processing

iWork apps unveiled for the iPad

Today's Apple event obviously had the new iPad (latest news, screenshots, and specs here) as its main focus, but there were also hints of new software releases optimized for the iPad. We saw the unveiling of iBooks, a book reading software connected to Amazon for book downloading and reading on the nearly 10-inch touch-screen interface. But Apple had another software surprise as well, with downloadable iWork apps made specifically for the iPad interface.

During the presentation, Steve Jobs demonstrated new iWork apps optimized for the iPad's unique interface. All three of the main iWork apps will be available … Read more

App Store Developers getting quicker approval in 2010

The oft reported accounts of Apple's App Store developers finding faster approval times since the New Year holiday may have more to do with the impending announcement of the fabled tablet device than any iPhone concerns. As has been discussed in nearly every tech forum that mentions Apple, the struggles some developers have faced getting their Apps approved in the App Store has been one of the few (if not the only) blemish on the iPhone's domination of the mobile phone market. All that is changing though.… Read more

Task wrangler extreme

AnVir Task Manager Free offers users a one-stop shop for managing your system's running processes and applications. Though it more than delivers the information it promises, it could really benefit from a more streamlined interface.

Users will need to spend some time taking in AnVir's user interface, because at first glance it's overwhelming. It uses tabs to distinguish system categories, such as start-up, applications, processes, and services. Command buttons at the top of the window give you the ability to kill processes, block processes, free memory, and select a parent process. The bottom of the window details … Read more

IBM to buy enterprise software maker Lombardi

IBM is making yet another acquisition, this one a leading provider of business process management software.

Big Blue announced on Wednesday its intention to purchase Lombardi, a privately-held firm that sells business process management (BPM) software and services. BPM is designed to help companies cut costs and improve efficiency by automating and integrating key business processes. This encompasses such areas as product planning, supply chain, product procurement, human resources, and IT services.

Market research firm IDC forecasts that the market for BPM software will reach $3 billion by 2013, up from $1.7 billion this year--a compounded annual growth rate … Read more

Almost word processor

Here's yet another simple word processing program, iText for Windows. It's designed in the classic Apple Computers style, with a clean and simple look. It boasts a wide variety of built-in fonts and other settings. You can even perform standard word-processing tasks with it.

This program's design is simple and efficient, with an aesthetically pleasing interface that is easy to navigate. You can change its color, which is a fun feature and a nice touch. All of its major functions are readily accessible via drop-down windows or buttons at the bottom of the interface. We would recommend … Read more

Preview: Batch resize images

For users that require the ability to batch process images in order to change their sizes, this quick tip will show you how to do just that using Mac OS X's Preview application. Users can also batch rotate and flip their images if needed.… Read more

Schiller: No apologies for App Store approval process

Apple's App Store has been a runaway success, but it's also been mired in controversy due to the application approval process. The company, however, isn't making apologies for its stringent gatekeeping and insists it's acting in the best interest of its customers.

"We've built a store for the most part that people can trust," Phil Schiller, Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, told BusinessWeek in an interview posted Monday. "You and your family and friends can download applications from the store, and for the most part they do what you'… Read more

iPhone app developer quits over approval process

Apple's App Store boasts more than 100,000 apps and more than 2 billion downloads, but not all of its developers are as happy as some would think. One well-respected developer decided to call it quits.

Citing his frustration with the App Store approval process, Rogue Amoeba's Paul Kafasis said on his company's blog last week that he is throwing in the towel on iPhone app development after an exasperating three-and-a-half month app approval.

"Rogue Amoeba no longer has any plans for additional iPhone applications, and updates to our existing iPhone applications will likely be rare,&… Read more

Word processing alternative

Atlantis Nova offers an alternative word processor to users who are fed up with Word or Notes. While it does a good imitation of some better-known software, ultimately its only appeal will be to those unhappy with other word processing software.

Atlantis Nova should look and feel familiar to anyone who has used Microsoft Word, as its interface mimics that program's, though in a rather cluttered form. Users will also feel comfortable composing with Atlantis Nova, as it operates just like any word processor, too. You can create and edit documents using a long list of tools and options, … Read more