Creamy RapidWeaver theme reborn as Creami3
RapidWeaver theme developer seyDoggy (http://www.seydesign.com) has reinvented their Creamy theme as Creami3, which includes six ExtraContent areas, a built-in slide show with 20 customizable banners, variable size rounded corners, many widths to choose from, sidebar width and positioning, and a selection of typographical control.
Creami3 uses seyDoggy's new smart navigation method to distribute the sub-navigation components to their designated areas. The end result is a multi-tiered navigation system that is produced with 50% to 66% less markup for cleaner, more semantic code, according to the folks at seyDoggy. The company has also employed the new HTML5 and CSS3 working drafts, and is fast-tracking their upcoming modern browser support policy by a few months as a result.
Creami3 officially supports IE8 , Safari 4 , Firefox 3.5 , Opera 10.5 , and Chrome 5 . Creami3 can be used with IE7 but user experience may be somewhat hindered by speed.
It requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher and...
Syncro SVN Client for Mac OS X updated to version 6.0
Syncro Soft has released version 6.0 of its Mac compatible SVN client (http://www.syncrosvnclient.com). The new version sports a redesigned application layout, configurable working copy view, synchronized history view and guiding hints.
Syncro SVN client license with a one year maintenance pack costs US$59. A Syncro SVN client site license with a one-year maintenance pack is $2,970. Volume discount rates are available starting with five licenses. Syncro SVN Client can be run on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and Solaris systems.
CDFinder update can now catalog GeoTags in iPhone movies
Norbert M. Doerner has updated CDFinder (http://www.cdfinder.de), software for organizing your disk and data archive and keeping track of digital media assets, to version 5.7.1. The upgrade can now catalog GeoTags in iPhone movies, and import native DiskLibrary databases.
Since CDFinder now supports Elgato EyeTV recordings (.eyetv), it will show the thumbnail for the recording, and also extensive metadata as well, such as the EPG description, director, actors, and much more. All that is cataloged, displayed, and can be searched as well.
The GeoFinder inside CDFinder now uses the street-level OpenStreetMap for the GPS search (this requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher). That's much nicer than the built-in map, but since it requires Internet access, the old map is still available, says Doerner.
CDFinder requires Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. As a Universal Binary, it runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel-Macs. A single user license is US$30, though version 5.7.1 is a free update for...
The iPhone is the 'coolest thing on the planet'
Apple's iPhone has been named the "Coolest Thing on the Planet" in an UK poll of 3,000 Brits by Costs Coffe To take top slot in the poll, the must-have phone beat off competition from things like the Aston Martin DB9, the internet and Johnny Depp, reports "Newslite" (http://macosg.me/2/le). Apple placed number two on the list, and the iPad came in at number 17.
"It's been interesting seeing what the nation deems to be cool," says a spokesperson for Costa Coffee. "I's no surprise gadgets like the iPhone and supercars like the Aston Martin DB9 feature highly."
Jedit X text editor for Mac OS X gets maintenance update
Artman21 (http://www.artman21.com/en/jedit_x/) has updated Jedit X, the Cocoa-based text editor for Mac OS X, to version 2.2.5. It's a maintenance update with three improvements and five bug fixes.
Jedit X is an Universal Binary app so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. The cost is US$28 for a single-user license, though version 2.2.5 is a free update for registered users.
iPhone arrives in 17 more countries Friday
Apple’s iPhone 4 will be available in 17 more countries this Friday, July 30. On this date customers can purchase iPhone 4 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
The iPhone 4 will be available for purchase through Apple’s retail and online stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. It's currently available in France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US for a suggested retail price of US$199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model.
iPhone 4 will roll out to many more countries later this year and Apple will announce availability and local pricing for these additional countries at a later date.
CleanApp for Mac OS X revved to version 3.4
Synium Software has released CleanApp 3.4 (http://synium.de/products/cleanapp/index.html), a new version of the uninstaller and system management tool for Mac OS X. Files that have been deleted while using Path Finder are now detected, and you can now search for duplicate files.
CleanApp requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or 10.5. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
CleanApp can be purchased for US$15. CleanApp 3.4 is a free update for existing users. Registration codes of these prior versions will automatically work with CleanApp 3. For new users the cost is US$15.
News Corp. exec: iPad, other tablets great for the news industry
Tablet computers such as the iPad may allow the news industry a "re-set" and to start charging for content after years of giving it away for free, News Corp. chief digital officer Jon Miller said Friday,
He added that it was too early to make any judgements about the experiment of News Corp.'s The Times with a paid website but charging online readers was "an idea whose time has come," according to an "AFP" report (http://macosg.me/2/l9).
"A year ago, we were pretty out front with the idea that content has value," Miller told an audience of top technology and media executives at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado. Now, "it's accepted at a variety of levels. It's more about how it gets done."
Miller said tablet computers such as the iPad offer opportunities for news organizations to develop paid applications.
"You see apps being consumed that are paid-for apps," he said. "I think we're seeing a fundamental shift in where content is consumed and it's on to these...
New Aimersoft Video Converter family is available now
Aimersoft Studio, has released its new upgraded video converter family products -- Video Converter, Video Converter Pro and Video Converter Ultimate -- which offer a more quick and simple way for users to edit and convert videos, rip DVDs and even download online videos for all mobile devices like smartphones, Apple devices and other portable players.
The most noticeable changes for this upgrade include:
° The removal of DRM copy protection from WMV WMA, iTunes M4P M4A M4V AAC M4B ASF;
° The ability to download online videos from YouTube, Metacafe, Google, etc. directly;
° The ability to directly transfer songs & videos to portable players like iPod, iPhone, iPad and PSP, etc;
° The ability to rip DVD movies to common video/audio files;
° The ability to burn files to DVD disc, DVD folder or ISO files;
° The ability to edit videos by splitting, clipping, cropping and merging, etc.
Besides these changes, the new Video Converter also simplified its interface and improved maximum user...
Early bird registration for MacTech Conference 2010 extended to...
Early bird registration for MacTech Conference 2010 has been extended to Aug. 9. In only a week since registration opened, the conference has had attendees register from around the world: from Sweden to Japan, from New York to Hawaii, and just about everywhere in between.
Fortune 500 companies, small companies, and individual consultants are coming together to meet up at the conference. However, space is limited so those interested in attending are encouraged to register now. You can register here: https://forms.mactech.com/fillsurvey.php?sid=141 .
The MacTech Conference is a three-day technical conference designed to raise the level of knowledge for the entire Apple/Mac community. It will be held Nov. 3-5, 2010, in Los Angeles at the Sheraton Universal in Universal City. The event will have sessions and activities throughout the day and evening giving attendees the opportunity to not only learn from the best, but also to get to know others in the industry.
"The whole idea of the...
MacProVideo releases Cubase, NI Komplete tips, tricks, tutorials
MacProVideo (http:www.macProVideo.com) has released new "Tips 'N Tricks" (TNT) tutorials for Cubase and Native Instruments Komplete. These two new tutorials provide users with up to 30 minutes of new tips and tricks tutorials every month.
The first title, called "Native Instruments 303: NI Komplete TNT 1" provides monthly tips on using Native Instrument's flagship audio program. The second title, "Cubase 303: Cubase TNT 1" covers workflow techniques for Steinberg's Cubase software and is produced by Steinberg's y own product demonstrator Matthew Loel T. Hepworth.
These tutorials are available from MacProVideo.com’s web site for both HD Download and streaming through the company’s extensive Online Tutorial Library.
SmartSound reveals music workflow for Adobe After Effects CS5
SmartSound has released a set of three video tutorials showing a new royalty free music workflow for Adobe After Effects CS5 users.
SmartSound’s Sonicfire Pro 5.5 Scoring Edition offers several workflow options designed to make it easy for an After Effects user to create compelling soundtracks that are synchronized to their visuals. The free video tutorials can be watched at SmartSound’s web site (http://www.smartsound.com/university/After_Effects.html).
In addition to automatically delivering music in custom lengths, SmartSound enables control of the music arrangement and instrument mix for a customized end result. All of these features are available in a roundtrip workflow that allows unlimited fine-tuning of the music without the need to save any project files in Sonicfire Pro.
The video tutorials were created by Jeff Foster, an video producer and author/educator on video topics including Adobe After Effects. He's an Adobe Certified Expert and has served as an instructor and...
LG Display can't keep up with iPad demand
LG Display may cut production of its liquid crystal displays (LCD) next month due to weak demand from TV makers but is unable to meet strong demand tied to Apple's iPad tablet computer, reports "Reuters" (http://macosg.me/2/l5).
"We are now running at full capacity but we are considering production cuts in August," LG Display CEO Kwon Young-soo told reporters. "The level of reduction will be smaller than the industry average."
LG is a suppler for the iPad, which has sold 3.47 million units since its April launch. Kwon said LG Display was unable to meet growing demand from Apple.
"Demand (from Apple) keeps growing and we can't meet it all," he told reporters."Apple may have to delay launches of the iPad for some countries due to tight component supplies and strong demand. We are considering increasing production lines for iPad products but overall supply is likely to remain tight until early next year."
Apple a finalist for 'Tech Brand of the Year' by T3
Apple has been named a finalist as "Tech Brand of the Year" and "Retailer of the Year" by "T3 Magazine" (http://awards.t3.com/) in its annual Gadget Awards. The company also racked up several other nominations.
About Apple, "T3" had this to say: "Originally known for its sleek, Jonathan Ive-designed Mac computers, Apple has shamed the collective mobile industry with its sudden iPhone dominance, and the launch of the iPad has seen a whole new front open.
"As every other manufacturer scrambles to launch a tablet PC too, Apple has shown just how visionary it's design and marketing departments still are.
"The closed Apple app ecosystem has a Marmite flavour to it, but the simplicity of use has seen millions flock to it, and created brand power that all others must be studying with interest. With the iPhone 4 launch interest already reaching near hysteria, it's certain that Apple will continue to be one of the top brands of the year."
The Gadget Awards also see the following Apple products...
iPhone 4 owners must use app to order bumpers
iPhone 4 owners can now order free bumpers from Apple. The bumpers are made by companies such as Speck, Belkin, Griffin and InCase. However, you'll have to download an app for their iPhone that handles the process.
To request a free case, iPhone 4 owners must enter their Apple ID or iTunes Store account info into the app -- available at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/) -- before picking our their bumper or case. For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than Aug. 22. Otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase, says Apple.
Apple a finalist for 'Tech Brand of the Year' by T3
Apple has been named a finalist as "Tech Brand of the Year" and "Retailer of the Year" by "T3 Magazine" (http://awards.t3.com/) in its annual Gadget Awards. The company also racked up several other nominations.
About Apple, "T3" had this to say: "Originally known for its sleek, Jonathan Ive-designed Mac computers, Apple has shamed the collective mobile industry with its sudden iPhone dominance, and the launch of the iPad has seen a whole new front open.
"As every other manufacturer scrambles to launch a tablet PC too, Apple has shown just how visionary it's design and marketing departments still are.
"The closed Apple app ecosystem has a Marmite flavour to it, but the simplicity of use has seen millions flock to it, and created brand power that all others must be studying with interest. With the iPhone 4 launch interest already reaching near hysteria, it's certain that Apple will continue to be one of the top brands of the year."
The Gadget Awards also see the following Apple products...
Amazon says iPad actually helping Kindle sales
Amazon says the iPad has helped boost its own e-reader, after Kindle sales rose every month since its rival's launch in May, reports the "London Evening Standard" (http://macosg.me/2/l1).
"The iPad has made more people aware of e-readers," says Brian McBride, managing director of Amazon in the UK. "We're selling more Kindles, which means we're selling more Kindle books. Even when people buy iPads, they are downloading the Kindle app in pretty significant numbers. For every 100 hardbacks we've sold in the past three months, we've sold 143 Kindle books.”
Vodafone: service revenue up on iPhone demand
Vodafone Group, the world’s largest mobile-phone company," unexpectedly" returned to service revenue growth after a year and a half, riding demand for the iPhone in the U.K. and other markets, reports "Bloomberg" (http://macosg.me/2/l2).
The company began selling iPhone in the U.K. in January after initially missing out on offering the device. Service revenue excluding currency swings and acquisitions in the three months ended June 30 rose 1.1% to 10.6 billion pounds ($16.2 billion).
Apple releases second preview version of Xcode 4
Apple has released the second preview version of its Xcode 4 developer preview at the Apple Developer web site (http://developer.apple.com/). It sports a new interface, automatic code fixing as you type and includes iOS SDK 4.
Xcode is the complete toolset for building Mac, iPhone, and iPad applications. Apple says that, with Xcode 4, the tools have been redesigned to be faster, easier to use, and more helpful than ever before.
"The Xcode IDE understands your project’s every detail, identifies mistakes in both syntax and logic, and will even fix your code for you," says Apple. "Quite simply, Xcode 4 will help you write better code."
XanEdu launches iPad publishing program for educators
XanEdu (http://www.XanEdu.com), a faculty-preferred provider of CoursePacks and custom textbooks, has launched an iPad publishing program. The move, conducted in concert with several major institutions in North America and Harvard Business School Publishing, will allow students and instructors greater flexibility in accessing course materials.
"The launch of our iPad platform for coursepack publishing is in keeping with XanEdu's legacy of innovation, which included the introduction of online coursepack publishing over a decade ago," sys Dan Arbour, CEO of XanEdu Publishing. "Mobile computing is a way of life on campus, and enabling the iPad to be part of the classroom is a new way to engage students."
Instructors will use the XanEdu CoursePack Management System to publish materials that students will then be able to access on an iPad. This capability is in addition to being fully integrated into learning management systems on campus. XanEdu's iPad platform also enables students to...
Three FileMaker Go sessions added to FileMaker Developer...
FileMaker, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple, has announced three special sessions focusing on FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad to the FileMaker Developer Conference 2010 schedule.
The three workshops will provide exclusive information for FileMaker Pro developers about optimizing FileMaker Pro databases for iPhone and iPad. The conference, the largest annual gathering of worldwide FileMaker independent and corporate database developers, trainers, and users will take place at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina Aug. 15-18.
Introduced just two days ago and now available on the iTunes App Store, FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad enable users to work with FileMaker Pro databases on an iPhone or iPad. With FileMaker Go, users can view, edit, and search for information in FileMaker databases on their iPhone or iPad.
This year's FileMaker Develper Conference will feature more than 80 sessions and workshops, the most ever offered. You can learn...
White iPhone 4s not available until later this year
Wanting a white iPhone 4? You'll have to wait a bit. Apple put out a statement today saying the phones have been delayed.
"White models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year," Apple says. "The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."
Vitamin-R update adds new signaling options
Publicspace.net has announced Vitamin-R 1.20 (http://www.publicspace.net/Vitamin-R/index.html), an update of its Mac OS X compatible productivity tool for creative professionals. The new version adds new options for signaling the end of a time slice.
Vitamin-R is a collection of tools and techniques for managing attention and maintaining motivation. According to the folks at publicspace.net, it complements the task capturing and organizing features of modern to-do list managers by forcing you to concentrate fully on one task a time and keeping distractions at bay. It breaks down large, vaguely defined tasks into a series of short "time slices" of between 10 and 30 minutes, each with specific and actionable objectives.
Vitamin-R provides you with the "Now & Later Board," complete with FastType magic, to give you a place to quickly dump all those things that go through your head and allows to get back to the task at hand. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.
Vitamin-R may be...
Mailings for Mac OS X gets improved 'Other Options'...
Limit Point Software has released Mailings 1.9.77 (http://www.limit-point.com/Mailings/Mailings.html), an update of the application for batch emailing that delivers any web page or plain text document with attachments to multiple recipients for marketing, news announcements, product updates, etc. The new version sports an improved "Other Options" panel.
Mailings delivers web pages, plain or HTML text documents to multiple recipients for marketing, news announcements, product updates etc. It integrates with mail clients, most common browsers, Address Book and Entourage.
Mailings is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. It costs US$10; upgrades are always free. A demo is available for download.
OWC announces Multi-Mount for Macs
Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced the OWC Multi-Mount custom engineered powder-coated aircraft grade aluminum bracket kits for securely installing smaller form factor (2.5-inch and 3.5-inch) hard drives and Solid State Drives (SSD) into larger sized (3.5-inch and 5.25-inch) drive bays in Mac Pro, Power Mac G5, and PowerMac G4 computers produced since 1999.
Available in seven different adapter bracket kits from US$17.99 to provide drive size use versatility, the OWC Multi-Mount gives Mac Pro and Power Mac G4/G5 users, as well as PC tower users, the freedom to expand their computer’s drive capacity and configuration. The OWC Multi-Mount is available in seven different kits that come complete with all required installation hardware and a color installation manual for easy assembly. Two Mac Pro specific kits include power and drive connection cables.
Red Giant Software releases Colorista II
Red Giant Software (http://www.redgiantsoftware.com) has released Magic Bullet Colorista II, a high-end color correction app for Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher. It's compatible with Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro. Features include:
° A keyer that allows you to adjust individual colors or ranges of colors. You can create color keys with a direct sampling interface. You can often, choke or invert the matte, and use it in conjunction with Power Masks for ultimate control.
° Eight HSL channels: you have three color adjustment controls for changing Hue, Saturation and Luminance across nine color ranges.
° A Pop slider with two uses. You can give your image more visual "pop" by increasing the sharpness. Alternately, set Pop to negative values to smooth and clean up skin tones while keeping important detail.
° Highlight recovery, which intelligently rebuilds blown-out highlight detail. Now you can save shots by hiding problems like blown-out areas in a sky...
Apple releases Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 Update (v.1.1)
Apple has released Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 Update (v.1.1). The 615.34MB update is recommended for all servers currently running Snow Leopard Server version 10.6. It includes Safari 5 and general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your server, as well as specific fixes for:
° CalDAV querying of email addresses with Active Directory and Open Directory servers;
° Stability and reliability accessing Wiki Server pages;
° The ability to view movies on Wiki Server with Safari on iPad;
° Accessing publicly accessible Wikis when logged in to the Wiki Server;
° Listing blogs on Wiki Server;
° Vacation mail notices that span across multiple days;
° Updates from Software Update Server viewable by clients;
° Stability and reliability to Software Update Server synchronization;
° Downloading of software updates by Software Update Server;
° Creating NetInstall images which include iLife updater packages;
° Addressing of issues copying, renaming, or...
Graphic.ly brings comics to every digital platform
Graphic.ly (http://www.graphic.ly), the new digital media platform for comic books and communities of fans, has announced at Comic-Con that it now offers the first comic app available on smartphones, tablets, computers and desktop, another signal event in the transformation of comics to a digital medium that is more accessible by a wider audience and promises to bring new talent and content to the medium as well.
Graphic.ly is also offering exclusive bonus content in its store from notable creators including Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia and BOOM! Studios’ Mark Waid. By providing additional content, Graphic.ly has extended the digital comic experience similarly to how DVD Extras extend movie watching, according to CEO Micah Baldwin.
In addition, Graphic.ly’s exclusive relationship with Archaia will bring all of Archaia’s titles, such as Mouse Guard and Fraggle Rock, to its digital platform. Graphic.ly is also partnering with fashion and beauty site Modelinia to offer a title featuring...
ABI Research: netbook shipments will more than double by 2013
I thought netbook sales were declining, but ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) says this isn't true. This year, almost 60 million netbooks are expected to ship worldwide. According to a new set of forecasts from the research group.
This is almost double that number will be reaching global markets in 2013. This is the result of the rapid netbook market growth observed since the introduction of the new computer category in 2008, a trend which will only start to abate in 2014-2015, according to ABI Research.
As the netbook market matures, market shares are beginning to shift among vendors. Half a dozen vendors commanded 78% of the market in 2009, says ABI Research. Acer and ASUS (which pioneered the whole netbook concept with its Eee PC) held almost equal one-third shares of the market in 2008, but ASUS didn’t maintain that lead and lost half of its market share in 2009.
“Instead of having a preeminent two, it looks as if only Acer will continue to maintain its commanding lead;...
Chromakey plug-in gets 64-bit update
Digital Anarchy has announced a 64-bit release to their Primatte Chromakey plug-in. Primatte 3.5 adds compatibility for Adobe Photoshop CS5 and 64-bit operation on Mac and Windows systems.
Primatte Chromakey is the blue/greenscreen solution for photography. Version 3.5 update also provides an improved interface for easier workflow, and adds behind-the-scenes improvements like background rendering to make Primatte faster and more responsive.
Primatte Chromakey removes a blue/green background from a still image or footage, leaving the subject against a transparent background with any color cast removed. Versioin 3.5 excels in preserving important, difficult details like wisps of hair, translucent glass and mesh fabrics, according to Digital Anarchy President Jim Tierney. This makes it easy to convincingly place the subject on a custom background, then substitute that background as needed, he adds.
Primatte’s new 64-bit speed takes advantage of Photoshop Action and Batch...
Safari AutoFill can be exploited by malicious web sites
A flaw in the implementation of Safari's AutoFill mechanism can be exploited to grab Mac users' names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses. Apparently, the web browser will give away a user's Mac OS X Address Book data if asked by a malicious web site.
Jeremy Grossman, the founder and chief technology officer of WhiteHat Security, says (http://macosg.me/2/kx) at the moment a user of Safari 4.x or 5.x visits a web site, even if they’ve never been there before or entered any personal information, a malicious website can uncover their first name, last name, work place, city, state, and email address.
All a malicious web site would have to do to surreptitiously extract Address Book card data from Safari is dynamically create form text fields with the names from AutoFill, probably invisibly, and then simulate A-Z keystroke events using JavaScript, he says. When data is populated, that is AutoFill’ed, it can be accessed and sent to the attacker.
"I have no idea when or if Apple plans to...
Doxie gets 'Send to iPhone/iPad' feature
The software for Doxie (http://www.getdoxie.com), a paper scanner that scans directly to the cloud, is now shipping, has been updated to version 1.2. It adds a "Send to iPhone/iPod" feature.
Doxie now integrates directly with iTunes and Apple's free iBooks 1.1 app, so you can carry your PDFs anywhere.Designed for home and small businesses, the US$129 portable scanner is for scanning, sharing, and organizing paper and photos.
Apple seeking engineers to put together systems for small...
Apple is seeking to hire engineers in as many as a dozen U.S. retail stores to put together Apple-based computer systems for small businesses, according to the "Wall Street Journal" (http://macosg.me/2/ku), noting job postings on Apple's web site.
The employees would implement computer systems for clients and are expected to be proficient in networking hardware and server platforms. "Thousands of businesses run on Apple products," the posting reads. "Many more would like to, and that's where you come in."
Apple is targeting smaller, local businesses that it can reach through its chain of nearly 300 retail stores, according to two Apple employees familiar with the company's strategy, according to the "Journal." The new jobs could pay up to US$80,000 a year, one of them said.
Apple appoints new quality control VP
Apple has appointed a new Senior Vice President of Operations dedicated to ensuring that Apple products meet "the highest standards of quality, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).
Jeff Williams, who came from IBM to Apple more than a decade ago, was promoted this month to join Apple's executive team as chief operation officer Tim Cook's right hand man, the article adds. He could be Cook's replacement if and when Cook takes over the CEO position from Steve Jobs -- not that there's any indication this will happen anytime soon.
Williams joined Apple in 1998 as the company's head of worldwide procurement and in 2004 was promoted to the position of Vice President for Operations. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Williams has led worldwide operations for both the iPhone and iPod. Prior to his arrival at Apple, Williams spent 13 years at IBM in a number of capacities.
Dat-A-Syst gets Apple Authorized Service Provider designation
Jeri Chandler, president of Dat-A-Syst (http://www.datasyst.net), announced today that her company has been designated as an “Apple Authorized Service Provider."
A Charlotte, North Carolina, business for over 23 years, Dat-A-Syst has been servicing printers and plotters, maintaining computers and networks, iPods and even Sony game consoles and Xbox. Their location at 4035 South Boulevard is convenient to most of Charlotte.
Because of the easy access and parking, dropping off equipment is not the challenge that occurs with other Apple service companies, Chandler says. As an Authorized Service Provider, Dat-A-Syst can provide Apple Care service and warranty work for Apple products.
TimeCache manager gets workflow, customization improvements
The PandaWare Company (http://www.pandaware.com) has updated TimeCache Manager, allows for streamlined management of a workgroup's TimeCache data, to version 1.1.3. The new version offers workflow and allows additional customization.
TimeCache Manager gives workgroups a way to easily coordinate billing for multiple PandaWare TimeCache users. A demo is available for download; registration is US$250.Version 1.1.3 is a free update for registered users.
Mac Shutdown X for Mac OS X gets maintenance update
Pomola Software has updated Mac Shutdown X (http://pomola.com/products_macshutdown/macshutdown.html), a Mac OS X utility for shutting down a Mac on a specified event or on a specified date and time, to version 1.5.3. It's a maintenance update with some bug fixes.
Mac Shutdown X costs US$20. Version 1.5.3 is a free update for registered users. The software is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
iSMARTtrain for Mac OS X races to version 3.0.7
OTAG Technologies has updated iSMARTtrain (http://www.ismarttrain.com), a Mac OS X application for downloading from Polar heart rate monitors and tracking and analyzing sports training, to version 3.0.7. The latest release contains new features and bug fixes including support for Garmin's Edge 500 and route mapping. Development work on the software has been carried out in conjunction with leading sports scientist, coach and writer Joe Beer.
The software is designed to allow multi-sport and single sport endurance athletes, for example triathletes, duathletes, runners and cyclists, to download training data, such as heart rate, cadence, speed and power, from Polar heart rate monitors and analyze it in graph, table and list formats. Information about training sessions, for example duration, distance and speed can also be reviewed.
Any number of different sports can be tracked, using either metric or imperial units for each sport. Commonly used routes and sessions can be stored and...
AT&T reports record number of iPhone activations
AT&T (http://www.att.com) has reported solid second-quarter results highlighted by double-digit earnings growth, an increase in consolidated revenues and improved margins. These results were driven by continued growth in mobile broadband, including a record quarter for iPhone activations, gains in IP-based and strategic business services and disciplined execution on cost initiatives.
The company saw 3.2 million iPhone activations in second quarter. AT&T saw a 10.3% increase in wireless service revenues, with postpaid subscriber ARPU (average monthly revenues per subscriber) up 3.4%.
For the quarter ending June 30, 2010, AT&T's consolidated revenues totaled US$30.8 billion, up $194 million, or 0.6%, versus the year-earlier quarter, marking the company's second consecutive quarter with a year-over-year revenue increase. Versus the first quarter of this year, consolidated revenues were up $278 million, or 0.9%.
Global smartphone shipments jump 43%
According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com), global smartphone shipments grew 43% year-over-year to reach 60 million units in the second quarter of 2010.
RIM shipped 11.2 million smartphones worldwide in Q2 2010, beating Apple’s 8.4 million units during the quarter. RIM is the number one smartphone player in North and South America, but its global marketshare of 19% is still a long way behind Nokia’s leading 40% share.
"Global smartphone shipments reached a record 60 million units during Q2 2010, accounting for 19% of handset volumes, and growing a healthy 43% from 42 million in Q2 2009," says Strategy Analytics analyst Alex Spektor. "Sales are being driven at an above-average rate by strong operator subsidies, vigorous competition between high-end vendors and a growing tide of lower-cost models using operating software like Symbian and Android."
"The global smartphone industry is growing volume but the industry’s value is beginning to...
MapHook released for iPhone, computers
MapHook, a software applications developer, has launched new journal and social networking application, MapHook, for the iPhone and personal computer that allows users to create location-based entries -- or "hooks" -- about events, activities and places that can be shared with friends, family, their networks and other users.
MapHook combines "anywhere" journaling, content generation and access to Internet-based information sources. Paul Carter, CEO of MapHook, says it was designed from the start to combine both the power of the Internet and mobility.
MapHook is currently available at the Apple App Store and the iTunes website for free. Individuals without iPhones can sign up at http://www.maphook.com to have full access to the app via the web.
AutoMotion for Mac OS X revved to version 1.6.4
Digital Heaven has updated AutoMotion (http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/automotion), the graphics automation application for Final Cut Studio, to version 1.6.4. The upgrade fixes some glitches.
AutoMotion is a solution to the previously manual-only process of creating multiple graphics. Not only does AutoMotion, create multiple graphics in seconds by merging Motion templates with text data but it also manages the revision of those graphics in ways never possible before. As changes are made to each version, AutoMotion shows a live preview of the result complete with title safe areas.
AutoMotion costs US$495, though version 1.6.4 is a free update for registered users. A trial version which allows creation and export of up to five graphic versions is available for download from the Digital Heaven web site.
Sound Byte gets rack archiving
Black Cat Systems (http://www.blackcatsystems.com) has released version 4.1 of Sound Byte, which turns your Mac into a" cart machine" for playing sound recordings, such as music and special effects. The new version adds rack archiving and several additions for future versions of the iPhone/iPad remote control apps.
Sound Byte is targeted to DJs, radio stations and audio productions, to quickly and easily play a variety of recorded sounds, such as jingles, advertisements, songs, sound effects at sporting events, and more. Sound Byte is available for Windows as well as Mac OS X. It comes in three versions, starting at US$39.
Better Finder Rename for Mac OS X updated to version 8.6.3
Publicspace.net (http://www.publicspace.net/) has released A Better Finder Rename 8.6.3, an update of the renaming solution for the Mac. The upgrade improves the "rename from file list" feature with improved compatibility for Microsoft Excel exported file lists.
A Better Finder Rename costs US$19.95. Business, family and enterprise licensing is also available. Customers may chose to include a "forever upgrade" with their purchase.
A Better Finder Rename requires Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs.
EarthDesk for Mac OS X rotates to version 5.4.1
Xeric Design has released version 5.4.1 of EarthDesk (http://www.xericdesign.com/earthdesk.php), the real-time dynamic desktop map for Mac OS X. The new version fixes some bugs.
EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with a photo-realistic image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination as well as real-time global cloud coverage (hurricanes, storms, and worldwide weather systems) on your desktop. It operates silently in the background, keeping your desktop updated while you work. Unlike a screen saver, which only appears when your system is idle, EarthDesk's dynamic desktop is continuously displayed as your desktop background (and optionally as a screen saver).
EarthDesk requires Mac OS X 10.5 or newer. Single user copies may be purchased online for US$24.95. Upgrades are available for $12.95 for licensed users of version 4 and $17.95 for licensed
BeaTunes for Mac OS X gets maintenance update
Tagtrum has released version 2.1.11 of beaTunes (http://www.beatunes.com), the iTunes add-on for Mac and Windows. The new release is a maintenance update that fixes some bugs.
BeaTunes can detect various types of metadata, such as beats-per-minute and musical key, as well as find and fix typos and inconsistencies such as misspelled artists and rarely used genres. It analyzes the color and tempo (BPM) of your songs, intelligently creates playlists of matching songs, corrects your iTunes Music Library (typos, wrong genres, etc.), lets you blog about your playlists and more.
A seven-day demo version is available at the product web site. Registration is US$31.95. Upgrades to version 2.1.11 from 1.x are $11.95 and free for registered 2.x users. beaTunes requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.
iPod.iTunes update ready for iTunes 9.2.1
CrispSofties (http://www.crispsofties.com/) has updated its iPod.iTunes music synchronization tool to version 4.5.3, which has been tweaked for iTunes 9.2.1.
iPod.iTunes does real add-synchronization, even in two directions if desired. The source can be either the iPod or the iTunes library. The software evaluates the source for songs, videos, podcasts and/or playlists that are not in the target and only adds these seamlessly, avoiding duplicates. Unlike iTunes' own synchronization iPod.iTunes generally does not delete content in the target. iPod.iTunes can also transfer song dependent data like "My Rating", "Last Played", "Play Count", album artwork, etc.
iPod.iTunes can be used for: keeping files and playlists on different Macs and iPods up to date; doing a full restore of songs, videos and playlists from iPod; reversing the accidental deletion of songs, videos and/or playlists in iTunes, if these are still on your iPod; transferring an iTunes library from one Mac to another via the...
Toon Boom announces Storyboard Pro 2
Toon Boom Animation has announced the upcoming release of Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 2 (http://www.toonboom.com/products/storyboardpro/), a new version that the company says infuses more power and flexibility into the idea creation, development and visualization process.
New feature highlights include:
° Content creation tools: an extended set of tools and tool properties; the creation and reuse of brushes with specific settings; creation of custom brushes using a stroke or a series of strokes; setting of separate colors for Brush, Pencil and Paint tools; selection of strokes based on the current color selection; extended rich text support for captions; and the addition of sketch captions on a panel-by-panel basis.
° Input/output capabilities: Final Draft 8 support; customization of the PDF export on a panel-by-panel basis; improved PDF Export with Analyze functionality; extended export to Final Cut Pro through XML; Final Cut Pro conformation (import/export); and the ability to...
iPad users stick with videos for five minutes
Despite the smaller screen, web video viewers stick around longer on mobile devices than they do on the desktop, according to data from MeFeedia (http://www.mefeedia.com), media search website that features videos, TV shows, movies, and music among other material that target the male demographic of age ranging 18-35.
MeFeedia analyzed the habits of 125,000 unique mobile visitors to its site since July 1 and found on average, iPad users are sticking with videos for five minutes, Symbian users are sticking around for 4.1 minutes, Android users are lasting three minutes, and iPhone users last 2.4 minutes.
"While those numbers sound rather small, in the world of web video, they're pretty good," notes "Silicon Alley Insider" (http://macosg.me/2/ko). In March, TubeMogul reported the average video view time was below two minutes, which means video viewing on mobile devices is higher, and in the case of the iPad significantly higher."
The iPhone coming to T-Mobile this year?
Verizon? Who needs Verizon? T-Mobile USA "is very close" to getting the iPhone in the fall, ending Apple’s exclusive relationship with AT&T, according to "Cult of Mac" (http://macosg.me/2/kn), quoting a "highly placed source at the wireless company."
Talks between Apple and T-Mobile are at an advanced stage, the source says. "Cult of Mac" says its "80% likely" that the iPhone will be coming to T-Mobile in the third quarter of 2010.
T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom, which carries the iPhone in Germany, was able to influence, the source said. T-Mobile USA is the fourth-largest U.S. carrier with 33.7 million customers.
This is not the first time T-Mobile was rumored as a possible iPhone carrier. In November 2009 Thomas Weisel analyst Doug Reid predicted that T-Mobile and NOT Verizon will land the deal. Why?
Verizon and Google represent one side of the warring wireless camps vying against Apple/AT&T, while the Motorola Droid effort represents another, he said. In that...
