Review & Evangelisation of All That is Digital For The Mac Enthousiast. Read all about it with a Free Subscription to The [Digital][Dispatch] Mag published every month email me: info.digtaldispatch@sympatico.ca visit our web site for more rich features
Shares of Apple Computer (AAPL) closed up $0.54, or 3.58%, at $30.74 in NASDAQ trading today on 4,579,332 share volume to set a new 52-week high. AAPL's previous 52-week high was $30.57 set earlier this week.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:11 AM
Apple today updated its line of Power Mac computers with a new top-end version that sports dual 2.5-GHz processors. But officials said no 3-GHz models or G5 laptops would be available "anytime soon."
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:11 AM
Apple today announced that more than 250 million copies of QuickTime 6 have been downloaded since its release less than two years ago.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:09 AM
The Magazine Publishers of America have awarded TBWA/Chiat/Day the US$100,000 Grand Prize Kelly Award for its work on Apple's iPod "Silhouette" ad campaign that shows people dancing with iPods in front of vibrant background colors, as noted by iPodlounge.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:06 AM
Developer Rogue Amoeba announced the release of Audio Hijack 2.1.3 on Thursday. The new version of the company's tool for recording any audio on your Mac now keeps the computer awake while recording and adds performance enhancements and bug fixes. The company also made Audio Hijack Pro 1.3.1 available -- it offers an important fix for a bug created by Apple's June 7 Security Update. Both upgrades are free for all Audio Hijack and Audio Hijack Pro users. Great apps. we tell you!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:05 AM
With the release of new Power Mac G5s on Wednesday, Apple has also introduced a new system migration feature in its Setup Assistant application to help users make the transition from their old computer to the new one. It's designed to ameliorate the copying of applications, files, folders, user account information and system preferences from old to new hardware, using FireWire to bridge a connection.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:04 AM
Canadian developer Broadcast Unifying Gears (BUG) announced on Thursday the release of ListPlayer Express, an application that turns any G4 or G5 Mac into a closed caption TV (CCTV) video server for use in a school, business, store or similar environment. It's a stripped-down version of the ListPlayer application that comes with BUG's CLASS-1 1U rack mountable video server. You can drag and drop Final Cut Pro/Express or iMovie files onto the software and play them without conversion; any file format supported by QuickTime is also supported. ListPlayer Express can play videos according to a schedule or when you manually direct it to play them.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:04 AM
ViewSonic Corp. has taken the wraps off the VPW4255, a new 42-inch plasma display that's HDTV-ready, offers 1024 x 1024 nativeresolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio and supports all data sources and videosignals through inputs that include composite, component, S-video, analogRGB and DVI/HDCP. It also features a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 1,100 nits ofbrightness, 160-degree viewing angles both horizontally and vertically,picture-in-picture and split-screen capability and more. The company expectsto ship the VPW4255 in July
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:02 AM
With news on Thursday that Apple Computer Inc.'s QuickTime player surpassed 250 million downloads, industry analysts say Microsoft and Apple are both poised to take the lead in the streaming media battle. What may make the difference is the level to which each company supports industry standards, an area where Apple has taken the lead so far.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:01 AM
Diskology has released a serial ATA (SATA) adapter that allows you to attach an SATA drive to a 40-pin parallel ATA connector, such as the one found on the company's Disk Jockey, a portable device that allows you to quickly copy data between two IDE drives or span two such disks. With two of the adapters, you can connect two SATA drives to each other. Available now. Smart real Smart!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:00 AM
Apple is on the verge of announcing a new, totally re-designed family of three flat-panel displays with the addition of a 30-inch HD-ready model. In what appears to be a major change in direction for Apple, the displays will exclusively use a digital visual interface (DVI) connector and will not come with Apple's proprietary Apple Display Connector (ADC).
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 6:58 AM
Diskology has released a serial ATA (SATA) adapter that allows you to attach an SATA drive to a 40-pin parallel ATA connector, such as the one found on the company's Disk Jockey, a portable device that allows you to quickly copy data between two IDE drives or span two such disks. With two of the adapters, you can connect two SATA drives to each other. available now. Very smart!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 6:27 AM
Diskology has released a serial ATA (SATA) adapter that allows you to attach an SATA drive to a 40-pin parallel ATA connector, such as the one found on the company's Disk Jockey, a portable device that allows you to quickly copy data between two IDE drives or span two such disks. With two of the adapters, you can connect two SATA drives to each other. available now. Very smart!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 6:27 AM
Updated Apple will announce speed bumps to its Power Mac G5 towers, Think Secret has learned. Apple sources said the new models will have a top speed of 2.5GHz or 2.6GHz; new information has shed further light on the expected configurations.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:15 AM
SubRosaSoft today announced the availability of VolumeWorks 1.1, a Mac OS X utility that enables users to resize and manage partitions (volumes) on hard drives without destroying the data on the drive. Cool!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:13 AM
Glaresoft (formerly Bitshift Audio) today introduced iDrum, a third-party plug-in software instrument designed for Apple's GarageBand music software.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:07 AM
Strategy First has announced plans to publish Guide Software's Vendetta Online this summer. It's a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in space that puts players in the cockpits of spaceships as they explore the universe. The open-ended game allows players to become freighter captains, pirates, military leaders -- whatever you want, as you participate in a collaborative experience with thousands of other online players. It's coming for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:07 AM
M-Audio announced that its new Studiophile DX4 desktop monitors are now available. The pro-level, dual-driver speakers are aimed at desktop musicians and feature 18 watts of audio output per channel, with 4-inch low-frequency drivers and one-inch mylar tweeters. The speakers offer RCA and 1/4-inch inputs, as well as a mid-cut switch on the back, with a rotary volume control and a 1/8-inch headphone jack on the front. The Studiophile DX4 monitors are available now.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:06 AM
Cisco Systems has issued a patch for a security flaw in one of its Linksys routers that could give hackers access to consumers’ home networks. Alan Rateliff II, an independent security consultant, on Friday said he discovered a vulnerability in the Linksys WRTS54G 802.11g wireless router. The flaw gives hackers a free pass into the Web-based configuration page of the router when the firewall function is turned off.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 10:50 AM
Canon today introduced its new Optura 500 and Optura 400 Mini DV 2.2-megapixel camcorders, new dual video/still photography devices that are smaller than their predecessors. Both offer selectable focus points, continuous shooting mode, built-in flash, and photo review as well as a 10x optical zoom, image stabilization, a RGB primary color filter, a 16:9 widescreen mode, a manual audio level control, and a swivel grip. The Optura 500 adds a high-resolution 2.5 inch LCD, MPEG4 support, USB 2.0 connectivity, and the ability to shoot in total darkness up to 4.9 feet away. They will ship in mid-July.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 10:50 AM
"Apple Computer will announce next week its long-awaited European version of the iTunes online music store, sources familiar with the matter say. The announcement will be made on June 15, said sources familiar with the necessary licensing negotiations between Apple and music labels," Bernhard Warner and Lucas van Grinsven report for Reuters. "An Apple spokesman in Holland declined to comment on the specifics of the launch. However, Apple issued a statement on Monday.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:16 PM
Apple's retail stores are expected to reach over $1 billion in revenue this year and $2 billion next year, according to prepared statements that were presented to Apple Retail employees during the company's quarterly retail store meeting on Sunday," Kasper Jade reports for AppleInsider. "Additionally, since the introduction of iTunes 4.5 in April, the company has reportedly sold more than 500,000 iPods to both Mac and PC users.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:15 PM
A Washington court looks into who should hold the US patent for the Blackberry
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:13 PM
Apple has released Security Update 2004-06-07, which delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh users. The update is now available in the Software Update panel
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:05 PM
Think Outside Inc. on Monday announced its Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard, a specially designed collapsable, portable keyboard that works with Bluetooth-equipped PDAs, Pocket PCs, Symbian OS-based smart phones, Macs and PCs. The US$150 keyboard is expected to ship mid-June and will be available in English, simplified Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish language versions.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:04 PM
Aspyr Media Inc. on Monday announced that its Macintosh conversion of the first person shooter action game James Bond 007: NightFire has gone gold master. The company expects the game to hit store shelves by June 25. NightFire puts players in the role of famed movie secret agent James Bond as portrayed by Pierce Brosnan. This time, Bond faces off against evil criminal mastermind Rafael Drake and his plans for global domination. The game takes players to more than 15 locations in 9 single player missions as they equip themselves with special gadgets and weapons, even vehicles. There's a Mac-to-Mac multiplayer component, too.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:03 PM
Apple on Monday issued a security update for Mac OS X addressing a number of issues found in the operating system. Security Update 2004-06-07 fixes all of the potential risks reported by security firms over the past few weeks, according to Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 11:03 PM
Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Tuesday aimed to further solidify his company's hold on the digital music market with the release of AirPort Express at the "D: All Things Digital" conference in San Diego. AirPort Express will act as a portable 802.11g base station for traveling, but it will also connect consumers' home stereos with their iTunes Music Library.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 10:58 PM
The iMac G4 product line, which was last refreshed over 6 months ago, is quickly nearing the end of its life cycle. Some Apple resellers have recently sold through their allotment of 20-inch and 17-inch iMac G4s and were told by Apple not to expect a restock, while other merchants have been put on a 3 week waiting list for new orders of 15-inch and 17-inch iMacs. iMac G4 inventory is nearly depleted, and it appears that manufacturing of the entire line has halted...
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 9:07 AM
A London hospital is testing the use of barcodes on patients to try to reduce medication errors....sound to me like Big Brother is the head nurse!
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 9:05 AM
Steve Jobs ranked at the top of California's highest-paid chief executive.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 9:04 AM
CNET News.com reports that Apple recently included photos of a yet-to-be released Power Mac G5 in a service manual, suggesting the the company will soon introduce updated models
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 9:03 AM
Sorenson Media today announced Sorenson Squeeze 4, a new line of video compression applications for digital video professionals and enthusiasts alike.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 9:02 AM
Jacob Thomason let us know that "The time has come and we are proud to announce the Grand Opening of MacMod.com." In order to celebrate this event they are having a drawing at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 7th. The drawing will be made from their base of registered users and the winner will be awarded a silver iPod Mini.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:39 AM
A German inventor named Andreas Pavel may hit Apple with lawsuits over the iPod, according to UK-based publication The Independent. Pavel patented a design for a portable music system he called the "Stereobelt" in the 1970s, and while it never went into production, Sony's Walkman did -- after Pavel filed his patent. Lawsuits ensued, and Sony recently offered Pavel a multimillion dollar payout to settle his long-standing disputes. Pavel is purportedly considering using his payout from Sony to fund litigation against Apple for the iPod in Italy and Canada, where his patents may still be valid.
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:38 AM
Freeverse releases Squabble word game
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:37 AM
UK-based Mac game publisher Feral Interactive on Friday announced that its conversion of Republic: The Revolution has gone gold master, the final step before a game goes into duplication. The company said that the strategy game should be on store shelves with "a matter of weeks."
posted by Digital Dispatch Editor at 7:36 AM
