Would You Buy a Gold iPhone for $6,000?

Readers are always asking, justifiably so, who in their right minds would buy a gold or diamond-
studded gadget. (The operative phrase here is "right minds," of course.) But mine is not to question why.

What I do know, if this eBay auction is any indication, is that some people are willing to pay thousands of dollars for a 24k gold iPhone--presuming that the bids are authentic. The auction, tracked by Gizmodo, drew 69 bids and ended with a sale price of $6,000 last night.
The phone itself is unlocked and of the 16GB variety, apparently from an outfit appropriately dubbed iCandyPhones. The winner's handle wasn't disclosed, perhaps for fear of ridicule by his or her friends.

AT&T Reverses One-iPhone Policy

Just five days after instituting a policy of one iPhone sale per customer, AT&T said Thursday that it has ended the policy both on its Web site and in its retail stores. Customers will now be able to buy three iPhones per person, a limit that the carrier enacted when the device first went on sale almost a year ago.

The nation's largest carrier and exclusive provider of the iPhone imposed the new policy only Wednesday, limiting iPhones to not only one per customer, but also one per household. At the time, AT&T gave no reason for the limit, nor did it make an official announcement. An AT&T spokesperson declined to comment and even a customer service rep we spoke to over the phone was unaware of the one-iPhone limit.

According to Information Week, the carrier lifted the new limit after realizing it has "sufficient inventory" to revert to its original policy. What's more, though AT&T started selling refurbished iPhones earlier this week at a $150 discount, the refurbished models are no longer listed on AT&T's site.

It's a bizarre turn in the wait for the 3G iPhone, which is expected to launch during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference that starts June 9. Apple has not set an official release date for the device, but recent iPhone inventory shortages in the United Kingdom and the United States have fueled speculation that a launch is imminent. Also, Apple is no longer selling the current iPhone on its online store.

1,000th Post for Hack that iPhone and iTouch Blog

I am proud to say that i have made it to 1,000 posts. Thats a lot of content! So this post is very special. Apple launches new iPod and iTunes ads and I launch the next 1,000 posts! A few numbers to let you know where i stand:

• 3,500 daily unique visitors.
• 6,583 daily pageviews.
• #3 in Google pagerank.
• #1 in search engine rankings like Google, Yahoo and AOL for keywords like: iTouch jailbreak, iTouch Hack, Itouch unlock, iPhone firmware unlock and many more.
• As of today the vaue of my blog is: $15,680.4
• 1st post on 11/14/2007 and 1000th post on 5/21/2008

This blog takes up too much of my time. With work, school and life( yes, I have a life) my day is very busy. I get lazy and don't want to write posts but then I look back at the last 6 months and to think that this blog was just a blank page and now its one of the best blogs online with the most unique content and tutorials. Just reminds me that I can make thing happen, boi!

Apple Posts New iPod + iTunes Ad

Apple has begun airing a new iPod + iTunes TV Ad featuring the band Coldplay.

The new spot has rock band Coldplay playing the song “Viva La Vida” from their upcoming album. Apple has slightly increased the brightness of their usual silhouettes so you can see dimly lit band members in front of a dark background with brightly colored effects.

Watch the Ad

Apple to Use LED Backlight Units in all MacBooks

According to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN), Apple plans to use LED backlight units (BLUs) in all of its MacBooks in 2009, which will benefit Taiwan-based BLU maker Kenmos Technology.

Kenmos was Apple's main suppler for LED BLUs in 2007, according to the paper. Market observers estimate that Kenmos Technology's shipments could reach 1.5 million units this year, up five times compared to 2007, for a global market share of 9%, stated the paper. LED BLUs have already contributed more than NT$2 billion (US$66 million) to Kenmos' revenues this year, noted the EDN.

(Relayed from Digitimes translation)

Read More.

Apple Keynote Blooper Video

Originally posted a year ago, this video blooper reel features marketing VP Phil Schiller (desperately waiting for a game to load), Sony president Kunitake Ando (searching in vain for a word in English), and Steve Jobs (trying keep his legendary temper under control) as Macs crash, demos fail and cameras don't perform

Apple Posts Logic Pro 8.0.2 Update

Apple has posted the Logic Pro 8.0.2 update which addresses compatibility issues in Logic Pro 8.0

Logic Pro 8 is the center of Logic Studio, featuring a redesigned interface that makes it easier than ever to write, record, edit, and mix your music.



New in Logic Pro 8.0.2
- This Logic Pro 8.0.2 update addresses specific customer and compatibility issues of Logic Pro 8.0. It includes Wavebuner 1.5.2 and Impulse Response Utility 1.0.2, which address issues for Waveburner 1.5 and Impulse Response Utility 1.0 respectively .
- If you are using Logic Node you will need to update your Logic Node application on connected computers as well. After running the updater you will find an updated Logic Node installer called Logic Node 8.0.2.dmg in your Utilities folder.
- This update is recommended for all Logic Pro 8.0 users.

MacFamilyTree 5.2 Public Beta Debuts With 3D

MacFamilyTree 5.2 Beta 1 is available for download. This latest prerelease of the next huge update for MacFamilyTree 5 introduces the brand-new »Virtual Tree« to display your entire family tree in all its complexity. With our Virtual Tree, you can freely navigate your complete database in 3D. It's the perfect tool to analyze families, generations and different branches within your kinship – alternate coloring schemes help you intuitively distinguish age, date of birth or sex.
Additionally, MacFamilyTree 5.2 Beta 1 has been vastly enhanced when it comes to navigating and editing families – directly from within a person's Edit Mode. We have also significantly improved the speed of GEDCOM import. Furthermore, minor enhancements include an additional »Age« column for the Person Event pane, also, Genograms now order Children and Events chronologically.

Subsequent updates within the 5.2 Public Beta cylce will be published frequently, the final version 5.2 should be available by late June/early July.

This update is free for all owners of MacFamilyTree 5. Upgrades from all previous versions (version 1, 2, 3 and 4) of MacFamilyTree are available for $25 USD. For customers who purchased MacFamilyTree 4 on, or after August 14th, 2007 the upgrade to MacFamilyTree 5 is free. MacFamilyTree 5 can be purchased for $49 USD as a full product.

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Ambrosia Releases Aki Mahjong Solitaire 1.2.0

Ambrosia Software, Inc. announced today the release of Aki Mahjong Solitaire 1.2.0. This release brings support for both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs, and also provides enhancements to the beautiful Mahjong Solitaire game.

This updated version, free to registered users of Aki, may be downloaded here:
http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/Aki/

Aki 1.2.0 features the following improvements and changes:
-- Aki is now a Universal Binary that runs natively on PowerPC and Intel Macs
-- Incorporates new Ambrosia registration system
-- Various improvements and bug fixes

Aki Mahjong Solitaire is a journey through the uniquely fascinating scenery and culture of Japan, and a journey of meditative bliss, learning how to let the Mahjong tiles match themselves. In Aki, you may find your moment of Zen.
The principle is simple: you have a number of ivory tiles arranged on a beautiful Japanese backdrop. Your goal is to make all of the tiles disappear by matching them to similar tiles. The catch is that tiles can be removed only if they are unblocked on either side by other tiles, and you have the uncompromising ticking away of the time limit to contend with.

At each step in your path, you will encounter new challenges in the variety of tile layouts presented to you, and a variety of skill levels that ensure you'll always find the experience engaging. As you progress, you will also be rewarded with fragments of Japanese culture and history, making your journey enlightening as well as enjoyable.

Aki costs $20, requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, and is a Universal Binary application.

SmileOnMyMac Releases TextExpander 2.2

SmileOnMyMac has released TextExpander 2.2, an update to its customizable typing shortcut tool for Mac OS X. With TextExpander, users can define abbreviations for
frequently-used text strings and images, also known as snippets. When an abbreviation is typed, it expands automatically to the full snippet.

This update adds a predefined snippet group with common CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) code. It limits "Adapt to Case" to lowercase snippets and to abbreviations with two or more characters. A conflict with MacSpeech Dictate has also been resolved.

A 30-day fully-functioning demo of TextExpander can be downloaded at http://www.smileonmymac.com/textexpander/download.html. The price is $29.95. A Family Pack license is available for $44.95, which covers up to five computers in one household. Mac OS X 10.4 or higher is required. TextExpander 2.2 is a free update for registered users of TextExpander 1.x and 2.x.

What's new in TextExpander 2.2:
- Adds predefined group for CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- Limits "Adapt to Case" to lowercase snippets
- Limits "Adapt to Case" to abbreviations with two or more characters
- Disables expansion when shift-space is typed
- Works properly with MacSpeech Dictate

TextExpander features:
- Insert standard greetings, text, and signatures including formatted text and pictures
- Save keystrokes by typing short abbreviations to get long snippets
- Organize snippets into groups
- Add snippet groups from external files and online sources
- Sync snippets via .Mac
- Insert the current date and time in any format you prefer
- Correct typos automatically
- Print snippets by group
- Type special characters without launching the special characters palette
- Position the cursor wherever you want in your expanded snippet
- For programmers, make editor-independent code templates and invoke AppleScripts
- Import from Textpander, TypeIt4Me (v2 & 3) and Typinator (v1)
- Available in English, German, French, Japanese and Italian

Read More

Jumsoft Announces 3 Page Templates for iWork

Jumsoft has announced the release of three high-quality Page Template Packages for iWork. Each of the Page Template Packages has a separate design and style, what allows you to choose it considering what type of business world you belong to. That's why this offering has a wide choice of serious and formal, a little bit extravagant, playful and relaxing or somewhere in the middle templates for your documents. Page Templates Packages is compatible with Page 2.0 and all later versions of it.

Frequency Modulation
The soft brown background of the frequency modulation template has some fashionable and youthful details, including two crooked labels on the top of the page. These details can help you to express your ideas in more informal way. Tastefully selected details will provide cohesiveness to your brochures, envelopes, letterheads, business cards, memos, and invoices. Further, they will make your recipients smile. The frequency modulation template is especially helpful for those who possess a creative outlook on life. However, it is also beneficial for anyone wanting to make their documents appear more modern. With the frequency modulation template, you can create a friendly atmosphere and brighten others' days.

Modern Furniture
This warm and creative general purpose modern furniture template will brighten your messages and create a stylish appearance throughout your documents. This general purpose template provides you with options to change the detailed pictures. Further, the font is acceptable for use in formal documents.

This template contains numerous furniture notes. Therefore, it is specifically recommended for those who are in a business environment related to this area. However, it is also helpful for anyone wanting to make their documents more engaging. The modern furniture template for Pages is easy to use. In addition, it provides you with the necessary tools to create your image and to convey your messages in a stylish manner.

Daintily Alive
When looking at the 3-dimensional pictures in the daintily alive template you will quickly notice that the documents come to life. Do not be afraid of using red, orange, and black colors against a white background. This contrast of colors is designed to draw your readers' attention and to create a friendly atmosphere in your documents. Because this color scheme is always fashionable, you should not be afraid your documents to appear too intense. That is, you should strive to be noticed without excessive intensity. The daintily alive template is especially helpful for anyone who wants to stand out in a crowd while maintaining a serious business image among their partners or rival firms. The wide choice of documents layouts will allow you to vary your designs and avoid repetition. For example, your brochures still keep the same style and detail. The daintily alive template will cause your readers to welcome you documents.


Installation of pages templates is easy to do. You may double-click on any template and Pages will automatically open the document. You may save the document as a new template or standard Pages document. You may also install pages templates so they appear in pages templates menu by copying them to Home > Library > Application Support > iWork > Pages > Templates folder.

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Apple Posts Longer Sad Song Ad

Apple has posted a longer version of the recent Get A Mac ad and entitled it, Sad Song Long.

The ad features PC singing the "Vista Blues"

So many users, Are leaving me,
And ain't, Coming back,
Vista's got issues, It's so glitchy,
They're leaving me for Mac

Watch the rest of the ad here.

Refurbished iPhone Reveals Customer Data

Here's an interesting excerpt, from Jonathan Zdziarski's site (a.k.a. "NerveGas"), about getting your personal data hacked when you sell your iPhone...

"As part of my work on a forensics toolkit for the iPhone, I decided to test whether user data could survive a full restore in iTunes. There have been rumors floating around that the entire NAND is flashed to 0xFF when the device is restored, but this is untrue - this only occurs in a different part of the iPhone (the NOR), but not the NAND. To confirm this theory, I first deleted any backups of my device and then forced the iPhone into recovery mode. From there, I performed a full firmware restore of my iPhone, ensuring that no backups or syncing were performed. I then performed a basic recovery of the raw disk using the forensic toolkit I put together, and analyzed it. What I discovered was that deleted mail, contacts, and pretty much all of my other personal information was still residing in unallocated space on the device. My personal information was safe and sound, and available to anyone with the right skills to recover it."

Might want to think twice before selling your iPhone on Craigslist or eBay. Read more at the author's site.

Vista On The iPhone

Spec-Works has created a complete Vista skin for the iPhone including boot and recovery images.

The skin is a SummerBoard theme and includes a very complete set of customization elements, including:

Over 90 Icons, More Better And Sharper Dock Icons, Wifi Icon, Boot And Restore Images, More Dock Icons (Text,Installer,..Ect..), Categories Icons, Badges, Sliders, Edge Icon, Vista Login/LogOff (Unlock/Lock) Sound Scheme, Dock Status Bar, Revamped TaskBar, LockScreen Wallpaper, Highlight Mask, Bottom Bar

Currently this theme must be installed manually; however, an Installer source is being worked on.

Read More

WinPwn 1.0 RC1 Released

The first official WinPwn release is now available. You can use this tool to unlock your iPhone, jailbreak, and install payloads.

This version is much more stable then the beta releases and includes many changes...

New Features Include:
- Completely rewritten installer app that adds support for nearly every package (Including Cydia)
- You are now able to remove items from installer
- Change logos without restoring. This was requested by a LOT of people
- Various Bug fixes & features

Read More

Flickery: Flickr on Your Mac

Flickery is a new Flickr client for Mac OS X Leopard users by Eternal Storms software. It allows users to browse, view, upload, manage, and comment on photos.

A public beta is available today and will run until June 30, 2008.



Browse Flickr.com
With an easy and fun to use interface, flickery lets you browse all of flickr.com's photos.

Use Flickr.com
Do all the things you'd do on flickr.com. Comment, manage your favorites and sets, upload new photos, and much more.

Love for Detail
We love detail as much as everyone else, so with flickery, you can view all of flickr.com's photos in the highest resolution

Always at Home
Wherever you are, your photos are always with you. It feels like you're browsing your local photo library.

Focus on the Photos
All that matters when using flickr.com are the photos. flickery's minimalistic UI lets focus on them.

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Extend Multi-touch for Mac OS X Using MultiClutch

These are instructions on how to extend and customize multi-touch to work with your Mac OS X applications using MultiClutch.

MultiClutch allows you to assign custom keyboard shortcuts in a given app to a given gesture.

Step One
Download MultiClutch from here to your desktop.

Step Two
Double click the downloaded zip (MultiClutch_beta.zip) on your desktop to extract its contents. A file called (MultiClutch.prefPane) will be extracted. Double click this file to install the preference pane.

Select whether you would like to install the preference pane only for the current user or for all users then press the Install button.

You may be asked to enter your administrator username and password. Do this then press the OK button. Step Three
The MultiClutch preference pane will then open and here you can set your multi-touch gestures. On the left side of the window you will see a list of Applications and on the right side you will see a list of gestures for the selected application. If you select Global from the list on the left you can define gestures that apply to all applications.


Step Four
To create a new gesture for an application click the + button at the bottom left of the screen.


A window will appear with a list of your applications. Select one, for example Firefox, and click the Open button.

Notice the application will appear in the list on the left. Click to select it.
Now click the + button at the bottom right of the screen.
Notice a new default gesture appears.
Select a new gesture from the list. In this example I will create a Swipe Right gesture to move between tabs in Firefox.

Now click the Key Command field and press the key combination you would like to use with the gesture.

Step Five
You can create different multi-touch gestures for all your applications as well as globally for OS X. MultiClutch supports the basic Swipe Left, Swipe Right, Swipe Up, Swipe Down, Rotate Right, Rotate Left, Rotate Right, Zoom In, Zoom Out gestures. It also adds support for a combo Zoom In Zoom Out and Zoom Out Zoom In gesture. Any keyboard shortcut can be turned into a multi-touch gesture.

AudialHub 1.0.2 Released

AudialHub 1.0.2 has been released. AudialHub is designed to chop through the mighty jungle of sound formats, clearing a path for your music, podcasts, lectures, white noise, etc. Easy as 1-2-3, simple as Do-Re-Mi.

AudialHub can convert audio files (and even the audio inside video files!) in as little as three steps!

New in 1.0.2:
- AudialHub now uses QuickTime/CoreAudio's encoder for AAC conversions.
- Long Apple Lossless and AMR conversions now display a progress bar.
- .caf files can now be converted.
- Fixed problem where the Channels setting on the Advanced panel was ignored for some Lossless conversions.
- Custom burn speeds now work properly.
- Fixed problem where the output Hz didn't match the selected Hz for some MP3 conversions.

Read More

AppleTV Wireless Multi-touch Keyboard?

Macenstein has received a tip from faithful reader Doug with news of an upcoming Apple TV update and the first Apple TV-specific accessory, a multi-touch Apple keyboard.

The following is from the email sent in to Macenstein:

a new keyboard. bluetooth. aluminum with design and keys just like existing wireless. but to the right a touch-sensitive area. it is aluminum and backlit. a thin groove defines the edge of its area. it is programmable. it can illuminate a numerical pad. a click wheel. a standard trackpad. a keyboard. whatever. create your own.

some intrepid investigators have noticed the apple tv has a unused bluetooth capability. not for much longer. you will be able to pair this keyboard with the apple tv. why? an apple tv software update will include full .mac compatibility. check and write email, surf, organize photos, create and order a photo book or upload them to a .mac gallery, and ichat, even video ichat. plug in a USB webcam, or even a digital camcorder or just a digital still cam as long as it has video capture and USB.

apple tv gets a standard hardware upgrade. slighter better processor and video card, but storage can go up to 340GB. the bigger the drive the more stuff you can buy from itunes.


(This is a mock up image and not a real product!)

Last year a patent for a fully multi-touch keyboard was filed by Apple. This would seem like a logical progression towards that. An official keyboard for the AppleTV would definitely increase its range of possible uses and its popularity.

Read More

3G iPhone Case Unveiled?

XSKN has revealed a case for the 3G iPhone even before its announcement or release.

The case details are 2mm 2Tone injection silicone case + PET screen protector + icaps2. It comes in the following 2Tone colors: GRAPHITEonBLACK, BLACKonGRAPHITE, BLACKonWHITE, ELECTRAonBLACK, ELECTRAonWHITE, JACK OonBLACK, MARTIANonBLACK, PINKonBLACK, PINKonWHITE, REDonBLACK, WHITEonBLACK, BLACKonBLACK, and WHITEonWHITE.

3G iPhone Case


1st Gen iPhone Case


The differences are minimal but do seem to correspond to the previously leaked specs given to case manufacturers.

Read More

AU Optronics Unveils Worlds First Curved Display

AU Optronics is unveiling today the world’s first* Curved Display Technology on glass substrate. This technology will be exhibited at SID (Society for Information Display) Display Week 2008, from May 20 through 22 in Los Angeles, California. In addition, a series of mobile device technologies will be showcased for the first time at the exhibition.

Curved Display Technology
The world’s first* Curved Display is developed and produced by AUO with TFT-LCD process on glass substrate. The curved radius is 100mm, and therefore requires a special thinning technology. The specially designed curved backlight unit maintains uniformity in brightness and contrast on the curved surface. Unlike the existing e-paper on a flexible substrate, AUO’s new curved display technology can bring TFT-LCD technology into play in terms of both color performance and image quality. Therefore, it could be applied to some curved display applications in the future, such as watches and dashboards etc.



World’s Thinnest* Ultra Thin 0.63mm for Mobile Phone Applications
AUO will also demonstrate a series of mobile device technologies, in which the world’s thinnest* Ultra Thin 1.9-inch TFT-LCD is expected to grab the spotlight. This ultra thin TFT-LCD, with a thickness of merely 0.63mm, broke AUO’s own record of 0.69mm released at FPD International 2007 in Japan. This 8-inch TFT-LCD uses special glass thinning technologies, shrinking the thickness of related components, to achieve 0.63mm in thickness, 2.1 grams in weight and 400nits in brightness. The end result is a multitude of desired features – light, slim, elegant and sunlight readable, to meet current mobile lifestyles.

In-cell Multi-Touch Technology
AUO is also showcasing its in-cell multi-touch technology through 4.3-inch and the latest 8-inch TFT-LCDs at SID’s Display Week 2008. Unlike the current touch panels in the market, AUO’s in-cell multi-touch TFT-LCD integrates touch function features into the TFT manufacturing process without adding an additional glass. In addition, it has superior anti-glare properties to retain proper image color saturation and readability in direct sunlight. AUO’s in-cell multi-touch technology has been successfully applied to 4.3-inch products and will be in mass-production in Q2 2008. It is regarded as one of only a few touch-panel technologies worldwide that integrate touch features directly into the LCD cell manufacturing process.

Grease Free and Touch Mura Free Technology
Another AUO innovation is its Grease Free and Touch Mura Free technology that accomplishes better performance for the booming touch panel display market. This technology coats the AF (Anti-Fouling) layer as part of the surface treatment of the polarizer, therefore attaining a fingerprint free surface. In addition, its grease-resistance features help to easily wipe off smudges and grease from the display. By adopting AUO’s self developed AMVA-mobile technology, touch mura free function features make information easy to read without touch mura. The three features of fingerprint free, grease free and touch mura free are ideal technologies for touch panels. This technology will be demonstrated on a 2.4” AMVA-mobile panel.

“In recent years the small- and medium-sized display market has become increasingly competitive, fostering the depth and width of its technology. In addition, the 3 major trends - human interface, system integration and thin-and-light eco products, are still dominating the market,” said Dr. CT Liu, AUO Vice President & GM of Consumer Product Display Operations. “Being an industry leader, AUO will be leveraging the advantages of its TFT-LCD manufacturing process integration with the aim to produce value-added TFT-LCDs and deliver customer- and consumer-oriented products and technologies.”

SoundBlade One Twenty Two Ships

Sonic Studio, LLC, the leader in ultra–fidelity production tools for audio engineers, has begun shipping version 1.2.2 of their flagship professional product, soundBlade. Sonic Studio also announced a new, no–cost version of their Sonic EQ that accompanies this new release. Both products have entered distribution channels worldwide.

soundBlade continues to answer a busy engineer’s need for a streamlined, ultra–fidelity alternative to other production tools. soundBlade combines ease of use and exceptional value with features that simplify everyday jobs. Running natively on the secure and user friendly Mac OS X, soundBlade relies on Core Audio for default I/O so hardware lock–in is eliminated. The 1.2.2 release incorporates hundreds of optimizations and stability enhancements. A new twist for Sonic Studio is the release of Sonic EQ le, a free version of their legendary equalization, and a welcome addition to any engineer’s audio toolkit.

Combining Sonic Studio’s benchmark premastering functionality with the signal processing, restoration and comprehensive editing that discriminating mastering engineers are looking for, soundBlade carries an economical MSRP of $1495. A free update for existing owners, it is available now through Sonic Studio’s network of distributors and resellers or as a download from their web site.

Announcing NEAT Receipts for Mac

NEAT Receipts today announced an Advance Release (version 1.0) of a completely new scanner and software solution, its first product specifically designed for the Mac platform. It is also the first product developed using NEAT Receipts’ proprietary new hardware design.

The Advance Release product offers individuals and small businesses the ability to scan and manage receipts and documents using Mac OSX. NEAT Receipts for Mac was developed in the Apple programming environment so it provides an easy-to-use interface, with a look and feel that Mac users are already familiar with such as drag-and-drop functionality, image flow and other views and the ability to import e-receipts by printing to NeatReceipts PDF files.

The Advance Release does not yet include the full feature set of the most recent PC version (NEAT Receipts version 3). NEAT Receipts for Mac version 2, which will be available in early 2009, will include additional features that make the Mac version more analogous to the NEAT Receipts (Windows) feature set.

All customers who purchase the Advance Release will receive a free upgrade to version 2 once it is available.

Key Features of NEAT Receipts for Mac Advance Release Include:
- Receipt and Document Scanning – Create a digital filing cabinet for all important receipts and documents
- Multiple Libraries – Create separate libraries for multiple businesses, projects or time periods
- Document Collections – Organize paperwork by groups to keep relevant items organized together
- Smart Collections – Create a collection of receipts or documents based on specific criteria such as vendor name, category or date
- Intelligent Text Recognition – Extract key information from receipts and capture it in digital format
- Expense Reports – Export receipt collections to a PDF expense report format
- Searchable PDF Format – Documents are stored as PDF files that can easily be dragged and dropped anywhere in the file system - even directly into e-mail
- PDF Importing – Import PDF copies of receipts and documents stored on hard drive
- Search by Keyword – For easily searching and locating scanned receipts and documents

Read More

Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In for Apple Aperture

Image Trends today announced the release of the Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In for Aperture 2.1, Apple’s groundbreaking photo editing and management software.

The Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In filter set provides correction for hemispheric fisheye lens distortion, working seamlessly within Aperture's photo editing and management environment. Photographers can now easily preserve a normal view of people by not distorting their faces and bodies, as the plug-in straightens vertical lines. Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In uses almost all of the pixel data in that view with no loss of image resolution while displaying the intended composition and framing better than other un-warping programs.

“The Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In offers quick and effortless correction of fisheye lens distortion directly within user's Aperture image library,” said Dan Sullivan, president and CEO of Image Trends, Inc. “Our objective is to quickly provide our other unique workflow productivity tools in Aperture 2.1 versions. We plan to offer PearlyWhites and ShineOff Aperture Plug-Ins within the next 60 days with other products to follow.”

The Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In is also available for Photoshop on Mac and Windows based machines. The Mac user will now have a choice of purchasing the Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In for Adobe Photoshop or Aperture. Each plug-in is priced at US$29.95. New customers that want the Fisheye-Hemi technology in both Photoshop and Aperture will receive a 50% discount on the second copy applied at time of purchase. Existing users of the Mac version of Fisheye-Hemi for Photoshop will be notified by ITI of the opportunity to purchase the Aperture version at a 50% discount.

Apple to Take iTunes Store 3G?

Apple is looking into selling songs from its iTunes store directly to iPhones over the 3G broadband network, according to a New York Times report. “They want a big launch in June,” said one label executive familiar with the discussions.

Apple is apparently looking into expanding its ringtone inventory as well. Apple offers ringtones as a 99-cent upgrade to its regular 99-cent music tracks, but not all tracks can be converted into ringtones. Currently ringtones must be downloaded over Wi-Fi through the iTunes store. A direct to phone download over 3G would be much more convenient.

Also suggested is that Apple may be looking to add answer tones, also known as ringback tones. These are songs that a caller hears instead of the “ring ring” sound while waiting for someone to answer.

Music labels are negotiating to receive more money for ringtones and ringback tones. They also want to be paid more for an over-the-air download than a standard track bought over the internet, where the wholesale price is about 70 cents.

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iQype Comes to the iPhone

iQype is a completely browseable, searchable version of Qype built specifically for the iPhone.

Browse by city then category to find the top rated places in any given area, or find reviews for a specific business by doing a quick search. Plus there are addresses, phone numbers, photos, and maps to boot. Browse through 6000 towns and 500 categories or simply search to pinpoint the place you’re looking for in seconds.

The most well reviewed places are always on top so you know where the best spots are at a glance. Works seamlessly with Google maps so you’ll never get lost.

Apple has recently made iQype their Staff Pick and the iQype app is already the most popular application in the Travel category!

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Firefox 3 Release Candidate 1 Now Available

Firefox 3 Release Candidate 1 has been made available for testing purposes. Preview releases are published to collect feedback from Web developers and the testing community before advancing to the next stage in the release process.

Firefox 3 is based on the Gecko 1.9 Web rendering platform, which has been under development for the past 33 months. Building on the previous release, Gecko 1.9 has more than 14,000 updates including some major re-architecting to provide improved performance, stability, rendering correctness, and code simplification and sustainability. Firefox 3 has been built on top of this new platform resulting in a more secure, easier to use, more personal product with a lot more under the hood to offer website and Firefox add-on developers.

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Google App Engine Launcher for Mac OS X

Google has announced the release of App Engine Launcher for Mac OS X.

App Engine Launcher is a tool for creating web applications which run on Google App Engine. which allows external developers to run web applications on Google infrastructure.

The Launcher isn't intended to replace a full-blown IDE or editor. However, basic tasks are now trivial. To create "hello world", you now just type a name and click twice. And deployment of a finished application to Google is a single click away. With the Launcher, you can focus on your app instead of the tools.

The Launcher is a true native Mac application. Installing the Google App Engine SDK, embedded in the Launcher, is a drag install. App Engine projects can be added to the Launcher with drag and drop. And your deployment password is saved in a Keychain (if you want).

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