Microsoft drops support for Mac MSN client

Microsoft Corp. on Friday said the company would be dropping support for MSN for Mac OS X. Customers of the service will start receiving notifications today, the company said in a statement provided to MacCentral.

Nintendo DS makes its Euro debut

Nintendo's dual screen handheld game console has officially gone on sale in Europe.

Jumsoft releases all-new Keynote Stills 2.0

Jumsoft has released Keynote Stills 2.0, featuring more than 100 brand-new, high-quality, high-resolution images.

Motorola postpones iTunes phone launch

Motorola canceled the unveiling of a new iTunes phone on Thursday after the company got "a last-minute message from a wireless carrier or carriers," according to the Chicago Tribune.

LEGO Star Wars game coming to the Mac

Aspyr announced today that it will publish a Mac version of LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game.

SkinIt offers Mac mini skins

SkinIt today announced removable, adhesive backed vinyl skins for Apple's Mac mini, lovely alternative for the other wise
dull grey finish.

Photoshop Guru Awards presented at Photoshop World

The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) took the opportunity this week at their conference in Las Vegas, Nevada to present 10 Photoshop Guru awards in a special ceremony. The organization also announced the formation of the Dean Collins Photoshop World Educational Scholarship.

FileMaker Server 7v3 updaters posted

FileMaker Inc. has announced the release of FileMaker Server 7 and FileMaker Server 7 Advanced v3 updaters. The updaters correct "stability issues involving complex applications with large numbers of clients," according to the company. Also fixed are automated backup issues, maximum cache size settings and external authentication. The updaters are available for download from FileMaker's Web site.

Product of the Week:Transceiver now boosts most AirPort Base Stations

QuickerTek Inc. on Thursday announced that its 27dBm Transceiver will work with all AirPort Base Stations, excluding the tiny AirPort Express. The transceiver boosts the output power of AirPort Base Stations and AirPort Extreme Base Stations to 500 milliwatts (Mw) -- the most allowable by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). AirPort Base Stations can only output 30Mw by themselves. We love Quicker Tek Products; They are the Best Airport enhancements money can buy.
We give it a 5* out of 5

Revolution, Dreamcard 2.5.1 released by Runtime

Scottish developer Runtime Revolution has released version 2.5.1 of Revolution and Dreamcard. The free updates are maintenance releases that improve the revOnline interface, upgrade both development environments' engine to version 2.5.1, repair several interface bugs and enhance overall performance. Dreamcard is a US$99 version of the Revolution software programming environment that's aimed at hobbyists, educators and students who only need Revolution's basic features.

Alias MotionBuilder Personal Learning Edition announced

Alias today launched the Alias MotionBuilder Personal Learning Edition (PLE) -- a free, non-commercial version of the award-winning Alias MotionBuilder 6 character animation software. Based on the MotionBuilder Standard feature set, the software allows graphics professionals, students and character animation enthusiasts the ability to learn one of the most advanced animation systems in the world for free.

Alias MotionBuilder Personal Learning Edition announced

Alias today launched the Alias MotionBuilder Personal Learning Edition (PLE) -- a free, non-commercial version of the award-winning Alias MotionBuilder 6 character animation software. Based on the MotionBuilder Standard feature set, the software allows graphics professionals, students and character ani

Montreal's Bmac to re open

Only a few weeks after the liquidation of the bankrupt Bmac (many stores). Quebec Micro (a local free computer magazine, runs a advertising for a brand new Bmac to open in the very fashionable district of "le Plateau" (Montreal's Soho).

Will keep you advised.....

MacCenter shuts its doors

MacCenter, Fort Lauderdale's largest Apple reseller and authorized service provicer, has decided to exit the Apple sales & service business. Too bad! We love that place....

Speed Download 3: the newest and most advanced download utility for Mac OS X

March 2, 2005 – Yazsoft announces the release of a major new product: Speed Download, version 3.0
Can' wait to try it ! If it's half as good as V 2.X it will be great!

Graphic Cling for iPod

Graphic Collective Inc. is proud to announce a new product for the iPod- Graphic Cling™. Graphic Cling™ is a personalized protective skin for all sizes of 4th generation iPods (with click wheel.

First tilt-sensitive game: Bubblegym

Bubblegym is the first tilt-sensitive game to take advantage of the Sudden Motion Sensor in 2005 PowerBooks. The game lets you control objects on the screen by simply tilting your PowerBook. Fun n sight. Guess will see a whole lot more Powerbook in the repairshop sufferingfrom the "Shaken Powerbook Syndrome".......

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac updated to 11.1.1

Microsoft Corp.'s Mac Business Unit (Mac BU) on Monday announced the release of Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Update 11.1.1. The update includes improvements to Excel add-in calculation, improves stability for PowerPoint and Word, adds support for new device drivers and improves the appearance of imported graphics.

Antivirus companies report first mobile messaging worm

The first mobile phone virus that spreads using the popular Mobile Messaging Service (MMS) is circulating among mobile phone users with Symbian Series 60 mobile phones, antivirus companies have warned.

Sony plans expansion of Network Walkman line

Sony Corp. will expand its Network Walkman line of digital music players later this month with the introduction of three new players based on flash memory chips, the company said Tuesday. The use of flash memory is new for Sony's Network Walkman players. Its previous players have all use hard-disk drives to store music files. War I tell you!

Hasselblad, Leica to support Adobe DNG spec

Adobe Systems Inc. on Tuesday announced that Hasselblad and Leica Camera AG have committed to support Adobe's Digital Negative (DNG) specification. Hasselblad will allow export to the DNG format and Leica plans to include native support in their new camera models. The first Leica model to support DNG will be the DIGITAL-MODUL-R, a digital back for Leica's 35mm SLRs. Adobe's DNG format has been developed to help draw together a standard for the various Raw digital camera file formats. A DNG Converter utility is available for download. I have a hunch that this news will "make the day" of many high end photograpers around the world. Way 2 go Adobe ! Kudo To Hasselblad and Leica.

Sony to connect PSP to Mac

Sony Pictures' vice chairman Yair Landau told attendees of the iHollywood Digital Living Room forum that his company will release software allowing its PlayStation Portable (PSP) hand-held game console to connect to Macs and PCs, according to a recent report. What's more, the device will also be able to work with Connect, Sony's music download service, offering potential competition for Apple's iPod. Here we go ! Is this day one of a the MP3 Portable players between the two giants...

Think Secret moves for dismissal of Apple suit

The dePlume Organization LLC, publisher of Apple rumor site Think Secret, has filed a motion in California Superior Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Apple alleging the Web site disclosed confidential information. The motion effectively halts Apple's case in its tracks until mid-April, when a judge is expected to rule on the motion.

LapWorks Mac Feet elevate iBooks, PowerBooks

Laptop Desk maker LapWorks Inc. on Tuesday introduced Laptop Legs and Mac Feet -- peel and stick devices that lift the height of the rear of your notebook computer, to help improve ventilation and typing ergonomics. The devices feature two fold-down legs. One raises the laptop one inch, the other raises the laptop one and three eighths of an inch.
We will Test the product and report o the next Digital Dispatch Weekly Report.

South By Southwest music festival comes to iPod

South By Southwest (SWSX) is a major media event that occurs annually in Austin, Texas. It combines music, interactive content and films, gathering musicians, digital content creators, and filmmakers together. This year's event kicks off on March 11, 2005. If you're planning to attend the event, the SWSX 2005 Music Festival schedule is available for download to your iPod. What's more, you can also download full songs or 30-second clips made by the artists showcased at this year's event.

Logitech announces their first iPod speaker system

Logitech announced today their first speaker system designed specifically for the iPod, the portable mm22. The mm22 offers stereo sound via four (2 left, 2 right) neodymium microdrivers which the company says produce rich, smooth sound with tremendous depth for their size. Wll review and feature in a future issue of the Digital Dispatch.

Samsung develops 7-megapixel camera phone

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has developed a cell phone with a 7-megapixel camera and will show the device for the first time later this week at the Cebit show in Hanover, Germany, the company said Wednesday.

Data Safety Suite by Prosoft Engineering is a True Winner.

Data Safety Suite by Prosoft Engineering, Inc.

The Data Safety Suite consists of Data Backup, Data Rescue and Data Recycler. These three complementary products are designed to provide quick data backup, emergency recovery of lost files and protection against accidental file deletion.
Perfect products to get you out off a less than perfect situation. We tried everyone of these products as standalone and where
glad to report (see 2004-2005 past issues) that they are bound to stay, since they do as claimed; Fix your problems.
Without any hesitations we say GO FOR IT! Making Prosoft's Data Safety Suite our Application of the Week. 5* ot of 5

Eye Candy 5: Nature by Alien Skin Software

Eye Candy 5: Nature is a plug-in offering ten Photoshop filters and including over 500 presets for frequently used effects. An upgrade to Eye Candy 4000, Nature includes four new filters and reincarnates six Eye Candy classics, rendering effects such as fire, smoke, rust, snow, ice with greater realism. Wow X 500!

RadTech today announces The mini Cocoon

RadTech™, producers of solutions that work for today’s digital lifestyle, today announced immediate
availability of the Mini Cocoon – a stylish and versatile, semi-rigid
clamshell case for iPod mini. Designed for maximum protection, the Mini
Cocoon is really two cases in one. A tough, outer clamshell completely
encases the iPod mini for rugged protection. And, a silicone skin allows
access to all control elements and ports, providing added protection while
nestled in the case, or when used separately apart from the case.

The case has an integrated, high-quality belt clip and comes with a lanyard
to allow the iPod mini to be worn around the neck while in the skin, or
while encased by the clamshell. While in the case, a clear strap safely
secures the skin to the case, even when open. Plus, for added convenience
the case comes with a storage pocket for items such as ear buds and cables.

Also announced today was the RadPak – a compact, semi-rigid clamshell case
for the BT-500 mini Bluetooth Mouse. Specifically designed for the BT-500,
the RadPak makes a perfect mobile solution even better by combining rugged
protection with style and functionality.

RadPak features a cushioned interior, twin rubber-tabbed zipper pulls and
Internal battery bays to accommodate a spare set of AAA cells. RadPak also
makes a great case for cables and/or other small parts.

New decoder for Apple Lossless audio format available

One developer has reversed engineered Apple's Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), a lossless audio codec that retains the full quality of uncompressed CD audio while requiring only about half the storage space. Apple's closed ALAC file format, which previously required iTunes or the iPod or a QuickTime-compatible application for playback, allows users to listen to their ALAC-encoded files in other applications and on other operating systems. David Hammerton's basic ALAC decoder is a C implementation of a decoder based on reverse engineering of the file format. "It turns out that most of the algorithms in the codec are fairly well known. ALAC uses an adaptive FIR prediction algorithm," according to developer. Hammerton notes the release has some limitions--only providing suppor for only 16-bit mono/stereo files, but says that the decoder can easily adapted/upgraded for broader support. The ALAC Decoder can output the decoded file into either PCM or WAV files.

ELECTRIC RAIN LAUNCHES SWIFT 3D MAX AND SWIFT 3D LW 3.0

Plug-ins output 3D scenes as web-optimized Macromedia® Flash® (SWF) files and expand vector rendering options for 3D professionals




Today Electric Rain, Inc.® announced the release of Swift 3D® MAX and Swift 3D LW 3.0, the next generation plug-ins allowing Discreet® 3ds max®, Autodesk® Viz® and Newtek LightWave 3D® users to render 3D scenes to the SWF file format, as well as AI, EPS, SVG and Toon Boom’s PNT format.

“Swift 3D MAX and Swift 3D LW continue to set the bar in the 3D-to-vector arena,” commented Mike Soucie, CEO of Electric Rain. “Our latest enhancements to the RAViX™ rendering engine enable users to publish content to the web in a shorter amount of time with higher quality results, allowing professionals to easily display their 3D design to just about anyone with a browser.”

New Vector Rendering Capabilities

Increased Speed – Enjoy rendering speeds up to fifty times faster
Artistic Pen Styles – Create toon-style outlines with shape, angle and aspect controls

Per-Object Rendering – Set outline and fill settings for individual objects

Improved Transparency – Render hidden edges and lighting-defined surfaces

Realistic Shadows – Control density and color of single and overlapping shadows

Key Benefits

Full Spectrum Output – Offers widest range of vector rendering styles from cartoon to gradient shading, including outlines, reflections, transparency, shadows and speculars

Textured SWF Export –Supports textured renderings for raster-based output to Flash enabling users to convert 3D scenes into web-ready Flash files

Superior Flash Integration – Utilizes SmartLayer™ rendering technology, separating output into Flash layers for new design possibilities and higher optimization

“Some plug-ins make projects easier and some make them possible,” commented Matt Hutchinson of Macguffin and Shemp. “This is definitely one of the latter. As the demand for 3D on the web grows there will come a point when you need a fast, simple and effective solution that delivers maximum quality vector renderings with minimum file size. When that need arises, the Swift 3D plug-ins will be waiting.”

Swift 3D MAX 3.0 is available on the Windows platform and is compatible with Discreet 3ds max and Autodesk Viz versions 3.0 and above. Swift 3D LW 3.0 is available on the Windows and Macintosh OS X platforms and is compatible with LightWave 3D versions 7.0 and above.