BBC iPlayer for Mac by the end of 2008...

The BBC will reportedly be launching its iPlayer online video web service for the Mac platform by the end of 2008. In a self-published article, the BBC acknowledged the desires of Mac users that the player is currently in progress, stating that the initial PC release was concocted simply to reach the broadest amount of users in the shortest possible time. The BBC iPlayer is currently only available in the UK, with an international version planned at some point in the future.

16GB iPhone upgrade doesn't extend contract...

Apple's newly introduced 16GB iPhone is causing some confusion with those who wish to upgrade, regarding whether or not the upgrade would require re-signing a contract with AT&T. According to Scott Kleinberg of iPhone, Therefore I Blog, purchasing a new 16GB iPhone and using it as an upgrade to an existing plan does not extend the two-year contract. Activation requires the user to acknowledge the contract, but the effective start date remains when the plan was initially introduced.

Followup: Apple NAB space "already accounted for"...

Following up on the earlier report, Kristopher Jones, spokesman for the NAB conference, said that while Avid and Apple will be missed, the spaces have already been filled. The trade show, which generates more than $50 billion in commerce for its business partners, is featuring 220 new exhibitors this year, making the final count around 1600 exhibitors, according to SetteB.IT. NAB 2008 is expected to cover over 900,000 square feet at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Las Vegas Hilton, while hosting over 111,000 attendees.

Springlets: Quick links for iPhone, Touch...

Magnetism Studios, the company behind Insanely Great Tees clothing, has unveiled Springlets, a collection of home-screen functions for the iPhone and iPod touch. The collection of six icons allows users to jump directly to a number of online search databases, rather than having to load Safari and perform a Google search. Users can jump directly to Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" search, IMDb, Chowhound, and Wikipedia. Springlets are downloadable through the iPhone and iPod touch only.

MacBook Air battery life almost truthful - report...

The MacBook Air's touted five-hour battery life is an almost acceptable measure of the ultraportable's abilities, while enthusiast site Mac on Air has performed a full take-apart of the laptop. According to tests performed by AnandTech, the MacBook Air is capable of running for four and a quarter hours with normal web browsing, while playing MP3s in the background. The test was conducted by browsing 20 web pages, spending 20 seconds per page, and looping music in the background. This test was designed to emulate standard usage, as one would experience taking notes in class or using the Air during their daily commute.

Apple files Time Machine, iChat patents...

Among the flurry of Apple patent applications that surfaced today, no less than 10 filings relate to the company's iChat and Time Machine. The Cupertino-based company's Time Machine-related patents cover methods and a computer program for providing a user interface that includes earlier versions of data, true to the software's ability to 'move through time' to prior versions of documents and files via a graphical user interface. iChat-related patents describe video communication systems and methods, as well as sharing graphical user interface output in a chat environment. Another iChat-oriented patent details sharing application output in a chat environment.

Apple sued over iTunes Allowance features...

Restricted Spending Solutions has filed a patent suit against Apple over the iTunes Allowance function on its web-based iTunes store. The feature allows members and friends to create accounts for automatically transferring chosen dollar amounts via a credit card to a recipient's iTunes Store account for use by the recipient. RSS cites its own patent, which describes a computer-based method for allocating funds in pre-established accounts for use by customers by creating a customer account file containing a record of funds deposited and limiting how the funds may be spend on audio and video entertainment.

First Look: MacBook Air Migration Assistant...

Following our MacBook Air teardown, delivery/unboxing, accessory photos, benchmarks, and first impressions, MacNN has investigated the specialized Migration Assistant that ships with the MacBook Air. To achieve ultimate mobility in its new MacBook Air, Apple was forced to re-evaluate which features are necessary in a notebook computer and which are expendable or replaceable. The result compromise is a striking, razor thin laptop with full sized keyboard but lacking an internal optical drive and many of the standard ports found on traditional laptops, such as Firewire or built-in Ethernet. These limitations make the process of migrating one’s existing user accounts on another Mac to the Air more challenging than with Apple’s other computers – a process usually accomplished via Firewire.

Apple pulls out of NAB...

Apple has pulled out of the National Association of Broadcasters Conference for 2008, citing a reduction in overall trade show participation. TV Technology reports that the move was speculated, if not fully expected, late last year when Avid (Apple's main competitor in the digital video space) withdrew from the show. "Apple is participating in fewer trade shows this year,” said Anuj Nayar, senior manager of PR at Apple. "Often there are better ways to reach our customers. The increasing popularity of our retail stores and Apple.com Web site allows us to directly reach more than 100 million customers around the world in innovative new ways."

Liquid Ledger 2.1.2 offers over a dozen fixes...

Modeless Software today unveiled Liquid Ledger Personal Finance 2.1.2, an update to its personal accounting package that brings with it over a dozen fixes and improvements. Details on the fixes were sparse, but the developer said that it has improved multiple currency support, check printing, generating reports, as well as general usability and workflow. The update is free for existing users, available through the Check for updates feature in Liquid Ledger, while new users can download a 60-day trial. The full version of Liquid Ledger is $60 for a downloadable copy, and $80 for a physical CD.

iPhone is top choice for next cell phone purchase...

Apple's iPhone is the top pick among consumers who said they plan to purchase a new cellular phone in the next six months, according to ChangeWave Research. Of 4,182 consumers surveyed, 17 percent said Apple's iPhone remains their top choice. Research in Motion's BlackBerry came in a close second with 15 percent of respondents expressing interest, while Motorola declined to 11 percent as part of a continuing slide after Apple unveiled the iPhone in June of 2007.

Live iChat, broadcast TV for Apple TV?...

Apple has filed for a patent describing expanded Apple TV/Front Row functionality, including live iChat and broadcast TV programming as part of potential future Front Row features. The filing illustrates a process for associating widgets with content displayed by a multimedia center application, with one example revealing a yet unreleased version of Front Row and/or an Apple TV remote that includes a new set of Widget Keys.

iPhone denial-of-service bug surfaces...

An exploit for Apple's iPhone has surfaced that can crash the device when unsuspecting users visit a maliciously crafted Web page. SecurityFocus notes that successful attacks cause a kernel panic, crashing the iPhone which could ultimately lead to remote code execution. The firm states that iPhone firmware version 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 are both affected, and suggest that other versions may also be vulnerable.

Freeway 5 Public Beta 2 adds 'Scale And Trim'...

Softpress has released the second iteration of the Freeway 5 Public Beta featuring 'Scale And Trim' as an option alongside numerous fixes and minor enhancements. Freeway is a development tool designed to help programmers focus on design issues, rather than coding. Freeway beta P2 is available as a 30-day working preview, while download versions of Freeway 4 Pro and Freeway 4 Express are available for $200 and $70, respectively, and each includes a free upgrade to Freeway 5.

KnowLeopard teaches OS features...

KnowMac has released KnowLeopard, a tutorial program that guides users new to Leopard or Macs in general. The software is divided into 14 chapters, covering topics such as Mail, Spaces, QuickLook and Time Machine; each contains screenshots and videos of various tasks, which zoom in for an unobstructed view when clicked. For extra help, users can turn on an audio track with explicit instructions.

Apple brings photo books, more to AU, NZ...

Apple has begun offering customers in Australia as well as New Zealand the ability to create hardcover photo books, glossy calendars, professional cards, and prints from custom photo libraries. The final products are delivered directly to each customer's door, according to Apple. Picture books are priced from A$40, while Calendars and Postcards start at A$27 and A$2, respectively. Greeting Cards are available from A$2.70, and prints start at A$0.30 each.

Photoshop World advance registration begins...

Advance registration has begun for the Photoshop World Conference, an educational event sponsored by Adobe Systems and produced by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). This year's conference features more than 100 in-depth classes taught by 40 top industry experts -- including Scott Kelby, Dave Cross, Katrin Eismann, Bert Monroy, Fay Sirkis, Joe McNally, Dan Margulis, Jeff Schewe, David Ziser, and more. Photoshop World Conference & Expo advance registration is $600 by February 29th for the general public and $700 afterward; NAPP member advance registration is $500 before February 29th and $600 afterward. Special pricing is also available for students, educators, and alumni of Photoshop World.

PDF2Office Pro 4.0 adds Leopard, Office 2008...

Recosoft has released the fourth edition of PDF2Office Professional, its flagship conversion utility. The program primarily converts PDF documents into Microsoft Office formats such as Word or PowerPoint, but also outputs to more generic formats such as RTF. As much of a document's original layout is preserved as possible, including paragraphs, styles, graphic elements and tables.

AKVIS releases SmartMask plug-in...

AKVIS has released SmartMask 1.2, a plug-in for programs including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro. The software is designed to ease the process of masking, which often requires complex object selection made difficult by surrounding objects. To remedy this SmartMask supplies red and blue pencils, with the blue being used to draw a line inside a desired object, and the red used to assign a general outline. The computer will then attempt to select the desired object.

First Look: SuperDuper!...

Sometimes backups of your crucial files is not enough. Ordinary backup programs may copy your files and Time Machine can retrieve files that you may have changed or deleted. Unfortunately, if your Macintosh hard disk completely fails, backups and Time Machine may help you recover your data, but they won’t help you get your Macintosh back up and running in a hurry. That’s where SuperDuper! comes in to save the day. Instead of just copying individual files, SuperDuper! clones your entire hard disk, preserving your complete Macintosh settings.