter is 18 liters in volume and features an array of pockets, including a compression pocket on the side for quick water bottle storage and a zipped pocket on the opposite side.
At the bottom of the bag a pocket holds a form-fitted rainfly intended to go over the bag for additional water protection. The Drifter boasts three external zippered pockets containing panels for organization,...
