Apple to Chinese customers: don't use third-party chargers
Apple has posted a warning on its Chinese website, urging people in the country to avoid using unofficial power chargers with its products, reports "MacNN" (http://tinyurl.com/lo58ns3).
This is almost certainly due to reports that two people in China were electrocuted -- one fatally -- by third party iPhone charges. As "MacNN" notes, third party models aren't necessarily dangerous, but some in China and other countries are counterfeit and designed to resemble Apple gear without necessarily passing the same safety standards.
Manhattan Edit Workshop offers Smoke 2013 training
Manhattan Edit Workshop (MEWShop), an authorized digital training destination for post-production and content creators, now provides certified training in Autodesk Smoke 2013.
The latest version of the high-end editing suite was unofficially launched in early 2012. It offers both editing and effects capabilities.
Interested students can learn the basics of the program in Smoke 101 and more advanced compositing in Smoke 201. MEWshop is also offering bundle pricing for students interested in attending both workshops. Learn more at www.mewshop.com .
Satechi introduces Desk Mat & Mate
Satechi has introduced the Desk Mat & Mate, a workspace accessory for adults and children. Available in eight colors, it protects any surface area from scratches and spills while also doubling as a comfortable resting surface for your hands while writing, typing, using the mouse or coloring
The 24.4 x 13.8-inch Desk Mat & Mate covers a large surface area able to fit most keyboards and mice, while also allowing for a smooth transition between devices for a steady workflow, according to the folks at Satchi. Made of synthetic leather, the smooth surface can be wiped down, protecting the desk from scratches, dents and every day wear and tear.
Additionally, the back of the mat is made of non-slip polyester so it can be repositioned without damaging the surface of the desk. The Satechi Desk Mat & Mate is available at an introductory price of US$34.99 at Satechi.net and Amazon.com.
AOC unveils 16-inch, portable USB monitor
AOC and DisplayLink have announced the AOC E1659FWU, a portable 16-inch monitor that receives both power and signal through a single USB 3.0 cable.
The monitor connects to laptop and desktop computers to provide a solution for dual monitor setups. Compatible with both Mac and PC systems, the USB 3.0 Monitor has a 15.6-inch viewing window that supports 1366x768 resolution at 60Hz. The slim piano black, highly portable monitor is almost 13mm thinner than the previous model and converts from landscape to portrait view using its foldable metallic stand.
The E1659FWU comes with its own monitor carry case. Set to ship in August, the E1659FWU monitor is now available for pre-sale at Amazon.com at a manufacturer's retail price of US$139. For more info go to us.aoc.com .
Elastic Web Page available for Xojo web developers
Pariahware has announced Elastic Web Page 1.0, a companion to its Elastic Window tool, also for the Xojo development tool.
Elastic Web Page is a series of classes that allows a developer to change a web page to an Elastic Web Page. This allows controls to be resized proportionally with the web browser at runtime.
Elastic Web Page comes with: the source code license, support for all web controls, the ability to Ignore controls, the ability to find out which controls are being ignored, and the capability to avoid having to manually adjust controls. A developer adds the Elastic Web Page classes to their project and changes the Web Page super from Web Page to Elastic Web Page and recompiles.
Pariahware's Elastic Web Page uses a royalty-free, per-seat, licensing mechanism, which means that each developer using the Elastic Web Page in the Xojo IDE needs to have a license. There is no fee for web pages developed with Elastic Web Page. The list price for Elastic Web Page is US$150; Elastic...
Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair is new repair tool for OS X
Stellar Data Recovery has introduced Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair 1.0 for Mac OS X. It fixes all known errors that leads to corruption of Excel files on the platform.
Offering a preview feature, the app scans selected Excel files without modifying the original content of the worksheet and identifies issues. Restoring all objects and charts, Phoenix Excel Repair even restores hidden sheets, pictures, clip arts and comments, says Sunil Chandna, CEO of Stellar Data Recovery.
You can add single as well as multiple files for repair in one go. Another feature is the search option through which you can also search corrupt Excel files in your Mac that may need repair. The software supports MS Excel 2008 & 2011 and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 and above.
A free version of Phoenix Excel Repair can be downloaded from Stellar Data Recovery online (www.stellarinfo.com/). To save the repaired files you can buy the full version for US$49.
Sonnet releases USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter
Sonnet has introduced the Presto Gigabit USB 3.0, a USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter, which provides users with a s way to add Gigabit Ethernet-wired networking connectivity to Mac and Windows computers with USB 3.0 ports.
The adapter is also backward-compatible with USB 2.0. The Presto Gigabit USB 3.0 adapter supports 1000/100/10BaseT auto negotiation and full/half duplex communication, enabling it to connect with most networks. It also supports jumbo packet transfers (compared to 1,500-byte standard packets) to provide higher performance and reduced overhead when transferring large files.
The Presto Gigabit USB 3.0 adapter (part number USB3-GE) is now available at a suggested retail price of $39. More information on this product is available at http://tinyurl.com/l2y2t9g .
Screenshot FX for Mac OS X puts a spin on screen shot capturing
Appsoft Studio has released Screenshot FX, which enables you to draw any shape on the screen and then take a precise screen shot of that portion of the display.
The draw tool of Screenshot FX allows the placing points of the shape anywhere on the screen. You can outline the area that you want to capture. Straight lines can be combined with curves, so screen shots of any custom shape can be taken.
The application stays in the background and is ready whenever you need it. A transparent background is created around every non-rectangular shape that you capture, so every screen shot can be easily incorporated into various projects like presentations, documents or websites, says Eugenijus Valinskas, project manager at Appsoft Studio.
Screenshot FX requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later. It's priced at US$1.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Graphics & Design category (http://tinyurl.com/lrowm2g).
Mobilio gives us SEOSpyder 1.0 for Mac OS X
Mobilio has released SEOSpyder for Mac OS X. It's site crawling and SEO analysing software that allows you to find, trace and fix various types of mistakes and errors which from an SEO point of view could be disastrous for you site.
SEOSpyder is designed to take the processes of maintaining and optimizing your site to a new level, according to the folks at Mobilio. It's a tool for solving and fixing various SEO problems and mistakes that may be unnoticed by the users, but won't be missed by the search engine crawlers -- unnecessary redirects (3xx), images with no alt attribute, links leading to 404s, pages with more than one H1 or links with too long anchor texts.
SEOSpyder 1.0 requires Mac OSX 10.6 or later. It costs US$99.99 and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/lzvwxxa) in the Business category. There is also a free (zip) version which can be found on Mobilio's website (www.mobiliodevelopment.com/). It has a crawling limitation of 500 Links.
InFlight Labs leverages the iPad to make aviation history
InFlight Labs will introduce a new proprietary product -- SkyBridge InFlight Video Communications -- in the third quarter of 2013.
It consists of custom-engineered software application, which will provide "next generation audio/video communications" for pilots, flight attendants and air traffic control via Electronic Flight Bags (EFB), iPads, iPhones and smart devices throughout the aircraft and to the ground over aircraft Wi-Fi systems. With SkyBridge InFlight Video Communication, pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers can participate in face-to-face communications for the first time in history of aviation, according to Jay Bekanich, InFlight Labs spokesperson.
SkyBridge will utilize InFlight Lab’s InFlight 911 emergency technologies, which was nominated for the "2013 Safety Leadership of Year" by the Air Traffic Control Global community. InFlight 911 Services enables staff to send a GPS-based 911 alert to 100 "+" government such as FAA, FBI, CIA, TSA and emergency...
ZAGG introduces Universal keyboard
ZAGG has introduced the ZAGGkeys Universal, a Bluetooth keyboard for mobile devices, including iOS, Android and Windows gadgets.
It comes in a protective case that doubles as a stand, allowing it to work with almost any tablet or smartphone. ZAGGkeys Universals sports ergonomic curved design with Island-style keys, similar to those on traditional keyboards. Its rechargeable battery purportedly lasts for up to three months of regular use on a single charge.
The ZAGGkeys Universal is available online and at select retail outlets for US$69.99. For more information go to ZAGG.com .
Quark announces QuarkXPress 10
Quark has introduced QuarkXPress 10, the new version of the graphic design and page layout software "for designers who love print and live digital."
The new version includes Quark’s new Xenon Graphics Engine, Retina display support, a modern architecture, and over 50 feature enhancements designed to streamline the design process and improve the design experience. It also continues support for ePub and out-of-the-box HTML5 authoring tools for App Studio, the cloud-based HTML5 solution for creating tablet and smartphone experiences.
QuarkXPress 10 will ship in mid-to-late August. From now until the official ship date, Quark is offering all QuarkXPress 9 users a 20% discount on pre-orders of QuarkXPress 10. Visit the Quark Store (http://shop.quark.com/am/) to pre-order QuarkXPress 10 for the discounted price.
Samson MediaOne series combines full range audio, Bluetooth
Samson Technologies (www.samsontech.com) has a new addition to their line of monitor speakers: the MediaOne BT Active Studio Monitors with Bluetooth.
They're available in three models. Sold as a packaged stereo pair and available in stores starting in September, the MediaOne BT3 (US$99), MediaOne BT4 ($149) and MediaOne BT5 ($199) monitors feature the ability to wirelessly connect to music sources via Bluetooth. A video demonstrating the features of the monitors can be seen at http://youtu.be/Wu7dN3ZpdbA.
The MediaOne BT Active Studio Monitors come in three different configurations to match a variety of output needs: MediaOne BT3 (3-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter, 15 watts per channel RMS, 30 watts per channel Peak), MediaOne BT4 (4-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter, 20 watts per channel RMS, 40 watts per channel Peak) and MediaOne BT5 (5-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter, 20 watts per channel RMS, 40 watts per channel Peak).
Their copolymer woofers deliver a controlled low frequency response,...
Typinator 5.6 tweaked for the upcoming Mac OS X Mavericks
Ergonis Software (http://www.ergonis.com) has released Typinator 5.6, the latest version of its tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos systemwide across all Mac OS X applications. Introducing many behind-the-scenes enhancements, the upgrade can now insert pictures in plain text expansions and gets ready for running smoothly on Mavericks (OS X 10.9).
With a simple 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 10.5.8 or later. Mac OS X 10.6 or higher is recommended.
Typinator can be purchased on the Ergonis Software web site for approximately US$32 for a single user license. A family pack for installation on up to five computers is $49. The upgrade to Typinator 5.5 is free for anyone who owns a license to Typinator 5.x.
Kool Tools: Gaiam BalanceBall Chair
If you sit a lot -- and most of us who work with computers do -- you owe it to yourself to check out the US$99.99 BalanceBall Chair from Gaiam (www.gaiam.com).
The balance ball chair provides core strengthening, comfort and ergonomic back support and helps to improve spinal alignment and reduce nerve compression.
The Gaiam BalanceBall Chair is designed for heights of 5’-5’11" and weights up to 300 pound. It comes with a professional-grade, anti-burst exercise ball and includes a desktop workout guide to provide an effective low-impact workout and stretching routine -- in addition to the benefits it provides while you're sitting and working.
The Balance Ball's stable, lightweight base is made from molded PVC. The exercise ball itself is made from vinyl with no latex content. The chair has rolling castor wheels that are lockable to prevent movement when you're doing the exercises mentioned above.
The Gaiam BalanceBall Chair comes with an exercise ball (which you can remove for other...
Zevrix announces Adobe Creative Cloud Compatibility of Its...
Zevrix Solutions (www.zevrix.com) says all its products are now compatible with the Adobe Creative Cloud software.
Zevrix products include solutions for Adobe InDesign and Illustrator, such as Output Factory, LinkOptimizer and InPreflight. The Zevrix products allow to automate printing, exporting and file delivery from InDesign; save disk space and production time through image optimization and automated file packaging; and eliminate errors with thorough preflighting.
Incredible Bee's Archiver for Mac OS X buzzes to version 2....
Incredible Bee has announced Archiver 2.1 (http://archiverapp.com/), an update to its archive tool for Mac OS X. The upgrade adds the ability to create archives in the RAR format.
Designed by Apple Design Award Winner Dietmar Kerschner, Archiver lets users open, create and convert archives, as well as split and combine files. With version 2.1, users can also take a sneak peak and preview, as well as split archives.
When creating RAR archives, Archiver 2.1 offers a number of options for power users, such as encrypting archives with a password and selecting a compression level. The update also allows users to convert archives from other formats (such as ZIP) to RAR.
Archiver costs US$19. A demo is available as a free download from the Archiver website. It runs initially in a 14-day trial mode with all features active. This is a paid upgrade for registered Archiver or iArchiver users. A 25% discount will run for two weeks.
Apple reports third quarter results
Apple has announced financial results for its fiscal 2013 third quarter that ended June 29. The company posted quarterly revenue of US$35.3 billion and quarterly net profit of $6.9 billion, or $7.47 per diluted share.
These results compare to revenue of $35 billion and net profit of $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.9% compared to 42.8 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 57% of the quarter’s revenue.
The company sold 31.2 million iPhones, a record for the June quarter, compared to 26 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold 14.6 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 17 million in the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 3.8 million Macs, compared to 4 million in the year-ago quarter.
Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $3.05 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on Aug.15, 2013, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on...
Anker releases universal external battery
Anker has introduced the second generation Astro3 external battery, now available at Amazon.com for US$49.99 with an accessory bag included. The flask-sized device packs a 12,000mAh battery that can charge to up to three mobile devices simultaneously.
The external battery pack has three USB ports, including a Smart Port that identifies the type of device that is plugged in and then adjusts to deliver its fastest charge speed. The second generation Astro3 is the first to feature a single port that can offer full-speed, fast charges to both iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, according to the folks at Anker.
The two additional ports offer universal charging for Android phones at maximum speed and are also compatible with iPhones and other 5V USB-charging devices. The Astro3 can deliver six to seven full charges for most smartphones. For more info go to ianker.com .
Sprint to deliver Caption Calling to iDevices
Sprint has announced the availability of Wireless CapTel by Sprint powered by Raketu, for all iOS-powered devices. The new app increases accessibility of mobile communications for individuals with hearing loss.
Wireless CapTel by Sprint allows users to read conversations with real-time word-for-word captions on their wireless phones. Users place a call in the same way they would when using a traditional phone -- by dialing the number directly on the device. The app then connects callers directly to the CapTel service when the phone is dialed. When the receiving party answers, callers can listen to what the other person is saying and also read captions on the phone's display screen.
The application can be downloaded on iOS devices from the Apple App Store or iTunes for free with an Everything Data plan. Sprint currently provides Wireless CapTel on select Android devices.
Wireless CapTel calls are automatically routed through a captioning service. Users simply give friends, family, and...
Seagate unveils world’s fastest enterprise hard drive
Seagate Technology is shipping what it says is the world’s fastest hard drive -- the Seagate Enterprise Turbo SSHD. The industry’s first enterprise solid state hybrid drive (SSHD), the Enterprise Turbo SSHD combines the capacity of a hard drive with solid-state flash.
It provides up to a 3X increase in random performance over existing 15K-RPM drives and is available with up to 600GB of capacity. By unifying the best of solid-state and magnetic technologies, Turbo improves tiered storage performance combining accelerated speed with hard disk drive (HDD) high-capacity, says Rocky Pimentel, Seagate executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer.
Based on preliminary performance testing using standard system benchmarking tools, a 10K-RPM version of enterprise SSHD boasts IOPS over 2X better than a standard 600GB 10K-RPM hard disk drive. The end result is much improved and more cost effective performance for servers running mission critical applications such as big data...
iTunes podcast subscriptions pass the one billion mark
Podcast subscriptions have topped the one billion mark at the iTunes Store, To celebrate the milestone Apple highlighting popular shows dating back to 2005 when the podcasting section was first added to iTunes, notes "The MacObserver" (http://tinyurl.com/laglj3m).
Featured content in the classics category includes NPR shows "This American Life" and "All Songs Considered," Mondo Media's "Happy Tree Friends" and HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," among others. The one billion subscriptions podcast list is also available through Apple's own Podcasts app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Project Statistics for Xcode 1.1 boasts speed improvement
Lamobratory (www.lamobratory.com) has announced Project Statistics for Xcode 1.1 for Mac OS X. It's an update to its tool for all Xcode developers. Version 1.1 boasts speed improvement.
The offline application offers analysis of any iOS or OS X project written in Xcode. Project Statistics offers three viewing modes: Overview, Details, and Charts. The Export mode saves results in PDF or CSV file formats, and stats in all modes, except Overview, can be filtered by type and size. The update includes speed improvements.
Project Statistics for Xcode 1.1 is on sale for a limited time for US$1.99. It's normally $4.99. Project Statistics for Xcode is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/lsze6g9) in the Developer Tools category. It requires Mac OS X 10.7 or higher.
Akvis AirBrush 2.0 lets you create multicolored drawings
Akvis has releasedAkvis AirBrush 2.0, available as a standalone program and as a plug-in for graphics editors. Available for Mac OS X and Windows, the software turns photos into airbrush paintings.
Version 2.0 adds the possibility to create multicolored drawings and offers new presets. The plug-in version is compatible with Adobe Photoshop CC.
Registered users of AirBrush can upgrade to version 2.0 for free. A full-featured free evaluation download of Akvis AirBrush v.2.0 is available at the product page (http://akvis.com/en/airbrush/download.php).
The software sells for US$49 for the Home version (either plug-in or standalone, all features except color changing), $69 for the Home Deluxe version (either plug-in or standalone, all features included), and $89 for the Business edition (either plug-in or standalone, all features included, for commercial use). One license key allows activation of the software on two computers.
The Leap Motion control device for the Mac leaps onto the scene
Leap Motion has released The Leap, its 3D motion control device for the Mac. It’s available from LeapMotion.com for US$79.99.
Leap Motion also launched its software today, allowing people to control their computers with natural hand and finger movements. It also opened Airspace, the discovery platform for people to buy, download and launch apps built for Leap Motion’s 3D interaction.
The Airspace Store contains more than 75 applications built by developers in more than 20 countries. You can browse the apps at http://www.airspace.leapmotion.com .
nova media releases video streaming SDK for iOS
nova media has released nm-CAM, a new software development kit for iOS. Using this kit, the company says apps can display video streams that previously were poorly supported -- or not supported at all.
The SDK, dubbed nm-CAM, offers HD video streaming over Wi-Fi and mobile networks. It provides detailed information about the video streams.
nm-CAM supports iOS 5.0 and higher. The SDK can be included in any project in just three simple steps, according to the folks at nova media. An Xcode demonstration project is part of nm-CAM.
A fully functional free trial version is available from nova media (http://tinyurl.com/l5vuhog)). In the trial version streaming is interrupted every 10 seconds displaying information about the developer. For deployment in one app nova media charges approximately US$395. A license for deployment in up to five apps is available for $989, and an unlimited license will cost you $1,978.
Khronos releases OpenGL 4.4 specification
The Khronos Group has released the OpenGL 4.4 specification, bringing the latest graphics functionality to the most widely adopted cross-platform 2D and 3D graphics API (application programming interface).
According to The Khronos Group, OpenGL 4.4 unlocks the capabilities of today’s leading-edge graphics hardware while maintaining full backwards compatibility, enabling applications to incrementally use new features while portably accessing state-of-the-art graphics processing units (GPUs) across diverse operating systems and platforms. Also, OpenGL 4.4 defines new functionality to streamline the porting of applications and titles from other platforms and APIs. The full specification and reference materials are available for immediate download at http://www.opengl.org/registry .
Infinisys rolls out Screen Studio for the Mac
Infinisys has released Screen Studio for Mac OS X. It lets you create original screen savers for the Mac.
Screen Studio also comes with a large collection of clip art, including animated After Dark characters like the Flying Toaster, Bad Dog and Boris, so you can make your very own After Dark screen savers.
Normally priced at US$29, Infinisys is offering Screen Studio at a special reduced price of $19 until Aug. 10. For more info go to http://en.infinisys.co.jp/product/screenstudio/index.shtml .
Movavi unveils Media Player for Mac OS X
Movavi has launched Movavi Media Player for Mac OS X. It costs US$19.95 for a "lifetime license."
The company says the main advantage of Movavi Media Player is the widest range of supported formats, including both widespread video and audio file types (AVI, MOV, MP4, MPEG, FLV, 3GP, MP3, FLAC, WAV) and video formats rarely supported on other Mac software (WMV, RM, MKV, MTS). Features include HD video playback and repeat/shuffle modes. A fully functional, seven-day trial version is available for download at http://www.movavi.com/media-player-mac/.
Apple developer site is hacked
Apple says its developer site was hacked, but that the sensitive data on it was encrypted.
In a note on the site -- which has remained offline since Thursday -- Apple had this to say: "Last Thursday, an intruder attempted to secure personal information of our registered developers from our developer website. Sensitive personal information was encrypted and cannot be accessed, however, we have not been able to rule out the possibility that some developers’ names, mailing addresses, and/or email addresses may have been accessed. In the spirit of transparency, we want to inform you of the issue. We took the site down immediately on Thursday and have been working around the clock since then.
In order to prevent a security threat like this from happening again, we’re completely overhauling our developer systems, updating our server software, and rebuilding our entire database. We apologize for the significant inconvenience that our downtime has caused you and we expect to have the...
Apple, Google go on mapping company purchase sprees
In the past two weeks, Apple and Google have made large acquisitions of mapping software firms, reports "Seeking Alpha" (http://tinyurl.com/me6s2e).
On Friday, Apple confirmed its purchase of Hopstop, a public transportation routing platform. Google purchased the Israeli startup, Waze, for approximately $1.1 billion just one week ago.
What is intriguing about both purchases is the fact that both apps operate in the mobile space on both the iOS and Android platforms. Although Google has had made numerous apps for the iPhone, Hopstop will be Apple's first app for Android, notes "Seeking Alpha."
MacX Video Converter Pro for Mac OS X revved to version 4.0.0
MacXDVD has updated MacX Video Converter Pro (http://tinyurl.com/22ujyvx) to version 4.0.0. The upgrade sports a revamped user interface, 320-plus video and 50-plus audio codecs, more profiles and 32x faster speed.
Version 4.0.0 also brings new features including YouTube downloading, video editing, screen recording, photo slideshow making, etc. MacX Video Converter Pro is normally priced at US$49.95. However, MacXDVD is offering it for free until July 25.
11 new fonts added to free fonts collection from 128bit...
128bit Technologies has released 11 new commercial use fonts to the Free Fonts collection, available on both the Mac App Store and the MacAppware website.
These 11 creative new fonts bring the total fonts in Free Fonts to 56. They're all in OpenType font format and all available for both personal and commercial use projects. International character support isn't standard for every font, but is available for many of them.
You can install and use the Free Fonts collection in all applications that support fonts. Also, tThe Mac App Store version includes a custom font preview app to see how the fonts look when applied to text, before you save and install them
The Free Fonts version on the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/ol7wyed) supports Mac OS X 10.6 and later. Once the fonts are saved to your Mac they can be used on any computer running Mac OS X 10.1 or later, or Windows XP and later. For more info go to www.macappware.com .
Official 'Firefly' Game Coming to iOS in 2014
"Firefly Online," a social online role-playing game based on the short-lived but cult favorite TV series "Firefly," is coming to iOS and Android devices, reports "Polygon" (http://tinyurl.com/ol4bnq3).
Fox Digital Entertainment made the announcement last week at the San Diego Comic Con. Developed by QMXi and Spark Plug Games, players take on the role of a captain, who must recruit ship crew and lead missions, while trading with other players.
Interested parties are invited to preregister on the game's web site (https://www.keepflying.com) to find out more information.
"Firefly," an American western-in-space drama, was created by writer/director Joss Whedon. The series was set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of the Serenity spaceship. The series only lasted for 11 episodes. However, its fan base clamored for more. It led to one movie ("Serenity"), comics, a role-playing game and now "Firefly Online."
Apple releases AirPort Utility 6.3.1 for Mac
Apple has released AirPort Utility 6.3.1 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1664) for Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later.
You use AirPort Utility to set up and manage your 802.11n and 802.11ac AirPort base stations, including AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule. AirPort Utility 6.3.1 resolves an issue where AirPort base stations may not appear in AirPort Utility.
Apple posts MacBook Air software update
Apple has posted MacBook Air (Mid 2013) Software Update 1.0 (http://tinyurl.com/mtqupxc). It's recommended for all MacBook Air (mid 2013) models.
The update -- which requires Mac OS X 10.8.4 or higher -- fixes an issue that in rare instances may cause an intermittent loss in wireless connectivity, an issue with Adobe Photoshop which may cause occasional screen flickering, and an issue which may cause audio volume to fluctuate during video playback.
Apple purchases Canadian start-up Locationary
Apple has acquired the Toronto-based Locationary, a small Canadian startup, reports "AllThingsD" (http://tinyurl.com/mrovmku). Details of the acquisition haven't been released, but the move is obviously part of the ongoing efforts to improve Apple's Maps app.
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling confirmed the deal with "AllThingsD" with the company's usual statement on such matters: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
Nisus Software updates InfoClick for use with Apple Mail
Nisus Software has released InfoClick 1.1 (http://infoclick.com), an update of the US$15 email search tool for use with Apple's Mail application. adds new features while addressing some issues. Among the new features are:
° Allows searching by Apple Mail accounts, mailboxes, and folders;
° Negated searches allow finding items that do not contain a particular selector (eg: word, contact, etc). For example, you can negate a search term by typing an exclamation mark before you type the term (eg: "!pluto" searches for all emails that do not contain the word "pluto");
° Can search for emails in trash folders using a "Trashed Emails" selector;
° Added "Email" menu to the main menu bar with some convenient commands like Reply and Forward.
InfoClick lets you navigate through your emails to see the words, contacts, and information within. According to Nisus President and CEO Jerzy Lewak, InfoClick "knows" precisely what words you've used, so there's no guessing; it offers a guided process of...
U.S. government to test iPhone 5's security features
A call by U.S. prosecutors for phone manufacturers to install a "kill switch" to discourage smartphone theft has moved forward, with Apple and Samsung providing handsets whose security features will be put to the test, reports the IDG News Service (http://tinyurl.com/lwbuu9b).
As part of the "Secure our Smartphones" initiative, phone makers are are being asked to find technological solutions to prevent smartphone theft. As part of the SOS initiative, Apple will provide an iPhone 5 with the “Activation Lock” enabled, notes the IDG News Service. The smartphones will be tested for security features and attempts will be made to circumvent the anti-theft features.
MuseMini introduces DBoom speaker
MuseMini has released the US$129.99 DBoom, a personalized bluetooth portable speaker that features Near Field Communication (NFC), customizable skins to add individuality to each speaker, daisy-chain capabilities to pair with any audio device, and a 12-plus hour battery life.
DBoom is the first high-end speaker to offer a perfectly form fitting and customizable skin, giving each speaker a unique look, ays Dean Briones, founder and CEO of MuseMini. Muse Mini gives you the option to choose from a library featuring 1,000-plus designs -- or you can create a custom design. For more info go to www.musemini.com .
Native Instruments introduces Static Friction
Native Instruments today released Static Friction, a new Maschine expansion designed to provide the driving, international sound of tech house.
The expansion features 33 drum kits loaded with new kicks, snares, hi-hats, and claps, as well as seven Special Kits containing analog spring reverb samples, Ride and Snare kits optimized for live performance, and additional Spoken and Radio Voice Kits for additional textures. New Massive presets provide exclusive basses, leads, pads, and effects for added variety.
Static Friction is available for Maschine and Maschine Mikro and is specifically tailored to live performance. A compact version is also available for iMaschine. Static Friction is available at the NI Online Shop for US$49. A compact version of Static Friction is also available for iMaschine in the Apple App Store for $0.99. For more info go to www.native-instruments.com/staticfriction .
Apple, others call for more NSA transparency
Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft are part of an alliance of technology companies and civil liberties groups demanding increased transparency around U.S. government surveillance efforts, reports "AllThingsD" (http://tinyurl.com/ncmfseu)
The article says that, in a letter to be published today, the alliance -- whose members include 63 companies, investors, non-profits and trade organizations -- will call upon President Obama and congressional leaders to allow Internet, telephone, and Web-based service providers to report national security-related requests for information with greater specificity. Specifically, they ask that they are allowed to regularly report:
• The number of government requests for information about their users
• The number of individuals, accounts, or devices for which information was requested
• The number of requests that sought communications content, basic subscriber information, and/or other information.
Path Finder for Mac OS X finds its way to version 6.3
Cocoatech has released Path Finder 6.3, an enhanced version of
their file browser and management app for Mac OS X 10.7 and 10.8. This iteration sports improvements, bug fixes and feature additions.
Path Finder 6.3 is available as a direct download from Cocoatech's website (www.cocoatech.com/) for US$39.95. A free, fully functional, 30-day trial version is also available for download. Owners of Path Finder 5 may upgrade to Path Finder 6.3 for $19.95.
Philosophy of Scripting FileMaker 12 training course set
FileMaker author John Mark Osborne is teaching his intermediate and advanced scripting courses titled the Philosophy of Scripting. These two courses will be taught in a remote setting via GoToMeeting at half the normal cost.
Remote classes are taught twice a week for a total of four hours per week. Osborne says this allows for better absorption of the material as well as the advantage of homework assignments.
Philosophy of Scripting 101 will be held Sept. 17 to Oct. 23. Philosophy of Scripting 201 will be held Sept. 29 to Nov. 20.
The Philosophy of Scripting courses focus on the single area of scripting and moves from an intermediate to an advanced level over the course of five days. Calculations, relationships and interface design are also covered but only as they pertain to scripting.
To find out more information or register for a class, go to http://tinyurl.com/qf9z9v4 .
iPhone sales decline in India
Apple has seen a "sharp" fall in its India sales of the iPhone during the first three months of 2013, reports "The Times of India" (http://tinyurl.com/mzy3fab).
Between January and March, Apple sold some 120,000 iPhones in India, down from the 230,000 in the October-December quarter of last year, according to the IDC research group. That translated into its share falling from 4.7% to 2.1%. In India, Apple faces competition from South Korean rival Samsung, as well as local brands such as Micromax and Karbonn, all of which are among the top three in terms of market share, notes "The Times of India."
Logitech announces Z600 Bluetooth speakers
Logitech has introduced the Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600, a designed pair of wireless stereo speakers designed to complement the sleek looks of Macs and other computers.
With these speakers you can stream music and other audio from your computer, smartphone or tablet. Three devices can be active at the same time.
Whether you’re listening to music, watching a movie, playing a game or video chatting, the Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600 deliver clear, well-defined audio, says Charlotte Johs, Logitech global vice president of brand development and portfolio for PC accessories. With three drivers in each speaker, this system is engineered to provide superior acoustics for any space, he adds.
The entire top panel of the right speaker is a touch disc. To dial the volume up or down, simply glide a finger around the edge. The other controls -- power, Bluetooth pairing and 3.5 mm input -- are hidden in the back. Specially designed, lay-flat cables run between the speakers and the...
New Trent releases Airbender Mini for the iPad mini
New Trent has released the Airbender Mini for the iPad mini. The shock and splash resistant case features a rubberized exterior with plugs to cover all openings, offering full-body protection to the iPad Mini without hindering usability.
It features a removable iPad mini case with an integrated screen protector that shields the device from scratches and smudges while retaining the touch screen sensitivity. The low-profile, built-in keyboard connects to the iPad mini via Bluetooth. The keyboard is attached via an aluminum arm that allows the case to rotate 360 degrees for landscape or portrait viewing angles.
The New Trent Airbender Mini is available for US$39.95 at NewTrent.com and Amazon.com.
ChargeLight available at BiteMyApple.co
The upcoming ChargeLight USB device at BiteMyApple.co combines a LED flashlight with a portable battery pack. It's compatible with the iPhone, iPad, Android devices and more.
The ChargeLight can charge any USB device anytime, anywhere. It can purportedly last more than a year without ever being recharged. LED lights display the battery level so you will always know when you have power. When the time comes to juice it up, you can either recharge it on the included dock or with a USB adaptor. The user can also use the dock as a charging hub for multiple devices at the same time.
Aside from the charging capabilities, the ChargeLight rivals a tactical-grade LED flashlight, says Chris Johnson, founder of BiteMyApple. It’s extremely powerful, and actually maintains 100% of its light power during the entire charge cycle, he adds.
The ChargeLight is available to preorder on www.bitemyapple.co for US$99.99. It will begin shipping in September.
OGIO serves up the Gambit backpack
OGIO has released the Gambit backpack that sports a "crush proof" Tech Vault pocket with soft tricot liner, padded mouse/digital camera pocket and a quick access expandable phone pocket.
The Gambit has pockets built for virtually all gadgets and accessories including laptops up to 17 inches, tablets, smartphones and cameras. It has increased shoulder strap foam padding for "sweet spot" comfort zone and fully adjustable ergonomic shoulder straps with a molded protection zone.
The OGIO has a dedicated fleece-lined top loading laptop compartment. This is complemented by two zippered side utility pockets, dual side water bottle/accessory holders, and a deluxe organization panel with a zippered stash pocket. The Gambit backpack is available today for US$100 at www.OGIO.com .
iFrogz releases Coda Forte wireless Bluetooth headphones
iFrogz has launched the Coda Forte wireless Bluetooth headphones. The integrated rechargeable batteries of the headset purportedly deliver 10-12 hours of continuous audio on a single charge.
Built-in controls provide volume and track adjustment, as well as one-touch acceptance of incoming calls using a built-in microphone. Coda Forte headphones are available in black, white, blue and pink. They're available online and at select national retail outlets for US$99.99. Coda headphones and Coda earbuds are also available online (http://tinyurl.com/lnov4re) -- $34.99 for the headphones and $22.99 for the earbuds.
