UGN Info Manager
UGN Info Manager
Microsoft Accidentally posts pre-release security updates for Mac Office ... Microsoft quickly replaced the updates with a notice apologizing for posting the pre-release software. They stated the updates had nothing to do with issues recently reported in a security advisory covering Word. They also recommend that anyone that installed the updates remove them. See the announcement at: blogs.technet.com
Here are three not-to-miss articles from last weeks cyber-crime stalkers -- including the UCLA hack-attack announcements, and cyber attacks vented through Symantec's anti-virus flaw!
I have mentioned before that Skype is doing free calls in North American until the end of the year. But what about after that? Well, they have now announced their subscription plan. It is $29.95 for the year, but it is only $14.95 if you subscribe before the end of the year, but they will also provide a $50 coupon for use on equipment.
(Note pricing is for outgoing calls only, there are still additional charges for incoming calls.) Sounds like they are really trying to build their business. Of course Skype to Skype calls are still free.
See the Skype web site, or this piece on earthtimes.org, or the Columbian times
Last Friday, Adobe released a beta of Photoshop CS3 for download as a Universal Binary. It is available free to anyone with a valid CS2 or a Photoshop CS2 serial number. Don't forget it is BETA - you can get it at: labs.adobe.com
David Pogue reviewed Vista last week. Basically commented that it owes a lot to Mac OS X, has a lot of security updates and has a few features that are new. Read the review, and remember the New York Times requires registration.
That is that title of an article in the San Jose Mercury News. The article starts out by saying that iPods still dominate the MP3 market. However, Zune did capture 9% of the US hard drive MP3 player market and 1.9% of the total market. Apple's share of the hard drive market did drop from last year by over 4%, but its overall market share was pretty close to even from last yeat. (62.2% compared to 2005's 63%. SanDisk stayed at number 2 with an small increase to 18.5% of the overall market. Full article at: www.mercurynews.com
One day last week, it was reported that research firm Forrester Reports had analysed credit card data and decided that the iTunes sales had dropped 65% from last year. Then on Friday, Bloomberg News reported that actually, the number of transactions had increased 67% and dollars per transaction increased 10 percent for the first 9 months of the year. Read the full story at: seattlepi.nwsource.com
BeiMac, the user group covering China has placed an article on their news web site talking about the fact that there has been a boom of AUTHORISED Mac resellers in China. In fact, they point out that 4 new stores have opened in Beijing in the last three months. Read the full story at: www.macinchina.com
Our friend Ilene Hoffman has updated the Hess Memorial Event List that tells what is the Happening Events at Mac World Expo. I am sure that more updating is to come. If you are running any event at Expo, you should contact Ilene and get on her list. The contact information is available on the list. See it at: http://ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml
Anne Machalinski, Aili McConnon and Christy Nicholson spent the summer as embedded reporters in the three-dimensional virtual world of "Second Life," (www.secondlife.com). Here they answer the questions: How does it work? Why do people spend so much time playing? How is Second Life affecting people?s real lives? http://scienceandsex.com/
includes: Sudoku for Christmas * Free "Invasion" screensaver * New RSS-based news reader for Mac * Desktop Transporter * Custom knitting grids and diagrams * and More reliable connections with the outside world... in the shareware department
Yahoo! Music will introduce the beta version of Video 3.0, a new music video player that will change the way users watch music videos online. But you will have to endure ads to use Yahoo Music Videos
Cathy Clarke of CNC Associates says "If computers could make new year's resolutions, here are seven they'd make for a safe, secure 2007" and shares the most important tips for getting next year off to a good start If computers could make 'New Year's Resolutions'
Why wait for the huge image editing program to launch just for a few tweaks? But even if you want more than tweaks -- ImageWell is a small, but powerful, image editing application that lets you do some heavy-duty editing. See our review of ImageWell
Well, the Mac OS has long been known for its easy uninstall process. Classic put everything where it was easy to find to remove. What was stuck somewhere unusual, was easy to find by searching for documents created with Apple's find command.
However, Mac OS X's applications aren't as well behaved. While it is still possible to use Find and/or Sherlock to find these parts, there are commercial alternatives that make it easier and worth the money if you try out a lot of shareware applications. Once is AppZapper which uses a drag and drop interface. It is distributed as shareware. See and get it at: www.appzapper.com
iPhoto's drone has lulled Mac users into a generation of bleary-eyed photo-lemmings! To find an antidote check out Aquafadas in France and wake up with a little PulpMotion!
Designing a home? Remodeling? Sprucing up the grounds? CS Odessa has rolled out ConceptDraw 6.2, technical diagramming software, which now includes a complete and extensive set of landscape and garden design libraries!
Amazing image sharpening Photoshop-compatible plug-in for Windows. It allows a user to get dramatically improved the look of images without color halos and increased color noise. Magic Sharpener
Windows users can now organize, create albums, slideshows, and share your albums via web or e-mail -- just like iPhoto on the Mac. It's easy and quick -- even works with your Windows-based iPod iPhoto! Picture Roller
This issue wraps up another great year for Infomanager! We've enjoyed bringing you more than 1,000 news bursts, over 200 new content items in the UGN library and over 500 items posted in the first year of the InfoManager blog. It's been a busy year and we sincerely hope you have enjoyed some benefits from the last 50 weeks of InfoManager.
Fred and I send our very best wishes for this holiday season -- and urge you to be safe and remember others with generosity! Here's to your health and prosperity in 2007... we'll see you back here in the pages of Infomanager on Monday, January 8th in 2007. Lynn & Fred
"Time and money spent in helping men do more for themselves is far better than mere giving."
- Henry Ford
"He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it."
- James Allen
"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties."
- Sir Francis Bacon
Have a great week... (See last week)
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