Year: 2010

Graebert GmbH  (http://www.graebert.com) has updated the beta versions of its ARES 2D/3D CAD software for Mac OS X and Linux and is accepting a new round of beta testers for these products.

The latest versions include new features, fixes and specific support for .dwg 2010 support via DWGDirect 3.2. ARES uses a common design interface and is the first CAD solution to run natively across Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, while also being optimized for specific operating system features and capabilities. iPad support is also under active investigation.

Despite years of negotiations Sir Paul McCartney and iTunes still haven’t worked out a deal to make Beatles’ tracks available for download — and the ex-Beatle blames the record label, reports the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_10110000/newsid_10116600/10116607.stm).

McCartney says the lack of progress is due to “business hassels” with record company EMI. “Not with us, or iTunes,” he says. “It’s the people in the middle, the record label. There have been all sorts of reasons why they don’t want to do it.”

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says that, based on info from the NPD research group, Mac sales aren’t being cannibalized by iPad sales, though iPods are, to some degree.

As reported by “Fortune” (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/17/u-s-mac-sales-up-39-in-april/), the NPD data shows domestic Mac sales up 39% year-over-year for the June fiscal quarter, which will to beat the Street’s prediction of around 19%. Munster says that means sales of 3.1 to 3.2 million Macs for Apple’s third fiscal quarter.