Brand: MacNews

Palm is readying for release its next consumer PDA, the m125, according to a story on Palm InfoCenter. The device will include an SD/MMC slot, as found on the m50x series, and will come bundled with a USB cradle and Palm OS 4. Additionally details, including a projected ship date, are not available.

MacDesktops, one of the most venerable sites on the Web for obtaining desktop pictures, has posted 14 new ones over the past week, including: Alaska sunset (Landscapes), Have a drink (Animation), Under the Sea 23 (Landscapes) and more. Two new desktop pictures are posted daily.

Unmarked Software has announced the release of textSOAP 3, the company’s Internet text cleaning utility. The latest revision to this software offers both native Mac OS X and Mac OS 8 or later support. Other changes include printing support, new Search Menu options, batch scripting, a new custom cleaning assistant and more. textSOAP 3 is available for US$19.95 ($9.95 upgrade for existing users).

Apple-endorsed EarthLink tied for second overall in Consumer Reports’ comparison of dial-up Internet service providers. EarthLink and Bell South each garnered 76 points, while top-rated AT&T WorldNet had 78. America Online, CompuServe, and MSN rounded out the bottom three, with ratings of 68, 67, 67, respectively. Consumer Reports notes that a difference of five points or more is considered significant. The full report will be available in the September issue of the magazine.

Apple is offering several refurbished products at the Apple Store: PowerBook G4/400 (US$2,299), 22″ Cinema Display ($2,199), 17″ Studio Display LCD ($899), iMac/500 ($849), iMac/500D VSE ($949), and iMac/600 SE ($1,099). All refurbished products come with a full one-year warranty. Click on the “Special Deals” badge at the bottom right of the store to see the listing.