MacCentral

The week in games

Sun, 21 Dec 2003 14:20:00 GMT

Every week MacCentral brings readers the latest news from the world of Mac gaming. There are always a few stories that don't make it onto our regular news pages, though, which is why we have this weekly retrospective.

MacCentral week in review

Sat, 20 Dec 2003 13:20:00 GMT

Paul Gettler is the third Maccentral newsletter subscriber to win an iPod in our monthly product drawing. The next winner will be chosen on January 2.

Apple offers security update

Sat, 20 Dec 2003 04:55:00 GMT

Apple on Friday released Security Update 2003-12-19. It's available for download from the Software Update System Preferences pane.

Macworld review: Dreamweaver MX 2004

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 22:00:00 GMT

Dreamweaver has become an indispensable part of any Web-site developer's tool kit, and Dreamweaver MX 2004 is the latest incarnation of Macromedia's powerful Web-site– development tool.

O'Reilly plans 2004 Open Source Convention

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 21:15:00 GMT

Next July 26-30,in Portland, Oregon, O'Reilly & Associates will host their annual O'Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON). Organizers are now accepting proposals for topics of interest to the open source community and in line with the convention's theme: "Opening the Future: Discover, Develop, Deliver."

Judge: RIAA can't subpoena file-trader information

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 20:00:00 GMT

The Recording Industry Association of America Inc. (RIAA) does not have the authority under U.S. law to subpoena the names of alleged peer-to-peer file traders from ISPs (Internet service providers), a federal appellate court ruled Friday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned a lower court's decision allowing the RIAA to file subpoenas asking Verizon Internet Services Inc. to turn over the names of suspected copyright infringers without the RIAA having to file lawsuits against the alleged file traders. But the RIAA's argument that the subpoenas allowed in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) apply to material transmitted through an ISP as well as content stored by an ISP "borders upon the silly," the court wrote.

REAL World 2004 to gather REALbasic users

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 19:00:00 GMT

Austin, Texas-based REAL Software Inc. on Friday announced plans for REAL World 2004, the REALbasic user conference. The event will be held March 24 - 26, 2004 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. REALbasic is REAL Software's cross-platform design environment. The development platform is used to create everything from simple utilities to enterprise applications.

CBS MarketWatch picks Jobs as a winner for 2003

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 18:15:00 GMT

CBS MarketWatch named Apple CEO Steve Jobs to its list of winners in naming the Winners and Losers of 2003. Jobs joins California's new governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ebay CEO Meg Whitman and JetBlue boss David Neeleman on the list of winners. "At a time when legit music downloads were catching on about as quickly as, well, Apple computers, Steve Jobs came along and did it right with ITunes," said Shawn Langlois for CBS MarketWatch.

Native busts out Kompakt for OS X

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 17:45:00 GMT

Berlin, Germany music software developer Native Instruments released Kompakt over the summer; it's a streamlined sampler for musicians and DJs that ships with a large library of its own and also handles common sample formats. The only problem was that at the time of its release last July, Kompakt didn't support Mac OS X. Now it does.

Final Cut Pro used to edit 'Cold Mountain'

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 17:30:00 GMT

One of the most hotly anticipated dramatic movies this holiday season is Cold Mountain, the adaptation of Charles Frazier's book featuring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger. Already nominated for eight Golden Globe awards, Cold Mountain is also one of the biggest-budget motion pictures ever to be edited using Final Cut Pro. A new feature on Apple's Web site interviews the film's editor, Walter Murch. To find out more, MacCentral recently spoke with Apple's senior director of pro applications, product marketing, Richard Kerris.

Marathon ships DeskMount for G5

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 17:20:00 GMT

Marathon Computer has announced that it's shipping its G5 DeskMount. The G5 DeskMount enables you to attach your Power Mac G5 to the underside of your desk or work surface.

iPod nabs Stereophile editor's choice

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 17:00:00 GMT

"The admission may not earn me any points in politically correct audiophile circles, but Apple's cute little iPod was the product I most enjoyed using this past year," writes John Atkinson for Stereophile.

ATI ends quarter with a bang

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 16:00:00 GMT

Graphics chip and card maker ATI Technologies Inc. announced its financial results for the first quarter of its fiscal 2004, which ended November 30, 2003. The company recorded revenues of US$467.9 million, a 40 percent year-over-year increase and a new record for the company. ATI's net income of US$0.19 per share beat Wall Street expectations by a penny.

MEI offers Ad Layout System XTension for QuarkXPress 6

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 15:00:00 GMT

Managing Editor Inc. (MEI) has released Ad Layout System XTension -- a plug-in for QuarkXPress 6 and Mac OS X. MEI's Page Director Ad Layout System (ALS) and AdForce combine to provide advertising layout and management capabilities for QuarkXPress-based publishing workflows. The software produces paginated ad dummies, and features a variety of automation tools, all aimed at small to mid-sized publications.

MegaSeg update fixes Unicode issues, more

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 14:00:00 GMT

Fidelity Media Inc. released a new version of MegaSeg, their professional DJ mixing and radio automation software.

Real sues Microsoft, alleges monopoly abuse

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 13:00:00 GMT

RealNetworks Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corp., alleging that the Redmond, Washington, software giant has illegally used its power as a monopoly to control the digital media market.

Apple offers free PhotoStudio X to .Mac members

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 12:30:00 GMT

Apple's .Mac subscription-based Internet service has provided its members with another free software bonus -- a copy of ArcSoft's PhotoStudio X, a US$79 value. What's more, ArcSoft and .Mac have teamed up to offer a special discount on Panorama Maker.

FireWireDirect.com introduces new RAID solution

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 12:00:00 GMT

Network administrators seeking an enterprise level 2GB Fibre Channel RAID solution should take a look at the Vanguard Ultra Elite Fibre System, which FireWireDirect.com debuted on Thursday. The new system is aimed at demanding enterprise applications, professional digital content creation applications, and Storage Area Networks (SAN).

Final Cut Pro, LiveType, DVD Studio Pro updated

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 23:05:00 GMT

Apple on Thursday released an update to its pro video editing application Final Cut Pro and FCP's companion software tool LiveType to bring them to versions 4.1.1 and 1.1.1 respectively. DVD Studio Pro was also updated, to v2.0.3. All updates are available from the Software Update System Preferences pane.

Apple offers developers Xcode 1.1 update

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 22:10:00 GMT

Apple on Thursday released an updated version of Xcode, its new integrated development environment (IDE) for Mac OS X. The new version of Xcode is available for download for developers who have already installed the older version, and can be had through Software Update System Preferences pane. Apple recommends that all Xcode users download and install this update.

Akumen debuts FireWire 800/USB 2.0 PCI 'SuperCard'

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 21:45:00 GMT

AkumenOnline Inc. announced on Thursday its "SuperCard," a PCI card that offers both FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 ports. This card sports three FireWire 800 ports -- two external and one internal -- and four USB 2.0 ports -- three external and one internal. Both sets of ports are compliant with their respective standards and are backward compatible with legacy devices.

Create 3D interior designs with Interiors 3.4

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 20:35:00 GMT

With home redecorating shows all over cable and satellite TV these days, you may have caught the home improvement bug yourself. Thanks to UK developer Microspot Ltd.'s newest release, Interiors 3.4, you can now work out your plans on your Mac before you realize that olive green was not the best color to paint your kitchen.

iTunes v4.2 now available for download

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 19:15:00 GMT

Coinciding with Thursday's announcement that AOL users can now buy songs from the iTunes Music Store through AOL, Apple also released a point update to iTunes for both Mac and Windows. iTunes 4.2 is now available for download through Apple's Web site.

AOL members get access to iTunes Music Store

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 19:00:00 GMT

America Online, Inc. and Apple announced on Thursday that AOL members who visit AOL Music can now click an iTunes button next to featured songs and launch the iTunes Music Store, where they can preview, purchase and download the tracks to listen to on their computer or iPod. AOL members can also use their AOL Wallet or card-on-file to pay for their music. This news delivers on a promise made last October when Apple first unveiled its second generation iTunes Music Store, when AOL and Apple first announced plans for this partnership.

Apple releases QuickTime 6.5

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 18:30:00 GMT

Apple on Wednesday released QuickTime v6.5, a new version of its core multimedia technology for the Mac and Windows. The new version incorporates new features and updates, including expanded support for mobile multimedia, improved DV playback options and more.

ab DataTools releases HR-View 1.0

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 17:55:00 GMT

Custom business software developer ab DataTools announced on Wednesday that it has released HR-View, an application aimed at Human Resources professionals who need a cost-effective way to manage employee information.

Aspyr releases new Tomb Raider game

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 16:45:00 GMT

Aspyr Media Inc. on Thursday announced that it has released Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness for the Mac. It's been a busy week for the company: Yesterday Aspyr announced plans to publish Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and also indicated that Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield and Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy are now shipping.

Apple offers Java 3D and Java Advanced Imaging Update

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 15:15:00 GMT

Apple has posted Java 3D and Java Advanced Imaging Update, a software update aimed at users of Mac OS X v10.3.1 and Java 1.4.1 or higher. The new update is available as a 9.5MB download from Apple's Web site.

GeeThree ships Sweet Multiport

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 14:45:00 GMT

At long last, GeeThree's Sweet Multiport is now shipping, according to the company. It's a multi-port tap that makes it possible for you to connect FireWire, USB and flash media into the front of your Power Mac G3 or G4. The Sweet Multiport was first introduced at Macworld CreativePro in New York this past July.

Blackmagic enhances DeckLink HDTV capabilities

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 14:15:00 GMT

Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd. has released a public beta version of its DeckLink v4.2 software, which adds major enhancements to HDTV capabilities for the DeckLink line of video I/O cards.