Category: Apps

The latest version of the open source FlightGear flight simulator has been released.   Version 2.6.0 includes a number of improvements primarily in the handling of AI type aircraft, making load times faster as well as the CPU cost per AI aircraft much lower. FlightGear Version 2.6.0 is available for free download and is available for all of the Major computing platforms.  You can download the version for your machine from the FlightGear Website at: http://www.flightgear.org For information about the other…

The FreeToolsAssociation has released the latest version of the ActiveGS Emulator.  Version 3.5.772 was released to address a keyboard issue and caps lock issue that was introduced in the previous release with Mac based users. ActiveGS is a plugin and stand alone app which is used as the primary emulator at Virtual Apple ][.  You can download the latest version of the App through the browser when playing games at Virtual Apple or by goping to the ActiveGS Support page…

Rovio, the makers of what is perhaps the most popular game of all time, Angry Birds are not happy just going places like Rio.  Now they are going into Space.  With an announcement on the Rovio news blog, Rovio says “We’re going to announce more information in early March, and on March 22nd we will launch simultaneously in mobile gaming, animation, retail, and publishing. Not only is this a first for us as an integrated entertainment company, but the first…

While the preparations for Apple’s next major OS upgrade have gone on quietly for some time now, the way Apple is treating its latest addition to the Apps of Mac OS X is anything but quiet.   Messages is Apple’s new app which allows users to “send messages to any Macintosh, iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.” The app almost looks like something of a twitter clone, with some distinct differences.  Messages replaces your iVhat client and it allows you to make…

Back in the 1970’s when I was first starting out with computer programming, there was one game that was on nearly every system that I had access to.  That one game was Adventure.  Originally written based on a trip to Mammoth Cave, William Crowther wrote the Colossal Caves Adventure specifically for his kids.  However, it soon grew wings and went beyond the confines of his home out into nearly every computer in the world. The program was even produced by…

LibreOffice, the off shoot of the OpenOffice program run by The Document Doundation, is now in Version 3.5.0 Final. The program is a multi-platform office suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, database, presentation creator, a drawing program, and a mathematical function writer. LibreOffice was originally created in order to remove control of the OpenOffice Project by major corporations and based on progress made this year, the LibreOffice Suite is progressing at a steady pace. Some items for users who…

Mozilla has released an update to the Firefox Browser that they have classified as a critical update.  The update, Version 10.0.1, fixes a security flaw in version 10.0 as well as a Java freezing problem that was in previous versions of the browser. New items in the update include Most add-ons are now compatible with new versions of Firefox by default The forward button is now hidden until you navigate back Anti-Aliasing for WebGL is now implemented CSS3 3D-Transforms are…

Mac DVDRipper Pro, the shareware package which allows users to rip their DVD’s onto their Macintosh has been upgraded.  Produced by DVDSuki Softwares Inc, Mac DVDRipper Pro is a shareware program which is normally $24.95 for the fully unlocked package.  They currently have the program for sale for $19.95 on their website. They also have a free trial version which will work uninhibited for the first five DVD rips. The latest version, 3.1.1 includes the following updates: Support for very…

AppleCommander, the Java based disk image tool by Dr. John B. Matthews has been updated.  Version 1.3.5.10 was released this morning on Dr. Matthews’ webpage.  AppleCommander allows you to open Apple ][ disk images and view their content down to the individual files.  You can also use AppleCommander to import and export files from the disk images, as well as to convert disk images from one type to another. The current release features changes made by David Schmidt.  They include…

Program: Pinball Arcade Version: 1.0.8 Size: 17.5 MB Language: English Seller: FarSight Studios URL: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pinball-arcade-free/id497189134?mt=8 After months of being hyped by many in the media, the biggest bust of the year must be Pinball Arcade by Farsight Studios.  I was totally looking forward to playing some of the pinball games from over the years that have long left arcades everywhere for pinball graveyards. However, one should have been forewarned by the name of the publisher, which leads right into the…

Gerard Puter has released an update of his popular Virtual ][ shareware Apple ][ Emulator for the Mac.   Virtual ][ is a complete Apple ][ emulator with features such as print to pdf and visual configuration menus with accurate card images. In the new version, gerard has included the following changes: Fixed an issue where the Mockingboard card could halt the virtual machine (this happened, for example, in Ultima IV). Corrected an issue in the “floating bus” screen rendering, thereby…

While there are many agencies and groups which take a hard line against any kind of piracy, including the SBA, RIAA, amond others, there seems to be one company now that actually thinks it is a good thing to some extent. Rovio, the maker of the popular game Angry Birds seems to be taking a page from the MS-Dos 1.0 book and saying that the piracy is actually growing their business more than it is hurting it.  According to Rovio…

Jumsoft has released Book Palette, a package which adds 10 book templates to iBooks Author.  The package also allows you to change and modify the templates to give the effects that you need in your books.  It also allows you to save your modified templates, thus making it easier to create your documents with uniformity across all the documents. This package is an absolute necessity for the user who is creating lots of materials and feels that Apple’s lot of…

Program: Shink-Fit X Category: Archiver Utility Released: Feb 02, 2012 Version: 1.0 Size: 1.4 MB Language: English Seller: Kelvin Sherlock Price: Free For many of us, the SHK or Shrinkit files have been a thorn in our sides, especially if we were on a Mac.  Now, our time in purgatory has been relieved by a nifty utility from the computer of Kelvin Sherlock, the author of GShisen.  Shrink-Fit X is a Mac OS X Application which allows users to open…

Apple has released an update for iBooks 2.  The update, version 2.0.1 is intended to address an issue with Textbooks not opening within the program.   The update is now in the iTunes App Store and is a free download.   To download the update, go to: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibooks/id364709193?mt=8

Skype has been updated to Version 5.5.0.2340.  The latest release is a maintenance release meant to deal with some issues with call stability during video calls as well as to make some improvements to the calling interface. Version 5.5.0.2340 requires an Intel based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5.8 or newer.  You can download the latest version from the Skype.org website at: http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-macosx

Quicksilver Application Launcher has been updated to Version Beta 64.   Quicksilver allows fast and easy control of the Macintosh allowing the user to use keystrokes to launch applications.   The program uses the first letters of the file name to find, and launch an application. Fixes in the latest version of Quicksilver include: You can download the Quicksilver Application Launcher for free from the Quicksilver website at: http://qsapp.com/download.php Quicksilver is available for Mac OS X 10.3 (beta 36), 10.4 and 10.5…

JotStudio is an application specifically made to the allow precision drawing using Jot by Adonit.  The application lets you take note and draw in the application, arranging photos and other media around the drawing.  While you can draw badly by hand, having a Jot or JotPro stylus is really your best bet. While initial reviews of the App have been less than stellar, it is still worth the look.  Adonit has some issues still to deal with in the App…

Evernote, the application which allows the user to make notes from any media or content, has been updated. Evernote version 3.0.6 has been totally re-vamped for Mac OS X Lion and now includes dull screen editing with multiple windows. Version 3.0.6 includes a number of feature updates and fixes including : Improvements: Redesigned note editor interface Redesigned login/registration window Allow adding and deleting of rows and columns in tables Quick checkbox list creation (hitting enter on a line starting with…

The High Definition version of the popular game Angry Birds has been updated.  Version 2.0.2 includes some minor improvements in the performance of the program.   This version was produced specifically for the iPad and now comes in English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese , and Spanish. Angry Birds HD is a $4.99 download from the Apple iTunes Store and requires at lead iOS version 3.2.  The game can be can be found at: http://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/angry-birds-hd/id364234221?l=en&mt=8