Last Updated: Saturday, December 17, 22:00 EST (03:00 GMT)
Desktop pictures/icons weekly recap December 17 - 22:00 EST
Over the course of the past week MacDesktops posted 14 new desktop pictures, including: Sculptures By the Sea: Demon (Art), Bondi Beach (Landscapes - Water), and Jessica Alba (Portraits). Mandolux has issued three new desktops: New York/Nottingham (1895 Postcard), My Kong (Triptych) and Blue Christmas Star (Dual), while MacMonkies are offering two new icon sets and three new desktops. InterfaceLIFT has posted 10 new desktops for Apple Cinema Displays and three icon sets: iSimple Full, Flying Aqua Bugs, and iTunes, and The FastIcon has released "iSimple Vol.2," a new icon set which contains 43 freeware icons. IconTunes has released its Exuberant collection, featuring 130 new, high-quality icons, and The Iconfactory has posted two new icon collections: Happy Holidays 2005 and QuickPix 2005.
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Kent Place Software releases BeerAlchemy December 16 - 16:47 EST
Kent Place Software today announced the first release of BeerAlchemy, a new beer recipe creation and archiving tool for Macintosh. BeerAlchemy aims to make creating great beers easier. It offers recipe formulation tools to give the brewer immediate feedback on how changes they make will affect their finished beers, and helps the brewer keep organized by storing all their recipes in a familiar folder-based system. In addition, brewers can export their recipes as Web pages or PDFs to share them with others, and an extensive ingredients database as well as many predefined mash schedules are included and may be edited to suit the brewer. BeerAlchemy is priced at US$29.95. A free demo is also available.
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4Flix.Net offers free Holiday videos for iPod December 16 - 15:24 EST 4Flix.Net has announced that dozens of Christmas movies, cartoons and television shows are available from its Web site for immediate downloading onto personal computers and the new video iPod. A selection of shorter titles are available at no cost, allowing consumers to freely add classic holiday video content to their new video iPods. Visitors can also subscribe to a free video podcast featuring Christmas videos throughout the month of December. Prices for the remaining catalog of available works match the iTunes Music Store's introductory pricing of US$1.99 each.
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Lehman raises Apple forecasts, price target December 16 - 13:14 EST
Lehman Bros. have raised its earnings and revenue forecasts and stock price target for Apple, citing an improved outlook for iPod sales, reports MarketWatch. Analyst Harry Blount raised his iPod unit shipment estimate to 12.6 million from 8.7 million, his fiscal first-quarter earnings estimate to 57 cents a share from 49 cents and his revenue forecast to $5.6 billion from $4.7 billion. In addition, Blount raised his price target to $78 from $60, but maintained his equal weight rating on the stock.
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Trendy Geek see-through protection for iPods released December 16 - 12:57 EST
Trendy Geek today announced Trendy Shields for iPods, high-static film sleeves that are inexpensive and transparent. The sleeves are made of a thin material that clings to the iPod using high static. When the shields need replacing, there is no sticky glue or residue to remove –- they simply peel off, notes the company. The Trendy Shield kit contains three protectors (6 pieces all together) and fits a variety of iPod models (both the front and the back). Trendy Shields are priced at US$12.99 each.
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Maya, Alias MotionBuilder Beginners' Guides released December 16 - 12:40 EST
Alias today announced the release of new beginners' guides on DVD for Maya and Alias MotionBuilder. "The step-by-step tutorials and helpful demonstrations found in the five-part Maya 7 Beginner's Guide Bundle give aspiring 3D professionals a solid introduction to the software's interface and an opportunity to learn basic keyframe animation and rigging, modeling workflows, shading and texturing techniques, and to learn about rigid and soft body dynamics, particle effects and more," notes Alias. Continued... [ Email this story ]
Apple updates its Hot Deals site December 16 - 12:21 EST
Apple has updated its Hot Deals site with the latest offerings from PowerMax, MacMall, ClubMac, Small Dog Electronics, and Mac Game Store. Highlighted products include: Dr. Bodelin iPod Boom Box with Built-in Dock and Remote Control, MacAlly Cassette Tape Adapter for iPod, Wacom Graphire3 White 6x8 Graphics Tablet, Canon DC10 DVD Camcorder with US$50 mail-in rebate, SDI Technologies iHome IH5 Clock Radio for iPod, Epson Stylus CX4200 All-in-One Printer with $20 mail-in rebate, Burton iPod-ready Jackets and Backpacks with free shipping, Klipsch iFi iPod Speaker System, MacSoft Tropico 2: Pirate Cove, MacSoft Zoo Tycoon 2, and much more.
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Morgan Stanley expects Apple iPhone announcement December 16 - 12:12 EST
Morgan Stanley analysts published a research note on Apple today stating the company "is witnessing significant retail growth opportunities in the US. Apple Computer is likely to make announcements relating to iPhone, broad digital content and digital living room focused hardware in the upcoming year," reports NewRatings.com. The analysts maintained their "overweight" rating on Apple, and raised its target price to US$90.
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Inside Mac announces Macworld 2006 Launch Party December 16 - 12:00 EST Inside Mac Media, a terrestrial broadcaster for the Mac lifestyle and Podcastings #1 Mac Television/Radio programs, today announced it will host a launch party to kick off Macworld Expo 2006 in San Francisco next month. The party, organized by Sharp Tongued Consulting's Lorene Romero, will be held on Monday, January 9, 2006 from 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. PT at Inside Mac's official Macworld hotel, the Renaissance Parc 55 (55 Cyril Magnin Street, in San Francisco, CA). Admission is free to all, and guests will have the chance to meet the Inside Mac team, network, enjoy a full desert spread with coffee, and win valuable prizes. Continued... [ Email this story ]
Music school opts for PowerBook program December 16 - 10:36 EST
Oklahoma City University has become an Apple Digital Campus, "embracing the Windows computing alternative" with a pilot program in its Wanda L. Bass School of Music, reports The Oklahoman. "The overall goal is to become a technology-competent campus in how we teach and learn, and Apple has offered us the opportunity to do that," OCU President Tom McDaniel said before a luncheon Thursday to announce the program. Continued... [ Email this story ]
Will Apple promote 'Intel Inside'? December 16 - 09:11 EST
In his latest Byte of the Apple column, BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl wonders if Apple plans to promote Intel's ubiquitous "Intel Inside" marketing/branding strategy when it switches to Intel processors for Macs next year. Hesseldahl writes: "...a more interesting question is one that goes straight to the heart of the relationship between Apple and its newest chip supplier. As Apple includes Intel's chips inside its machines, will it also point to the Intel brand on the outside? In particular, will Apple place an Intel medallion on computers, or mention Intel in the ads for computers that house Intel chips?"
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New Take Control ebook documents Apple's .Mac service December 16 - 08:57 EST
TidBITS Electronic Publishing has announced the release of "Take Control of .Mac," the latest ebook in its Take Control series. "Now .Mac users can find friendly guidance in best-selling author Joe Kissell's 'Take Control of .Mac,' which covers all of .Mac's major features," notes the announcements. "After helping readers get set up and giving an overview of .Mac, the ebook delves into the major .Mac services: Mail, iDisk, .Mac Sync, Backup, HomePage, and Groups. Readers will learn the best ways to read email via the .Mac Web interface or in an email program, how to share files with others via an iDisk, and the ins and outs of synchronizing data between multiple Macs." The new 182-page ebook is priced at US$10. A free 31-page sample is also available.
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Key events for Apple in 2005 December 16 - 07:37 EST
The Associated Press has compiled an interesting timeline of key Apple events in 2005. The list begins with Apple's introduction of the iPod shuffle and Mac mini on January 11th, and ends with NBC adding 11 shows to iTunes on December 6th.
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New England Indies Web site and podcast launched December 16 - 07:22 EST
The Maine Media-Arts Project and the Maine Digital Filmmakers Group (A Final Cut Pro User Group) has announced the launch of the New England Indies Web site and podcast. New England Indies showcases short films, animations, trailers and music videos by independent filmmakers from all over New England. The clips are also available in Apple's iTunes as a free video podcast.
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Griffin ships AirClick for new iPods December 16 - 07:16 EST Griffin Technology today announced that AirClick remote with Dock Connector, is now shipping. The AirClick Remote uses RF technology that allows users to control their iPod from up to 60 ft. away, and the signals pass through walls, so users can control their iPod throughout their home. It also will enable the 5th Generation iPod with video to control video playback. Each AirClick package ships with a remote, a receiver that mounts to the iPod, and a remote cradle and straps for attaching it to an automobile steering wheel, bicycle, or other objects. The remote control features five buttons: play/pause, next track, previous track, volume up, and volume down. The AirClick is priced at US$39.99 and works with iPod photo, iPod U2 Special Edition, and 4th & 5th generation iPods.
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Adobe sees profits climb 38 percent, CFO resigns December 15 - 19:30 EST
Adobe Systems today announced that its profit for the fiscal fourth quarter ended December 2 jumped over 38%, beyond expectations, reports Reuters. In addition, the company's CFO Murray Demo has resigned to spend more time with his family. Adobe said net income for the quarter rose to US$156.3 million, or 31 cents per share. Revenue, which grew to $510.4 million from $429.5 million, was helped by the growing use of digital devices and rising broadband use, according to the company. Also announced today were plans to cut 10% of its workforce (650-700 jobs) as a result of the company's recent acquisition of Macromedia.
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Prairie Games releases Minions of Mirth game December 15 - 19:17 EST
Prairie Games today announced that it's new role-playing game Minions of Mirth has been released for Mac OS X and Windows. "Minions of Mirth gives the player an incredible amount of freedom in their role-playing experience! It can be played in single player, multiplayer, and even allows friends to run their own custom persistent worlds," says Josh Ritter co-owner and programmer of the title. Minions of Mirth is available for the special price of US$25 through January 31, 2006. The full price of the game will be $29.95, and there are no monthly service fees. A free demo is also available.
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XtremeMac introduces SportWrap for video iPod December 15 - 16:52 EST
XtremeMac today announced its new SportWrap armband for iPod, an updated version of its sport case made for the iPod. The new SportWrap features the same basic design as the original with additional features that make it compatible with the new iPod with video, as well as all 3G and 4G iPods. SportWrap features a neoprene body with a special moisture barrier where the case touches the arm to keep the iPod dry. Continued... [ Email this story ]
MacMedia releases PhoneDirector 1.0.8 December 15 - 16:20 EST
MacMedia today announced the release of PhoneDirector 1.0.8 for Mac OS X, a tool for Phonebook, SMS, Gallery, Calendar and Wap management of Nokia phones. Features of PhoneDirector include: phonebook editing, uploading, deleting, backup, export (extended phonebook supported – five numbers and five texts for each entry); SMS reading from the phone, sending, replying, forwarding, deleting, and archiving; adding, editing, export and import of calendar events; and more. Version 1.0.8 adds support for the Nokia 7380 phone. Phone Director requires Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later and is priced at US$29.95.
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MacProVideo.com releases Motion 2 tutorials December 15 - 14:03 EST
MacProVideo.com today announced the availability of video tutorials for Apple's Motion 2 software. In this tutorial program, Mastering Motion 2, veteran video technician and educator Jamie McCallister shows users the quick-way into Motion, using moving images and sound. This 180-minute program is available for direct download or on DVD-ROM, for US$49.50.
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Sonnet offers new top-of-the-line dual processor upgrade December 15 - 13:33 EST
Sonnet Technologies today announced the availability of its new top-of-the-line dual processor upgrade—the Encore/ST G4 Duet 1.7 GHz—for most "Sawtooth" Power Mac G4 systems, including AGP Graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio and QuickSilver models. The company says this product "represents a new high point in performance and value in Sonnet’s most popular line of processor upgrades; it is priced the same as the 1.3 GHz dual processor upgrade it replaces." Continued... [ Email this story ]
Quake 4 Invasion coming to Macintosh December 15 - 10:59 EST Aspyr Media today announced that it is bringing Quake 4, developed by Raven Software and produced by id Software, to Macintosh. The game, licensed from Activision, is scheduled for release in early 2006. "The long-awaited sequel to Quake II, Quake 4 enlists gamers in the role of Matthew Kane, a member of the legendary Rhino Squad, to penetrate deep into the heart of the Strogg war machine and engage in a series of heroic missions to destroy the barbaric alien race," notes Aspyr. Continued... [ Email this story ]
