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Notable New Product News - Friday, December 3, 2004
•Software News •Comments •Tell-a-Friend
Shattering The World of Plastic Boxes: the PaperHub Is Announced
The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac was Made: O'Reilly Releases "Revolution in the Valley"
Hendrickson Software Components Announces SpamX Available Now For Windows, Macintosh and Linux
VueScan 8.1.11 Scanner Software For Flatbed & Film Scanners
SketchUp 4.0.173 3D design/CAD tool
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition[/url]
Shattering The World of Plastic Boxes: the PaperHub Is Announced
Tasteless, uninteresting peripherals are the catalyst for today's introduction of PaperHub, the most stylish USB & FireWire combo hub ever. With PaperHub, Pressure Drop is launching the Art-Techo movement, a crusade to remove the drab accessories from the computer market and replace them with stylish, visionary peripherals that fuse technology with art.
PaperHub, Pressure Drop's first product, combines a USB 2.0 hub and a FireWire 400 hub within an elegant aluminum paper tray. It features the latest technology resulting in high speed data transfer, and also provides the most ports available of any hub on the market today.
Although a combo hub is not unusual, encompassing the hub within the classiest paper tray ever made is a drastic change in concept for computer peripherals, which are normally constructed of cheap, utilitarian plastic. While most hubs clutter and take up unnecessary desk space, PaperHub fulfills its technological responsibilities accurately and quickly while handsomely organizing a person's desk at the same time. Constructed entirely of aluminum, brushed for beauty, and anodized for protection, PaperHub is pure quality and workmanship at its best.
"We know that people crave style and art in their lives, so why does the computer industry continue to offer ugly, plastic boxes as the only solution?" said David Gawlowski, CEO of Pressure Drop. "Look around your desk or office and see how technology has affected the room's personality. When people buy decorations for their offices, they seek artistic products they are proud to display. We believe that computer peripherals should have the same attributes. That's why we're excited about PaperHub. Finally, an artistic, well-built hub that not only doesn't need to be hidden, but begs to be displayed."
Connect your USB 2.0 devices to your computer at up to 480 Mbps, or your legacy USB 1.1 devices at up to a full 12 Mbps per channel. Whereas most USB hubs restrict all USB 1.1 devices to share one 12 Mbps channel, the PaperHub is built around the new Cypress TetraHub controller chip which uses unique Turbo Transaction Translator Technology to dedicate a fast, 12 Mbps channel to each USB 1.1 device.
Powered by the PaperHub's single, shared power supply, a full 500ma of current is available per port, with over-current detection to protect what you plug in.
LED indicator for uplink status
One upstream Type B port to connect the PaperHub to the computer or another hub
Four Type A downstream ports to connect your USB peripherals, devices, or other hubs. Cascade multiple hubs in series to connect up to 127 devices.
Compliant with USB Specifications 1.1 and 2.0, OHCI, EHCI, FCC Part 15
Connect your FireWire 400 devices to your computer at an auto-switching 100, 200, or 400 Mbps. With plenty of bandwidth and optimized for large multimedia files, FireWire is the choice for the demanding audio and video devices of today. Using the industry-standard Texas Instruments hub controller chip, the PaperHub intelligently manages all your data to stream or capture video or access huge files.
Power your devices through bus-powered mode or the PaperHub's single, shared power supply, all with over-current protection.
LED indicator for uplink status
One dedicated upstream port to connect the PaperHub to the computer or another hub.
Four downstream ports to connect your external storage devices, cameras, camcorders, music players, or other peripherals. By connecting multiple hubs together, you can connect up to 63 devices.
Compliant with IEEE 1394-1395 &1394a
Operating System Support
• USB 1.1 Speed: MacOS 8.6, 9.x, 10.x / Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP
• USB 2.0 High Speed: Mac OS 10.x / Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP
  Please note that 10.1 requires a USB 2.0 host controller with drivers that support the USB 2.0 specifications
• FireWire: MacOS 9.x, 10.x / Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP>
Hardware Requirements
• Any desktop or notebook computer with an available USB 1.1(at 12Mbps max.) or 2.0 port and FireWire 400 port
• Mac OS: Recommended G3 266 MHz processor and 32 MB RAM or better
• Windows OS: Recommend 266 MHz Pentium II with 32 MB RAM or better
• Linux OS: TBD
Overview
(4) FireWire 400 downstream ports
(4) USB 2.0/1.1 downstream ports
The most ports of any hub today
(2) hubs use just (1) power supply
U.S. Letter-sized paper trays top and bottom
Environmentally friendly aluminum, anodized for protection
Polyurethane feet protect fine furniture
One year warranty
Shipping December 10th
$150
Additional details about PaperHub and information on pre-ordering is available at:
http://www.pdrop.com
or
http://www.pdrop.com/products/index.html
The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac was Made: O'Reilly Releases "Revolution in the Valley"
Mac users tend to be passionate about their machines. And why not? From the start, it's been special. It was the first computer to smile at you when you'd boot it up. More significantly, its innovative user interface has influenced the direction of software development on all platforms since it first appeared. Granted, it's had some highs and lows over the years, but as a computer, it's undeniably great. Insanely great. And equally great is the story of how the Mac came into being. Told by Andy Hertzfeld, co-creator of the Mac, "Revolution in the Valley" (O'Reilly, US $24.95, hardcover) takes readers into the hallways and backrooms of Apple, to where the groundbreaking Macintosh computer was born.
"There are occasionally short windows in time when incredibly important things get invented that shape the lives of humans for hundreds of years," writes Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, in his foreword to the book. "The development of the Macintosh computer was one of these events. Every computer today is basically a Macintosh, a very different type of computer from those that preceded it. Who developed this revolutionary computer? What motivated them?"
"Revolution in the Valley" answers these questions as it traces the development of the Macintosh, from its inception as an underground skunkworks project in 1979 to its triumphant introduction in 1984 and beyond. The stories in the book come on good authority: Hertzfeld, a core member of the team that built the Macintosh system software and a key creator of is radical user interface, was one of the chosen few who worked on the project with Steve Jobs. You might call him the ultimate insider.
When "Revolution in the Valley" begins, Hertzfeld is working on Apple's first attempt at a low-cost, consumer-oriented computer: the Apple II. He notices that Steve Jobs is luring some of the company's most brilliant innovators to work on a tiny research effort--the Macintosh. Hertzfeld manages to make his way onto the Macintosh research team, and the rest is history.
"Most users today have never experienced what computing was like before the GUI," says Hertzfeld. "The Macintosh became very successful, although not quite the way we imagined. Today, the GUI we pioneered is ubiquitous, used by hundreds of millions of people every day, though most experience it through non-Apple platforms."
Through period photos (many published for the first time here), original sketches, and Hertzfeld's vivid firsthand accounts, "Revolution in the Valley" reveals what it was like to be there at the birth of the personal computer revolution. The story comes to life through the book's portrait of the talented and often eccentric characters who made up the Macintosh team.
"It's chilling to recall how this cast of young and inexperienced people who cared more than anything about doing great things created what is perhaps the key technology of our lives," Wozniak adds in his foreword. "Their own words and images take me back to those rare days when the rules of innovation were guided by internal rewards, and not by money." Now, more than twenty years later, millions of people benefit from the technological achievements of this brilliant and determined group of people.
Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including author bio, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/revolution/index.html
Revolution in the Valley
Andy Hertzfeld
ISBN: 0-596-00719-1,
291 pages, hardcover,
$24.95 US, $36.95 CA
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
http://www.oreilly.com
Hendrickson Software Components Announces SpamX Available Now For Windows, Macintosh and Linux
Hendrickson Software Components (hsc) has announced that SpamX, the company's popular software for spam source tracing and reporting, is available cross-platform for Windows, and now Macintosh and Linux.
"SpamX is the ideal solution for spam-weary customers. Because it automatically traces the source of spam and then reports spam offenders to their ISPs, we help to eliminate the problem at the source," stated Jeff Hendrickson, creator of SpamX. "In addition, we offer SpamX for Windows, Macintosh and Linux, so everyone can get relief from spam, regardless of the computer operating system they use."
SpamX enables everyone from end users to IT professionals working in complex networked environments to effectively reduce spam in their e-mail Inbox and on their network. SpamX works by automatically tracing the source of spam and reporting offenders to their respective Internet Service Providers. SpamX users typically see their spam levels drop to near zero within four weeks.
"My inbox was overrun with spam. At one point I think I received about 250 spam e-mails in a 12-hour period," offers Thomas Wright, a broker with Believer's Realty in Phoenix. "Since I installed and started using SpamX, I'm seeing real results. Last night at approximately 9:30 p.m., I had received less than ten spam e-mails and as of 7:15 this morning I have received ZERO... nada... none!"
Previously available only for Windows, SpamX is now also available for both Macintosh and Linux. This makes SpamX ideal for people who use one environment at work and another at home, for those who work in mixed computing environments, or for those who like to use software that is available for multiple platforms should their needs and interests change in the future.
Pricing and Availability
SpamX is available in both client and server editions. The client edition is priced at $19.95 US. The server edition is priced at $399.95 US. The product can be purchased directly from hsc at:
http://www.hendricom.com
VueScan 8.1.11 Scanner Software For Flatbed & Film Scanners
Photographers, home users, scanning services and corporations around the world use VueScan for a wide range of scanning needs. VueScan gives you improved color accuracy and color balance, increases your productivity and saves you money: VueScan can make your existing scanner work as well as a brand new scanner.
VueScan supports more than 350 scanners and takes about 5 minutes to download and install. VueScan 8.1.11 was released on December 2, 2004.
VueScan changes nothing on your system, installs nothing in your operating system and all other scanner software will continue to function.
If you've previously installed VueScan, you don't need to uninstall the old version before installing this new version - the old version will be overwritten.
New in this version:
• Added support for Epson F-3200
• Faster scanning on many Epson scanners
• Improved infrared cleaning on Epson 4870
• Fixed problem with reflective scans on Epson 4870
• Fixed problem with Microtek i900
• Fixed problem with Microtek X6USB
• Fixed problem with too-slow scans after turning off guided mode
System requirements:
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher
VueScan sells for $59.95
For more information, visit:
http://www.hamrick.com/vsm.html
SketchUp 4.0.173 3D design/CAD tool
Award winning SketchUp presents a completely new way to design in 3D on the computer. Developed for the conceptual stages of design, this powerful, easy-to-learn software allows for quick and easy 3D form creation, modification and communication. Sophisticated enough for complex projects yet accessible for beginners, SketchUp allows everyone from architects to hobbyists to design in 3D. And it plays well with others! SketchUp exchanges data with all standard CAD, 3D modeling, image editing, and illustration applications.
Anyone who loves sketching by hand but finds using CAD cumbersome or frustrating will appreciate SketchUp's unique approach: Instead of requiring users to learn a vast, complicated set of commands SketchUp combines a compact yet robust tool-set with an intelligent guidance system that streamlines the 3D drawing process. The result is an interface that supports a dynamic, creative exploration of 3D form, material and light without requiring large investments in training and support.
System requirements:
• Mac OS X 10.3 or higher
SketchUp sells for $495.00
Download a FREE, fully functional copy of SketchUpÂ? 4.0. Design with it for 8 hours (design time, not clock time)
For more information, visit:
http://www.sketchup.com/
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition
Recosoft Corporation the developer of cross platform Macintosh and Windows file format conversion solutions and PDF document conversion tools has started shipping PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition.
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition represents a major upgrade to PDF2Office v1.1 the PDF document conversion tool for the Macintosh platform.
In addition to the more than 150 features and enhancements made, PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition provides seamless integration with Microsoft Word X/2004 - allowing PDF documents to be opened directly within Microsoft Word X/2004.
PDF2Office v2.0 recreates the original construction and layout of the document - forming paragraphs; applying styles; regrouping independent graphic elements; extracting images; creating tables; and processing headers/footers, endnotes/footnotes and columns/sections, all automatically - without any manual intervention
PDF2Office v2.0 enables you to recover the data stored in PDF documents - making them available for use by anyone. Since PDF2Office is a standalone product, it is not necessary to acquire and install additional PDF editing software and tools resulting in huge cost savings in both time and expense.
Key New Features
• Open PDF documents directly in Microsoft Word
You can now open PDF documents directly in Microsoft Word using the Open command.
• Acrobat 6-generated PDF document support
Added support for Acrobat 6-specific PDF documents and data (PDF v1.5 specification).
• Layout Reconstruction
Dramatically enhanced conversion and layout reconstruction of complexly formatted PDF documents to various word processing formats.
• Conversion of Graphics to Native type
Graphics are now converted to the native type(s) of each word processor format (Microsoft Word, RTF, AppleWorks, etc.), allowing all graphics to be fully editable using the native drawing tools of each particular word processor.
• Retain layout/Process form mode
The Retain layout/Process form mode reconstructs a PDF document page by page, maintaining an almost exact replica of the original layout. This feature is useful when trying to edit PDF documents that are forms-oriented or when you want to retain a high quality layout of the original PDF document.
• Image resolution and Compression support
You can now specify the resolution and compression settings when converting each page as an image or when extracting images from PDF documents.
• File Size Reduction
When files are converted to either Microsoft Word or RTF formats, a 20 to 70% reduction in file size is achieved for documents containing many images.
Customers who have purchased PDF2Office v1.1 on/after October 21, 2004 are entitled to a free upgrade to PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition.
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition is available immediately in the following configurations -
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition US$129.00
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition Upgrade License US$59.00
PDF2Office v2.0 Professional Edition Education License US$89.00
For more information, visit:
http://www.recosoft.com/
Charles W. Moore
•Software News •Comments •Tell-a-Friend
Article URL:
http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/2826
Next Article: iTunes Music Store in Canada, Important Bugfix, Speaking Naturally, IBM Launches Power Chip Alliance
Previous Article: Shareware Beat - Friday, December 3, 2004
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Print this page is sponsored by www.MyMacStore.com For all your iPod, iPhone and Mac Gear |
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