Skype has released a minor update to Skype 2.8 for Mac OS X that include fixes for Snow Leopard. You can update Skype from within the app itself, or visit the Skype Mac website for the 44MB download.
Once in a while you might come across CD images in the format of a .bin file and .cue file. These are format popularized by CDRWin which is a Windows program. In order to use the CD image in Mac, you have to convert the bin/cue format into the disk format supported by Mac OS X using third party application.
Roxio Toast CD burning software is able to convert bin/cue format into Mac OS X disk format. But this will set you back at least $80. Or you can use the free and open source command line tool bchunk to convert the bin/cue files into iso image that can be mounted on Mac OX X.
It is recommended to obtain bchunk from MacPorts:
Download and install MacPort if you have not done so. MacPorts is a community driven effort to make it easy to obtain and update open source software on the Mac OS X.
Open the Terminal app and install bchunk port using the following command line:
sudo port install bchunk
bchunk image.bin image.cue outputimage
bchunk will create the disk image
VideoLan has released version 1.0.2 of everyone’s favorite free and open source VLC Media Player. This new release comes with 64-bit support for Snow Leopard and fixes for SSA decoding, ogg/theora, x264 module and other securities issue. This new version supports Kazakh and Croatian two new languages.
Adobe announced the release of Adobe Photoshop Element 8 for both Windows and Mac platforms for the price of US$99.99. Windows version is available immediately while the Mac version will be available in Oct 2009.
Positioned as a companion to Apple iPhoto, the new Adobe Photoshop Element 8 brings editing capabilities and simplicity to a new level leveraging on Photoshop CS4 technology. Features include:
Order Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac
Canon comes with great software for their EOS Digital SLR camera. ImageBrowser (ZoomBrowser on Windows), Digital Photo Professional (for RAW file processing) and other utilities software are indispensable if you own a Canon EOS DSLR. The problem is Canon’s distribution policy for their camera software, you need the original CDs that comes with the camera in order to be able to install them on your Mac. The updates available from Canon’s download site are just updates that expect you already have the software installed.
This create problem if you have lost your EOS software CD, or you purchase the camera from another user who has lost the EOS software CD. Turns out that there is an easy way to work around this ‘problem’:
Now you can double click the updater software file and it should install without any issues.
Light-weight blogging platform Posterous has finally catch up with its competitor Tumblr by offering custom theming. You can now ditch the yellow-and-white Posterous theme. Five built-in themes are available for you to choose from, with color pickers to change the colors of your blog, and you can upload an image to customize the header.
For the more adventurous, you can overhaul the look with custom CSS and HTML. And the theme is Tumblr compatible, you can just drop your Tumblr theme codes into the theme editor. Click here to view the Custom Themes documentation.
Pentax has announced the K-x digital SLR, a camera that attempts to redefine the entry-level DSLR category with high-end features. Housed in a compact and lightweight body similar to Pentax K2000 (K-m), Pentax K-x has a newly developed 12.4 CMOS sensor, 11-point autofocus, Live View with face detection, 720p HD video at 24 FPS, in-camera HDR processing, fast 4.7 FPS capture speed, 1/6000s maximum shutter speeds, in-camera digital filter effects, Shake Reduction (SR) mechanism, ISO 100-12800 and uses universally available AA batteries.
Pentax targets K-x DSLR at users stepping up from a point and shoot digital camera. It will be available in a choice of colors: black, white, and special edition red and navy. Pentax is offering color customization for the Japan market. You can choose from twenty different colors for the body and five for the grip.
Pentax K-x DSLR will be available in October 2009 at a price of $649.95 with the DA-L 18-55mm lens. It will also be available as twin lens kit for $749.95 which includes the DA-L 18-55mm lens and the DA-L 50-200mm lens. Or for $849.95, you get the K-x, the DA-L 18-55mm lens and the DA-L 55-300mm lens. The DA-L 55-300mm lens is new and is exclusive to the K-x twin lens kit.
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is a smash hit. According to NPD Group’s retail tracking, sales during the first two weeks of Snow Leopard were more than two times higher than Leopard and four times higher than Tiger in the same period.
“Even though some considered Snow Leopard to be less feature-focused than the releases of Leopard or Tiger, the ease of upgrading to Snow Leopard and the affordable pricing made it a win-win for Apple computer owners - thus helping to push sales to record numbers” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD.
NPD attributed much of Snow Leopard’s success to its aggressive pricing.
Google has released version 3 of Chrome web browser, one year after its high-profile entry to the browser race. Mac version of Chrome will be available within months before the end of the year. Version 3.0 of Chrome for PCs brings improvements to the browser’s interface, including faster performance and “themes” that allow users to customize how the browser looks.
Google aims to achieve 10% market share 2 years from now. Google Chrome is now number 4 after Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari. Market research firm Net Applications puts Internet Explorer at roughly 67 percent of the worldwide browser market in August, Mozilla Firefox at 23 percent and Apple Safari browser had 4 percent.
“If at the two-year birthday we’re not at least 5 percent (market share), I will be exceptionally disappointed. And if at the three year birthday we’re not at 10 percent, I will be exceptionally disappointed,” Chrome Engineering Director Linus Upson said.
Chrome’s focus on performance has won it fans among the technologically savvy, but analysts say much needs to do to broaden Chrome’s appeal.
Via Reuters
Panasonic has released firmware updates for its DMC-GH1 and DMC-G1 Micro Four-Thirds cameras. The updates:
GH1 firmware v1.2 also decreases the operation noise of Auto Focus for video recording when used with the recently launched 20mm F1.7 pancake lens.
