News and New Releases
Panther introduced built-in Fax receiving, but has no mechanism for alerting the user that a Fax has arrived. Until they make one, here's an easy way of doing this by installing a folder action script. Version 1.0 (size: 92k) is for Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) and up.
http://www.brockerhoff.net/fai/FaxAlertInstaller10.dmg
Mini vMac 2.1 is a cross-platform Mac Plus emulator, which makes it possible to run old software that otherwise couldn't be used on recent machines. The main feature of the new version is support for sound in the Macintosh version. Mini vMac is free for Mac OS X, Classic Mac OS, and Windows.
http://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/unstable/default.html
Autologin 1.2 is a preference pane for automatically mounting Appleshare volumes upon login. The new version adds a "Don't Show Status Window" option, sends status information to the system console, and fixes a bug that prevented mounting servers on login. Autologin is free for Mac OS X. http://www.gideonsoftworks.com/autologin.html
DesktopEarthPro uses a combination of satellite imagery and calculated data to provide real-time views of the entire globe with cloud maps, simulated horizons, live pictures of the moon and sun, superimposed on a choice of earth maps. Once images are created, they can be set as a desktop picture, saved to an archive, or sent via FTP to a web server. DesktopEarthPro is US$14.95 for Mac OS X. http://www.subrosasoft.com/thestore/product_info.php?products_id=423
ImageEngine Export 1.0 is an Adobe Acrobat plug-in that exports images from a PDF document as Photoshop files. The image data is picked out from the structures of the PDF document and converted directly into the Adobe Photoshop format, making it possible to convert the color space of most PDF images types directly to the corresponding Photoshop color space. ImageEngine Export is 59 Euro for Mac OS X 10.1 and up and Mac OS 9.1 and up with Adobe Acrobat 5, Adobe Acrobat 6 Standard, or Adobe Acrobat 6 Professional. http://www.acronnect.com/imageengineexport.html
MediaWrapper 3 preview 2 is an application for printing disk case labels. It scans any removable disk, lists the contents, and then prints a wrapper or insert for the case in any of a variety of layouts. It supports CD, Zip, DVD, Jaz, EZ, Magneto Optical, SuperDisk, SyJet, and SyQuest. The new preview now offers double-sided printing for all wrappers, supports multi-session discs, and adds an option for a full-page front picture. MediaWrapper 3 is available for Mac OS X and Classic Mac OS. http://www.12ftguru.com/MediaWrapper
Spamfire 1.4 is an anti-spam email filtering program that works with your regular email client and email account to delete unwanted messages using customizable filters, whitelists, and blacklists. The new version adds compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, faster performance, scroll wheel support, contextual menus, and other changes. Available for Mac OS X 10.1 and up, Mac OS 9.1 and up, and Windows XP, Spamfire Lite is US$25, while Spamfire Pro is US$39. http://www.matterform.com/?page=spamfire
Synchronize Pro X 3.2 is a Mac OS X backup and synchronization application. It can make bootable Mac OS X system backups while logged in as a regular user and includes a comprehensive verify function for disks, folders, or files. The new version adds file and folder exclusion using labels, which are available in Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, a fix for a problem selecting folders using Panther, and other changes. Synchronize Pro is US$99.95 for Mac OS X. http://www.qdea.com/pages/pages-sprox/sprox1.html
Watcher'84 1.4 monitors a list of favorite web pages and notifies you when one gets updated, using algorithms to only retrieve relevant content. The new version is optimized for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and features a new option to automatically open all updated pages simultaneously in a web browser. Watcher'84 is US$14.95 for Mac OS X. http://www.brunoblondeau.com/watcher84/
iView Multimedia released iView MediaPro 2.0.1, an update of the media asset manager. The new version adds Mac OS X 10.3 Panther compatibility, support for Nikon View 6.1 and the Olympus C5050 RAW file format, improved support for 48-bit TIFF images, improved batch editing of multiple images, revised contextual menu support, and other enhancements. iView MediaPro is US $160 for Mac OS X and Mac OS 9.http://www.iview-multimedia.com/
Intaglio 1.6 is a 2D drawing and illustration program for Mac OS X, with extensive support for AppleScript, Apple Type Services, ColorSync, Quartz 2D graphics, and the QuickTime image layer. The new version improves compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and adds three Panther-specific features: group composite mode, PDF opacity control, and EPS to PDF conversion. Intaglio is US $89 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.purgatorydesign.com/Intaglio/
Spamnix 1.1.17 is a Eudora plug-in that works within Eudora to block spam, transferring all suspected spam email to a special mailbox for later review. The new version adds support for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and also for Perl 5.8. Spamnix is US $29.95 for Mac OS X with Eudora 5-6 or Windows with Eudora 3-6. http://www.spamnix.com/spamnix.html
HttpMail Plugin 1.3 is an add-on that enables the Mac OS X Mail program to read and send email from a HotMail account. The new version has been revised for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther. HttpMail Plugin 1.3 is free for Mac OS X 10.3 only. http://sourceforge.net/projects/httpmail-plugin
GraphicConverter 4.9 is a tool for viewing, converting, and manipulating graphics, featuring import and export of many formats, batch conversions, and Applescript support. The new version adds a number of fixes for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, some import optimizations for G5s, support for direct file conversion with actions in the browser, and many other improvements. Available for Mac OS X and Mac OS 8 and up, GraphicConverter is US $35 (US $30 download only). http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm
Impression 1.8 is a backup utility that can back up directories to (and restore them from) multiple optical discs (CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-R). It includes multi-directory backups, incremental/differential backups, and direct-to-disk archiving, along with initial support for network backups and for multiple disc burners. The new version has been updated for compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, changes the default exclusion pattern to better exclude 'cache' files automatically, and makes some minor interface changes. Impression is US $25 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://babelcompany.com/impression/
FoldersSynchronizer 3.4 is a backup and synchronization utility that can create a bootable backup, execute multiple synchronizations or backups in a single session, execute a session at a specified time or interval, copy invisible files and folders, and more. The new version adds Mac OS X 10.3 Panther compatibility, faster scanning, and other changes. FoldersSynchronizer 3 is US $40 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. Earlier versions for OS 7 and 9 are still available for download. http://www.softobe.com/products/flsy/pp.html
File Synchronization 1.2.3 synchronizes multiple folders or files between two locations. Among other features, it automatically remounts remote volumes when needed, provides a preview of what will happen in the synchronization, and optionally logs all operations. The new version adds full support for new enhancements in the interface for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther. File Synchronization is US $9 for Mac OS X 10.1 and up. http://nemesys2.dyndns.org:8080/FileSynchronization_EN.html
A new iMac with a 20-inch (1680x1050) flat screen, priced at A$ 3,898.00. Mac OS X "Panther" is pre-installed. The big iMac is equipped with GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics; a 1.25-GHz G4 processor; a SuperDrive; USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 ports; a 7200RPM, 80GB hard drive; and Apple Pro speakers. There are no FireWire 800 ports, and standard memory is a meager 256 MBytes. AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth cards are optional.
Apple also dropped the price of its low-end, 1.6-GHz Power Mac G5 to A$ 3,199.00 and converted its 1.8-GHz Power Mac G5 to dual processors, raising its price by $100 to A$ 4,399.00. "Panther" is now included with these computers, too, according to Apple. (Mac OS 9-compatible Power Mac G4 models are still available, A$ 2,299.00 for a single 1.25Mhz G4 and A$ 2,849.00 for a Dual 1.25Ghz G4.)
On the software side, the company released free "G5-optimized" updates for its "Pro" products : Final Cut Pro 4, Shake 3 and DVD Studio Pro 2. Final Cut Pro 4.1's rendering is now almost twice as fast at 32-bit floating point render jobs, while Compressor 1.1 completes high volume and repetitive encoding tasks up to 55 percent faster and Shake 3.0.1 is now optimized to render up to 45 percent faster on a Power Mac G5 when compared to a Power Mac G4.
http://www.apple.com.au/finalcutpro/download/
http://www.apple.com.au/dvdstudiopro/download/
http://www.apple.com.au/shake/download/
Galerie 3.1.1 exports your current iPhoto selection to web pages. It supports EXIF data in web pages, picture quality selection, HTML templates, and text in generated pictures, among other features. Recent changes include the ability to mix various QuickTime compatible files (MOV, MID, WAV, AIFF, KAR... ) with photos by drag-and-drop, comments for each picture or media file, better management of thumbnail spacing in index pages, fixes for some problems with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, and other cha nges. Galerie is free for Mac OS X. http://www.myriad-online.com/perso/photos/english/information.html
iOrganize 5.3 is a notepad that offers categories, Services support, a Dock menu and contextual menu, emailing of notes, regular expression searches, and other features. The new version adds faster searching, an improved regular expression engine, a new command to create a note from the content of a web site, more keyboard shortcuts, and other changes. iOrganize X is US $19.95 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.iorganizex.com/
ChronoSync 2.0 is an automated synchronization and backup tool for Mac OS X. The new version can mount and unmount volumes, schedule actions to run at a specific time or when a volume is mounted, send email notifications, group multiple sync documents to run at the same time, use new rules (including Finder label rules), combine and prioritize rules, and more. Through December 15, ChronoSync is US $20 (US $30 thereafter) for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.econtechnologies.com/site/Pages/ChronoSync/chrono_overview.html
MovingPicture 5.0 creates moving pans and zooms of a still image for use in video or film. It includes camera rotation in three dimensions, support for the alpha channel in images, 32-bit full color sub-pixel rendering for smooth motion, support for 16:9 aspect ratios, and more. The new version adds support for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, 16:9 letterbox display, enhanced image filtering, and support for a number of new editors. MovingPicture is US$199 for Mac OS X, Classic Mac OS, and Windows. http://www.stagetools.com/
GraphicConverter 4.9.2 is a tool for viewing, converting, and manipulating graphics, featuring import and export of many formats, batch conversions, and AppleScript support. The new version adds a colorblindness simulation, sorting by extension and name in the browser, improved EXIF support, improved HPGL import, improved unskew quality, and many more changes. Available for Mac OS X and Mac OS 8 and up, GraphicConverter is US$35 (US$30 download only). http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm
Programmable scientific RPN calculator
Mac:Method's f(x) 3.0 is a programmable scientific RPN calculator. The new version adds a Scripts palette, the ability to choose the numbers already on the stack as operands, enhanced decimal, hexadecimal, and binary input modes, and more. f(x) is US$15 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.macmethod.com/fofx.html
iPod LauncheriPod Launcher 1.4 can automatically launch applications or scripts whenever an iPod is connected to a Mac. It includes sample AppleScripts for backups and synchronization. The new version improves the preferences pane, updates the backup script for to back up only files that have changed, and adds a new script for synchronizing folders among multiple Macs. iPod Launcher is US$4.95 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.zapptek.com/ipod-launcher/
Deep Freeze from Faronics protects a computer from tampering and changes. The vendor's description is as follows:
"Deep Freeze Mac OS X protects your Apple Mac OS X computers from tampering and all changes. Invisible to the user, the complete non-restrictive protection makes all changes temporary, including new software installation, application removal, file and folder renaming or deleting, downloads, desktop and screen changes. The User Account is 100% restored to its original configuration either at login, after a restart, after selected time interval or on a selected day of the week."
The product works very well and support is excellent. Basically the product works as advertised. Students have full access to the OS depending on your own policies, can make changes, trash anything their black little hearts desire and when the computer is rebooted everything is returned to the pre-trashed configuration. Great product and a terrific time saver. http://www.deepfreezeusa.com/mac.asp
SpamSieve 2.1 brings Bayesian spam filtering to Apple Mail, Mailsmith, PowerMail, Entourage, Emailer, and Eudora, learning what spam looks like and what good messages look like to improve its filtering. The new version adds support for Apple Mail POP accounts, a Training Tip window, expanded whitelist and blocklist rules, improved accuracy in the Bayesian classifier when the corpus is unbalanced, and other changes. SpamSieve is US $25 for Mac OS X 10.2.6 and up. http://www.c-command.com/spamsieve/
Now Up-to-Date & Contact 4.5.1 updates the Mac OS X version of the personal information manager. The new version adds support for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, enhanced stability, contextual menu support, and other changes. Now Up-to-Date & Contact is US$129.95 (US$119.95 download) for Mac OS X 10.1 and up. http://www.poweronsoftware.com/products/nudc/
Transfer files between Macintosh and Windows
PC-Mac-Net FileShare 3.1 transfers files securely between any type of Macintosh and Windows computers over a LAN or the Internet. It includes automatic cross-platform file renaming, drag and drop transfers, and the ability to pause and resume transfers. The new version adds improved Internet file sharing, sorted local and remote file lists, a larger main window, and other changes. PC-Mac-Net FileShare is US$24.95 per computer (US$39.95 for the Professional Edition, free for a limited Lite edition) for Mac OS X, Classic Mac OS, and Windows. http://www.lavasoftware.com/fileshare.html
Page Sender 3.1.2 is a fax send/receive and print-to-email (PDF) utility, with scheduled and deferred faxing, manual send, live addressing for Palm Desktop 4.1 and later, and other features. The new version adds fixes for the unread fax indicator and sent fax progress bar in Panther, plus some other minor bug fixes. Page Sender is US$29.95 for Mac OS X 10.1.3 and up. http://www.smileonmymac.com/pagesender/index.html
Greeting cards and personal newsletters
Mail Magic 2 is a program for creating and sending HTML email greeting cards and personal newsletters. It features an HTML wizard, greeting card templates, email address import, and other features. The new version includes a large number of extra Christmas card templates and fixes for some problems with large blocks of text. Mail Magic is US$18 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up, Mac OS 9, and Windows. http://en.infinisys.co.jp/product/mail_magic
More on Virginia Tech's unique G5 supercomputer
A Wired article http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60821,00.html previews impressive benchmark results for Virginia Tech's unique G5 supercomputer:
Early benchmarks of Virginia Tech's brand new supercomputer - which is strung together from 1,100 dual-processor Power Mac G5s - may vault the machine into second place in the rankings of the worlds' fastest supercomputers, second only to Japan's monstrously big and expensive Earth Simulator.
Jack Dongarra, one of the compilers of a Top 500 list, said that preliminary numbers submitted to him suggest Big Mac could be ranked as high as second place.
"They're getting about 80 percent of the theoretical peak," Dongarra said. "If it holds, and it's unclear if it will, it has the potential to be the world's second most powerful machine." http://computing.vt.edu/research_computing/terascale/
When the list was released Virginia Tech came in third at a very respectable 10.28 teraflops. The highest ranked Cray X1 appears on rank 19.
http://www.top500.org/lists/2003/11/press-release.php
|
MACinations December 03 |
 |