Adobe Proposes New Universal Photo Format

Adobe Systems announced Monday a new format for digital photos that offers higher-quality, raw images in the hopes more digital camera makers and software companies will support the new standard. Adobe is proposing that its new Digital Negative Specification, or DNG, become a universal standard for a raw format to save digital images. With DNG,…

Adobe Updates Photoshop CS Plug-In; Supports Added Cameras

The Camera Raw 2.3 Plug-in builds on the raw file functionality already available in Photoshop CS, adding new support for the latest digital cameras from leading manufacturers, such as Canon, Epson, Fujifilm, and Nikon. The new plug-in is a free download from Adobeis Web site. The new cameras supported by the Camera Raw 2.3 Plug-in…

EarJams for Your iPod Earbuds, PodPod for the Car

Griffin Technology has quietly released two new products for the iPod, EarJams and the PodPod. Griffin EarJams are attachments for the earbuds that ship with all iPods, while the PodPod is an iPod carrier designed to fit in your car’s cupholder. The description of EarJams from Griffin: EarJams snap onto your existing iPod Earbuds and:…

Time & Budgets Gets Outlook Connectivity

Other new features include new tools for data export and MYOB integration, as well an upgraded CORE report engine. With this release, tracking and billing for time is now as simple as keeping your appointment book up-to-date, with no additional software required. Time and Budgets enables users to seamlessly convert their appointment calendars to dollars…

Unhappy Customers Slam FreeiPods.com; Owners Blame Apple

freeiPods.com and its parent company, Gratis Internet LLC, told Wired News their business is very successful and that while they are shipping iPods, they canit get enough from Apple. “The wait is 100 percent due to Appleis manufacturing,” said Gratis co-founder Peter Martin. “Apple is on back order. The delay is three weeks plus. They…

Allume Systems Releases Stuffit Deluxe 9.0

Allume Systems, Inc. (formerly Aladdin Systems, Inc.), an IMSI company (OTC BB: IMSI), today announced StuffIt Deluxe 9.0, the newest version of its file compression, access, and organization software for Mac OS X. This new version offers faster file compression and decompression, a more intuitive user interface, and enhanced backup features that streamline the process…

OnSync, Evidence Eradicator, KoalaCalc, & More

Antonio Ferraioli has updated his OnSync software to version 1.7. The new version of the OS X contacts manager adds support for Samsung SPH-A680, SCH-A530, SCH-A670, and SPH-A670 phones, updates the compatibility list, and adds some speed improvements. OnSync 1.7 is available now as US$10 shareware. Radon Technologiesis Evidence Eradicator has gotten an upgrade to…

iPontificate: Hot Apple on Apple Action

The topic that everyone seems to be talking about this week is the legal proceedings between Apple Corps and Apple Computer. I suppose I might as well throw in my two cents. Let me make this clear, however: I have no idea what is going to happen between these two companies. That is what makes…

Dr. Mac: Rants & Raves - Good Software, Cheap

Great software doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Great-but-expensive programs-like Final Cut, Photoshop, Logic, Dreamweaver, InDesign, FileMaker Pro, and many others-are (excuse the pun) a dime a dozen. Cheap but crappy programs are ubiquitous and worth a penny a pound or less. My favorite programs are the hardest to find: Inexpensive, well-designed…

Troi File Plugin, eMail Bounce Handler, iPod ActionPak, & More

Troi Automatisering has updated its Troi File Plugin for FileMaker Pro 7 to version 3.0.2. The plugin allows you to manipulate files and folders directly from your FileMaker Pro database. Version 3.0.2 is a bug fix update and is available now. Troi File Plugin is available as US$59 shareware. MAX Programming has updated its eMail…

Euro Study Finds Windows Crash 8% of the Time

A study of some 1,285,500 computers in almost one thousand companies across 7 European countries (France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, England, Italy) found that Windows PCs crashed around 8% per session. In other words, in European businesses, Windows PCs crash almost one out of every 12 times they are turned on. The study was undertaken…

Apple Looks at the Army's New MACH5 G5 Supercluster

E arlier this year, the US Army, in association with the COLSA Corporation, announced that it would use 1,566 Xserve G5 servers clustered together to create a new supercomputer to aid in the study of hypersonic flight. Now, Apple has posted a story about the completed system, called MACH5. The new US$5.8 million supercomputing cluster…

MacSword, ChartConstructor, Illumination, & More

MacSword has been updated by its author to version 1.1.1. MacSword, based on the open-source SWORD Project, is a bible study program for Mac OS X. The new version fixes bugs, adds a Chinese localization, and adds a few interface tweaks. MacSword 1.1.1 is available now as a free download. Headshack Software has updated ChartConstructor…

Yahoo! Buys Musicmatch To Bolster Online Music Offerings

T he competition arrayed against Apple in the growing online music market is shifting. In a deal valued at US$160 million, Yahoo! announced today the acquisition of one-time Apple partner Musicmatch. Musicmatch makes its self-titled Musicmatch jukebox software that allows Windows users to manage their digital music collections, the same software Apple licensed for its…

Jupiter Research: iPod/iTunes Combo an Advantage for Apple

The Guardian (UK) has published an article looking at the battle between Apple and everyone else in the online music download business. The article particularly focuses on Microsoft’s new Windows Media Player 10 software, which among other things allows Windows users to take their rented music with them on portable media players. The article quotes…

Forbes/NewMediaZero Call Windows Media Open, iTunes Closed

Forbes’ online arm has published an article from a UK online site called NewMediaZero. That article touts “the relatively open nature” of Windows Media 10, which “stands in stark contrast” to Apple’s closed and proprietary iTunes. The article also quotes a broadband content provider who compares the coming platform war between Microsoft and Apple to…

Kanguru Releases First FireWire Flash Drive

At long last, after years of USB having a corner on the flash drive market, Kanguru has announced its Fire Flash FireWire flash drive line. With capacities ranging from 128MB to 1GB, the Fire Flash is the perfect way to carry your data with you, and since they uses FireWire, you won’t be waiting around…

Marathon Computer Announces New 12U Server Rack

Marathon Computer announces a new enclosed equipment rack, suitable for office workgroup or machine room. “We wanted to give people enough room for their G5s and Xserves,” said Marathon spokesman, David Soch, “but in an equipment rack that is small enough to use in an office workgroup setting.” Marathonis new 12U rack cabinet does both.…

Mireth Technology Releases Music Man

Mireth Technology Corp. announces the launch of Music Man, digital music software that rips from CD, converts between formats, burns to CD or to USB Flash Drive Memory and plays music files, CDs and directly from USB Flash. Music Man runs on Mac OS X. Music Man was developed to provide support for MP3 devices…

Apple Expo - iPod Speaker Makers Battle it Out With New Models

PARIS, FRANCE – The battle for business between iPod speaker makers moved to Paris this week at Apple Expo, as Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. and Bose Corp. announced new products aimed at portable music lovers. Altec Lansing announced the iM3 for iPod and iPod mini at US$180 and the iMmini for Apple’s smallest handheld music…

iTunes Offers Republican Speeches, RNC Promotes iPod

J ust as with the Democratic National Convention last month, Apple is offering free downloads of speeches from the Republican National Convention (RNC) through the iTunes Music Store. For its part, the RNCis Web site is promoting not only the iTunes Music Store, but iPods for people who might be interested in listening to speeches…