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TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 6 December 2010

FlickrExport 4 for iPhoto and Aperture — Connected Flow has released version 4 of FlickrExport for iPhoto and FlickrExport for Aperture. Both the iPhoto and Aperture versions now sport refined interfaces and support multiple Flickr accounts, along with the capability to upload photos to multiple photosets at once. The updated version of the iPhoto plug-in introduces support for video upload and setting license terms for images as you upload them. Also new in the Aperture plug-in is the capability to perform metadata-only uploads, for when you want to
update Flickr’s metadata without replacing the photos themselves. (iPhoto plug-in: £12 new, £6 upgrade, 1.5 MB; Aperture plug-in: £14 new, £7 upgrade, 1.8 MB)

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RapidWeaver 5.0.1 — If you’re disappointed that Apple’s latest iLife update neglected iWeb, here’s some news that may cheer you up: Realmac Software has released version 5 of its award-winning Web design software RapidWeaver. New in version 5 are a Projects Window, a Bookmarks Manager, six new themes, stat-tracking support, HTML and XML sitemap generators, integrated Safari Web Developer Tools, and what Realmac calls a “bucketload of UI refinements.” Also new in this version is an Addons area to make managing RapidWeaver plug-ins much simpler—see the Realmac Software site for a full list of additions.
($79 new, $39 upgrade, 34.0 MB)

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Swift Publisher 2.3.3 — BeLight Software’s desktop publishing software Swift Publisher has been updated to version 2.3.3. Starting with this version, Swift Publisher can automatically check for (and download) new updates automatically. Several bug fixes are also included in the release: object dimensions are more accurate when viewing pages at the 100-percent zoom level, page order when printing in Imposition mode is fixed, and several bugs with tool buttons under Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard are also corrected. If you already own version 2 of the software, you can download a much smaller update (instead of the full application installer) from BeLight. ($44.95 Standard Edition/$54.95 Retail Edition, free update, 40.4 MB full download, 8.3 MB update download)

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VMware Fusion 3.1.2 — When you must run Windows or another Intel-based operating system, it’s nice that VMware Fusion at least lets you do so without leaving the comfy confines of your Mac. Now, the virtualization software has been updated to version 3.1.2, which resolves many bugs and security-related issues. Fixed problems include one where you’d encounter errors when attempting to resume virtual machines with DivX Player installed, video display issues with Slingbox Slingplayer, and windowing issues with Microsoft Office applications. Many other bugs—problems with volume, connected handheld devices, full
screen mode, the Samsung Galaxy S, Outlook 2007, and Mac OS X Server—are also addressed; the complete list is available at VMware’s Web site. Beyond all those fixes, version 3.1.2 includes patches for a small handful of security vulnerabilities that could allow local users to access files that they shouldn’t be permitted to see. ($49.99 new after $30 rebate from VMware, free update)

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Cyberduck 3.8 — The field of powerful file transfer tools has expanded significantly over the years, and perhaps the most capable of the donationware tools is David Kocher’s open-source Cyberduck. Cyberduck 3.8 packs in a variety of new features, including some specific CDN options for users of Amazon CloudFront, importers for FireFTP and CrossFTP bookmarks, improvements for the display of file sizes and dates, and plenty more. Also included in the update are more than a dozen bug fixes that provide speedier SFTP transfers, reduced upload preparation time, and better handling when accessing
Google Docs through Web proxies. (Free, 20.4 MB)

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EyeTV 3.5 — Before Hulu, the number one way Mac users could watch TV with their computers was with Elgato’s EyeTV, and even now it remains popular for recording TV from cable (see “Recording TV to iTunes with Elgato’s EyeTV Tuners,” 19 August 2010). The software has now been updated to version 3.5, which is the first Intel-only release; PowerPC processors are no longer supported. While the new version of the software works on Macs running Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard or better, Elgato recommends Mac OS X 10.6.5 Snow
Leopard or later.

EyeTV 3.5 offers enhanced performance and stability with the EyeTV Netstream Sat. Numerous bugs are fixed, among them: recordings from IceTV are now properly labeled as Movies or Series, missing thumbnails are now created, and subtitle position when switching between SD and HD now works correctly. Also corrected are issues with invalid characters being displayed on the new Apple TV, and an issue with iPad playback on devices running iOS 4.2. ($79.95 new, free update, 104 MB)

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Google Earth 6 — You’ve got the whole world in your hands—or at least on your Mac—with Google Earth. Google has bumped the globetrotting software to version 6, which is now available for Intel-based Macs only. The new version adds access to a variety of views, including Street View, 3D trees, and historical imagery. Other additions include ground-level navigation, 3D measurements, and improvements to the Tour Recorder. Google Earth requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or later. Note that Google Earth 6 turns out to be a beta, something that wasn’t initially clear; it may be worth waiting for an official release to upgrade.
(Free, 53.3 MB)

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