Jailbreak solution for iPhone 1.1.3 (Mac/Win)...

Hackers on Thursday released a simple "jailbreak" solution for iPhone 1.1.3, allowing users with already jailbroken iPhones running v1.1.1 and v1.1.2 to upgrade to the latest software/firmware update. Delivered about 9 days after the v1.1.3 update was first released to the public, the iPhone Dev Team and Iphone Elite Team have released a working "jailbreak" for iPhone 1.1.3, allowing users to install third-party applications and obtain access to the filesystem. Ironically, version 1.1.3 of the software includes the groundwork for Apple's forthcoming SDK (due by end of February), which will allow third-parties to deliver native applications for the iPhone without the "jailbreak." Update: some reports indicate that unlocked phones appear work properly after the update and true AT&T users can correct the issues with the map locator functions.

Teardown: MacBook Air internals, battery replacement...

Alongside Apple's developer note on the MacBook Air, more details of Apple's unreleased MacBook Air continue to be revealed as the first units of the new notebook begin making their way into the hands of group of select reviewers. Following notes on issues with using 3G mobile broadband devices with the single available USB port, a new report indicates that the inside of the MacBook Air may be every bit as "sexy" as the outside and that the battery may be easily replaced by some users (however, it is unclear whether this will void the warranty). Gizmodo also confirms an earlier Electronista report: Apple's external SuperDrive is not compatible with other Macs or computers (only with the higher-power USB port found the MacBook Air) and that the Remote Disc does not work for remote DVD or music playback.

Storage: new NAS appliances, RAID card...

A series of new RAID and related storage solutions debuted at last week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco. First up, the CalDigit card is 100% hardware RAID that frees up your computer's processor. The card has a dedicated Intel processor, and 256MB of built-in cache memory. Utilizing the PCI-e expansion slots in the latest MacPro or PC machines has level 5 speeds of 330MB/s externally (with the New HDElement - 4 bay external drive enclosure, with RAID 0.1.5,6 and JBOD connected through external mini-sas) and internally 4 drive speeds of 247MB/S, internal and external drives scale up to 16TB capacity. The CalDigit RAID card is priced at $550.

MBS plug-in 8.0 for REALbasic released...

Monkeybread Software has released version 8.0 of the MBS plug-in for REALbasic. The MBS plug-in comprises a collection of several plug-in parts which extend the REALbasic development environment with over 900 classes featuring over 18000 documented functions. A few of the new items in version 8.0: Updated to dynapdf 2.0.31.350; Added OptionTTLMBS, OptionTOSMBS and OptionMulticastTTLMBS properties to SocketCore class. Also added ClearOptionsMBS method; Added BarcodeScannerMBS.mode property.

Help authoring tool updated...

Electric Butterfly has announced the release of HelpLogic 1.5 for Mac OS X, a help authoring solution for cross-platform developers. The tool includes an integrated Workshop, Visual TOC Builder, HTML Editor, and Link Manager to quickly generate Web-based Help, Apple Help, Microsoft HTML Help, UniHelp, and PDF. Version 1.5 includes more than 40 new features, enhancements, and bug fixes including Universal Binary status, and improved compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

Apps: PacketStream, pearPortVPN

• PacketStream 2.3 ($25) point-and-click activation of the Mac's built-in network monitoring program, which is usually available only from the command line. By clicking a few buttons, you can monitor data as it streams over your network--especially useful for checking web traffic, network bottlenecks, or even suspicious network activity. All network data is displayed in the application itself, and you can save the data to a file for further analysis later. Version 2.3 of PacketStream has the following features numerous improvements and bug fixes for compatability with Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5). [Download - 5.1MB]


• pearPortVPN (donationware) allows you to automatically establish a specific VPN connection whenever a wireless network of choice becomes available. Furthermore, it can also automatically disconnect open connections before your Mac falls asleep and thus safe you from annoying error messages about timed out connections when your Mac wakes up again. [Download - 72KB]


• Lightsoft Weather Center Preview 2 ($35) weather station software for Mac OS X 10.4 and later and currently works with Davis and La Crosse WS2300 series weather station hardware. The application displays real-time weather data, maintains a weather database for data analysis and can create and upload web pages to the user's web server and other internet based weather services. A client is also supplied that can display weather data in real-time on any computer on the user's local network. [Download - 7.6MB]


• ToDo X 2.2 ($15) dedicated to-do list application for Mac OS X. This release improves Leopard compatibility and adds several minor user-interface refinements.  Each item can have unlimited attached notes with clickable URLs, and items can be copied, linked or moved among lists via drag-and-drop. ToDo X can import to-do items from ordinary text files, as well as from iCal and other Mac or Windows applications that generate industry-standard ".ics" data files. [Download - 578KB]


• Syncro SVN Client version 3.0 ($60) Subversion (SVN) client. Version 3.0 of Syncro SVN Client introduces visual editing of SVN conflicts, a view with all the changes between two revisions of a SVN folder, setting a reference revision number to the SVN repository browser. A revision number can be set to the SVN repository browser as the reference revision for all operations like browsing, checkout, compare, etc. [Download - 12.6MB]
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iRite brings rich text to Dreamweaver...

WebAssist today announced the release of iRite, a cross-browser text editing plugin for DreamWeaver. Normally, DreamWeaver users are required to make manual adjustments for rich text formatting; iRite allows users to focus on written content by providing a number of word processor-like functions to DreamWeaver’s interface. WebAssist is currently selling iRite for $50, a $25 discount from its usual price, while users of WebAssist Super Suite, Developer Suite or Admin Suite can upgrade for $30.

DiskWarrior 4.1 offers full Leopard compatibility...

Alsoft today unveiled DiskWarrior 4.1, an update to its disk and file repair utility, bringing Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard compatibility and support for the new operating system’s features. The new version is able to scan and repair damaged directory hard links, which are used by Time Machine backups; Alsoft claims DiskWarrior 4.1 is the only utility on the market that can repair these issues. DiskWarrior 4.1 is available from Alsoft’s website for $100.

Briefly: MacScan Family Pack, FolioLink on iPhone...

In brief: SecureMac offers the MacScan Family Pack, FolioLink gets iPhone compatibility, Total Training for Adobe CS3 has been released, and it's the last day for MacHeist ... SecureMac has announced the MacScan Family Pack, a $50 suite that can be used to upgrade a single user license of MacScan to a three seat license for the difference between the original price and the Family Pack. You can download free definition updates for MacScan either from within the program, or by downloading a software upgrade. MacScan quickly detects, isolates and removes spyware from Macintosh computers using both real-time spyware definition updating and unique detection methods. The software also manages internet-related clutter on your computer.

MacBook Air notes: SuperDrive, 3G modems...

Two new facts have surfaced regarding Apple's newly released MacBook Air and its optional SuperDrive that could influence the purchasing decisions of some consumers. The new notebook, which Apple touts as the "thinnest" notebook ever made, is incompatible with USB-based 3G modems, according to Engadget. The small high-speed wireless devices are too large to plug into the MacBook Air's collapsible USB port, preventing their usage without a USB extension cable or a powered USB hub.

First Look: Block Breaker Deluxe for iPod...

Apple's venture into gaming with the iPod has seen a number of titles from industry giants, such as Namco and Electronic Arts. Recently, however, the iPod has attracted mobile game developers like PopCap and Gameloft, the latter of which has just released Block Breaker Deluxe. The game revolves around the popular brick-breaking formula made famous by BrickOut and Arkanoid in years past, where players bounce a ball off of a movable paddle to destroy bricks on the play field.

Livid unveils Ohm hardware instrument...

Livid Instruments today introduced Ohm, its latest hardware instrument that serves as a real-time MIDI control surface designed to give digital audio and video performers an interface for performance and presentation. Ohm is a custom-built instrument for digital artists provides hands-on control, and is designed for performance with a bank of 36 buttons centrally located over a DJ style cross fader. The device includes eight faders with button triggers, 10 rotary knobs, 12 function buttons, and a BPM tap button. Ohm is priced at an introductory price of $800, and comes with a free fully functional copy of the new Livid Union 2.5 VJ software.

Apple files more touch screen patents...

Apple has filed two more patents related to its touch screen technology, which follow a patent filing discovered earlier today. The new patents, titled 'Touch pad for handheld device' and 'Techniques for interactive input to portable electronic devices' cover scrolling features found in a touch pad as well as techniques for providing user input to interactive multitasking environments.

Former engineer: Apple has cultural/operation faults...

Former Apple software engineer Jens Alfke has posted a blog entry about his departure from the company, why he did it, and Apple's perceived cultural/operation faults. Alfke initially worked on the now-defunct OpenDoc project, and later moved into social software, which he found Apple to be less-than-enthusiastic about: "I'm fascinated with social software. Apple isn’t. Despite some promising starts, the most I’ve been able to get accomplished in that vein at Apple was iChat [the IM part; I'm really not interested in videoconferencing], Safari RSS, and the "PubSub" [which turned out to be "RSS and Atom"] framework. There were some very promising prototypes of sexier things, but I really can't talk about those, other than to say that they were canceled."

AT&T reports 2m iPhone customers in 2007...

AT&T today said it ended 2007 with "just at or slightly under two million iPhone customers," according to a report from Reuters. The wireless carrier, which has an exclusive agreement with Apple to distribute as well as provide service for the iPhone in the U.S., reported "strong" fourth quarter results and reaffirmed its 2008 and multi-year outlook. AT&T saw 2.7 million new wireless subscribers, marking the best-ever quarterly increase by any U.S. wireless company to end the year with a total of 70.1 million wireless subscribers.

MS security report compares Vista, Tiger...

Microsoft employee Jeff Jones has published a Windows Vista one-year vulnerability report in his Security Blog that includes analysis of the Redmond-based company's newest operating system alongside its predecessor -- Windows XP -- and several competitors which include Apple's Mac OS X 10.4. A side-by-side patch event histogram comparison of Windows Vista vs. Mac OS X 10.4 shows that Windows Vista had fewer vulnerabilities and fewer times of concern for security teams.

Patent hints at iPod touchpad illumination...

An application submitted to the US Patent and Trademark Office suggests that future clickwheel iPods, i.e. the Classic and the Nano, may use illuminated touchpads. The technology involves lights placed beneath the surface of a pad, which illuminate in different ways as users pass fingers (or possibly styluses) over top. In the most basic incarnation, one or more sections of the pad light up as users touch it; this may indicate the possibility of multi-touch control, but the patent also suggests illuminating only a single segment in some cases.

Eight-core Mac Pro benchmark results...

Benchmarks of Apple's new Mac Pro systems -- which began shipping earlier this year -- show how the latest systems stack up against each other as well as the company's older workstations. Overall performance ratings placed the Mac Pro 3.2GHz at the top of the charts in both 64-bit and 32-bit tests. Tests show that the performance difference between Apple's 2.8GHz and 3.2GHz Mac Pros is not as great as the difference between running 32-bit code and 64-bit code, according to the Primate Labs Blog.

Hack lets iPhone users add 'speed-dial' icons...

Some iPhone owners have discovered a means of installing "speed-dial" icons on the the device's Home page, without first having to jailbreak it. The hack relies on the WebClip feature of the v1.1.3 firmware, and involves going to a URL listed as "http://x.tel.qlnk.net", with the X replaced by a particular person's phone number. People must then cancel the "Call" window that pops up, and add the URL to the Home screen as they would any other webpage.

MOTU debuts Digital Performer 6, Electric Keys...

Audio and video specialist MOTU has debuted Digital Performer 6, the next version of its audio sequencing software. The interface of the program has been completely redesigned, and includes a variety of other enhancements as well, such as XML exchange with Final Cut Pro, and generally improved support for film scoring. Users can now work with interleaved broadcast WAVE files, pre-render virtual instruments, and "bounce and burn" to audio CDs. Finally, there is better support for AU plug-ins, and operating as a front end for Pro Tools HD systems. DP6 should ship later this quarter for $795.

USA Today: MacBook Air 'sexy' but flawed...

The MacBook Air is an impressive piece of engineering, but suffers from some serious flaws that may reduce its appeal to some, writes USA Today. The newspaper firstly applauds its signature design features, namely its incredibly thin design, which is just over three-quarters of an inch thick at its largest point. Also praised is the backlighting for the keyboard and monitor, as well as the multitouch trackpad, which permits iPhone-like gestures such as pinching and swiping.

Apple lowers iPhone projections for March quarter?...

Apple has reportedly lowered its projected shipments of iPhones for the March quarter. According to a new report, the company has lowered its orders from two million units to around 1-1.2 million units for the second fiscal quarter, which ends in March. Despite announcing that it has sold over four million iPhones to date, Apple may be suffering from decreased demand in some parts of world, according to new report by the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN). Quoting sources at Apple's handset component suppliers in Taiwan, the Digitimes indicates that Apple has reduced orders for its popular mobile device due to decreased demand in Europe. The company launched the mobile device in UK, Germany, and France last Fall, but one report this week indicated that the company's sales in the UK have been below the company's expectations.

Mossberg: MacBook Air not for everyone...

Apple’s new MacBook Air has received plenty of critique, both positive and negative, since its unveiling at the keynote during Macworld Expo. The Wallstreet Journal’s own Walt Mossberg had a chance recently to review the new ultraportable, and while he agrees the laptop definitely has a place in the bags of road warriors, some users may not care for some of the features that Mossberg finds lacking.