Sound Grinder Pro for OS X gets a Cocoa user interface, more
Monkey Tools (http://www.monkey-tools.com/) has updated Sound Grinder Pro, its batch processing tool for Mac OS X, to version 3.5. The new version includes Cocoa user interface, an enhanced volume slider, enhanced Broadcast WAVE functionality, improved MPEG 4 support and more.
Now, the volume slider has a current output gain display and the ability to use key commands to reset to unity. Additional MPEG 4 support provides enhanced handling of malformed files. Selecting Broadcast WAVE now ensures the Broadcast Extension is written to the file even if exporting metadata is turned off. This new version also includes enhancements to QuickTime support and other updates for increased stability.
Sound Grinder requires OS X 10.5 or greater and costs US$39 for new users. Version 3.5 is a free update to current users of version 3.0 and greater. Demos are available for download on the Monkey Tools website .
Output Factory adds workflow options
Zevrix Solutions (http://zevrix.com) has announced Output Factory 1.4.8, an update to its professional output automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The new version lets users save output page range within individual workflows and improves reliability of exporting to EPS and SWF formats.
With Output Factory, users can output hundreds of documents or just single files with full control over batch printing, layer versioning, automatic preflighting, file delivery, and more. All they need to do is select the desired InDesign files and adjust workflow settings.
Output Factory can be purchased from the Zevrix website for US$169.95; a "lite" version costs $119.95), as well as from authorized resellers and Adobe Exchange. A demo is available for download. BatchOutput users can upgrade to Output Factory for $4.97. Output Factory is available for Mac OS X 10.5-10.8 on Intel-based Macs and works with Adobe InDesign CS3-CS6.
Charismathics - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Sven Gossel of Charismathics. Sven was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Intego reports new Mac Trojan
Intego, a Mac security software company, has reported a new Mac Trojan, known as OSX/Leverage.A., that creates a backdoor on an affected user’s machine.
The Trojan is an application that is disguised as a picture; the .app file-extension is not visible by default. The Trojan application installs a permanent backdoor that allows the attacker to send a variety of commands. You can read more about the OSX/Leverage.A. Trojan at .http://tinyurl.com/k87rw6k .
New Trent releases water-resistant PowerPak Xtreme
The new New Trent PowerPak Xtreme features a drop proof and water resistant design ideal for outdoorsy types who want to ensure their USB-based devices stay powered up anytime, anywhere.
The 12,000mAh battery features dual USB ports able to charge two mobile devices simultaneously. The New Trent PowerPak Xtreme is available now for US$59.95 at NewTrent.com and Amazon.com.
OWC launches Mac mini storage upgrade kit
Other World Computing has launched an upgraded OWC "DataDoubler" Kit, which can add a add a new 1.5TB drive, and is compatible with 2011 and later Mac minis. These kits can be purchased stand alone, starting at US$27.99 or specially discounted bundled pricing from the OWC online store.
This DIY kit enables Mac mini owners to add a second internal hard drive and install up to two drives for up to 3.0TB of storage, or add a high-performance solid-state drive (SSD) to complement (or fully replace) the existing internal factory drive. Although OWC recommends its Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSDs for the 6.0Gb/s SATA-equipped 2011 to current Apple mini, this DIY kit is fully compatible with all 9.5mm or smaller 2.5-inch Serial ATA SSDs, including the largest capacity in the 3G speed class, the OWC Mercury Electra 960GB SSD. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/6m4rwd6 .
Sonnet releases combination USB 3.0/FireWire 800 adapter
Sonnet has introduced the Tango 3.0 PCIe, a combination USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 PCIe adapter card. It offers a way to add USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 connectivity to Mac Pro and Windows computers with PCIe slots, and to Thunderbolt-to-PCI Express expansion chassis.
The Sonnet adapter can run bus-powered devices such as hard drives through each of its ports. It's also backward-compatible with USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 devices.
The Tango 3.0 PCIe adapter card is available at a suggested retail price of US$99. The card is compatible with Mac OS X 10.8.4 and higher and Windows 7 and 8. Go to www.sonnettech.com for more info.
iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s to arrive Friday, Sept. 20
Apple says the iPhone 5c (pictured) and iPhone 5s will be available to customers on Friday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores and at 12:01 a.m. (Pacific) at the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com).
They'll be available in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Every customer who buys an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more.
In the US, the new iPhones will be available through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Nemetschek Vectorworks releases Vectorworks 2014
Nemetschek Vectorworks, a provider of CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software solutions, has rolled out the 2014 version of its Vectorworks line of design software, including: Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks. They're compatible with Mac OS X 10.6.8 and later.
The Vectorworks 2014 software includes more than 130 improvements that were developed for better modeling, BIM management, interoperability, usability, performance, and quality, according to Dr. Biplab Sarkar, chief technology officer of Nemetschek Vectorworks. The 2014 product line also features new BIM tools for architects, increased site design capabilities for landscape architects and designers, as well as enhancements to lighting devices, documentation, and graphic controls for entertainment designers. Details about the 2014 release is available at www.vectorworks.net/2014 .
The English-language version of Vectorworks 2014 software will be available for download...
xLine for OS X gets OPML format, xPlain format support
AdnX (www.adnx.com) has released xLine 1.1 for Mac OS X, an upgrade to its mind mapping application that lets users visually depict any idea, project, group of facts, or set of relationships. The new version adds adds OPML format (Outline Processor Markup Language) import/export and xPlan format import.
xLine is designed for brainstorming, project management, and presentations. It sports various import/export options, full control over the style of all visuals, plus rich media and Retina display support.
xLine requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. It's available for US$4.99 until the end of September (it's regularly $38.99), and it is available directly from the adnX website or through the Mac App Store in the Productivity category. (The promo is only at the Mac App Store.) Multiple license discounts can be obtained through adnX. A seven-day trial of the application can be downloaded from the adnX website.
USB Network Gate for Mac OS X gets network traffic compression,...
Eltima Software (www.eltima.com) has announced USB Network Gate 3.0 for Mac, an upgrade of the software that lets your computer work with remote USB devices over Internet/LAN/WAN as if those devices were connected directly to this computer. The new version offers network traffic compression, improved sharing mechanism, numerous new devices support and more.
With USB Network Gate for Mac you can: connect remote devices to Mac over Ethernet, Internet, LAN, and WAN; share a USB device among multiple computers; use USB devices on virtual machines and blade servers; access USB over RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol); and share your device with anyone at any location. It's available for multiple OS types, which makes it possible to share USB devices over the network between Mac, Windows, and Linux computers.
USB Network Gate runs on Mac OS X 10.7 and higher and costs US$89.95 for sharing one USB device. Note that USB Network Gate by Eltima is licensed according to the number of shared USB...
Chaos Group ships V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp
With the launch of Chaos Group’s V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp (http://tinyurl.com/lzc5wck) designers have faster rendering, better lighting tools, and the ability to create more detailed, complex scenes, according to Corey Rubadue, product manager at the Chaos Group.
This artist-friendly rendering solution for SketchUp features dramatic improvements to visualization workflow (V-Ray RT), image-based lighting quality (V-Ray Dome Light), and a designer’s ability to manage complex scenes with highly detailed models (V-Ray Proxy), he adds.
With 64-bit rendering, 3D artists can tap their 64-bit render farm for more processing power with added flexibility to render larger scene sizes, images, and animations in SketchUp. The ability to produce animation for SketchUp projects has also been streamlined, ensuring a cleaner and easier creation process, says Rubadue.
V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp is now available for SketchUp 8, SketchUp Make 2013 and SketchUp Pro 2013 on both Mac OS X and Windows platforms...
DiapoSheet for Mac OS X updated to version 1.1
Lorenzo Puleo has updated DiapoSheet for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher) to version 1.1. You can now click and select the layout images.
Click holding down the Shift key to extend the selection continuously. Click holding down the Option key to extend the selection discontinuously. With the images selected, press the Delete key to remove the images from the page. The original images on the disk will be left untouched.
DiapoSheet lets you lay out your photos with metadata-exif and get a contact sheet PDF file. Drag a folder containing images onto the DiapoSheet window and you are done. You can change the number of rows and columns, their gaps, the margins, the page size and format, add your custom logo and company description, your watermark, display the metadata-exif with your favorite font, color and label.
You can then export your document to PDF, TIFF, PNG, JPG at the resolution of your choice. You can select the resolution of the images even when exporting to PDF.
DiapoSheet costs US$...
PhotoReviewer for OS X now 64-bit
Stick Software has rolled out version 2.2 of PhotoReviewer (http://tinyurl.com/yqjmes), a photo management tool for Mac OS X. PhotoReviewer helps you flip though your photos, choosing which ones are "keepers" and which aren't, sorting them into different folders and renaming them. The new version is now a 64-bit app.
You can compare your images side by side, use the histogram tool to analyze their exposure and contrast, and examine them with the magnifier tool to check their sharpness and focus. PhotoReviewer 2.2 requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
PhotoReviewer 2.2 adds a number of improvements and features. In-memory downscaling of the reviewed images makes the software take less memory and perform even better when reviewing large images.
PhotoReviewer now has more help for judging the exposure of your photos, with tinting of over-exposed and under-exposed pixels, and a display of the percentage of pixels with exposure problems. With version 2.2, movable horizontal and vertical rules...
Barron’s Bilingual dictionaries available as Mac OS X apps
Paragon Software Group, a software developer for mobile devices and desktop computers, and Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., a publisher of study guides and educational resources, have released four new Barron’s Bilingual Dictionary apps for Mac OS X, based on Barron’s comprehensive approach to language learning.
Each dictionary contains more than 200,000 headwords, making Barron’s Bilingual Dictionary Apps the perfect on-the-go tool for travelers, students, professionals or hobby language learners of all types. Titles include: Barron’s Italian-English Bilingual Dictionary, Barron’s French-English Bilingual Dictionary, Barron’s Spanish-English Bilingual Dictionary, and Barron’s German-English Bilingual Dictionary.
The apps require OS X 10.7 (Lion). The Barron’s dictionaries app is available for free; full version dictionary prices start at US$18.99. Go to the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/osxk9pe) for details.
Grantwood Technology releases FM Transmitter for iOS, Android...
Grantwood Technology has announced the FM Transmitter, which allows you to play any audio on your mobile device through your car stereo.
You can play music from your personal collection, audiobooks from Amazon, and streaming audio from apps like Pandora and Spotify. FM Transmitter is compatible with any device with a standard headphone jack, including iOS and Android devices. It also contains a USB port to allow you to charge the same device that is playing the audio, or charge a second device.
For the initial launch, the FM Transmitter is available online on Amazon and at the Grantwood Technology website (http://tinyurl.com/oh28hso) for US$29.99. Later this year it will be available at traditional retail locations.
Weather Live forecasts available for Mac users
Apalon says its iOS application, Weather Live, is now available on the Mac. It requires Mac OS X 10.7 and costs US$2.99.
Weather Live offers a quick way to check out the weather. It provides a 7-day weather forecast for multiple locations all around the world
Weather Live 1.0 is and available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Weather category (http://tinyurl.com/kh28tsg). For more info go to http://www.apalon.com .
Apple says Samsung is trying to include 'prior art'...
Apple has accused Samsung of trying to include "prior art" evidence in the upcoming damages trial in the ongoing patent infringement case, reports "TUAW" (http://tinyurl.com/puuahua).
Last August a jury awarded Apple US$1.05 billion in damages after deciding that Samsung smartphones infringed some Apple patents. However, in July, Judge Lucy Koh lowered the damages award by $450 million. What's more, a trial is scheduled for November in order to determine how much of the remaining $600 million balance should be awarded to Apple.
With the upcoming trial on damages about two months away, Apple late last week filed a motion seeking to preclude Samsung from making any references to "prior art" (or otherwise attacking the validity of Apple's patents) during the upcoming trial, notes "TUAW."
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the...
QuarkXPress 10 now available
Quark has announced QuarkXPress 10. The newest release of the page layout and design software, is now available to purchase directly from Quark through the online Quark Store, Quark Telesales and Quark Authorized Resellers.
QuarkXPress 10 is a native Cocoa app that leverages the latest OS X features, and offers maximized performance and can rapidly support new OS X releases, according to Gavin Drake, vice president of Marketing, Quark Software. The state-of-the-art graphics engine renders rich PDFs, Photoshop and TIFF images and uses its Adaptive Resolution feature to deliver designers the most appropriate onscreen resolution in real-time, he adds.
What's more, every element of QuarkXPress 10 has been optimized to take full advantage of high-resolution Retina displays like those found on the MacBook Pro. The upgrade continues to support ePub and Kindle, as well as out-of-the-box HTML5 authoring for App Studio, a cloud-based solution for creating iOS, Android, and Web apps.
The QR...
AJA Control Room software now in public beta
AJA Video Systems has announced a public beta of AJA Control Room, a unified cross-platform software for ingest, playback and output with AJA products across Mac and Windows.
It supports AJA’s latest desktop I/O products, enabling capture, conversion, playback, VTR control and output. AJA Control Room is available at no cost for all currently shipping KONA cards, Io Express, Io XT and Io 4K. To download the beta, go to www.aja.com/en/products/software/ .
Mushkin Scorpion Deluxe PCIe solid state drive available
Mushkin has announced the global availability of the Scorpion Deluxe PCIe Solid-State Drive.
Equipped with Quad Sandforce SF-2281 and un-throttled IOPS, it clocks in at 2150 MB/s read and over 1900 MB/s write. All storage capacities of the Scorpion Deluxe PCIe SSD -- which include 240GB, 480GB, 960GB, and 1920GB -- will boast just over 100,000 4K read and write IOPS as well as one million hours MTBF with a three-year warranty, says Nicolas Villalobos, director of Global Marketing for Mushkin. Go to http://www.mushkin.com/ for more info.
Magisto - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Oren Boiman of Magisto. Oren was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
DigiDNA - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Victor Broido of DigiDNA. Victor was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Cloud License in API in Safe Activation Service 3 announced
Excel Software has announced the Cloud License API [application programming interface] in Safe Activation Service 3 for mobile app developers.
Cloud License can be used by any device or computer with Internet access. It supports any programming environment that can send a URL string and perform conditional logic on the returned response string.
Cloud License consists of a small set of URL commands to activate, validate, release, restore and reset a software license. Safe Activation presents an online vendor login to configure each license, data collected during activation and assign Serial Numbers. Protected applications running on mobile devices communicate with the server to activate and validate the license.
Cloud License supports phone, notepad, notebook or desktop software. It works with any device, OS, human or programming language. It can be used with any affiliate, reseller, app store or distribution model. The user interface and data collected during activation is...
EditShare announces the EditShare Ultra storage system
EditShare has unveiled a new addition to its family of shared storage solutions: the EditShare Ultra. It offers a budget-friendly shared storage system with advanced project and media sharing for Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid, Adobe Premiere Pro and Lightworks editors, says Andy Liebman, CEO and founder of EditShare.
"Because EditShare Ultra is developed on the same architecture as EditShare XStream, Energy and Field 2, it easily supports uncompressed SD or compressed HD video workflows over Gigabit Ethernet,” he adds. “The attractive price point gives facilities on a tight budget a much better storage option than a generic NAS that, in many cases, will neither provide edit-in-place performance nor support a complete media and project sharing workflow. With Ultra, there is no sacrificing with regards to workflow or benefits. EditShare Ultra customers are given the same great project and media sharing capabilities found throughout the EditShare shared storage products, in a configuration...
AJA previews Io 4K with Thunderbolt
AJA Video Systems (www.aja.com) will be presenting a technology preview of the new Io 4K, an evolution of its devices for professional video I/O, now updated and customized for Thunderbolt 2 technology and 4K workflows.
Io 4K connects to any Thunderbolt 2-enabled device such as the upcoming Mac Pro, and offers an additional Thunderbolt 2 port for daisy-chaining other peripherals such as high-resolution displays and high-capacity storage. Io 4K will be on display at AJA's stand, 7.F11 throughout the IBC Conference, Sept. 12-17 at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam.
Io 4K will offer a broad range of video and audio connectivity, supporting the latest 4K and UltraHD devices, according to Nick Rashby, president of AJA Video Systems. AJA's proven conversion technology allows realtime high-quality scaling of 4K and UltraHD to HD. Io 4K will also seamlessly integrates with leading post-production and delivery tools such as Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Creative Cloud, AJA Control Room,...
AJA announces 4K support for KUMO routers with 3.0 firmware...
AJA Video Systems (www.aja.com) has announced the KUMO 3.0 firmware update to enable Dual Link, 4K and Ultra HD support in its KUMO family of compact SDI routers.
Available in compact 1RU or 2RU form factors and with support for 3G/HD/SD-SDI, cost-effective KUMO routers are designed for any production environment from mobile production trucks to live event A/V rigs. KUMO routers are available in three configurations: KUMO 3232 supports thirty-two 3G-SDI inputs and outputs, KUMO 1616 supports sixteen 3G-SDI inputs and outputs, and KUMO 1604 supports sixteen 3G-SDI inputs and four 3G-SDI outputs.
The new KUMO firmware also supports ganged dual and quad port routing, allowing users to group together multiple inputs and outputs for Dual Link, 4K and Ultra HD workflow. For a complete list of features and technical specifications go to the AJA web site.
Burberry, Apple collaborate to share runway show experience
Apple and Burberry have announced that the iPhone 5s is being used to capture and share photos and video before, during and after the Burberry runway show in London on Monday, Sept. 16.
Using the all-new iSight camera on iPhone 5s, Burberry is shooting photos and video for runway and beauty looks, product details, and backstage moments. The collaboration is re-imagining how Burberry engages consumers, paving the way for significant changes in how they capture and share their content, says Burberry Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey.
"iPhone 5s makes it even easier to take great photos with the world’s most popular camera," says Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPhone & iOS Product Marketing. "We’re thrilled to see the amazing photos and HD video Burberry has captured with the incredible all-new iSight camera."
"This collaboration celebrates our relationship and shared foundation in design and craftsmanship. We have a mutual passion for creating beautiful products and...
Telestream announces major Wirecast 5 release
Telestream (www.telestream.net), a provider of digital media tools and workflow solutions, has announced a major upgrade for its Wirecast live streaming production software. Version 5 adds enhanced encoding and playback options; a new, more efficient user interface (UI); high-quality screen capture; and more flexible input/output integrations for easier, high-quality live streaming.
Wiirecast 5 -- which is Mac compatible -- ships with an Output SDK [software development kit]. The SDK enables capture card manufacturers and other partners to develop program feed output integration with Wirecast.
Wirecast 5 will be released in the third quarter of the year and priced at US$495. Customers who currently own Wirecast can upgrade to Wirecast 5 Studio for $129 and to Wirecast Pro 5 for $295.
BeaTunes for OS X gets Spanish interface option
Tagtrum has released version 3.5 of BeaTunes (http://www.beatunes.com), the iTunes add-on for Mac and Windows. The new release offers the option of a Spanish user interface.
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$34.95. beaTunes requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher.
Native Instruments update Traktor Kontrol S4, S2 DJ systems
Native Instruments has announced new versions of both the 4-channel DJ system Traktor Kontrol S4 and its 2-channel counterpart, Traktor Kontrol S2.
The Kontrol S4 and S2 combine a DJ mixing interface and built-in 24 bit/96 kHz soundcard into an all-in-one DJ system engineered for seamless control of Traktor software. Both units now offer an improved look and feel with added control over the latest Traktor PRO 2 features. Furthermore, both the Kontrol S4 and S2 are now plug-and-play with Traktor DJ, the DJ app for the iPad and iPhone.
Traktor Kontrol S4 is available at retailers worldwide and at the NI Online Shop for US$799, while Traktor Kontrol S2 is available for $499. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/k5n6yfz .
Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5
OS X Mavericks is on the way. For now, however, Apple has released OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5. It's recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users.
Apple says you should back up your system before installation. Then choose Apple menu () > Software Update to check for the latest Apple software via the Mac App Store (including this update).
You can also download the manual update installer. This is a useful option when you need to update multiple computers but only want to download the update once. These versions of the standalone installers are available from Apple Support Downloads
According to Apple, OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5:
° Improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac;
° Fixes an issue that may prevent Mail from displaying messages;
° Improves AFP file transfer performance over 802.11ac Wi-Fi;
° Resolves an issue that may prevent a screen saver from starting automatically;
° Improves Xsan reliability;
° Improves reliability when transferring large files over...
eMedia Music releases Masters of Blues Guitar software
eMedia Music Corp. has released eMedia Masters of Blues Guitar, a solution for learning how to play classic blues songs from the masters themselves.
eMedia Masters of Blues Guitar includes original recordings by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Jonny Lang and others. Music notation is highlighted as the song plays, while the Animated Fretboard displays fingerings in real-time, so that you don’t even have to read music.
The Interactive Feedback and Performance Evaluation features show you are playing the correct notes on the guitar, and give specific feedback on mistakes in melodies as well as an overall score. The software is designed for a variety of skill levels.
eMedia Masters of Blues Guitar will be released this month and will be available in stores nationwide (the U.S.) and online at an estimated retail price of US$29.95. The CD-ROM will be a hybrid for both Mac and Windows platforms, and the software will also be available for download at eMediaMusic.com and through...
Patriot launches 256GB Supersonic Boost XT USB 3.0 drive
Patriot has launched the Supersonic Boost XT 256GB USB 3.0 performance drive, which provides 150MB/sec transfer speed. It's compatible with Mac OS 9 and X and costs US$199.99.
The Supersonic Boost XT features the same rubberized housing for which the Supersonic Boost XT line has been known, says Meng Jay Choo, Patriot's USB product manager. This housing provides best in class protection for worry free use even in the most rugged applications, he says.
The rubberized housing is designed to provide a durable and rugged exterior that safeguards the drives from the elements. For more info go to www.patriotmem.com .
RAID storage goes Portable with OWC’s Mercury Elite Pro Dual Mini
Other World Computing (OWC) has expanded its Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini portable hardware-RAID storage product line with two new 3.0TB models, available as 3.0TB RAID-1 (for robust data protection) or 3.0TB RAID-0 (for maximum performance).
This bus-powered (no AC adapter is required) unit stores data safely using RAID technology -- or even more data with "super-fast" access. Featuring hardware RAID-1 (mirrored) redundancy for data protection or RAID-0 (striped) for maximum throughput, the Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini contains two 2.5-inch hard drives or OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSDs for up to 3TB of capacity. A "quad interface" of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, and eSATA connections delivers data transfer speeds of up to 300MB/s with Mac and PC computers.
The new 3.0TB Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini models are priced atUS$359.99, and join a line-up that includes hard disk options with speeds of up to 7200RPM and SSDs with eSATA speeds. Pricing starts at US$191.99 for a 640GB 7200RPM...
FontAgent Pro 6 sports new Workflow Center, Creative Cloud...
Insider Software has announced FontAgent Pro 6, an update to its professional font manager for the Mac. It integrates diagnostics, repair, font selection, font book creation, and design tools.
Version 6 adds a new Workflow Center, support for Adobe Creative Cloud, more than 1,350 free fonts, faster font search, more powerful ESP keyword font search, expanded font verification, and Smasher 3 automatic maintenance software.
FontAgent Pro's features include multiple font libraries, a customizable user interface, live font search, WYSIWYG font viewing, and a Font Player that plays glyphs and text strings in a slide show for interactive font selection.
FontAgent Pro requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or high. It supports all Mac OS X fonts -- Open Type, Type 1, dfont, Mac and Windows TrueType -- as well as local and networked home directories. Version 6 adds auto-activation support for Adobe Creative Cloud, Creative Suite 3 to 6, and QuarkXPress 6 to 9. It's compatible with FontAgent Pro Server 5,...
Sonnet announces Echo Express SE II Thunderbolt-to-PCIe...
Sonnet today announced the Echo Express SE II (pictured), the replacement for the Echo Express II Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion chassis. The new model adds enhanced capabilities and sells at a lower price.
It also includes a coupon for a free upgrade to exchange to Thunderbolt 2 when it becomes available this fall. The new two-slot Thunderbolt 2-to-PCIe expansion chassis enables the use of a wide variety of high-performance PCI Express (PCIe) cards -- originally designed for use in desktop computers -- with any Mac computer with a Thunderbolt port.
Accommodating cards up to 7.75 inches long, the Echo Express SE II supports nearly every Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe card on the market, including double-width cards (PCIe card plus daughter card). The Echo Express SE will be available Sept. 23 for US$499. For more info go to http://tinyurl.com/kbmtcpy .
Corning receives Intel certification for its Thunderbolt optical...
Corning Inc. says its optical cables have been Thunderbolt certified by Intel Corporation. Thunderbolt Optical Cables by Corning are the first all-optical fiber cables for the Thunderbolt community.
They' compatible with both Intel’s Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 computer and peripheral connectivity protocols. In the coming weeks, Corning will make available varying lengths starting at 10 meters.
Thunderbolt Optical Cables by Corning are up to 50% smaller in diameter and 80% lighter than comparable copper Thunderbolt cables, says Bernhard Deutsch, vice president, Product Line Management, Optical Connectivity Solutions, Corning Telecommunications. They'll be available in the coming months through distributors, select resellers, and online. For more info go to www.OpticalCablesByCorning.com .
Maintain has has served up Cocktail 7.0 Beta 2 (Mavericks...
Maintain (http://maintain.se/cocktail) has released Cocktail 7.0 Beta 2 (Mavericks Edition).
Cocktail (Mavericks Edition) is a new edition of Cocktail for users running a developer preview of the upcoming OS X Mavericks 10.9. The final version of Cocktail 7.0 (Mavericks Edition) will be released this fall.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac. Cocktail 7.0 Beta 2 (Mavericks Edition) requires a developer preview of OS X Mavericks 10.9 to run. Cocktail (Mountain Lion Edition) for OS X 10.8, Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7 and Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.6 are available for download from Maintain website.
Cocktail costs US$14 for a single user license and is available for purchase from the Maintain website. The license is valid for all current and future versions/editions of the software.
uDesktop NEXT for OS X gets new Games category, more
Aperio Lux (www.aperio-lux.com) has updated uDesktop NEXT for OS X to version 2.3. It’s a desktop wallpaper application that lets users choose from many hi-res images. The new version adds: a featured section; a recent section; 10 special categories; a new Games category; and more.
There are 36 categories of images in uDesktop NEXT. Wallpapers are available in 16 resolutions for everything from the iPhone and iPad to the MacBook Pro with Retina display. Users may download as many wallpapers as they wish. Image categories include: 3D, Abstract, Animals, Architectures, Aviation, Birds, Black & White, Calendars, Cars, Cartoon, Cats, Colors, Fantasy, Fire, Flowers, Food, Games, Glass, Holidays, Insects, Interiors, Love, Misc, Monuments, Mountains, Music, Nature, Ships, Space, Sports, Technical, Textures, Underwater World, Water, Weapons. What’s more, calendars are available for every month.
uDesktop NEXT requires Mac OS X 10.7.4 or higher. It’s available for US$4.99 afterward. It’s...
Intuit announces latest version of QuickBooks Desktop for the Mac
Intuit has announced QuickBooks Desktop 14 for Mac OS X. The software is scheduled to go on sale Sept. 23.
According to Rob Lips, vice president and general manager of Intuit’s QuickBooks Desktop business unit, the latest release provides more streamlined access to the critical information small businesses need to know. Updates include:
° Left Hand Toolbar, which provides one-click access to users’ data and transactions;
° A new home page, which offers home page access to an overview of company financials and important business insights. The redesigned experience provides a dashboard view of end-to-end company performance; no report running is necessary.
° "Set Up and Go" simplifies the set up process no matter if users are new to QuickBooks or switching from QuickBooks for Windows. The feature provides a recommended set of key activities to get going fast in QuickBooks for Mac.
° Centers enhancements -- users can complete tasks more quickly through reorganized customer, vendor and...
Embarcadero launches RAD Studio XE5 with with iOS support
Embarcadero Technologies, a provider of software solutions for application and database development, has announced the availability of RAD Studio XE5, a multi-language, multi-device, and multi-database application development suite, now with iOS and Android support.
RAD Studio XE5 is the only solution on the market that provides true native, CPU executable code on all four leading computing platforms -- OS X, Windows, iOS and Android -- while managing one codebase, one team, and one schedule without sacrificing app quality, connectivity or performance, according to Michael Swindell, Embarcadero senior vice president of products. It enables users to create true native apps for computers, tablets, and smartphones and get them to app stores and enterprises fast, he adds.
True native apps run directly on the device hardware with no scripting or interpretive layers. A new survey by Dimensional Research released today, shows that while 85% of Windows developers are tasked with developing...
Empirical Development - Developer Interview
Recently, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers about how Apple's newly announced technologies (specifically Mavericks and iOS 7) will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin and Kyle Richter of Empirical Development. Kyle was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on Apple's announcements, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Mac version of Nihilumbra coming Sept. 25
BeautiFun Games says the Mac version of Nihilumbra will hit stores on Sept. 25. It will cost US$9.99.
Here's how the game is described: "Use the power of the colors to change the world around you, and join Born on his adventure while he tries to stay alive and escape from his inevitable fate: being consumed by the pure emptiness. The Void. Story, puzzles, challenges, terrifying enemies, lots of hours of gameplay, unlockable modes, and tons of fun, promising artistic aesthetics, and intuitive and simple controls."
Nihilumbra is available for pre-order at some digital stores such as Desura, Mac Game Store or Gamersgate with a 10% discount. Also it will be available via the Mac App Store on the release date. For more info go to http://www.nihilumbra.com .
Apple disables Flash (again) on Mac OS X
Once again Apple has used its built-in malware protection system to disable Adobe Flash on Macs over security concerns. Version 11.8.800.94 and earlier has been blocked.
The lockdown means that only the most recent version of Flash, 11.8.800.168, will run on OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion, reports "The MacObserver" (http://tinyurl.com/qzls9f3). The security vulnerabilities could allow attackers to take control over victim's systems and run malicious code.
CS Odessa adds to the ConceptDraw Solution Park library
CS Odessa has added to the ConceptDraw Solution Park (www.conceptdraw.com) new safety and security libraries. The Safety and Security Solution can be used to make professional-looking documents, presentations, and websites that are illustrated with color scalable vector shapes of various presentation symbols such as fire detectors, fire alarms, and other common safety and security items.
The Safety and Security solution extends ConceptDraw Pro 9 or later with samples, templates, and libraries of vector shapes that can be used for illustrating presentation slides. All ConceptDraw products support Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Buy QuarkXPress 9, get QuarkXPress 10 offer ending soon
The official availability of QuarkXPress 10 is just days away. and with it comes the end of Quark’s "Buy 9, Get 10" offer, which gives everyone who buys or upgrades to QuarkXPress 9 now a free upgrade to QuarkXPress 10 upon its release.
Those interested in taking advantage of the special should do so by Sept. 13. To purchase or upgrade to QuarkXPress 10 visit http://shop.quark.com and complete the redemption form at www.quark.com/Buy9Get10. To learn more about QuarkXPress 10, go to www.quark.com/10.
Epson announces new 'small-in-ones'
Epson America has launched the Epson Expression Premium XP-810 and XP-610 Small-in-One printers. They leverage the company's MicroPiezo printing technology and Claria Premium inks and sport Epson Connect for easy printing from a tablet, smartphone or computer.
The Expression XP-810 and XP-610 are designed as complete wireless solutions, featuring built-in Wi-Fi Certified n3 and Wi-Fi Direct for network-free printing. Both models are always ready to print, offering built-in memory card slots for computer-free printing, automatic two-sided printing to save paper, creative tools such as a dedicated photo tray and direct CD/DVD printing, as well as built-in auto photo correction tools.
The Epson Expression Premium XP-610 (US$149.99) and Epson Expression XP-810 ($229.99) will be available in mid-September through major retailer stores nationwide. For more information, go to www.epson.com .
NTT DOCOMO, Apple to offer iPhone in Japan on Friday, Sept. 20
NTT DOCOMO and Apple have announced that the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available on the DOCOMO network beginning on Friday, Sept. 20.
"We’re thrilled to offer the incredible new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c to our customers," says Kaoru Kato, president and CEO of NTT DOCOMO. "We know our customers will enjoy the amazing experience of iPhone on DOCOMO’s high-quality network."
"NTT DOCOMO has built an impressive network, the largest in the nation with over 60 million customers," adds Apple CEO Tim Cook. "We’ve enjoyed tremendous success with iPhone in Japan, in fact it’s the top selling smartphone in the country, and we look forward to delivering iPhone into even more customers’ hands through NTT DOCOMO."
Beginning on Friday, September 13, customers can pre-order iPhone 5c at DOCOMO dealer. The first 30,000 docomo Premier Club Premier Stage customers can pre-order from DOCOMO’s website.
iOS 7 available for download Sept. 18
iOS 7 will be available starting Wednesday, Sept. 18, for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users as a free software update. It boasts hundreds of new features and introduces iTunes Radio, a free Internet radio service based on the music you listen to on iTunes.
"iOS 7 is completely redesigned with an entirely new user interface and over 200 new features, so it’s like getting a brand new device, but one that will still be instantly familiar to our users," says Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. "Next month we’ll be shipping our 700 millionth iOS device, and we’re excited about what our hundreds of thousands of iOS developers are doing to bring great new features to their apps."
Apple engineered iOS 7 to take full advantage of the advanced 64-bit technologies in iPhone 5s, including the native 64-bit kernel, libraries and drivers. All the built-in apps have been re-engineered for 64-bit, and iOS 7 provides a seamless developer transition with Xcode...
