Software

Final Cut Pro X named PCMag’s Editor’s Choice

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PCMag:

Apple has built a completely new, faster, cleaner, and more intuitive digital video editing package. While some professionals are still kicking and screaming about the changes it brings, we predict they’ll eventually be won over by Final Cut Pro X’s significant speed and usability advances. Meanwhile, prosumer video enthusiasts get a less daunting upgrade path to a pro-level Mac editor.

FCPX has come a long way.

[Via AI]

Corel completes Roxio acquisition

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Corel Corp. announced Tuesday that it has completed the acquisition of Roxio from Rovi. The two companies initially announced the transition in January. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Roxio is a maker of media conversion software for Mac … Continued

High-DPI resources in OS X

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John Gruber:

Have you noticed that Safari’s hovering-over-a-link pointing-finger cursor looks a little different in Mac OS X 10.7.3? It’s not just that the finger is at a slightly different angle — it’s a new UI resource that scales gracefully to larger sizes.

He’s right, I hadn’t noticed.

Twitter harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol

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The Guardian:

Tweeting or checking emails may be harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, according to researchers who tried to measure how well people could resist their desires.They even claim that while sleep and sex may be stronger urges, people are more likely to give in to longings or cravings to use social and other media.

Priorities people.

iMovie vs Avid Studio

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[caption id="attachment_19690" align="alignnone" width="470" caption="iMovie vs Avid Studio"][/caption] iMore:

Avid Studio may be iMovie’s newest competitor for video editing on the iPad, but it’s not a fair competition. Avid Studio is the clear winner. iMovie doesn’t offer any significant features that Avid does not, but Avid can do much more than iMovie. Since they both cost $4.99, it’s almost a no-brainer.

To use iBooks Author or not

Written by

Brett Kelly:

Let me restate that I’m not just generally crapping on iBooks, the iBooks Author application or anything else. I’m an eBook author that’s sold a few copies and is pretty happy with how things have gone. If Apple’s wares seem like just the thing for your next eBook project, then I’d suggest you seriously consider employing them.Just make sure you think through all of the possible ramifications of such a decision. That’s all I’m saying.

Brett certainly has some good points. While I’ve been asked many times to write a book, I never have, so I’m not an eBook author. For me, the interactivity that iBooks Author offers would be enough to use it and sell my books through the iBookstore. As Brett said, it’s important to know everything before you jump in.

Launch Center profiles

Written by

Dave Caolo:

This got me thinking of “profiles” for the app, or how individuals might set the app up, based on occupation or interest. Launch Center does not offer a profiles feature, but it doesn’t really have to. Instead, a person’s interests or occupation naturally creates a certain list of of tasks.

Tools for increasing productivity are getting better, but a lot times it’s how we use them that make the apps truly great.

iBooks 2 and home schooling

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The Mac Observer:

By comparison, you’d spend around $800 for an iPad 2 and a new textbook each year for those four basic courses. You’d get more up-to-date materials, interactive learning, and a smaller footprint in your luggage for those long-distance field trips. And, you’d spend half as much for that learning experience as you would using traditional books.

Interesting, I hadn’t considered the impact on home schooling.

2011 Best App Ever Awards

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148Apps: With over 1.5 million votes cast (over three times the number cast last year) and a record number of nominations, we now have the winners of the 2011 Best App Ever Awards. Thanks to all that voted, nominated, and … Continued

OmniPlan for iPad in 2012

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Chris Foresman:

Users who rely on the desktop version of OmniPlan but wish to manage complicated projects and workflows on-the-go will soon be able to pinch and swipe their way to Gantt chart nirvana. According to Omni Group CEO Ken Case, project management app OmniPlan will make its way to the iPad, perhaps as soon as the second quarter of this year.

Great news from Ars Technica. The Omni Group make some great apps.

About Apple’s iBooks Author EULA

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It seems that some people in the media went absolutely crazy over Apple’s iBooks Author EULA (End User License Agreement) while I was away last week, and I just can’t figure out why. […]

PrivacyScan available for Mac

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PrivacyScan works by searching for known applications which leave files on your computer that could lead to privacy concerns. PrivacyScan offers support for a wide range of items, including popular web browsers such as Camino, Chrome, Firefox, Flock, iCab, OmniWeb, Opera, Safari, SeaMonkey, and Shiira, privacy threats presented by Flash Cookies, as well as standard apps such as Finder, Preview, and QuickTime. Once a scan has run its course and privacy threats have been detected, PrivacyScan offers a variety of choices for cleaning — from a standard quick delete to one of the many secure delete shredding options.

Made by the same people that make MacScan.

Yojimbo updated for Mac and iPad

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Bare Bones Software has updated Yojimbo, its information organizer. Both Mac and iPad versions have been updated, to 3.0.3 and 1.0.4 respectively. Bare Bones describes the update as a maintenance release which fixes “specific reported issues.” You can download the … Continued

BBEdit

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Many thanks to Bare Bones Software for sponsoring The Loop’s RSS feed.

BBEdit 10 from Bare Bones Software — The leading professional HTML and text editor for the Mac just keeps getting better, with more than one hundred new features. Download the demo and see for yourself!

How to install iBooks Author on Snow Leopard

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Digital Tweaker: Anyone can create a book for iBooks with Apple releasing the iBooks Author app in the Mac Store. It uses simple drag and drop features with Word files and images so that everything is done for you. Since … Continued

BBEdit [Sponsor]

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For the third straight week, Bare Bones Software is sponsoring The Loop’s RSS feed. Thanks for the support!

BBEdit 10 from Bare Bones Software — The leading professional HTML and text editor for the Mac just keeps getting better, with more than one hundred new features. Download the demo and see for yourself!

Google caught poaching customers

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On all calls, the same script is followed – A Google Kenya employee calls a Mocality business and tries to deceive them into signing up for their competing product, by claiming that we are working together.

Google publicly apologized to Mocality for using their data.

Ditching Google for Bing

Written by

Mat Honan:

I just switched the default search engine in my browser from Google to Bing. And if you care about working efficiently, or getting the right results when you search, then maybe you should too.

The fallout continues.

Take Control of iTunes 10: The FAQ, Second Edition

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Join iTunes expert Kirk McElhearn as he helps you think like an iTunes power user so you can get the most out of your audio, video, and book collections in iTunes 10. You’ll also learn the best ways to transfer media to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod.

Published by Adam and Tonya Engst, and written by Kirk McElhearn. Hard to go wrong with that combination for an ebook.

Shut the fuck up Schmidt

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John Gruber discussing Google’s search and Google Plus integration and the company’s doublespeak on the issue:

The best case scenario for Google is that Eric Schmidt, in his new role as chairman, has turned into a loose cannon who should just shut the fuck up.

Not much else to be said.

Shakie motion controlled percussion app for iOS

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Shakie is an expressive motion controlled percussion instrument for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Pellets create sounds and rhythms as you move and shake them. Shakie’s built in pellets include maraca, shakers, tambourine, castanet, bells and spoon.

Looks cool.