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11-30-05 / 02:00 AM : Broadband Tuner 1.0 : speed connections (cjed)
Apple provides Broadband Tuner, an utility that allows to speed up (or make more responsive) internet connections, notably with high speed connections (ADSL2+). It sets TCP buffer size longer to achieve better performance, even on more modest connections.
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11-30-05 / 01:21 AM : Firefox 1.5 / foXpose plugin (cjed)
Firefox new 1.5 version is out. It brings these enhancements : a new version of the Gecko engine (native support of SVG 1.1, enhanced support of CSS3), automatic update system, tabs reorganization through drag and drop, a better pop-up blocking system, a mean of clearing its nvigation traces, better RSS fees managements... Among the update are also MacOSX specific optimisations, notably the use of Quartz instead of Quickdraw. A new version of Camino is expected soon.
Not to forget a cool plugin for Firefox, Viamatic foXpose (you have to download it from Firefox to proper install it) allows an overview display of tabs alla Exposé.
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11-29-05 / 12:03 AM : NeoOffice / Seashore = OpenOffice / Gimp (cjed)
NeoOffice is a version of OpenOffice targeted for MacOSX. It is based upon Java 1.4.x instead of X11, so that the rendering is made through Aqua native widgets, there is no more that intrusive Motif look. The software manages the new Open Document format and is compatible with Microsoft Office files. It is here.
Besides we can find Seashore, an imaging software packaged as a Cocoa application, based on The GIMP.s
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11-22-05 / 08:13 PM : Gizmo : an alternative to Skype (cjed)
Gizmo is a multi-platform voice over IP software (as Skype). It offers numerous features and a polished interface. Moreover it can integrate seamlessly with Call out, a low cost service allowing to make call to regular lines or mobile phones.


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11-14-05 / 11:54 PM : ToolX : a serious challenger to Onyx (cjed)
Cuk.ch prpovides a detailed test of ToolX, an utility like Onyx, aimed at activating some "hidden" (accessible through the terminal) settings of MacOSX : display of hidden files, Quartz 2D Extreme activation, crontab file edition, and notably unix optimization tasks (daily, weekly, monthly). It gathers various system utilities features in one control panel, in a presentation close to the System settings. The user interface is better organized (despite being less polished) than Onyx's one and it brings extra functionnalities.
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11-06-05 / 09:17 PM : Safari passed the Acid2 test (cjed)
Safari, in its new revision (included with OSX 10.4.3 update), conforms with web standards checked by the Acid2 test. This is also the case for iCab, Konqueror, and soon Opera, but not yet for IE nor Firefox. As always, respect of standards does not mean widest compatibility with web sites, as theses are mostly bad programmed, and tested with IE (on PC).
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11-06-05 / 08:41 PM : Maradio : widget for french radios (cjed)
To complement international iTunes's radios streams (notably the great VirginRadio UK), Maradio allows to listen to most french radios, including public radios, private radios, news radios, radios from Belgium, Canada, overseas (more than fourty for now). This Dashboard widget is a donationwhare that can be downloaded here.

It is less ressource hungry than iTunes radios (6% of CPU on a G4 1,25Ghz, compared with variable 5% to 15% use for iTunes). Broadcasting rate is note specified, but it varies continuously between 10 ko/s (80 kbits/s) and 40 kbits (320 kbits/s), due to a suspected large buffering, so it corresponds to a quite confortable rate (probably as high as 128 kbits/s), whereas with iTunes breaks can occur (depends from the moment of the day, sometimes the rate goes down to 64 kbits, from 128 kbits).
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11-03-05 / 09:58 PM : Cubase SE 3 (cjed)
Steinberg provides a comparative sheet of various Cubase SX3 products line features : LE, SE, SL. Playback sells SE3 for 149 euros. This version doest not manage external effects insertion, a new feature from SX3 only (and you know how far better hardware effects rack sound...)

Despite being sufficient for most of work, SE3 hides a penalizing limitation : it does not support freeze of audio tracks, so it becomes very difficult to work with ressource hungry virtual instruments like Kontakt 2, notably with huge libraries like Symphonic Orchestra. In this area Logic Express is then required for average users.
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