New Releases

Aladdin Systems Changes Name To Allume Systems

Allume To Carry On Aladdin Software With New Branding Campaign

Aladdin Systems, Inc., an IMSI company (OTC BB:IMSI) has announced that it has changed its name to Allume Systems, Inc. ("Allume"). The name change was a condition of Aladdin Systems' settlement of a trademark lawsuit with Aladdin Knowledge Systems. Allume is dedicated to its mission to deliver everyday solutions that are easy to use and technically advanced.

The entire Aladdin Systems' product line, including StuffIt(r), SpamCatcher(tm), Spring Cleaning(r), and Internet Cleanup(tm), will be rebranded under the Allume Systems name over the coming year. The new Web address is http://www.allume.com. Customers who enter http://www.aladdinsys.com will be redirected to the allume.com site over the next several years.

Font manager

The Fontz 3.7 allows you to browse fonts (including uninstalled fonts), view them at different type sizes, styles and colors, and group them in categories. The new version streamlines font group creation and editing, changes the font group window to a drawer, allows trashing fonts directly from within the program, and makes other changes. The Fontz is US $10 for Mac OS X. http://www.ttpsoftware.com/Products/thefontz.html

Status Item Menu that displays iCal events

FatBits Software released Meton 1.0, a Status Item Menu that displays iCal events without the need to launch iCal. It can display events from today, yesterday, tomorrow, and this week in the main menubar menu or as submenus, and each event in turn has its own submenu that displays relevant information about it. Selecting an event displays that event in iCal. Meton is US $3 for Mac OS X 10.3. http://www.fatbits.net/software/meton/

Preference Prober

Longtime Mac users know that one of the most common causes of problems with applications or the OS itself is a corrupt preference file. Finding and disposing of these damaged files is one of the best ways to fix (and even avoid) problems. But what most users don't know is that OS X actually includes a neat command-line utility for checking preference files: plutil (for "property list utility"). This little gem of a program checks preference files for syntax problems; chances are if a preference file doesn't follow the proper XML syntax, it's damaged.

But not everyone likes using Terminal to run command-line utilities. Jon Nathan's free (donations accepted) Preferential Treatment 1.0.1 (http://homepage.mac.com/jonn8/as/) means you don't have to -- it provides a nice Mac interface for the plutil command. Using Preferential Treatment, you can scan both user-level preference files (those in your user folder: Library: Preferences folder) and system-level preference files (in the root Library: Preferences folder); you can also scan other folders. Preferential Treatment scans the appropriate directory (you'll need admin access to scan all files) and presents a list of any files that have XML errors. You can then use the Action menu to reveal the troublesome files in the Finder, immediately move them to the Trash, or open them in another application (a text editor, or a .plist editor such as PrefEdit http://www.bresink.de/osx/).

The plutil approach isn't foolproof -- some files that aren't proper XML files work fine, and some that are perfectly formatted can still cause difficulties -- but it's a good place to start if you're experiencing problems that you suspect are due to a bad preference file.
History Revisited

Apple's Safari has a decent history feature, but it allows you to find sites you've visited based only on their URLs or titles. What if you remember a few words or the name of a product from a Web page, but you can't remember where you saw it? St. Clair Software's US $20 HistoryHound 1.0.2 (http://www.stclairsoft.com) may be able to track down the page for you.

Leave HistoryHound running and it periodically indexes the contents of the sites you've recently surfed. The app can also index sites you've bookmarked (which can take quite a while the first time you index if you have a lot of bookmarks) or any other files or folders on your hard drive. It then provides a searchable database of those contents.

Type a search term or phrase into the search field, and the top pane of the window lists all sites that include your criteria, ranked by relevance (how closely HistoryHound thinks each page matches what you're looking for), page title, URL, or date -- which is most useful if you remember approximately when you visited a page. Select a page, and the bottom pane shows its contents with the search term highlighted.

You can Double-click on a page to open it in your browser.

HistoryHound can also perform more-complex Boolean and include- or exclude-variable searches, and you can even assign the app a hot key for quick access. If you've ever needed to find a Web site you've visited (in Safari or Internet Explorer), you'll likely find HistoryHound to be your browser's best friend

Photoshop Classic Effects

Peachpit Press released Photoshop Classic Effects [Amazon link] by Scott Kelby. The book covers frequently-requested classic effects, rather than weird or wild ones, and is organized in step-by step projects that put the effects to work. Photoshop Classic Effects is US $39.99 [US $27.19 Amazon]. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321272250/macintoucwebsite/ref=nosim

Pack It In

OS X makes burning files onto CDs and DVDs fairly easy. You insert a blank disc and then copy files to the image that appears. The only complaint is that OS X assumes you're ready to burn the disc right then and there -- you can't useyour optical drive until you're finished. Plus it's a hassle -- a minor one, but still a hassle -- to figure out how much space is left on the CD.

Ronin no Sakurakai Softronics' US $15 TheHotFolder 1.0 (http://kaisakura.com/) is a nifty utility that makes burning files to a CD or DVD even easier. Drag a folder into the TheHotFolder window and choose whether you're planning on burning a CD or a DVD. TheHotFolder shows you how much space is available on the disc that you'll eventually burn, and updates this information as you add more items to your folder. Even cooler, it adds a progress bar to the folder's icon in the Finder -- you don't even have to switch to TheHotFolder to see when your folder has reached your media's limit. When you're ready to burn your disc, you simply give it a name in TheHotFolder, click on Burn, and then choose whether you want to burn a Mac or Windows disc. Only then do you insert a disc.

TheHotFolder does have one odd restriction: it won't run if the path to the application contains nonalphanumeric characters (including spaces).

Compile multiple HTML pages into a single printable PDF

Belle Nuit Montage released Belle Nuit HTMLBook 1.0, which compiles multiple HTML pages into a single printable PDF document with a custom header, footer, and table of contents. It includes tags for date, page, and page breaks, and can recompile automatically after changes. Belle Nuit HTMLBook is free for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.belle-nuit.com/htmlbook/

Clipboard Stationery

If you tend to type certain pieces of information over and over -- e-mail address, postal address, phone number, even credit card number you'll know it's a pain keeping track of snippets of information. IGG Software's US $10 iPaste 1.0.2 (http://www.iggsoftware.com), could be a solution.

iPaste lets you store any number of bits of information -- text or images, for example -- that you tend to use frequently. Once you've stored these "clips," you can paste them into any document or text field in one of three ways: via the iPaste menu-bar menu; by pressing a keyboard shortcut (control-option-2 for clip 2, for example); or, perhaps most conveniently, by way of a contextual menu. You can also see your clips in a viewer at any time to remind you which clip corresponds to which keyboard command.

As a bonus, iPaste keeps track of the ten most recent Clipboard contents, so you have easy access to anything you've copied of late. The program has some quirks -- the keyboard commands don't seem to work in all applications all the time -- but for an early version, it shows a lot of promise.

Audio utility

Detour 1.5 is an audio utility that provides the ability to choose the audio output device and the relative volume for individual applications. This update offers a new tabbed interface, a Devices Tab with volume and mute controls for all audio devices, a menu bar menu for access to all settings, compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3.4, and many bug fixes. Detour is US $12 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up http://www.rogueamoeba.com/detour/

Apple Quarterly Financial Report

Apple last reported quarterly financial results showing US $61 million in net profit (US $0.16 per diluted share) on revenue of US $2 billion. The press release said, "Apple shipped 876,000 Macintosh units and 860,000 iPods during the quarter, representing a 14 percent increase in CPU units and a 183 percent increase in iPods over the year-ago quarter." http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/jul/14results.html

From Apple's conference call discussing the results:
• Portables accounted for a record proportion of Apple's sales, 53% - 240,000 iBooks and 220,000 PowerBooks.
• Apple sold 416,000 desktop Macs, including 183,000 eMacs, 173,000 Power Macs and 60,000 iMacs
• IBM's problems delivering "G5" processors were blamed for Apple's delay in announcing and delivering the new (G5-based) iMac family, now due in September, as well as Power Mac G5 models. The 2.5-GHz (liquid-cooled) G5 is expected to be constrained throughout the current quarter, while 1.8- and 2.0-GHz models will be in short supply until August.
• Medium and large business represented about 9% of Apple's sales, according to the company's last internal estimate.
• A record 860,000 iPods were sold in the quarter, through 13,000 distribution points world-wide. iPod remains the top-selling MP3 player, with 70% of the market, according to Nielson Soundscan. HP is expected to ship its version of the iPod this summer, and Apple says it has not restricted HP in its distribution channels or geography.
• Apple had 80 retail stores open at the end of the last quarter and plans to open an additional 20 by the end of 2004. Apple has authorized OfficeDepot to sell Macs through its online store but not to sell Macs through its retail stores. BestBuy and Apple have "jointly decided" not to pursue CPU sales (either online or retail), following some test programs, although BestBuy will continue to sell iPods.
• Higher education sales were up 40% over the previous year's, while K-12 sales were constrained by low funding in the market but rose 3% year-over-year
• Apple says that iPod Mini supply should improve this quarter, but demand is "staggering", so it's difficult to predict when supply will catch up to demand.
• Apple saw declines in memory, LCD and storage prices this past quarter and expects the trend to continue "in the near term". http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq304/

Fix problems with the Panther Printer Setup Utility

Printer Setup Repair 4.1.1 is designed to fix problems with the Panther Printer Setup Utility. It also offers other functions, including recreating the lp user or lp group and repairing the /System/Library/Printers directory permissions. Recent changes include a redesigned interface, a cupsd status check, additional permissions options, and more. Printer Setup Repair is US $20 for Mac OS X 10.3. http://www.fixamac.net/software/psr/

New iPods, not such a bargain...

Unmentioned on any Apple web site is the fact that neither of the new iPods includes the remote control or case. They are both options with both units. Furthermore, only the 40GB includes a dock. Since all three of these options have a US $39 price tag, it is not correct to state that the new units reflect a US $100 price reduction from current models. For example, a 20GB 3rd-generation unit, which included a dock, case and remote, listed for US $399. The 20GB 4th-generation lists at US $299, but add the optional remote, case and dock, and it costs US $416, a US $17 price increase! http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

Scanner Software

Hamrick Software's VueScan 8.0.9 supports many flatbed and film scanners [scanner list at http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/vuescan.htm - supported] and includes advanced options such as restoring faded colors and batch scanning. The new version adds an automatic photo-cropping feature, support for more scanners (including several PIE-based scanners and specific models of Epson, Kodak, and Nikon scanners), support for Canon EOS and Nikon D raw files, improved support for Minolta and Epson multi-function printers, and improved performance on Mac OS X. Available for Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows, VueScan is US $59.95 for the Standard Edition and US $79.95 for the Professional Edition. http://www.hamrick.com/vsm.html

Safari Magic

Safari Magic 1.0 adds a toolbar to Safari with a collection of tools to selectively collect, organize, and edit text, graphics, and pictures from multiple web pages and non-contiguous sources. The software offers printing of selections, a PrintBoard for collecting (and printing, saving, editing, or transferring) multiple selections from different sources, a built-in text editor for collected data, notes and timestamps for items, and other features. Safari Magic is US $19.95 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.macease.com/safari_magic_main_page.html

Periodic table

Atomic Mac 5.9.6 provides a periodic table of the elements and nuclear database, with much information on each isotope and a molecular weight calculator. The new version adds additional isotopes for elements hydrogen through neon, a text window for selecting elements, and the ability to change the temperature in the state display using the keyboard. Atomic Mac is US $24.99 for Mac OS X and Classic Mac OS. http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/atomic.html

Mac OS X web browser

Opera 7.53 is a Mac OS X web browser that includes an email client, Usenet newsreader, RSS newsreader, IRC-compatible chat client, contact database, spelling checker, and spam filtering. The new version fixes a JavaScript problem that made it possible to show one URL in the address bar, but load a different URL in the page (Secunia Advisory SA12028). Available for Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, and Windows, Opera is free for the ad-sponsored version or US $39 for an ad-free version. http://www.opera.com/

Backup utility

Impression 2.6 is a backup utility that can back up directories to multiple optical discs (CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-R) with multi-directory backups, incremental/differential backups, and direct-to-disk archiving. This release adds a new 'imps' hfspax-based restorable archive format that improves backup and restoration speeds, plus full Unicode support for all catalog, log and session files. Impression is US $25 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://babelcompany.com/impression/

Fax Center

FaxCenter 1.4 sends and receives faxes on Mac OS X, with options to print-to-fax, save to TIFF, and email a received fax, plus a spam blocker. The new version adds contextual menus in the queue window, printing of FAD records, and a number of bug fixes. FaxCenter is US $10 for Mac OS X 10.1 and up. http://www.macadvocacy.com/faxcenter.htm

Cross-platform project time tracker

Project Timer Pro 1.1 is a cross-platform project time tracker that includes customized invoices, multiple ways to control and track timing, data journaling to protect data integrity, multiple user support, and more. The new version adds a manual and numerous bug fixes. Project Timer Pro is US $50 for Mac OS X 10.2.3 and up and Windows. http://scriptsoftware.com/projecttimer/project_timer_pro.html

Control presentations from your BT phone

Salling Clicker 2.2 enables you to control a Bluetooth-equipped Mac from compatible phones (Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Siemens) or Palm OS handhelds. It can be used to control presentations or iTunes, for example, and its control can be expanded with AppleScripts. The new version adds support for more models of phones and PDAs, support for more applications, and new localizations. Salling Clicker is US $19.95 for Mac OS X 10.2.8 and up with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone or Palm OS handheld.http://www.salling.com/

Manage book collections

Booxter 1.5 manages book collections. It supports multiple libraries and book lists, gathers book information from online sources, and supports handheld barcode scanners for adding books to a collection. The new version adds the ability to scan in barcodes using an iSight or any other FireWire video camera, the ability to set up multiple layouts and switch among them quickly, and other improvements. Booxter is US $14.99 for Mac OS X 10.2 and up. http://www.deepprose.com/

MACinations August 04