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Five Across introduces server, adds RSS to IM client
Five Across Inc. has upgraded its workgroup instant messaging client by adding RSS support and developed its first workgroup instant messaging server, the Palo Alto, California company announced Wednesday. Five Across customers will now have the option of bringing instant messaging (IM) traffic in house behind the firewall by purchasing the new Five Across Workgroup Server. The server is for companies that want to have a tighter handle on their IM communications' security and performance than is possible using Five Across' IM network. The server also has features for logging and auditing IM sessions.How-To
Cool Geek Tricks
Add to your geek wizardry with three tricks—resurrecting lost print jobs, preventing server-log wipeout, and creating an iChat autoreplier—guaranteed to impress your friends and get you out of sticky situations.News
MacWireless offers USB ‘Stick,’ broadband router
Mac networking hardware maker MacWireless on Wednesday introduced a wireless USB interface it calls the USB Stick and, in something of a departure for the company, a wired broadband router. Both are available now.News
Apple releases AirPort 4.1
Apple on Monday released AirPort 4.1, an update to the drivers for its wireless networking hardware running under Mac OS X v10.3. AirPort 4.1 is available for download from the Software Update system preference pane, and more information is available online.News
PocketMac Lite syncs Macs, Pocket PCs
Information Appliance Associates on Tuesday introduced PocketMac Lite Edition, a new version of their software to synchronize data between a Mac and a Pocket PC handheld that costs US$14.95. The software synchronizes data between the device and Mac OS X's Address Book and iCal software, offers support for Bluetooth wireless data communication, integrates with iSync, can mount Pocket PC memory and storage cards on the Mac's desktop and more. System requirements call for Mac OS X v1.03 or higher, 4MB of available disk space, and a compatible Pocket PC. Information Appliance Associates continues to develop PocketMac Pro, which offers further synchronization abilities including e-mail, Word and Excel documents, MP3s and photos.Reviews
Missing Sync for Palm OS 4.0
Missing Sync for Palm OS 4.0 offers more features, a better user interface, and faster syncing than PalmSource's offering.News
Griffin offers Xpress Digital Audio Cable
Griffin Technology Inc. on Friday introduced the Xpress Digital Audio Cable, a nine-foot long digital optical cable that sports Toslink-based connectors, and comes with two Toslink-to-mini adapters. You can use the cable to connect your AirPort Express hub or an iMac G5 to a home stereo digitally. The cable costs US$19.99 and is shipping now.News
DataPilot extends cell phone Mac connection
Susteen Inc. on Thursday announced the release of DataPilot for Mac OS X. The software enables Macs to exchange contact information with cell phones via USB. DataPilot supports 69 different cell phone models to start, but Susteen plans to expand this number with upcoming software updates. DataPilot also sports the ability to import your contacts from Apple's Address Book database. You can selectively export contacts in your cell phone contact list back to Address Book, merge both lists into a "master list," password-protect your contacts and more.Editors’ Notes
To Be or Not to Be—That’s PalmSource’s Question
Will Apple alumnus Jean-Louis Gassée’s appointment as PalmSource’s Chairman of the Board help or hinder the struggling company?News
PhoneValet adds real-time screening, more
Parliant Corp. on Tuesday announced the release of PhoneValet Message Center (PVMC) 2.1, an updated version of their software and hardware combination that turns the Mac into a telephony center. The new version of PVMC adds real-time call screening capability and information center capabilities.News
PalmOne updates the Treo smart phone
PalmOne Inc.'s long-awaited update to the Treo 600 will come with a new processor, sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product. The company is set to unveil the device, called the Treo 650, Monday at the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association's (CTIA's) Wireless IT and Entertainment conference.News
Sony Ericsson to offer EDGE/Wi-Fi combo PC card
Cellular communications hardware maker Sony Ericsson on Monday announced a new quad-band PC card compatible with both Windows and Mac-based laptop computers that enables them to communicate with EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) cellular data networks. The new GC-89 card is planned for testing and customer trials in the fourth calendar quarter of 2004, and Sony Ericsson hopes it to be available for purchase through cell phone service providers in the new year.News
AlphaSmart Dana gains text-to-speech output
AlphaSmart Inc. on Thursday unveiled a new writing solution for its Dana and Dana Wireless portable computing devices: a new word processor called Write:OutLoud To Go from Don Johnston Inc., paired with the new AlphaSmart VoiceCard. The combination of hardware and software enables students using the Dana to convert text to speech and hear what they're writing — an effective combination for students struggling with the mechanics of writing. The VoiceCard fits into one of the two SD card slots available on the Dana and Dana Wireless.News
Xten ships eyeBeam VoIP softphone for OS X
In June, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software developer Xten promised to bring its eyeBeam software to the Mac platform and today the company delivered. EyeBeam is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) application that enables users to communicate with voice and video over IP-based networks. So-called "softphone" applications are gaining traction as an alternative to conventional land-based telephone lines, as users can send and receive calls like they can with a telephone anywhere they have Internet access, rather than requiring a dedicated chat service and often less expensively than with a landline or cell phone.News
WiFlyer: dialup, broadband Wi-Fi access on the go
Always On Wireless noted on Tuesday that its new WiFlyer, a pocket-sized Wi-Fi router, is now shipping. WiFlyer offers access for both dialup and broadband Internet connections through 802.11b connectivity with 300-foot range as well as a pair of Ethernet ports and a phone jack. It also features 128-bit WEP encryption, a NAT firewall and Wi-Fi Protected Access, in addition to storage of U.S. phone numbers for dialup service providers. Pricing is US$149.95.News
QuickerTek intros high-gain PBook Whip antennas
QuickerTek said on Wdnesday that it has improved the signal strength and range of its Whip antennas for PowerBooks with the introduction of new high-gain models. Selling for US$99.95, the updated antenna designs offer 5.5dbi gain signal strength, enabling a stronger signal as well as an increase in wireless range. It works only with the 15- and 17-inch Aluminum PowerBooks as well as the 15-inch Titanium model.Reviews
Airport Express
Apple has created a product that not only provides a highly functioning 802.11g base station in a portable shell, but also pushes into a new product category.Reviews
ChatBarrier X3 10.3
Intego’s ChatBarrier X3 10.3.1 applies what sounds like a high standard—“military-grade” 512-bit encryption—to iChat messagingNews
Linksys goes dual-band on Wi-Fi
With its eyes on the future of home entertainment and a relatively uncluttered band of radio spectrum, Cisco Systems Inc.'s Linksys division on Wednesday unveiled a line of IEEE 802.11g/a wireless LAN products.News
WiMax wings into the wild world of wireless
Tired of new wireless technologies? Then stop reading. Because here's a story about a new wireless system that could someday eclipse the Wi-Fi service you've just begun to understand. The technology, called WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), is winning over plenty of followers while quickly gaining momentum on the standards front — despite high-profile skeptics such as Texas Instruments Inc. (TI). That was the general consensus of industry experts attending a crowded workshop earlier this week at the Broadband World Forum in Venice, Italy.How-To
Mac OS X Hints
Find out how to use Exposé to work on a single window, modify tab behavior on Web forms in Mozilla and Firefox, use Terminal to test for corrupted preference files, disable certain iChat AV emoticons, and route Terminal Unix command output to TextEdit.News
Philly plans world’s largest mesh Wi-Fi net
The idea sounds good on paper: Build a mesh network of wireless Wi-Fi base stations and let users roam around an entire city instead of providing limited connectivity in a handful of hot spots. But will it work? The City of Philadelphia hopes so. "This is an interesting project because it entails building the world's largest mesh Wi-Fi network," said John Krzywicki, president of The Management Network Group Inc. (TMNG), speaking Monday in an interview at the Broadband World Forum in Venice. But the consultant warned of challenges facing the venture.News
Iomega intros wireless NAS servers
Iomega Corp. announced on Thursday the introduction of two new network-attached storage (NAS) servers under the NAS 100d model name. Shipping later this month in 160GB (US$499) and 250GB ($599) capacities, both servers feature 802.11b/g support that acts as a wireless access point and as a wireless node on a Wi-Fi network, complete with Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption for secure data transfers. In addition, they include dual USB 2.0 ports for adding external hard drives, one 10/100 Ethernet port, 64MB DDR SDRAM and Iomega Automatic Backup software. Even though the servers run on Intel Xcale processors, their setup and configurations utilities are Web-based, so any client can access them.News
AirPort card update released
Apple has released AirPort Card Update 2004-08-31, available for download from the Software Update system preferences pane. The new release improves reliability in mixed 802.11b and 802.11g environments and is recommended for all customers with AirPort-capable computers running AirPort 3.4 and later, including AirPort 4.0, according to Apple. The update upgrades the AirPort Driver and AirPort Extreme Driver to version 3.4.3.News
Intel to launch tri-mode Wi-Fi chipset
Fulfilling a long-time goal, Intel Corp. is set to introduce on Thursday its first chipset that supports all three current forms of Wi-Fi, according to sources familiar with the announcement. With a chipset that includes IEEE 802.11a, b and g technology, a notebook PC can continue to connect to corporate wireless LANs without a hardware upgrade even if the enterprise migrates to a new infrastructure.Reviews
PDA Pundit: Noteworthy Note Takers for PDAs
PhatPad and BugMe add pizzazz and photos to handheld memos.News
The Next Do-It-Yourself Mac
Maximize your hardware — from installing a SuperDrive to building a music serverNews
Duke Seeds Campus With IPods
Incoming freshmen get free MP3 players to access university info and course content.News