MacMegasite Archive
   


To reduce the database size and server load, all articles from 2004 or earlier are archived here.


Return to MacMegasite



       

Thu, 19 Sep 2002

MuMenu shows software updates in menu bar

I've just discovered a very cool utility that shows you the latest software updates in your menu bar, updated automatically.

MuMenu X 1.1 adds a an icon to the right of your menu bar, which lists software updates from MacUpdate. You can change the update frequency from every 5 minutes to every hour, and you can also update manually.



For each available update, MuMenu shows a sub-menu with a 2 line description, plus download and info links.



Now, instead of visiting a website several times a day to check for software updates, you can see them instantly in your menu bar. This is a great time-saver!

[] permanent link

NetNewsWire Lite 1.0 Released

Ranchero Software has released NetNewsWire Lite, a free Cocoa-based RSS news reader for Mac OS X.

NetNewsWire Lite uses a familiar 3-pane interface to display web sites and their latest stories. Hundreds of sites are included (even our RSS feed), plus you can subscribe to any available RSS feed.



Features:



  • Remembers which items you’ve read, and lets you know when there are new items, so you spend less time surfing.

  • Reads RSS news files from thousands of different websites.

  • No up-front configuration required: getting started is just a matter of launching the application.

  • Familiar interface means there isn’t a bunch to learn.

  • Subscriptions can be grouped via drag-and-drop, so you can organize your news your way.

  • Comes with hundreds of sites you can subscribe to with one click.

  • Customizable appearance, including colors and window transparency.

  • Imports and exports subscriptions files compatible with other RSS readers.



To download a copy, visit Ranchero Software. Additional RSS feeds can be found at Syndic8.

[] permanent link

Stuffit Deluxe 7.0 Released

Aladdin Systems has released Stuffit Deluxe 7.0, which improves Jaguar compatibility and adds several new features.



Stuffit Deluxe 7.0 adds MS Word integration, a command line tool, support for Apple Mail & Entourage, long file name support, virtually unlimited (up to 1 terabyte) archive size, and a new file format, sitx.



The new sitx archive format gives you better compression for faster file transfers, 512-bit encryption for maximum security, error-correction for corruption protection, and support for long file names.



The upgrade is $29 for current Stuffit Deluxe owners, or $80 to purchase a new copy. For more information or to purchase a copy, visit www.stuffit.com.

[] permanent link

Apple & IBM working on 64-bit CPU

According to sources, IBM Microelectronics, a division of IBM, is working with Apple on a 64-bit PowerPC processor for use in Apple's high-end desktops and servers.



Sources said Apple is testing the CPU, dubbed the GigaProcessor Ultralite (GPUL) on Mac OS X-based hardware at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, and making sure that the processor complies with a new bus architecture on tap for future Macs.



In addition, IBM plans to offer the processor as the centerpiece of future Linux-based systems, the sources said. As reported this week by eWEEK, IBM recently announced that it would soon introduce new versions of its high-end p690 and p670 servers designed to run Linux native, in place of IBM's own AIX operating system.



Some GPUL details are expected to be disclosed at Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, Calif., in mid-October. IBM will hold a session at the conference on Oct. 15 entitled "Breaking Through Compute Intensive Barriers -- IBM's New 64-bit PowerPC Microprocessor."



For the full story, visit eWeek.



MacMegasite Spin: This could explain why MacOS 9 booting will no longer be possible. Since classic doesn't have direct hardware access and runs in a virtual machine, it should be possible for classic to still run on a new hardware architecture, even though support isn't available to boot Mac OS 9 directly.

[] permanent link

Microsoft's new Airport

Microsoft said on Thursday that it will begin selling within the next few weeks Microsoft-branded hardware that will let users connect their personal computers and notebooks through wireless connections using the 802.11b standard, also called Wi-Fi, which is also the same standard used by Apple's Airport hardware.

"The overall strategic vision is to get into anything to do with Microsoft's vision of delivering information any time, any place," said Adam LeVasseur, the hardware division's Group Product Manager.



"To deliver that into the home you need a network infrastructure in place."



Wireless networking has increasingly become an important part of the Internet experience, allowing users to access e-mail, news and information without being tied to a desk.



Users have complained, however, about the complexity of wireless networking, which involves a variety of hardware, communications and security settings. (not Mac users :-)



Microsoft says it has an answer for that (never mind that Apple had already solved it).



"At the core of our (wireless) product line is software that detects hardware and automatically configures the network," LeVasseur said. (hmm... where have we seen this before?)



Microsoft said that the software will make it painless for users of its hardware products to install a wireless network and connect a variety of devices.



Ten products are being released:



-- A Wireless base station that hooks up to a broadband connection and links wireless devices to each other and the Internet, for $149.95.



-- A Wireless Universal Serial Bus Adapter to connect a computer or device through a USB port, for $79.95.



-- A Wireless Notebook Adapter, for connecting laptops through PC card slots, for $79.95.



-- Two kits, with a base station and either a USB adapter or notebook adapter, for $219.95 each.



-- Five Ethernet-based products that connect computers to each other and the Internet through wire connections, ranging in price from $24.95 to $79.95.



The products will feature 128-bit encryption by default and also feature parental controls that limit access, LeVasseur said.



Xbox, which is set to become an online gaming platform this fall with the launch of Xbox Live, needs a high-speed broadband connection to link into the Internet and other users.



Since the Xbox is often in a living room, sometimes far away from a broadband connection, wireless networking would seem a simple solution for enabling Xbox Live. But LeVasseur said that there were no plans to directly tie Xbox up with the new wireless hardware.



MacMegasite Spin: Microsoft just "invented" Airport & Rendezvous.

[] permanent link

DragThing 4.5 Released

DragThing, an application launcher by James Thomson, has been upgraded to version 4.5. This new version adds several major new features and fixes some compatibility problems with Jaguar.

Here are some of the highlights of tis update:



  • You can now turn docks into sliding drawers that work like popup windows from Mac OS 9.

  • Improved support for Mac OS X "Jaguar" (including 10.2.1).

  • More cool translucency effects.

  • Added an option to highlight Classic applications in docks.

  • Added support for Mac OS X applications with "????" creator codes.

  • Added a "Revert" command for the preferences file in case of accidents.

  • Folder contextual menus can go more than five levels deep on Jaguar.

  • Added new hot keys to control individual docks.

  • Added support for custom sounds on Mac OS X and a "DragThing Sounds" folder.

  • Added an option to sort the Disk Dock into the same order as the Desktop.

  • Improved performance.





For more information or to download a copy, visit www.dragthing.com. I'm also providing a download mirror here.



I've tried many different application launchers, but DragThing is by far my favorite. It's highly customizable so it can work the way you work, it's unobtrusive, and problem-free.

[] permanent link