In New Zealand Apple is fighting a trademark application for a smartphone case dubbed the "driPhone" (http://www.driphone.co.nz/), reports the "Sydney Morning Herald" (http://macte.ch/3gwQN). Hayden Crowther, of Hamilton, New Zealand created the driPhone as a waterproof case for smartphones of all varieties but Apple is opposing his plans to trademark it in New Zealand and has now asked him to switch the "i" in driPhone for a "y," the article adds. Apple told Crowther, through Wellington-based patent and trademark attorney firm Henry Hughes that it was opposing his driPhone trademark in New Zealand. However, the inventor thinks there's "little weight" to Apple's opposition and, so far, has refused to rebrand it.

"The Verge" (http://macte.ch/HQ4Dk) reports that Best Buy appears to be sending surveys to customers getting feedback on potential new products and services, including the rumored Apple-branded HDTV (the "iTV"). The article says that the the product willcrun iOS, support iCloud, be controllable from an iPhone or iPad, and have access to Netflix, YouTube, and Flickr. Also, it will purportedly offer an "iSight camera" (though Apple's been calling it a FaceTime camera lately). There's no mention of Siri voice support. "The Verge" says the Best Buy describes the iTV as a 42-inch model that would cost about US$1,499. Keep in mind that Apple has made no mention of a company branded TV of any sort.

The worldwide smartphone market grew 54.7% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2011 (4Q11), as Apple unleashed its iPhone 4S on an eager marketplace, according to new data from IDC (http://www.idc.om). Apple climbed back into the market leadership position with the launch of its iPhone 4S worldwide. In the process it reached a new shipment volume record for itself and for the entire industry for a single quarter. According to the "International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker," vendors shipped 157.8 million units in 4Q11 compared to 102.0 million units in the fourth quarter of 2010. The 54.7% year-over-year growth was higher than IDC's forecast of 40.0% for the quarter, and higher than the 49.2% growth in 3Q11. On a full-year basis, total smartphone shipment volumes reached 491.4 million units in 2011, up a strong 61.3% from the 304.7 million units in 2010. This was higher than IDC's full year estimate of 54.7% for the year, but still below 2010's year-over-...

Google has hired Simon Prakash, a senior director at Apple, for a "secret project," according to "VentureBeat" (http://macte.ch/L2A4h). The project is "presumably run by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the article adds. Prakash worked at Apple for more than eight years and was most recently the senior director of product integrity at Apple. Before Apple, he was director of engineering design validation at Cielo Communications. He was also a reliability and FA manager at 3Com. (The photo is courtesy of "VentureBeat.")

Show your smartphone some love for Valentine’s Day and think pink. Otterbox wants you to trade the traditional chocolate and roses for something that will outlast the holiday. The company is offering protective Commuter Series Strength cases that benefit the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. "OtterBox's sponsorship of the Crusade and Avon Walk for the past two years has enabled us to support organizations nationwide that are making great strides in breast cancer research and care," says Carol Kurzig, president of the Avon Foundation for Women. "There is still much more work to do to end breast cancer, which is why we are so appreciative of supporters like OtterBox that are helping us work towards creating a world without breast cancer. We are proud to once again have OtterBox as an official Avon Walk for Breast Cancer sponsor during the Avon Walk’s 10th birthday season and the 20th anniversary of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade." In the fourth quarter alone, OtterBox donated more than US$317...

Apple has released Security Update 2012-001 version 1.1 for Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") users. It's available via the Software Updates component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app. According to Apple, Security Update 2012-001 version 1.1 is “recommended for all users and improves the security of Mac OS X." It's a 1.3GB download.

ExactCode has updated its ExactScan Pro (http://www.exactcode.de/site/products/exactscan/) scanning software for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher) to version 2.19. The upgrade offers improved performance of certain color operations. ExactScan includes built-in drivers for over 230 document scanners, including devices from Avision, Kodak, Oki, Visioneer and Xerox. Together with the Spotlight indexing services built into Mac OS X since 10.5 ("Leopard") this features form a document management solution suitable for small-office and home-office (SOHO) environments. What's more it has image enhancement algorithms that can recognize automatically how the images and documents have to be cropped and de-skewed. ExactScan comes with support for many languages (English, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Simplified-Chinese, Traditional-Chinese) and works with Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. ExactScan is available for approximately US$126 and ExactScan Pro for $154 online, the Mac App...

JNSoftware has updated Dialectic (http://www.jonn8.com/dialectic/), a telephony tool for the Mac, to version 1.8.4. The upgrade offers improved Safari integration, Firefox 9 and 10 compatibility, Asterisk AJAM support and more. Dialetic provides system-wide dialing of phone numbers using Bluetooth mobile phones, landlines, many VoIP services and more. It integrates with contact management applications such as Marketcircle Daylite, Microsoft Entourage, Now Contact, Palm Desktop, FileMaker Pro and other databases, as well as Apple's iCal and Address Book. In addition to dialing, the software provides a global Address Book menu for accessing your contact data including email, instant messaging, postal addresses, URLs, notes, and phone numbers. You can create new email messages, look up addresses on a map, copy data to the clipboard or insert it into your current document. Dialetic works with Mac OS X 10.4.9 and higher. It costs US$25.

As so many recover from Macworld/iWorld 2012, "The MUG Event Calendar" heads into the week with lots of interesting material. Nik Software’s Kevin La Rue will present their plug-ins and iOS app to a California group, while backing up will be the agenda in Australia, drive failure warning signs will be discussed in Ireland, and favorite apps and tips is scheduled to be presented in Alaska. Other topics set for this week include rumors, iTunes, the art of communication, learning with iPads and much more. And, of course, everyone will be talking about what was shown at Macworld/iWorld 2012. "The MUG Event Calendar" can be found at The MUG Center (http://www.mugcenter.com), an online resource for Mac User Groups. MUGs are good places for making new friends in the Mac community, improving your computing skills, finding solutions to technical problems, and perhaps locating a good deal on used hardware. For more info on MUGs, and to find the location of the one nearest you, go to Apple's MUG...

Apple, which has spent the past day pulling older models of the iPhone and iPad inventory from the shelves of its online store in Germany, is now restoring them. Apple has pulled several iPad and iPhone models from its German online store after Motorola Mobility enforced a patent injunction against its rival, reports the "BBC" (http://macte.ch/7GmXq). Now in a statement given to "AllThingsD" (http://macte.ch/TVRgM), Apple confirmed that the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and 3G/UMTS-based iPads should be returning to the shelves of its German online store in a matter of hours. "All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple’s online store in Germany shortly," an Apple spokeswoman told AllThingsD. "Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago."

Apple has pulled several iPad and iPhone models from its German online store after Motorola Mobility enforced a patent injunction against its rival, reports the "BBC" (http://macte.ch/7GmXq). The move follows a December ruling that Apple had failed to license one of Motorola's wireless intellectual properties. iPhone users in Germany may also face the loss of their push email iCloud service after a separate patent victory by Motorola, notes the "BBC." Apple has said it will appeal. This is part of an ongoing battle. Earlier this month the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Motorola's Droid smartphones don't violate three Apple patents. The ruling is preliminary and needs to be approved by the ITC's full six-member commission. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (...

Avid has released its first video editing application for the iPad -- Avid Studio, available immediately at the Apple App Store. The company says it's the first iPad app for video editing to offer frame-by-frame editing accuracy and access to all kinds of media. As a special launch promotion, Avid Studio for iPad is being offered for US$4.99. It allows users to begin editing by offering access to any videos, photos and audio already in their iPad library, or media that can be imported from iTunes, cameras and more. Users can then arrange clips in the Storyboard, make edits using the Timeline, and enhance their movie creations with transitions, effects and a soundtrack. They can then share movies directly to YouTube, Facebook and more -- or export projects to Avid Studio software, where they can continue editing with even more advanced tools on their PC. A how-to guide is included with the app. For more info go to http://www.avid.com/avidstudioapp .

Bethesda Softworks, in partnership with Aspyr Media, says RAGE: Campaign Edition is now available for the Mac worldwide. This new shooter from id Software has been published for the Mac by Aspyr.. The game can be digitally downloaded in English, French or German now via Apple's Mac App Store, Aspyr's own digital store GameAgent.com, and through other supporting Mac digital retailers. Here's how the game is described: "In RAGE: Campaign Edition you will take on bandit gangs and hordes of mutants with an arsenal of exotic weapons and special items, such as Wingsticks, personal turrets, sentry bots, and remote-controlled bomb cars as you play through the game’s full unaltered single-player campaign. "The Mac version will also include bonus equipment formerly exclusive to the RAGE Anarchy Edition, including a Double Barrel Shotgun, the Rat Rod Buggy, Fists of RAGE and Crimson Elite Armor. You’ll also have access to the Wasteland Sewers Missions which feature additional mutant blasting...

Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com) has released Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon Collector's Edition, the sixth game in the Jewel Quest series by iWin. It costs US$13.99 and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. Here's how the game is described; "Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon Collector's Edition leads you through 200 brand new jewel boards as you unearth ancient wonders and discover the secret behind the elusive Sapphire Dragon. While piloting his Cessna in a Himalayan snowstorm, Raj crash-lands on a frozen mountain, thus kicking off the adventure. "While piloting his Cessna in a Himalayan snowstorm, Raj crash-lands on a frozen mountain, thus kicking off the adventure in Jewel Quest 6: The Sapphire Dragon. Raj's crash has led him to a chance discovery of the Temple of Wishes, an ancient complex thought to be only legend! Raj assembles a team to explore the temple, but plans change suddenly when the team encounters a gang of ruthless pirates! "Raj's hotshot team of...

Noise Industries has added Idustrial Revolution's XEffects Tech Transitions to its repertoire of products for FxFactory 3. The new visual effects package, made exclusively for Final Cut Pro X, lets editors add transitions to projects without layers, key framing, or complex mattes. Tech Transitions offers 28 transition effects, all with adjustable settings. Effects can be slipped, lengthened, shortened and cut and pasted like any other transition. Almost all transitions include freeze versions, which holds the last frame of the outgoing media and the first frame of the incoming media, performing the transition between the two stills. Effects harness the power of GPU processing within FCP X for fast previews and renderings. Offered at US$49, users can download a free trial version of XEffects Tech Transitions (http://www.idustrialrevolution.com/x1-tech-transitions).

Nevercenter has released CameraBag 2 for Mac and PC. It's an update of the desktop photo app. Redesigned from the ground up, CameraBag 2's new Analog Engine pairs a full suite of photographic tools with the filters and vintage simulations of previous versions. According to Nevercenter President Tom Plewe, the key innovation in version 2 is a straightforward approach to layering, rearranging, and tweaking all of these effects in realtime. CameraBag 2 ships with 100-plus, adjustable filters and 25-plus professional controls With CameraBag 2, you don’t have to know what look you want to get started, Plewe says. It lets you see all the possibilities at once: old-school instant film or modern high-contrast portrait, subtle color adjustment or complete artistic overhaul. You can choose from side-by-side comparisons with the fullscreen Quicklooks, or get large, instant previews on mouseover. Once you’ve chosen a filter, its components are all in the tray to tweak and adjust non-...

Applied Acoustic Systems has released updates for all of their instruments (except Chromaphone) that bring full compatibility with Mac OS X 10.7.x ("Lion"). The updates include Tassman 4 v4.1.7, Lounge Lizard EP-3 v3.1.5, Ultra Analog VA-1 v1.1.5, Strin Studio VS-1 v1.1.4, Lounge Lizard Session v3.1.5 and Ultra Analog Session v1.1.5. For more info go to www.applied-acoustics.com .

comScore (http://www.comscore.com), which "measures the digital world," released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending December 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.3% market share. Google Android strengthened its lead in the smartphone market to reach 47.3 percent market share. For the three-month average period ending in December, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM [original equipment manufacturer] with 25.3% of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20 % share and Motorola with 13.3% share. Apple continued to gain ground in the OEM market with 12.4% share of total mobile subscribers (up 2.2 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.7% share. Approximately 97.9 million people in the U....

This week Circuit Judge Posner, who is serving by designation on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to preside over an Apple v. Motorola Mobility lawsuit, entered an order that, among other things, tells the parties to trim the number of patents in play, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/LSVJ2). The order acknowledges that Apple and Motorola made a January 30 submission that complied with a request to inform the court "of what patents they wish to litigate in the liability trial," but "not fully satisfactorily" to Posner. The judge wants more "winnowing" to take place, notes "FOSS Patents." Originally, there were 15 Apple and six Motorola patents at issue. The judge threw out some of those claims on summary judgment, and the parties dropped others in order to be cooperative and to narrow the case, reports "FOSS Patents." This is part of an ongoing battle. Earlier this month the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Motorola's...

Xbox Live marketing boss Robin Burrowes is the latest games exec to join Apple, notes "MCV" (http://macte.ch/5GPWC). Burrowes worked at Microsoft for seven years, and was in charge of Xbox Live. Prior to that, he worked for MSN and HMV.  "Burrowes joins Apple this year in charge of marketing the App Store for iTunes Europe," says MCV. "Burrowes is the latest in a line of high-profile British games recruits that Apple have made to its team. Former Nintendo PR boss Robert Saunders joined early last year, tasked with promoting apps on iPad, iPod and iPhone."

If you didn’t get a tablet this holiday season, you may be one of the few. According to Jumptap (http://www.jumptap.com), which specializes in targeted mobile advertising, tablet network traffic jumped 229% over an average projected for the day after Christmas, based on historical network traffic. Jan. 2, 2012 also saw a bump, with a 263 percentage traffic increase -- most likely from recipients uploading holiday photos and getting familiar with their devices. In its newly released "January MobileSTAT" report, Jumptap found that the Kindle Fire experienced the greatest tablet growth throughout December. The new device held 10% of tablet market share on Dec. 1 and finished the year with 30%market share. This year-end surge suggests a 2012 trend for lower-priced tablets. In 2011 Android and iOS continued to battle for mobile OS share. When the dust cleared, Android had beaten iOS, according to Paran Johar, chief marketing officer, Jumptap (although most other stats dispute this). The...

Scosche has released the flipCharge burst and flipCharge rogue. The new back-up battery and charger line provides iPhone and iPod users with instant power on-the-go. Both models feature a flush folding USB cable for syncing, blue LED battery level indicator, a carabiner clip and work with Scosche’s free reVive app for advanced power management. The flipCharge rogue sports an1800mAh lithium polymer battery, capable of fully charging a dead iPhone or iPod.  The smaller flipCharge burst, provides an emergency 30% power burst to an iPhone, and can charge a dead iPod up to 70%. Both flipCharge models are recharged by plugging into to any computer, wall or car charger.The Scosche flipCharge burst and rouge are available now at Scosche.com for US$44.99 and$59.99, respectively.

Nikon has introduced a new line of CoolPix digital cameras: the CoolPix L810, L26 and S30. The CoolPix L810's powerful zoom (26x) offers a chance to capture every detail without giving up the convenience of a compact point-and-shoot camera, according to the folks at Nikon. The CoolPix S30 is a new type of camera from Nikon, providing "worry-proof construction with a simple to use interface and an affordable price point so any family can enjoy photography with a camera that instills confidence." The CoolPix L26 is designed for casual photographers and streamlines photo-taking with intelligent Nikon technologies like automatic Scene Modes and easycontrols.  All three cameras are AA battery compatible. For more info go to http://www.nikonusa.com . 

Square Box Systems (http://www.squarebox.co.uk/) has released version 9.0.6of CatDV, the media asset database and professional video logger for Mac OS X. The new version fixes some bugs and displays a warning when publishing catalogs or performing queries if the clip limit is reached. 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 $99 for the Standard Edition and $395 for the Professional Edition. Version 9.0.6 is a free update for registered users of version 9.x.

update of the post processor application for iWeb, the web creation component of iLife. The "buddy app" is designed to bring additional functionality to iWeb. Version 1.6.2 removes the obsolete Haloscan options, removes the obsolete Google Analytics Urchin options, and updates Google Analytics to comply with the latest configurations. Also, logs are now emailed to Zarra Studios using Mail rather than our Zarra's own mail servers. iWeb Buddy allows the user to add Google Analytics, social bookmarking and more to a web site automatically. In addition, iWeb Buddy allows you to have multiple domain files in iWeb. In addition, iWeb Buddy remembers your settings, account numbers, etc., with the goal of making it easy to update your web site whenever you make a change in iWeb. With iWeb Buddy, a user can "monetize" their websites that they have created in iWeb by being able to track the traffic on their sites, add custom HTML code for shopping carts and more, according to Marcus Zarra,...

The new Helios WebShare UB2 software is designed for web-based team collaboration. WebShare provides remote access to server files via any web browser from any Mac, Windows, Linux, or mobile device, and now includes multi-page previews of PDF and Office documents in gallery and list modes. Helios WebShare UB2 lets you add secure remote file access to any file server. Automatic two-way remote synchronization of files and folders is another feature of the new Helios WeShare UB2. Utilizing the WebShare Manager component, Mac, Windows, and UNIX/Linux users can drag 'n drop project files from the web browser or the local workstation into the WebShare Manager window to enable synchronization of files between the remote WebShare server and the local workstation. The full remote workflow support includes customizable synchronization plans, support for files larger than 4B, project folder setup, and file versioning. The project-oriented approach allows using files scattered in various...

Native Instruments has launched a time-limited special offer on Studio Drummer, offering the Kontakt-based instrument at a 50% discount: US$84.50. The offer is valid at authorized retailers and the NI Online Shop (http://www.native-instruments.com/studiodrummer) throughout February and March while stock lasts. For use with the full Kontakt 5 version and the free Kontakt 5 Player, Studio Drummer makes use of the advanced features of the new Kontakt generation to provide components for studio drums productions. You can combine sampled drum kits and a studio-grade mixing environment with an assortment of professional grooves.

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.7.3. You can obtain the update via the Software Preferences component of the Mac OS X Systems Preferences app. According to Apple, Mac OS X 10.7.3 addresses stability, compatibility, and security issues. The upgrade includes Safari 5.1.3 and adds support for more languages, including Catalan, Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. RAW photo compatibility has expanded to several new cameras. And, of course, there are various bug fixes.

A German court has refused Apple’s request to ban Samsung’s altered Galaxy Tab 10.1N, reasoning that the tablet had been altered enough to skirt Germany’s unfair competition law, according to "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/QKwZV). “Samsung has shown that it is more likely than not that the patent will be revoked because of a technology that was already on the market before the intellectual property had been filed for protection,” said Munich Regional Court Judge Andreas Mueller. The decision comes a day after a Dusseldorf appeals court upheld Apple’s request to ban sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the predecessor model. Samsung began selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1N, a revised version, in Germany to get around the ban, notes "Bloomberg." A lower Dusseldorf court is scheduled to rule next week on a separate case Apple filed over the Galaxy 10.1N, the article adds. In January Samsung lost two patent rulings against Apple in a Mannheim court.

According to the latest market share survey from NetMarketShare (http://www.netmarketshare.com), the market share for Mac OS X, Safari and iOS all rose last month. According to the report, among desktop operating systems, Mac OS X had 6.39% of the global market share in January compared to 6.36% in February (that's global market share; in the US it's over 10%). Windows remains dominant with 92.05% as of January. That's down from 92.23% in December.According to NetMarketShare, Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") accounted for 2.95% of Apple's share and Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion") 2.02%. That comes to 3.05% and 2.18%, respectively, for December. When it comes to browsers, Safari had 4.90% in January. Internet Explorer had 52.96%, Firefox had 20.88% and Chrome had 18.94%. That compares to, respectively, December percentages of 4.97%, 51.87%, 21.83% and 19.11%, respectively, for the browsers. The iOS's still dominated in January, according to NetMarketShare. It had 53.65%, compared to 19.19% for...

The United States Government, at the request of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has announced "what amounts to a blanket exemption to the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) for activities that all under the Fair Use doctrine of U.S. Copyright law," reports the "CIO" web site (http://macte.ch/0aFfD). This announcement, and change in DCMA enforcement policy, has wide-ranging implications for consumers of electronic devices and media, the article adds. As it applies to the on-going battle between Apple and iPhone hackers, the new rules stipulate that Apple may not actively prevent attempts to "jailbreak" the iPhone to allow extra functionality with either hardware or software measures," says "CIO." Jailbreaking refers to the process of removing the limitations imposed by Apple on iOS. Jailbreaking allows users to access the operating system, download additional applications, extensions, and themes that are unavailable through the official Apple App Store.

Epson has expanded its line-up of business-class printing solutions with the introduction of three new WorkForce wide format products: the WorkForce WF-7520 and WF-7510 all-in-ones and WorkForce WF-7010 single function inkjet printer. The all-in-one models boast both professional quality 13 x 19 inch printing and 11 x 17 inch scanning capabilities. The WorkForce wide format printer line is designed for small businesses such as architecture firms, engineers and other creative business professionals that require large-format printing, superior dependability, performance and speed, according to Rodrigo Catalan, senior product manager, Business Ink Jets, Epson America. All three models deliver single- and double-sided print speeds -- 15 ISO ppm black and 8.0 ISO ppm color single-sided; 7.8 ISO ppm black and 5.2 ISO ppm color two-sided. Catalan says the all-in-ones are the only devices in their class to offer both 13 x 19 inch printing and an 11 x 17 inch scan bed.   The all-in-ones also...

Selznick Scientific Software (http://www.selznick.com/) has announced PasswordWallet 4.7 for Mac OS X and version 4.7 for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. PasswordWallet is a password management solution. The apps allow users to automatically share all of their passwords between their Mac, iPhone, MobileMe, and DropBox, as well as their Windows, Android, Windows Mobile, and Palm Pre devices. PasswordWallet for the iPhone features encrypted exports and Backup and Restore functionality that requires no special software, not even iTunes. It encrypts and stores data and information all in one convenient location: passwords, usernames, PIN numbers, combinations, personal notes and more. PasswordWallet lets users lock and unlock all of their passwords with a single master password. They can even save web addresses, and PasswordWallet will launch the default browser automatically. The application's auto-typing feature fills in the required user name and password, allowing users to log-in to...

Sprightly Software (http://www.sprightly.ca/) has released Screen Ruler 2.1 for Mac OS X, an update to the utility for working with on-screen graphics. In the upgrade, ruler graphics for the box measurement tool now display measurement increments appropriate to the selected unit, and other bug fixes. Screen Ruler includes four tools including box and line measurement tools for making measurements, a color picker for determining the exact color of a pixel, and a grab image tool for making screenshot selections. It sports keyboard shortcuts for initiating measurements, picking a color, taking screenshots, and copying width, height, length, color, and image data. Screen Ruler is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 and higher. It sells for US$9.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Graphics & Design category.

SweetP Productions has announced Cookie 2.2.1 http://www.sweetpproductions.com), an update to their cookie and browser history management utility for Mac OS X (10.6.6 and higher). It's available at the Mac App Store for US$14.99. Cookie is designed to help you to manage exactly who can access information about your online activities. It scans your computer for all types of cookies, from all the top browsers, and can be configured to remove all unwanted tracking-advertising cookies. Data can be stored on your computer without you even knowing in a multitude of different formats: cookies, Flash cookies, databases and local storage. Cookie scans your computer for all types of cookies.

Along with Final Cut Pro X 10.0.3, Apple has updated its Motion and Compressor products. Motion is an US$49.99 video animation, transition and titling application. Version 5.0.2 adds the ability to automatically add animation keyframes when recording is disabled. Compressor is an $49.95 export utility for Final Cut Pro X. Version 4.0.2 improves overall stability and performance.


Apple is the target of a new online grassroots campaign, as consumer accountability group SumOfUs has launched a new campaign calling on Apple to address dangerous conditions in factories manufacturing its products. Last week, the "New YorkTimes" reported on abysmal conditions in Apple’s factories in China, including excessive overtime, poor living conditions, exposure to toxic chemicals, and violations of child labor standards. In response, SumOfUs launched a new petition yesterday, calling on members to urge Apple to address the concerns, with more than 35,000 people signing on within the first 24 hours. 

"I use an iPhone myself.  I love it, but I don't love having to support sweatshops, and neither do millions of other Apple consumers," says Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, executive director of SumOfUs. "The hip, educated market that Apple aspires to corner is largely composed of responsible consumers who don’t want to be complicit in sweatshop labor. Apple’s attention to detail is...

Apple says John Browett will join the company as senior vice president of Retail, reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Browett comes to Apple from European technology retailer Dixons Retail, where he has been CEO since 2007. Beginning in April, he will be responsible for Apple’s retail strategy and the continued expansion of Apple retail stores around the world. "Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met," says Cook. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple." Prior to joining Dixons Retail, Browett held a series of executive positions at Tesco plc including CEO of Tesco.com. Earlier in his career he advised retail and consumer goods clients at Boston Consulting Group. He holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from Wharton Business School.

Panasonic has introduced the LUMIX DMC-ZS20, the newest member of the acclaimed LUMIX ZS-Series, and, according to Panasonic, the world's slimmest digital camera with a 20x optical zoom lens. It boasts a powerful zoom, a 24mm ultra wide-angle LEICA DC Vario-Elmar lens and the ability to shoot full-High Definition (HD). The new LUMIX ZS20 builds on the series' success as an extremely point-and-shoot model. With a newly-redesigned lens system, the LUMIX ZS20 features a new mechanical structure and optical system to further improve image quality. Beyond the quality of its lens, the LUMIX ZS20 integrates an enhanced built-in GPS functionality so users can pinpoint locations where photos were taken and share with family and friends on internet maps. Map data can be installed onto the LUMIX ZS20 via a bundled DVD, giving the camera detailed worldwide maps of major regions on a scale of 1/25,000 or more precise.  A user can copy the map data of a designated city to an SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory...

Gamelion has introduced Doodle Fit 1.0, a tiling puzzle game for Mac OS X. It features more than 350 puzzles and 13 visual themes. Here's how Doodle Fit is described: "The game challenges players to fit the sets of blocks into the given shapes, both of which are rectilinear, having straight sides that are all connected by ninety degree angles. A level is complete when all the blocks have been used and there is no free space remaining inside the shape. "Doodle Fit derives its name from the simple, blocky doodles one might create on large grid graph paper. All blocks or pieces in a Doodle Fit puzzle can be drawn on graph paper and consist of a figure that encloses one, two, three, or four squares. There are no diagonals, and so blocks have some resemblance to such letters as: T, I, L, etc. Similarly, the shapes of each puzzle can be drawn on graph paper, and consist of straight horizontal or vertical lines connected by ninety-degree angles. There are 10 different Game Packs included...

Apple has implemented a Hong Kong iPhone lottery system to deal with "with an influx of grey marketers and incidents of repeated violence over sales of the iPhone 4S in Hong Kong," reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). An update to the electronic's maker's Hong Kong web site now presents customers with a lottery system, by which they have three hours each day to place a request for a specific iPhone model, the article adds. 
"AppleInsider" says customers who are selected will receive an email that evening with instructions on picking up their iPhone at a specific time the following day. The Apple Store IFC Mall in Hong Kong has since halted sales to walk-in customers, deferring all local customers to the new system.

Plustek Technology (http://plustek.com/) has launched its new MobileOffice D412 document and card scanner that scans 13 pages-per-minute and has a 1,000 page-per-day duty-cycle.   The MobileOffice D412 is a color, duplex, sheet-fed document and card scanner capable of scanning an 8.5 x 11-inch page in 4.6 seconds.  The compact design and flexible dual power configuration enables the scanner to be used in the office or with a laptop on the road. "Because of its high scan speed, small footprint and reliable design, the MobileOffice D412 is perfect for commercial applications that require the scanning of rigid cards such as: patient registration, lockboxes, remote deposits, bank tellers, loan processing, pharmacies, home healthcare, nurses carts, and ID verifications,” says Mark Druziak, Plustek’s director of marketing and business development. All Plustek MobileOffice scanners include a suite of document management applications, TWAIN drivers, single-touch button scanning, and scan-to-...

Independent software developer Reggie Ashworth has updated VidConvert, his video converter for Mac OS X, to version 1.2. The upgrade adds support for adding DVD's directly, input support for Apple ProRes, input support for .webm and .dvr-ms and more. VidConvert will convert just about any type of video into one of the a variety of formats, allowing you to create videos for your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV. To use you add a file, select a format and a quality, and click convert. Optionally you can change your save folder from the main window. For advanced users you can select the Advanced quality if you choose to allow such options as custom Frame Rate, Bit Rate, etc. But for most users simply choosing Normal or High quality should be sufficient. After your conversion is finished simply add more files or quit VidConvert and the job is done. Supported formats include iPhone, iPod, iPad, QuickTime, .mp4, MPEG-1 and 2, DivX, Xvid, and audio only formats such as .mp4 and .m4a. VidConvert...

Though Apple has been collecting France’s "private copy tax" on sales of specific iPad models, the company has been accused of withholding payments to French copyright association Copie France, which are thought to total €4.74 million approximately (US$6.3 million) in 2011. "Les Echos," a French newspaper reports -- as noted by "The Next Web" (http://macte.ch/WFLBO) that Copie France sued Apple in August 2011. However, Apple disputes that it must pay the tax on sales of its iPad even though it did raise prices in February. Copie France defends authors, artists and actors’ rights in the audiovisual sector. The private copy tax is based on devices that are capable of recording audiovisual content, which could allow their owners to make copies of music videos and movies for their own use, notes "The Next Web." For each device that has a 64GB storage or more, a company must pay €12. Apple is said to owe around €4.74 million on sales of 500,000 iPads sold in 2011.

The success of the iPhone 4S and the free (with contract) iPhone 3GS that helped Apple truly dominate the smartphone market in the fourth quarter, according to the latest data from Juniper Research (http://www.juniperresearch.com/), as noted by "VentureBeat" (http://macte.ch/AmidV). Apple’s 37 million iPhones shipped accounted for almost one-quarter of the 149 million smartphones shipped globally in the last quarter, the research firm said in its latest report. Apple took the top spot from Samsung last quarter, but Juniper also points out that Samsung’s market share jumped significantly in the last quarter, up to 21.7% from just 4.7% the previous year. "Without the bump of a new iPhone release and the holiday shopping frenzy, Apple will likely see a major decline in smartphone shipments for this quarter," says "VentureBeat." "That means Samsung has a good chance to snatch back the No. 1 smartphone maker spot. Expect this see-saw to continue for the foreseeable future."

Panasonic has published a white paper on the "consumerization" of healthcare IT, specifically through media tablet devices like the iPad. The white paper, "Diagnosis Danger: Governance & Security Issues Cause IT Concerns About iPad in Healthcare Setting," highlights the growing concerns of healthcare IT executives trying to meet the demands to support consumer-grade computing devices. The study, conducted by BizTechReports, an independent research and reporting agency, found major operational issues for media tablets in healthcare, with 66% of respondents stating consumer tablets, like the iPad, create governance challenges for their organizations. Other concerns include security, durability and EHR compliance. The results of the survey reveal that consumerization in general has created a conundrum for healthcare CIOs and their IT departments. Pressure to adopt and integrate technologies, like consumer tablets, is growing, but concerns are also on the rise. The study showed that...

Pragmatic Code has announced Crunch (http://www.pragmaticcode.com/crunch/), a Mac OS X application for extracting the material of iOS application files. It requires Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion") and costs US$9. According to the folks at Pragmatic Code, Crunch is designed to offer help for iOS designers and developers. iOS png images aren't readable by default on a Mac, but Crunch converts them to their native format so you can you look at the original images. Crunch has also a Quick Look plug-in, so you'll be able to see each app's icon overlaying the standard .ipa file icon in the Finder. When you start Crunch, it will detect all the apps from your iTunes library and let you filter them by platform (iPhone, iPad, or universal). You can then select the app you want to export, and it will extract all the content of the application so you can look at the structure of the app and see all the files contained in the application package.

Teyon has released Fashion Advisor, a hidden object puzzler with fashion mini-game tie-ins, is now available in the Mac App Store. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later and costs US$2.99. Here's how the game is described: "Step into the glamorous world of fashion as Lilly, a creative director at an advertising agency. Her duties consume most of her free time and there's not much time left for her passions; Shopping and creating her own fashion creations, but Lilly's about to get her lucky break. "She must prepare models for a fashion shoot for the agency's biggest client. Help her shop for over 450 clothes and accessories, create stunning hairstyles and gorgeous outfits in this unique hidden object puzzler with clever fashion mini-game tie-ins. Fashion Advisor will bring out the diva in you."

GEAR4 (http://www.GEAR4.com) has rolled out the Renew SleepClock, which lets you track and manage your sleep from your iPod, iPhone or iPad. Renew SleepClock teaches you about your sleep efficiency, helping you to understand and adjust your sleep habit, according to the folks at GEAR4. Because you can see how you're sleeping, you can compare data over time in order to sleep better, not just longer, he adds. Renew SleepClock purportedly knows when you’re trying to go to sleep by sensing your breathing rate. It knows when you’re falling asleep, and fades down your sleep soundtrack when it knows you’ve gone to sleep. It offers complete customization of wake up options, enabling you to choose radio, your iPod music or gentle wake-up sounds. Renew SleepClock will be available in US Apple retail stores in March for US$199.95. Renew, a free app, can be found on the Apple App Store.