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May 20
IDC forecasts 7.6 million media tablets to ship this year

The nascent market for media tablets, fostered by the launch of Apple’s iPad, will be driven by the device's attributes as a content consumption platform and the compelling applications and services that will be created to take advantage of them, according to a new study by International Data Corp. (http://www.idc.com).

According to a the IDC research group, worldwide media tablet shipments will grow from 7.6 million units in 2010 to more than 46 million units in 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 57.4%. In comparison, IDC expects 398 million portable computers will be shipped in 2014.

"These are early days for media tablets, an altogether new device category that takes its place between smartphones and portable personal computers," says Susan Kevorkian, program director, Digital Marketplace: Mobile Media & Entertainment. "IDC expects consumer demand for media tablets to be...

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May 19
iPhone/iPod/iPad apps for May 19

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/).

Xiotech Corp., which specializes in Intelligent Application Storage, says its just-launched ISEview application has become the first enterprise storage application available in the Apple App Store. ISEview allows administrators to monitor multiple Intelligent Storage Element (ISE) storage blades and receive real-time performance data, component status and other system information. ISEview is available immediately for free download on the iPhone, and Xiotech expects to deliver an iPad-compatible version soon.

MultiEducator has announced Battleships of the US Navy 1.0 for the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Third in their "History on the Go" series of iPhone apps, the US$1.99 features more than 260 high resolution photos that can be viewed in minute...

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May 19
CVC Verilog Simulator now supports Mac OS X

Pragmatic C Software Corp. (http://www.pragmatic-c.com) has released CVC, a Verilog 2005 simulator for the Mac OS X platform. It's been ported to the X86 Mac OS X platform allowing engineers to develop Verilog designs with the convenience and ease of Mac systems, says Pragmatic C President Steven Meyer.

CVC now fills a void in the market making it the only high performance Verilog simulator for Mac OS X, he adds. In addition to the new support for Mac OS X, various speed improvements have been made to CVC's native code compiler.

CVC is a full IEEE 1364-2005 32-bit and 64-bit native code, compiled Verilog simulator. It has a one executable compilation process and also supports an interpreted mode.

To learn more or for info on how to evaluate CVC, contact Pragmatic C Software Corp.

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May 19
LaCie announces Network Space MAX

LaCie (http://www.lacie.com) has announced a dual-disk Gigabit network storage and media server -- the LaCie Network Space MAX, design by Neil Poulton. It allows users to store and share their most important files throughout the home with complete data security, according to Patrick Salin, Digital Home Business Unit Manager, LaCie.


The Network Space MAX includes two large-capacity hard drives that can be configured for maximum security (RAID 1) or maximum capacity (RAID 0). If protecting your data is a priority, the RAID 1 mode will ensure automatic disk mirroring-- meaning all files will be copied onto each of the disks. If one drive fails, data won't be lost. 


LaCie Network Assistant software helps you set up the product, and a dashboard allows you to easily manage files, backups, private accounts, and download torrents. Additionally, with the Network Space MAX, the files stored on the hard drive are...

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May 19
Carrara 8 adds new improved animation tools, more

DAZ 3D-Gizmoz has released Carrara 8 (http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/carrara8?), an update of the all-in-one 3D solution. The new version provides improved animation tools, enhanced lighting, new vegetation tools and optimized rendering, says DAZ 3D-Gizmoz CEO Dan Farr.

Artists utilizing the Carrara 8 Pro toolset will gain access to 64-bit compatibility for Mac and Windows, as well as the Bullet Physics Library. This open-source, advanced physics toolkit allows artists to use e rigid and soft body dynamics. Combined with the speed improvements achieved from the new support for multi-threading and 64-bit hardware, Carrara 8 Pro drastically improves productivity, says Farr.


Additionally, updated export capabilities allow game developers to transfer custom figures, environments and/or animations directly into the Unity game engine via the FBX file format. 
In...

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May 19
AJA ships KUMO compact SDI routers

AJA (http://www.aja.com) is shipping its its new KUMO line of compact SDI routers and FiDO family of SDI/Optical Fiber converters. They support full broadcast specifications over SDI, HD SDI, and 3G SDI and provide web-browser control over a LAN to simplify integration into production and post environments.

FiDO (Fiber Digital Optical) is a family of five SDI/Optical Fiber converters that enable the transport of SDI, HD-SDI and 3G SDI over long distance. KMO compact SDI routers are available in two configurations: the KUMO 1604 supporting sixteen SDI inputs and four out, and the KUMO 1616 supporting 16 channels in and out. Running embedded Linux, KUMO routers support HTTP control and monitoring, with elegant and network setup via BonJour.

The FiDO mini converters are available at a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$445. The MSRP of the KUMO 1604 is US$1995 and the MSRP of the KUMO 1616 is...

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May 19
Pro Sound Effects distribute BBC Sound Effects Archive

Pro Sound Effects (http://www.prosoundeffects.com) has announced an agreement with BBC Information & Archives to distribute the BBC Sound Effects Archive. 

Pro Sound Effects has prepared the BBC’s sound effect CD collection 1-165, BBC’s Natural History archive and additional BBC sound content for distribution as royalty-free sound effects libraries on hard drive and via download. There are a variety of bundles; contact Pro Sound Effects for pricing.

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May 19
Genius announces new USB-charged portable speakers

Genius (http://www.geniusnetusa.com) has announced new additions to the company’s line of speaker systems:, the SP-i150 and SP-i160 Portable Speakers. They sport eight hours of built-in battery life and a 1.25 inch metal driver.
 
The Genius SP-i150 portable speaker has a flying saucer design. The SP-i160 model (pictured) has an adjustable design to expand the sound field. Both models can be charged by any deskstop or laptop's USB port. They also work with iPods, MP3/MP4 player, and CD player with a 3.5mm audio plug.

The SP-i160 model includes a mini jack converter that can be used with audio devices with a 2.5mm socket as well. Features for the SP-i150 and SP-i160 Portable Speakers also include a LED power/charging indicator, a quick-charge USB cable and a travel pouch. Both models are available in black or white. Manufacturer's suggested retail prices are US$24.90 for the SP-i150...

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May 19
Quark showcasing Quark XML Author at DoDIIS 2010

Quark will be onsite at the Department of Defense Intelligence Information Systems (DoDIIS) worldwide conference next week, May 23-27, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Quark will demonstrate Quark XML Author for Microsoft Word, a COTS solution that helps government organizations meet Intelligence Community Directive Number 501.Combined with the Quark XML MSP Accelerator 3.0, Quark XML Author allows for XML encoding for classification, declassification, handling, and dissemination, and readies content for delivery to HTML, Wiki, PDF, and RTF formats.

Quark XML Author offers readymade adaptors to leading content management systems such as Microsoft SharePoint, EMC Documentum, IBM FileNet Content Manager, and Alfresco. Quark is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner, recipient of the Office Solution Builder Grand Prize, and Member of the Microsoft Office 14 Developer Advisory Council.
 
For more info about how Quark XML Author can benefit governmental and intelligence...

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May 19
'YML' looks at 'cannibals,' freedom from...

The new "Your Mac Life" episode looks at: "Is the iPad cannibalizing sales of other Apple products?," "Steve Jobs offers us freedom from porn" and "does no Flash on the iPhone OS really matter?"

You can listen in this and every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 8 pm (Pacific). Live video is on Your Mac Life! You can watch the show live at http://yml.macosg.com/ -- or you can listen in to the plain old audio feed at http://www.yourmaclifeshow.com/QT/stream.mov .

You can join one of the two Chat Rooms that run during the live show -- on the live video site or on the dedicated IRC Server at irc.chat-solutions.org in the #yourmaclife Channel.

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May 19
CatDV for Mac OS X prowls to version 8.1.2

Square Box Systems (http://www.squarebox.co.uk/) has released version 8.1.2 of CatDV, the media asset database and professional video logger for Mac OS X. The new version works with CatDV Server 6.1.5 and later.

Also, user fields can now be locked so only specified users can edit the field. CatDV is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. A demo of version is available for download. For new users the cost is $95 for the Standard Edition and $340 for the Professional Edition. Version 8.1.2 is a free update for registered users of version 8.x.

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May 19
VelaClock Deluxe, VelaClock for Mac OS X tick to version 2.2.4

Vela Design Group (http://veladg.com/) has announced VelaClock Deluxe 2.2.1 and VelaClock 2.2.1, new versions of its Dashboard widgets. The new versions have updated Daylight Saving Time rules for Bangladesh, Chile, Fiji, Paragua and Samoa.

For current customers, both versions are a free update. Both are compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") and 10.6 ("Snow Leopard"). VelaClock Deluxe is priced at US$15.95. VelaClock Deluxe Household, for up to five computers within a single household, is priced at $23.95. VelaClock (standard version) is priced at $9.95. Existing VelaClock users may upgrade to the Deluxe version for $6.

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May 19
ReSizeMe update for Mac OS X adds presets

Dare to be Creative has released ReSizeMe 2.2 (http://resize-me.com), an update of the batch image and photo editor for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5. The upgrade adds presets and fixes some bugs,

ResizeMe can resize, scale, rotate and flip many images and photos at once, and is the latest tool by Dare to be Creative aimed at creative professionals. With it, users can resize, scale, rotate and flip many images at once. Resizing allows users to reduce the size of their photos for emailing, or creating thumbnails for images to post on web sites. Users can rotate images to switch from portrait mode to landscape, or vice versa. By flipping images horizontally or vertically users can create mirror effects.

Resize Me is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It costs US$30, though version 2.2 is a free update for registered users. A 15-day demo is available for download.

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May 19
Is the iPad causing a surge in ebook piracy?

Popular Bit Torrent site, Torrentfreak, recently investigated the number of downloaded ereader ebook files in conjunction with the subsequent release of the iPad. The numbers were quite staggering as research shown that ebook piracy increased by a whopping 78% after the first few weeks of the iPad release, according to "Goodreader" (http://goodereader.com/blog/about-us/), a provider of electronic reader, slate and tablet PC news.

The rise of ebook piracy is still pathetically small if you look at music, video games or movie distribution. Also, most eBooks are very restrictive and come "with a staggering amount of DRM that prevents sharing or lending of the ebooks," says "Goodreader."

"We believe that blaming the iPad directly for a surge in piracy is valid, but it is not the only extenuating factor in the rise of eBook piracy," the site says. "The Apple iPad is a popular...

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May 19
Rumpus file transfer tool for Mac OS X upgraded to version 6.2.8

Maxum (http://www.maxum.com) has updated Rumpus, the Internet file transfer tool for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher), to version 6.2.8. It adds FTP control/data coordination checks to avoid problems dealing with mis-behaved FTP clients.

In addition, new appearance options make integrating file transfers into an existing web site easier than ever, and Growl notifications give server administrators new ways to monitor transfer activity.

Rumpus 6.2.8 is a free upgrade for anyone who has purchased a license since Jan. 1, 2008, and costs US$99 ($149 for Pro) to upgrade from any previous version. For new users the cost starts at US$269 for a one-server license.

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May 19
VueScan update for Mac OS X updated to version 8.6.32

Hamrick Software has released Vuescan 8.6.29, a new version of the VueScan software for Mac OS X that's designed to let users produce better digital images from color snapshots, negatives, slides and documents. The new version adds support for searchable PDF files.

The Standard Edition of VueScan costs US$39.95 and the Professional Edition is $79.95 for a single user license. Multi-user licenses are available. A fully functional, trial copy of VueScan is available for download from the Hamrick web site (http://www.hamrick.com).

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May 19
Brits choose the iPhone as one of the most important inventions

The iPhone has been voted a more important invention than the washing machine, combustion engine and space travel, according to a survey of more than 4,000 consumers in Britain, reports the "Telegraph" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/773868...).


The survey was conducted by Tesco Mobile, which carried out the nationwide research among 18-65 year-olds. Those polled also placed the iPhone ahead of the car, camera and flushing toilet, notes the "Telegraph." The wheel was voted as the most important invention in history, with the airplane in second place, the lightbulb third, the...

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May 19
Adobe delivers HTML5 support in Dreamweaver CS5

Adobe announced today at the Google I/O conference that a new HTML5 solution is available for web designers and developers. The Adobe HTML5 Pack is an extension to Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, the latest version of the HTML authoring tool for web site design.

HTML5 is being developed as the next major revision of HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the core markup language of the web. It's touted as the next standard for HTML 4.01, XHTML 1.0 and DOM Level 2 HTML and is designed to to reduce the need for proprietary plug-in-based rich internet application (RIA) technologies such as Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, and Sun JavaFX.

This extension provides more creative options to Adobe Creative Suite 5 users, so they can more easily create, deliver and optimize compelling content consistently, across the widest array of screens, to maximize revenue streams and forward their businesses, according to Lea Hickman, senior director, Creative Solutions at Adobe. Adobe has made...

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May 19
CEA: consumers to increase electronic accessories spending by 5%

A new study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) finds that nearly half of consumers will shop to replace an accessory included with their consumer electronics purchase and that they will base their accessory purchase decisions on functionality rather than price.

"Accessories Purchasing in the 21st Century" shows 61% of online U.S. consumers shopped for accessories in the past year and more than half (53%) made a purchase.

“Product quality, enhancing performance and getting the word out through satisfied customers are key factors for consumers in purchasing accessories,” says Rhonda Daniel, manager of market research for CEA (http:/www.CE.org). “Consumers place more value on quality and functionality of the accessory than price when making purchase decisions.”

According to the study, 41% of consumers will upgrade an accessory that came with a device to get a better quality one. While quality is important, enhancing the performance of the device is the...

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May 19
O'Reilly releases 'Missing Manual' for the iPad

O'Reilly has released "iPad: The Missing Manual," a 320-page book by J.D. Biersdorfer (with David Pogue), looking at Apple's new tablet. It costs US$24.99 for a print version and $15.99 for an ebook version.

"The iPad is a brand new product that's already sold a million units and is converting people who don't even use a regular laptop because it's so versatile," says Biersdorfer. "It's so much more than just an ebook reader and web browser, and my book shows you how to maximize the iPad's potential to make it be whatever you want it to be."

The "Missing Manual" promises a look at the device's features, undocumented tips and tricks and more. For the full table of contents, sample content, cover graphic, and a video tutorial from Biersdorfer, see http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/0636920010142 .

Biersdorfer is the author of "iPod: The Missing Manual" and...

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May 19
Is Apple tweaking Final Cut Studio apps to fit prosumers?

According to "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com), Apple's Final Cut Studio suite of video post production apps is getting a "significant makeover to better target the software to the mainstream of Apple's customer base rather than high end professionals." But at least one industry pro begs to differ.

Quoting "a person with knowledge of Apple's internal Pro Apps plans," "AppleInsider" says Apple has shuffled around management within the Final Cut team in order to retarget its efforts to more closely match the needs of the majority of its customers. Apple's Mac customer base has steadily shifted from desktop models to notebooks, while also broadening out from a high end creative niche to a wider installed base that includes more prosumer and advanced home users, the article adds.

However, Philip Hodgetts, president of Intelligent Assistance (...

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May 19
LoginTrap for Mac OS X gets speed boost

ProteMac has announced ProteMac LoginTrap 1.2 (http://protemac.com/LoginTrap/), an update of the tool designed to prevent unauthorized usage of a Mac. The upgrade offers speed increases and some bug fixes.

LoginTrap monitors all log-in events and detects whether a log-in attempt was successful or failed. After a log-in attempt is made the program captures an image from the iSight camera, so that you are able to see who is trying to break into your Mac. An alarm e-mail with iSight camera snapshot attached is sent immediately after a log-in attempt.

ProteMac LoginTrap requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It costs US$29.95 for a single user license. Version 1.2 is a free update for registered users.

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May 19
Apple files trademark for retail store design

Apple's attorneys have filed applications to trademark the design of the company's retail stores, including the gray stainless steel and the light-brown wood of the display tables, reports ifoAppleStore (http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2010/05/18/apple-trademarks-retail-store...).

“The mark consists of distinctive design and layout of a retail store,” state the applications filed May 12 by attorney Lisa Widup. There are two versions of the trademark application, one describing the store in color and the other one in black-and-white.

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May 19
fScanX 1.5 for Mac OS X adds support for new scanners

Elevated Software Development has updated fScanX (http://www.elevated-dev.com/Products/fScanX), their scanning solution for Mac OS X, to version 1.5. It adds support for new scanners.

fScanX was developed specifically to provide native Mac OS X support for high-speed Fujitsu scanners. Rather than requiring the application to launch in order to perform scanning, fScanX's command-line utility gives developers the ability to control the user interface completely. This opens up a host of possibilities for prepress operators, developers and graphic designers alike to build custom workflows involving scanning, according to Scott Ribe, founder of Elevated Software Development.

Additionally, fScanX ships with an Automator action that enables creation of scanning workflows without scripting. fScanX also enables a host of alternative automation options. It takes only...

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May 19
First quarter of 2010 was iPhone's strongest quarter yet

The iPhone had 2.7% of the worldwide mobile phone market in the first quarter of 2010 compared to 1.55 in the same time period of 2009, according to the Gartner research group (http://www.gartner.com). Apple sold approximately 8.4 million iPhones in 1Q2010 compared to approximately 3.9 million in 1Q2009.

Ahead of Apple, globally, for 1Q2010 are Nokia (35% market share), Samsung (20.6%), LG (8.6%), RIM (3.4% and Sony Ericsson (3.1%). The first quarter of 2010 was Apple’s strongest quarter yet, which placed the company in the No. 7 position with a 112.2% increase in mobile devices sales.

“Growth came partly from new communication service providers in established markets, such as the UK, and stronger sales in new markets such as China and South Korea,” says Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. “The second quarter of 2010 will be a very important one for Apple. We expect that Apple will...

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