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May 15
Does the Pentagon raise its security risks by approving Apple,...

"Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/bzodlrd) reports that the Pentagon risks exposing itself to hackers by opening its communications networks to Apple and Samsung smartphones and tablets, according to cybersecurity officials.

The Pentagon plans to give employees the flexibility of connecting devices such as Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones and Apple iPads to unclassified networks -- a market long dominated by BlackBerry. However, this will create more vulnerabilities to cybersecurity breaches, Pat McGarry, principal systems engineer at Ixia, a network security company, told "Bloomberg."

"It is a debacle, a disaster waiting to happen," he said. There is no technology that would make Apple and Samsung smartphones and tablets immune to new malicious software known as malware, McGarry added.

However, Mark Orndorff, a program executive officer at the Defense Information Systems Agency, told "...

| Read more »
May 15
Apple, Lenova only computer makers to see growth in western...

Computer shipments in Western Europe declined by 20.5% during the first quarter of 2013, with the only vendors to see shipments grow were Lenovo and Apple, according to the Gartner research group. The latter returned to the top five for the first time since 2011.

"The first quarter of 2013 brought the worst quarterly decline in Western Europe since Gartner started tracking PC shipments in this region," says Meike Escherich, principal research analyst at Gartner. "Wide availability of Windows 8-based PCs could not boost consumer PC purchases during the quarter. Although the new Metro-style user interface suits new form factors, users wonder about its suitability for traditional PCs -- non-touchscreen desktops and notebooks." 

All computer segments in Western Europe exhibited year-on-year declines in the first quarter of 2013. Mobile and desktop shipments fell by 24.6% and 13.8%, respectively. Shipments to the professional computer market declined by 17.2%, while those...

| Read more »
May 15
Apple releases iMovie 9.0.9 on OS X

Apple has released iMovie 9.0.9 for Mac OS X 10.7.4 or later. It addresses issues where iMovie does not recognize video cameras connected to your Mac.

iMovie 9.0.9 also improves compatibility with projects imported from iMovie for iOS and includes stability improvements. It's available at the Mac App Store or at http://tinyurl.com/aohgjqf .

| Read more »
May 15
Freshcode releases DropClip for Dropbox

Freshcode has introduced DropClip for Mac OS X. It's a Dropbox add-on that lets you direct people to Dropbox files you've shared with them.

To use you right click on a file or folder in a shared Dropbox folder and choose the Copy DropClip link. Users can then paste the URL link it creates in Mail, Gmail, Skype or any other type of communication tool to send it to a co-worker, a friend or family.

DropClip costs US$1.99 and is available at the Freshcode web site (http://madefresh.ca/dropclip/). A demo is available for download. DropClip is a Mac-only app that requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher.

| Read more »
May 15
WD announces My Passport Ultra line of portable hard drives

WD has released its My Passport Ultra line of portable hard drives, which combine additional layers of data protection with USB 3.0 connectivity in a slim, compact design and four color choices.

Available in 500 GB, 1TB and new 2TB capacities, My Passport Ultra portable hard drives have built-in WD SmartWare Pro backup software with Dropbox integration, hardware encryption and password protection. A protective pouch is included with the My Passport Ultra to help shield it.

My Passport Ultra portable hard drives are protected by a three-year limited warranty and are available from the WD store at wdstore.com and at select retailers and distributors. The My Passport Ultra 500GB has a manufacturers suggested retail price of $99.99 USD, and the My Passport Ultra 1TB is $129.99. (The 2TB version is due later this year.)

| Read more »
May 15
Sandvox 2.8 for Mac OS X adds Retina display support, more

Karelia Software (www.karelia.com) has updated Sandvox, their web creation software for Mac OS X, to version 2.8. The upgrade can optimize website image content for viewing on Retina displays.

Sandvox 2.8 also introduces two new designs, new LinkedIn and Pinterest sharing buttons, a new social media sharing bar and more. The app also includes two new modern design options, offering left or right sidebars suited for showcasing photographs and galleries.

Sandvox 2.8 requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher and costs US$79.99. It's available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category (http://tinyurl.com/chgts4l). It is also available from The Karelia Store (https://secure.karelia.com/buy_now/).

The Sandvox 2.8 update is...

| Read more »
May 15
MEI Portico updated to version 2.5

Managing Editor (www.maned.com) has released MEI Portico 2.5, the latest in the Adobe development partner's lineup of solutions for publishers.

MEI Portico lets publishers create custom branded user interfaces for their mobile and tablet apps. The new version of MEI's custom storefront software lets app publishers present content items other than traditional folios in their apps.

The Portico experience management platform can support a wide range of non-folio content, like FaceTime sessions and Google Maps to cross-promotional items like referral URLs to iTunes Store downloads and rich media ads, making apps powered by Portico more than just a collection of folios, according to Brett Kizner, MEI's director of new product marketing. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/d9hqzxc .

| Read more »
May 14
Apple sued over defective iPhone power buttons

A Florida woman is seeking more than US$5 million from Apple on behalf of thousands of iPhone owners who allegedly bought phones with defective power buttons that would not lock or turn off, reports "GigaOm" (http://tinyurl.com/cweh8dv).

In a class action suit filed in San Jose, California, Debra Hilton claims that Apple knew about a defect in a flex cable that controls the on-off button, but chose to stay quiet about it to sell more phones. As evidence, she points to Apple discussion forums, a fix-it video on YouTube and comments by a self-described iPhone repairman who says the power button defect is prevalent on the iPhone 4 which went on sale in 2010, notes "GigaOm."

| Read more »
May 14
D-Link shipping new 802.11AC routers

D-Link is shipping a new line of AC Routers with the availability of the Wireless AC1750 Router (DIR-868L), Wireless AC1200 Router (DIR-860L), Wireless AC1000 Router (DIR-820L) and Wireless AC750 Router (DIR-810L). They have street prices of US$169.99, $149.99, $119.99 and $79.99, respectively.

Offering next-generation Wi-Fi speeds, D-Link’s latest 802.11ac Routers deliver a range of wireless speeds and price points for creating a reliable and strong Wi-Fi home network ideal for HD video streaming, online gaming, and multiple user activities, says Daniel Kelley, vice president of marketing, D-Link Systems.
 
The Wireless AC1750 Dual Band Gigabit Cloud Router and Wireless AC1200 Dual Band Gigabit Cloud Router deliver speeds of up to 1750Mbps (N450Mbps+AC1300Mbps) and 1200Mbps (N300 + AC867Mbps) respectively. In addition, the Wireless AC1000 Dual Band Cloud Router offers speeds of up to 1000Mbps (N300Mbps + AC650Mbps) and the Wireless AC750 Dual Band Cloud Router...

| Read more »
May 14
Apple wants to add Galaxy S4 to a second patent case

Apple wants to add Galaxy S4 to a second patent case against Samsung, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/dyavkwk).

Narrowing will occur in several steps until the spring 2014 trial, the article adds. Ultimately, by February 6, 2014, the parties will have to limit their asserted patents claims to five (per side) and their accused products to ten (per side). The purpose of the responses Apple and Samsung submitted yesterday was to identify 22 accused products per side, notes "FOSS Patents."

This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.

| Read more »
May 14
Expeditions: Conquistador coming to the Mac

Expeditions: Conquistador, a tactical role-playing game, will be available for Mac, PC, Mac and Linux systems on Steam on May 30. It will also be available on GOG.com, Gamersgate and several other platforms.
 
Here's how Expeditions: Conquistador is described: "Playing as a Spanish Conquistador, the player has to lead his or her party through the untamed wilderness of the New World, making hefty decisions along the way. Decisions that could significantly alter the course of history. The game project was financed through Kickstarter, and developed by the Danish development studio Logic Artists ApS. bitComposer will market Expeditions: Conquistador worldwide. 
 
"Expeditions: Conquistador offers the player in single or multiplayer mode the opportunity to conquer an unknown continent, or to fight on the side of the indigenous people as they defend their homeland from the invaders. This will require not only tactical skills in battle, but also diplomatic finesse...

| Read more »
May 14
Penclic releases the Bluetooth B2 Mouse

Penclic has released the Bluetooth B2 Mouse, it's available at Amazon.com for US$89.95. It's Mac and PC compatible.

The Bluetooth B2 Mouse wirelessly connects to your computer. It sports five click buttons with a scroll wheel and laser pointer. The mouse operates without the use of a mouse pad.

According to the folks at Penclic, the Bluetooth B2 Mouse -- available only in white -- will run two months on one charge with its rechargeable battery. It has a wireless reach of up to 16 feet.

| Read more »
May 14
EditShare ships Field 2 portable shared storage

EditShare has released the Field 2, its next-generation portable shared storage solution with integrated asset management.

The turnkey platform includes file ingest, advanced project sharing/bin locking, and archiving capabilities in an all-in-one, high-performance and rugged chassis. Designed for on-location shoots, ENG trucks and remote offices, the new Field 2 is durable, light and compact and meets airline carry-on regulations.

With an optional integrated Flow SDI ingest card, users can record up to two channels of HD in industry-standard codecs such as XDCAM-EX35, Avid DNxHD and DVCProHD. Flow’s edit-while-capture capability lets users start editing the moment they begin recording.

With an optional lightweight expansion unit, a single Field 2 configuration can scale to 32 terabytes. And using the integrated EditShare Sync Tool, users can send data from a remote location back to home base over a simple Internet VPN connection. For more info go to...

| Read more »
May 14
Bits&Coffee brews BatchPhoto 3.7 for the Mac, PC

Bits&Coffee has released BatchPhoto 3.7, an update of its all-in-one photo manipulation program for Mac and PC that lets photographers, web designers, business people, and families enhance photos. To use you select a group of photographs, and, with a single operation edit, resize, convert, watermark, and rename every image in the group.



BatchPhoto Enterprise takes batch photo editing one step further by completely automating the process. All the user needs to do is to create a "hot folder" for the program to monitor. BatchPhoto can monitor several folders at once, either on the computer, network or FTP sites, and apply custom edits for the newly added or modified images in each one of them.



For example, with BatchPhoto Enterprise the user can transfer hundreds of RAW images from a DSLR digital camera to a "hot folder" and have all the images automatically resized, rotated, watermarked with a logo, renamed, converted to TIFF and uploaded to a site via FTP or to...

| Read more »
May 14
AppDelete optimized for Mac OS X Lion

Reggie Ashworth (www.reggieashworth.com) has announced AppDelete 3.2.9, a new version of his application deletion utility. The upgrade has been optimized for Mac OS X 10.7, supports new languages and more.

You can drag any item that can be uninstalled onto AppDelete: spplications, widgets, preference panes, plugins, screensavers, etc. You can also activate AppDelete in many ways: dragging items onto main window, onto dock icon, selecting in menu, right-clicking using AppDelete workflow, dragging from Launchpad, and throwing items in the trash. When the preview screen appears you can uncheck any items you would like to exclude.

You also have several choices: delete the items, log only the items, or archive (copy) the items to a .zip file for safekeeping or reinstall at a later date. The items you delete will be moved to the trash and arranged in a folder so that you can see exactly what was...

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May 13
Petition launched to keep Adobe Creative Suite perpetual license...

Adobe's announcement that it will drop its traditional, perpetual license model for Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and its other professional creative apps in favor of a Creative Cloud software subscription model rubbed lots of folks the wrong way. Now there's a petition to keep the Creative Suite perpetual license model alive, notes "The MacObserver" (http://tinyurl.com/bpox6gd).

The petition, started by Berek Schoffstall at Change.org, can be found at http://tinyurl.com/d7kzz4f . Schoffstall has this to say: "You should support this petition because Adobe is making their already expensive products even more expensive in the long run. Adobe is robbing small business, freelancers, and the average consumer. They do not seem to understand that every company is a not multi-national, multi-billion dollar corporation that has...

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May 13
Big changes reportedly coming to AppleCare

Last week Apple informed its tech staff that major changes to the AppleCare and AppleCare+ service programs will be enacted starting this fall, "with a broadening of current policies likely to cut costs and make the service more attractive to consumers," according to "AppleInsider."

The article says there will be changes to the way repairs for iPhones will be handled. In addition, employees will have access to advanced diagnostics tools that can remotely assess hardware issues and relay the data directly to technicians, according to "AppleInsider." Finally, Apple will reportedly reconfigure its paid AppleCare service as a subscription model, or introduce a new tier, which will be attached to a customer rather than a specific product.

The new in-house repairs are to be rolled out across the U.S., with international support coming online soon thereafter. Apple expects to save nearly $1 billion per year with the change in policy. Read more at...

| Read more »
May 13
oneSafe, the password manager app, is now on the Mac

Lunabee Pte has released the Mac version of their password manager app, oneSafe. Along with the iOS version, it allows users to sync their sensitive information across all their devices using iCloud.

oneSafe for Mac also boasts features such as automatic backup, the ability to drag and drop files into the app, a high encryption level (AES 256), over 100 card templates for entry and retrieval of information, double protection categories and more. It requires Mac OS X 10.8 or higher.

oneSafe 1.0 for Mac OS X costs US$12.99. It's available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category (http://tinyurl.com/ccubhrz).

| Read more »
May 13
Foundry376 releases Spark Inspector for iOS developers

Foundry376 has announced Spark Inspector, a tool that brings realtime introspection to the world of iOS development. It's available for download immediately (www.sparkinspector.com/).

Here's how the folks at Foundry376 described Spark Inspector: "Apple provides great developer tools, but interface bugs can be tricky to uncover. The Spark Inspector changes the game with an entirely new debugging perspective: a stunning, three-dimensional view of an app's interface that updates in real-time as it runs. Pan and zoom around your interface to reveal how layouts are structured, and unearth bugs quickly using Spark's powerful display options. Fine-tuning views?

"The Spark Inspector mimics Interface Builder, and allows you to preview adjustments to your app's views in real-time. Make runtime modifications to everything from button frames to CALayer shadows and transforms, right from the Inspector's...

| Read more »
May 13
Remoter for Mac OS X upgraded to version 1.4

Remoter Labs has announced Remoter 1.4 for Mac OS X (10.6 and higher), an update of the productivity app that allows users to remotely control Macs via Screen Sharing, and Windows or Linux PCs using the VNC or RDP standards. The new version sports an updated icon, font smoothing support, a session editor option and more.

Remoter offers one of the fastest implementations of the VNC and RDP protocols on the Mac platform, according to the folks at Remote Labs. It uses Bonjour for set-up. Features include sound redirection, RDP, Telnet and SSH, which also allows for secure VNC/RDP over SSH.

Port-forwarding and/or dynamic DNS is no longer needed in order to establish connections from outside the computer's network. Servers can be sorted by name, type or usage, and a search box allows to easily find the desired server.

Wake-on-LAN support is also built-in. When the server session is setup using Bonjour or NetBIOS, the MAC address is automatically populated....

| Read more »
May 10
Judge upholds Apple's request for a peak at Google's...

Judge Paul S. Grewal has upheld Apple’s request that Google reveal its search methodology for collecting Android documentation for the iPhone maker’s upcoming patent infringement trial against Samsung, reports the "Wall Street Cheat Sheet" (http://tinyurl.com/c6qhjvg)

The judge dismissed Google’s claims that Apple was overreaching, by compelling the Internet search giant to reveal the search terms and methods it is using to compile the requested Android documentation, the article adds. Google argued that Apple’s pretrial information request was unduly burdening the company, but the judge disagreed with this perspective.

| Read more »
May 10
Apple posts Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.2

Apple has released Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.2 (http://tinyurl.com/ctyjsoe). It provides stability fixes for Thunderbolt and Target Disk Mode.

It's a 1.22MB download and requires Mac OS X 10.8.3 or higher. When your computer restarts a gray screen will appear with a status bar to indicate the progress of the update. Don't disturb or shut off the power on your computer during this update. Note: Your computer must be plugged into AC power for the update to install.

| Read more »
May 10
QuickerTek releases new Quicky Jr 3 WiFi adapter

QuickerTek has released the Quicky Junior 3 USB wireless network adaptor designed for the MacBook user that needs a "little extra boost in power, but doesn't need a full blown system enhancement."

It's the third generation in Quicky Junior line. The company says it's improved in both the physical and electronic arenas.

Redesigned with the antenna actually folding into the body, the Quicky Junior 3 adds capability to use the 802.11 a 5.8Ghz band wireless specification. After the initial installation simply plug it in to any available USB port and start using your network.

Priced at US$79.95, the Quicky Junior 3 comes with a small USB a/b/g/n remote stand adaptor. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/br7z7ts .

| Read more »
May 10
HoudahGeo for the Mac revved to version 3.4

Houdah Software (http://www.houdah.com/) has updated HoudahGeo, a geocoding solution for the Mac, to version 3.4. The new version can load track logs from QR codes created by the gps4cam iPhone application, can now infer camera clock settings when given the exact time a photo was taken and more.

HoudahGeo costs US$29 for a single-user license for new users. Version 2.8 is a free update for registered users. HoudahGeo requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher.

| Read more »
May 10
TopXNotes for Mac OS X updated to version 1.7.5

Tropical Software's TopXNotes (http://www.tropic4.com/) note manager for the Mac has been updated to version 1.7.5. The upgrade offers performance enhancements and bug fixes.

TopXNotes will now keep your notes synchronized between TopXNotes for Mac and TopXNotes Touch for the iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.7.2 includes a new Preference for setting vertical and horizontal text margins and a new Preference to choose manual or automatic note delete.

TopXNotes 1.7.5 requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later. It costs US$39.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category and at the Tropical Software (http://www.tropic4.com).

| Read more »
 
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