Mac News Review

Mac OS Taking a Back Seat to iPhone OS?, Using Chrome, Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx Released, and More

This Week's Apple and Desktop Mac News

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2010.05.10

MacBook, PowerBook, iBook, and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in The iNews Review.

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

News & Opinion

Ubuntu

Products & Services

Software

Desktop Mac Deals

News & Opinion

Operating System and Browser Shares for April

Windows slipped a bit more in April, but the Mac OS lost share too, and all the other significant players gained or held their ground, and iPad already at 0.03%. In browser space, Internet Explorer is still losing ground, falling below 60%, and Firefox is up marginally, edging closer to one-quarter of the browser market, with Chrome, again the biggest gainer in April.

Here's the Operating System Total Market Share rundown of the significant players for April 2010 (March '10 figures in parentheses) showing the change during the past month, with Windows slipping a bit more, but the Mac OS losing share too. Linux and all the other significant players gained or held their ground.

  • Windows 91.40 (91.58%)
  • Mac 5.32% (5.33%)
  • Linux 1.05% (1.03%)
  • JavaME 0.79% (0.78)
  • iPhone 0.53% (0.51%)
  • Symbian 0.23% (0.23%)
  • iPod touch 0.12% (0.11%)
  • Android 0.09% (0.07%)
  • Windows Mobile 0.09% (0.07%)
  • BlackBerry 0.05% 0.04%)
  • Playstation 0.04% (0.04%)
  • iPad 0.03%
  • FreeBSD 0.01% (0.01% )
  • SunOS 0.01% (0.01%)

In terms of specific versions OS, Windows 7's momentum continues, accelerating slightly, while Windows XP and Vista are fading, and Apple's OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is now the most prolific Mac OS version prowling, more than tripling OS X 10.4 Tiger's receding user share - a contrast with Windows, whose OS X 10.4 contemporary Windows XP is still far and away the most prolific version in the Windows space.

  • Windows:
    • Windows XP 63.41% (64.46%)
    • Windows Vista 15.60% (16.01%)
    • Windows 7 11.68% (10.23%)
    • Windows 2000 0.50% (0.56)
    • Windows NT 0.17% (0.21% )
    • Windows 98 0.07% (0.07%)
    • Windows ME 0.03% (0.07%)
  • Macintosh:
    • MacOS X 10.6 2.29% (2.13%)
    • Mac OS X 10.5 2.13% (2.26)
    • Mac OS X 10.4 0.71% (0.75%)
    • iPhone 0.53% (0.51)
    • Mac OS X (no version reported) 0.14% (0.15)
    • iPod 0.12% (0.11%)
    • Mac OS X Mach-O 0.04% (0.04%)
    • iPad 0.03%
  • Linux 1.05% (0.03%)

Browser Share

Turning to browsers, Internet Explorer is still losing ground, falling below 60%, and Firefox is up marginally, edging closer to one-quarter of the browser market. Chrome is again the biggest gainer again in April among the major browsers, with Safari gaining a hair, Opera losing a bit of ground, and Opera Mini remaining the 6th place browser and gaining slightly.

Browser Total Market Share (December '09 figures in parentheses):

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer - 59.95% (60.65%)
  • Firefox - 24.59% (24.52%)
  • Chrome - 6.73% (6.13%)
  • Safari 4.72% (4.65%)
  • Opera - 2.30% (2.37%)
  • Opera Mini - 0.79% (0.78%)
  • Netscape - 0.46% (0.47%)
  • Mozilla - 0.16% (0.16%)
  • Flock 0.06% (0.06%)

Is Apple Giving OX a Second Place Behind the iPhone OS?

Computerworld blogger Mitch Wagner says:

"Apple announced the dates of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. We're seeing rumors that the next-generation iPhone will be announced and available at the June event. But Apple seems to be giving the cold shoulder to its longtime mainstay business: The Mac....

"The focus is heavily iPhone OS centric. There are some Mac OS X developer sessions and labs, but not many. (Translation: Mac OS X 10.7 is not going to be announced this year.) The IT track appears to be gone. Looking at the session list, one could argue that this year's WWDC is an iPhone OS developers conference, not an Apple developers conference. Look no further than this year's AppleDesign Awards, which will only honor iPhone and iPad apps - no category for Mac apps...."

Has Apple Abandoned the Mac?

technobuffalo.com says:

"Perhaps 'abandoned' is too strong of a word, but it sure does seem that Apple's interest in its flagship Mac product line seems to be waning somewhat....

"While I certainly don't feel that Apple is about to kill off the Macs anytime soon, it does feel like the company is lessening the importance of the product line inside of its corporate structure, and amongst the developers. In case you hadn't noticed, when the last update to the MacBook Pros happened, there were some major changes made to the product line. Normally this would have involved Steve Jobs having one of his keynote talks where he gathers the press on short notice, but this last time around it just all happened on the Apple Store website without any fanfare.

"Something is changing over the corporate headquarters at One Infinity Loop to be sure, but what the end game is is known only to the company executives."

Steve Jobs: Apple Is Not De-emphasizing Mac OS X

Loop Insight's Jim Dalrymple reports:

"In announcing the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference on Wednesday, Apple upset some of its Macintosh developers. But Apple is not abandoning the Mac platform."

A Call to Action on Those Mac-less AppleDesign Awards

Macsimum News' Dennis Sellers says:

"Okay, I'm still hacked off that Apple is only allowing iPhone and iPad apps in the 2010 AppleDesign Awards. Various stories have already been written about this (links at the bottom). Now it's time for a call to action...."

Those Who Know Use Chrome

ZDNet blogger Garett Rogers says:

"Are your parents using Chrome yet? Likely not, but they should be - it's secure enough for even for them. That said, Chrome is the browser of choice for a good chunk of people - but it's still limited to 'those who know'. Know what you ask? Know that Google Chrome is extremely fast, secure, and out of your face.

"Where I work, almost every developer uses Chrome....

"Do you use Chrome yet? If not, why not?"

Why Is Google's Chrome Getting So Much Attention?

ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes observes that Net Applications' data for April is out, showing that Google Chrome is the only browser making any real usage gains, with Safari and Firefox only making tiny gains, while Opera lost and Internet Explorer lost even more, and asks "Why?"

Short answer: Because it's a really great browser.

"What is it about Chrome that people like?" Kingsley-Hughes queries. "Is it that's a lightweight browser, or the fact that it's pretty secure? Or maybe it's because of its minimalistic look and feel? Or the no-fuss way it updates itself? Is is that it's new? Is it because Google is pushing it hard through various channels?"

Editor's note: Your editor would say all of the above, save for the last two speculatives, plus the facts that its really fast, has a kick-ass, no-fuss Download manager, and generally hauls the mail. cm

Am I No Longer an Apple Fan Boy If I Use Google?

The Other Mac Blog's Colum O' Dwyer says:

"For the past 9 years or so I have been an Apple Fan Boy, running this website is the culmination of that fact. For the majority of those 9 years Apple was taking on Microsoft and so I swore of the Windows OS and begrudgingly used Microsoft Office for Mac until iWork 09 was released.

"While Apple was taking on Microsoft another tech giant, Google, was growing. For Apple Fan Boys like myself Google seemed a natural extension to the Apple culture. I embraced Gmail, Gchat, Google search and the other products of Google Labs. Hell, Apple had members of Google sitting on Apple's Board. However, in the past year Mac, general tech, and mainstream media have begun to hype a growing competition between Google and Apple.

"This means over the past year, as a self proclaimed Apple Fan Boy, I have begun to wonder if I will have to choose sides between Apple and Google...."

Ultimate Collection of Google Related Mac Apps

AppStorm's Joshua Johnson reports:

"Google is undisputedly one of the best providers of free technological resources and applications on the planet. Though they tend to favor PCs with earlier releases of new software, eventually they get around to throwing Mac users some great apps as well.

"Below is a huge list of both official Google and third party Mac applications, desktop widgets and plugins. Most are free downloads but there are a few that you'll have to purchase. These usually stay within the $10-$20 range.

"Just to be thorough, let's start out the list with the official Google apps that you're probably already familiar with. All of these applications are free, ready to download, and possess the high quality you'd expect from Google."

27" iMac Fans Running Full Speed after SMC Update

MacFixIt's Joe Aimonetti reports:

"Users have experienced an issue where the fans in their late-2009 27-inch iMacs run at full speed after installing the SMC firmware update 1.0.

"In cases where this happens, it is most likely the result of the SMC update not being applied properly...."

Ubuntu

Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx Released

PR: Linux distro Canonical has released Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) in Desktop, Server and Netbook editions. Featuring a new look that some rate more attractive and up-to-date than Snow Leopard's, "Lucid Lynx's" new graphics card drivers and other consumer-oriented innovations front a Linux-based operating system package containing all the essential productivity applications you need for free: a web browser, office suite, media apps, instant messaging and much more, and is being pitched as an open-source alternative to Windows and Office or Mac OS X and the iApps. Ubuntu's core applications are all free and open source.

Last year's Ubuntu 9.04 release included the Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) designed for small screened netbook devices. Also noteworthy was the inclusion of Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC) which enabled organizations to deploy a private computing cloud in their own data center. The Ubuntu 10.04 Netbook Edition brings all the advantages of Ubuntu to your mini-netbook - optimised for smaller screens,

Ubuntu 10.04 is distributed on four types of images:

Desktop CD

The desktop CD allows you to try Ubuntu without changing your computer at all, and at your option to install it permanently later. This type of CD is what most people will want to use. You will need at least 256 MB of RAM to install from this CD.

There are two images available, each for a different type of computer:

  • PC (Intel x86) desktop CD - For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc. type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows, as well as newer Apple Macintosh systems based on Intel processors. Choose this if you are at all unsure.
  • 64-bit PC (AMD64) desktop CD - Choose this to take full advantage of computers based on the AMD64 or EM64T architecture (e.g., Athlon64, Opteron, EM64T Xeon, Core 2). If you have a non-64-bit processor made by AMD, or if you need full support for 32-bit code, use the Intel x86 images instead.

Server install CD

The server install CD allows you to install Ubuntu permanently on a computer for use as a server. It will not install a graphical user interface.

There are two images available, each for a different type of computer:

  • PC (Intel x86) server install CD - For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc. type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows, as well as newer Apple Macintosh systems based on Intel processors. Choose this if you are at all unsure.
  • 64-bit PC (AMD64) server install CD - Choose this to take full advantage of computers based on the AMD64 or EM64T architecture (e.g., Athlon64, Opteron, EM64T Xeon, Core 2). If you have a non-64-bit processor made by AMD, or if you need full support for 32-bit code, use the Intel x86 images instead.

Alternate install CD

The alternate install CD allows you to perform certain specialist installations of Ubuntu. It provides for the following situations:

  • setting up automated deployments;
  • upgrading from older installations without network access;

LVM and/or RAID partitioning;

  • installs on systems with less than about 256 MB of RAM (although note that low-memory systems may not be able to run a full desktop environment reasonably).

There are two images available, each for a different type of computer:

  • PC (Intel x86) alternate install CD - For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc. type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows, as well as newer Apple Macintosh systems based on Intel processors. Choose this if you are at all unsure.
  • 64-bit PC (AMD64) alternate install CD - Choose this to take full advantage of computers based on the AMD64 or EM64T architecture (e.g., Athlon64, Opteron, EM64T Xeon, Core 2). If you have a non-64-bit processor made by AMD, or if you need full support for 32-bit code, use the Intel x86 images instead.

Netbook live CD

The live CD allows you to try Ubuntu Netbook Edition without changing your computer at all, and at your option to install it permanently later. This live CD is optimized for netbooks with screens up to 10". You will need at least 256 MB of RAM to install from this CD.

There is one image available:

  • PC (Intel x86) netbook live CD - For almost all PCs. This includes most machines with Intel/AMD/etc. type processors and almost all computers that run Microsoft Windows, as well as newer Apple Macintosh systems based on Intel processors. Choose this if you are at all unsure.

Netbook live image

The live image allows you to try Ubuntu Netbook Edition without changing your computer at all, and at your option to install it permanently later. This live image is optimized for netbooks with screens up to 10". You will need at least 256 MB of RAM to install from this image.

A full list of available files, including BitTorrent files, can be found at: http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/

Editor's note: For a hands-on review, see A Mac User Tries Out Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx.

Ubuntu Lucid Lynx: A Mactastic Experience

The Register's Scott Gilbertson has posted a review of Ubuntu 10.04, officially available as of Thursday, noting that this is an important update for the popular Linux distro, combining new social network with media capabilities and a brace of online services with a brand new look.

Gilbertson reports that Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth wants Ubuntu to beat Mac OS X on features and interface polish, and while Lucid Lynx still has some rough edges, this release is a huge leap for UI design in Linux and puts Ubuntu well on its way to Shuttleworth's goal with an array of new applications, features, and services that make Ubuntu seem more like a consumer-friendly operating system (like OS X) rather than the Linux of the command line loving past.

Ubuntu 10.04: Never a Better Time to Switch

ZDNet Education blogger Christopher Dawson says he's been using the betas of Ubuntu 10.04, the final releases of which launched last week, in both desktop and server environments for a while, and has been incredibly pleased. He suggests that school IT departments should seriously consider Ubuntu instead of (or in addition to) Windows 7, Mac OS X, and various server upgrades when updating their systems over the summer break, noting that there are probably plenty of places where the latest and greatest (and it really is great) release from Canonical can save you money and hassle in the long run.

Products & Services

OWC Mercury On-the-Go Prices Are Falling

PR: Just when you thought the deals on our OWC Mercury On-the-Go Pro drive line were as good as you could get, they drop like an errant meteor.

Available in USB 2.0, FireWire 400 & USB 2.0, and FireWire 800/400 & USB 2.0 varieties, OWC Mercury On-the-Go portable solutions provide convenient, flexible storage at a competitive price. Built to for performance, reliability, and durability, Mercury On-the-Go models have been recognized with top reviews and include 'Very Good', 'Gear of the Year', and Editor's Choice award bestowments.

OWC Mercury On-the-Go Solutions require no external power; they reliably bus power via a single port - No Y-Cables or dual ports required! All of our solutions utilize the best qualified hard drive mechanisms for optimum performance and reliability. The On-the-Go's shock absorbing design further protects the drive and your valuable data from external forces.

Other great features:

  • All connecting cables included
  • Bootable via all interfaces
  • Oxford chipsets (models with FireWire only)
  • Carrying Case Included
  • Intech Hard Disk Speed Tools suite, Carbon Copy Cloner included

Full retail versions of Prosoft DataBackup III for OS X (a $59.95 retail value) and NovaStor NovaBACKUP for Windows (a $49.95 retail value).

Industry Leading 3 Year OWC Warranty

Right out of the gate, these storage solutions are among the best values out there. With our great new prices, that value gets even better!

USB 2.0 Model

  • 160 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $67.99
  • 250 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $74.99
  • 320 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $84.99
  • 400 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $87.99
  • 500 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $99.97 (a $10 drop)
  • 640 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $129.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 1.0 TB 5200 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $219.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 250 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $87.99
  • 320 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $94.99
  • 500 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $117.99 (a $32 drop!)

FireWire 400 + USB 2.0 "Combo" Model

  • 160 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $79.99
  • 250 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $89.99
  • 320 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $97.99
  • 400 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, Special $104.99
  • 500 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $119.99
  • 640 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $149.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 1.0 TB 5200 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $239.99 (a $20 drop)
  • 250 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $99.97
  • 320 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $109.99
  • 500 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $139.99 (a $10 drop)

FireWire 800/400 + USB 2.0 'Triple' Model

  • 160 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB Buffer, $ 99.97
  • 250 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $107.99
  • 320 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $117.99
  • 500 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $139.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 640 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $169.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 1.0 TB 5200 RPM, 8 MB buffer, $259.99 (a $20 drop)
  • 250 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $119.99
  • 320 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $127.99 (a $10 drop)
  • 500 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB buffer, $159.99 (a $25 drop!)

Also available: OWC On-the-Go 2.5" 'add your own drive' kits from $24.99.

Not only are these great portable drives at great prices, but these drives also qualify for the Prosoft Drive Genius Special Offer. You can get Drive Genius 3 for $39 with the purchase of any OWC External Storage Solution. That's 60% off Prosoft's retail price, and 50% off OWC's lowest normal selling price.

Scan, Share, and Recycle with the New Visioneer Strobe 400

PR: Small mobile scanner helps users reduce their paper regeneration by digitizing paper documents and sharing them electronically

Visoneer Strobe 400Visioneer, a specialist in intelligent document imaging solutions, today announced the Strobe 400, a new duplex color scanner designed for busy people who need a fast and reliable scanning solution that can be used anywhere. The Strobe 400 is slim and lightweight, measuring only 11.6" x 2.5" x 2" and weighs a mere 22 ounces and when used in duplex mode, the Strobe 400 scans both sides of the page in only 6 seconds. Priced at $299.99, the Strobe 400 is one of the most affordable "green" scanning solutions available for PC or Mac.

"While we may never become truly paperless, we believe you can have a 'less paper' office," said John Capurso, vice president of marketing at Visioneer. "The Strobe 400 is a great, low cost solution for anyone looking to reduce the amount of paper in their life and Visioneer will plant a tree on behalf of every customer who registers a new scanner through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation."

Make a Commitment to Sustainability

Scanning is a highly effective green technology. By digitizing documents, they can be shared in electronic form rather than sharing via fax, reprinting or copying, saving the user time, money and valuable resources. Any business that handles paper can benefit from using a scanner. Whether scanning contracts, forms, receipts, photos, ID cards, handwritten notes or virtually any document of varying size or complexity, the Strobe 400 meets the changing needs of users in many paper-intensive markets.

Healthcare - By scanning patient documents, insurance cards and driver's license at patient registration and creating a digital image accessible to the patient's authorized care providers, hospitals can reduce registration time, solve data inaccuracy problems and improve customer relationships.

Banking - The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21) allows banks to replace original paper checks with "substitute checks" that are scanned digital copies of the originals. Check 21 reduces the time, risks and costs associated with paper check processing and accelerates cash flow for retail merchants, small/medium businesses and civic organizations.

Insurance/Financial Services - From Sarbanes-Oxley to the PATRIOT act, records management has become an important part of doing business. A document scanner is therefore essential to first digitize paper records into electronic files that can be securely and accurately stored, transmitted and retrieved.

Traveling Professionals - Road warriors looking to maximize productivity can quickly capture the day's contracts, business cards, briefing papers, and expense receipts.

The Strobe 400 can be connected to computer quickly via the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface and has a resolution of 600 DPI. It incorporates Visioneer OneTouch with Kofax VRS technology to create perfect images from imperfect originals by which users can scan, file and store all of their documents, plastic ID cards, checks, articles, brochures and business cards. Productive in any location, the Strobe 400 may be powered through the computer's USB port, or via wall-power. The Strobe 400 includes patented Paper Driven and AutoLaunch technologies so scanning begins as soon as a document is inserted into the scanner. It will also automatically convert, at the user's option, any scanned item into a text-searchable PDF file while maintaining the visual integrity of the original document.

Intelligent Flexibility

Powered by Visioneer OneTouch technology, users may scan to the "destination" of their choice by pressing a single button, eliminating multiple steps usually required to save scanned documents in popular file formats. This enables your documents to be scanned with the correct settings for resolution, color, cropping, file format and then delivered to virtually any application, folder or device - all at the touch of a button. Bundled software includes Nuance® PaperPort, OmniPage Pro, NewSoft Presto! BizCard, an enhanced TWAIN and WIA driver and Visioneer OneTouch with Kofax VRSTM technology for the PC. The Strobe 400 supports Mac users with ExactScanTM, a driver and capture application that integrates with the OneTouch scanning buttons, plus NewSoft Presto! PageManager®.

Priced at $299.99 US List price, the Strobe 400 is available through online channel partners and major resellers. Configured as a dual platform product, the Strobe 400 bundled software and drivers support Windows 7, Vista, and XP, as well as Mac OS X 10.4 and above, including Snow Leopard.

Visioneer's Sustainability Program

Visioneer is committed to conserving natural resources and minimizing our impact on the environment. We actively implement measures to increase efficiency, conserve energy and water, improve air quality, and reduce waste through our office building operations, waste management, and product development programs.

Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition Gaming Mouse

PR: Razer, specialist high-end precision gaming and lifestyle peripherals, announces the Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition gaming mouse. Combining a sleek and simple design with a high performance 3.5G 3500 dpi infrared sensor, the Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition features a special edition black chrome mirror finish while maintaining all of the key features of the original Razer Abyssus.

Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition gaming mouse"The black chrome mirror finish of the Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition adds a certain stylistic sensibility to the desktop," said Robert "Razerguy" Krakoff, president, Razer USA. "The Razer Abyssus Mirror is designed for gamers that prefer a slick glossy aesthetic finish. It also serves as the ideal complement to other reflective peripherals, such as the Razer Lycosa™ Mirror Special Edition keyboard."

The Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition was created specifically for gamers that demand the utmost in form and functionality, as well as reliability under the most intense gameplay conditions. The Razer Abyssus Mirror features a glossy finish and is equipped with two large buttons tuned for maximum tactile feedback, as well as Razer's signature Hyperesponse™ technology. Underneath, Razer has placed two easily accessible mechanical switches - one on-the-fly dpi switch giving the user their choice of 450, 1800, or 3500 dpi and one polling rate switch allowing instant adjustment from a standard 125 Hz to 1000 Hz Ultrapolling.

At the Game Developers Conference at San Francisco in March, Razer announced an effort to increase support for Mac users by issuing driver support for all upcoming Razer products, including the Razer StarCraft II peripheral suite.

"I'm very proud to say that at Razer, we are committed to supporting both Mac and PC gamers," said Robert "Razerguy" Krakoff, president, Razer USA. "We are constantly working to increase driver support for Mac with our existing Razer products and have plans to release all of our new products with dedicated Mac and PC drivers. This is a really exciting opportunity to expand the gaming industry and make it more inclusive for Mac users by providing the same level of support that we give to our PC users."

Razer offers several options for the Mac gaming community, providing full Mac support for the Razer Naga, the world's best selling MMO gaming mouse, as well as the Razer DeathAdder, a cult favorite among the right-handed gaming community. Razer is completely committed to supporting Mac users and will be releasing drivers to equip existing products with Mac compatibility. Basic Mac support is already available for the Razer Orochi, Razer Mamba and Razer Imperator, with further updates scheduled for later this year.

Product Features:

  • High gloss mirror finish
  • 3500 dpi Razer Precision™ 3.5G infrared sensor
  • 1000 Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1 ms response time
  • Mechanical dpi/polling rate switches
  • On-The-Fly Sensitivity adjustment
  • Always-On mode
  • Ultra-large buttons
  • 16-bit ultra-wide data path
  • 60-120 inches per second and 15g of acceleration
  • Three independently programmable Hyperesponse™ buttons
  • Ambidextrous design
  • Scroll wheel with 24 individual click positions
  • Zero-acoustic Ultraslick Teflon feet
  • Seven-foot, lightweight, non-tangle cord
  • Approx. size in mm 115(L) x 63(W) x 40(H)

Razer Abyssus Mirror Special Edition sells for:

  • US $49.99
  • Europe €39.99

Availability:

  • Razerzone.com - Available Now
  • Worldwide - Available Soon

Software

Typinator 4 Adds QuickSearch - Like Spotlight for Text Snippets

PR: Ergonis Software has announced the release and immediate availability of Typinator 4.0, a major leap forward in the evolution of text expanders. Typinator 4 introduces a new feature called "QuickSearch" that takes usage and management of text snippets to the next level. Instead of inventing and remembering hundreds of cryptic abbreviations, you just type a keyboard shortcut and enter a few characters. Typinator instantly displays a list of matching snippets. Pick the one that you want, and it appears in your document right away. It's like Spotlight for snippets, only much faster. QuickSearch can also be used for quickly opening and editing existing snippets.

"When you start using a text expander, you typically set up five or ten abbreviations for the most frequently typed text snippets like your name, your address, the current date, your email address, and similar things. You choose good mnemonics and use them a lot. Over the time, however, you add more and more snippets, and you soon end up with forgetting the abbreviations that you defined. Thus, the potential productivity boost cannot be fully achieved," said Christoph Reichenberger, CEO of Ergonis Software. "With Typinator 4, we found a great way to overcome this phenomenon. The new QuickSearch feature lets you define a hot key to bring up a search field. You enter a search string, Typinator pops up a list of matches, you select the one you want, and - boom - it appears in your document. This allows you to actively use a huge number of text snippets without having to remember their abbreviations."

Besides this new killer feature, the new version delivers a number of other improvements like an option to globally enable and disable individual sets, further speed enhancements, increased compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and many applications like Mellel, Nisus Writer Pro as well as smoother synchronization via Dropbox or Mobile Me.

Typinator is a powerful, yet elegantly simple solution that works across all applications. It detects specific sequences of typed characters and automatically replaces them with text snippets, graphics, URLs, dates and special characters.

For business users, Typinator leads to a layer of operational consistency and productivity across heterogeneous applications. A standard customer service response, a signature image on an email, a clause in a contract - each of these can be inserted in any application with just a couple of keystrokes. For technical users, Typinator automates typing of code and the implementation of documentation standards.

Visit Ergonis Software's website to learn more about the changes in this release and to download and try the new version.

System Requirements: Typinator 4 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or newer. Mac OS X 10.6 or newer is recommended.

Typinator 4 is a recommended update for everyone running on Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). Typinator can be purchased securely on the Ergonis Software website. The upgrade to Typinator 4 is free for all customers who purchased Typinator in the last 2 years. For information about purchases, including enterprise licenses, volume discounts, and upgrade pricing offers, see the company's web site.

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