MacEdition Pro News : October 16, 2002, Transiting to a hex of a java break
by MacEdition Staff (feedback)
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Plug-in, turn on and…
All you Apple iMovie buffs lookin’ to add a little more pizzazz to your little films might want to surf over to Stupendous Software where the Honolulu-based firm recently released four plug-in packs for iMovie 2.
Of the 99 plug-ins available, Stupendous is giving away 18 for free to those users who wish to download the demo versions. Each series costs US$25. Details on each package, from the company’s press release, are as follows:
Color Effects (32 effects, 5 free)
This package includes effects for various black and white looks, as well as color adjustment and enhancing features. Colors can be manipulated and color channels extracted and swapped. Noise and animated noise can be added to an image, and several posterized and stylized looks can be achieved. The package also includes effects for unstretching scenes shot in 16x9 wide screen format, as well as letter boxing effects for obtaining a wide screen look from standard footage.
Crops & Zooms (30 effects, 5 free)
This package includes effects for various zoom options, from blocky to ultra smooth, a variety of circular and square peephole effects, as well as a variety of ramp effects. Also included are various image transformations such as shrink, stretch, flip and rotate. There is also an animated camera shake effect.
Glows & Blurs (25 effects, 5 free)
This package includes many kinds of blur effects, from simple defocus to extreme defocus to horizontal and vertical blurs, and even blurs of individual color components. Also included are a wide variety of glow and diffusion effects, as well as several variants of artistic effects for embossing, and extracting and emphasizing edges and outlines of shapes.
Time Effects (12 effects, 3 free)
This package contains effects for doing smooth slow motion, fast motion, as well as a number of stylized motion effects such as skipping frames, motion blurring and motion trails, and an effect which mimics the look of slow motion in Japanese Anime cartoons. Also included are effects for simulating the look of footage shot at frame rates other than 30 frames per second. One of the coolest effects in this package is the Time Warp effect. Be sure to check it out.
Stupendous also has some gallery shots of their color effects package, along with their crops and zooms pack and their glows and blurs pack (and we’d be remiss to not point out their time effects pack) on their Web site.
Time to take a break…
Anyone who has used a computer for any length of time has probably heard of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) and has likely come across the term Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
Well, if either injury sounds scary enough that you might wish to do something to avoid the pain of computing, then point your browser to Public Space’s Web site and download a new OS 10.2 compatible version of MacBreakZ!
>From the company’s press release:
MacBreakZ! is a personal ergonomic assistant which monitors your keyboard and mouse activity and helps you structure your computer use in a healthy manner, which prevents computer-related injuries from developing.
MacBreakZ! achieves this by:
- monitoring user activity and suggesting appropriate times for rest and recovery breaks
- providing a range of stretching exercises designed to relieve muscular tension and improve static posture
- providing ergonomic information on how to use your computer in a healthy manner
The shareware program is available for a free trail period, but ultimately carries a US$24.95 price tag.
A little chat over a cuppa joe…
Digi-Net Technologies has taken the leap toward the brave new OS by releasing an OS 10.2 compatible version of its DigiChat server software.
The multi-platform chat software, which comes in four varieties, allows web developers to include chat services on their Web sites for every purpose from community development to e-commerce. The new OS X flavors pack the following features:
- Increased compatibility and performance with Mac OS v10.2.1 — Private Messages for ChatMaster Application / Applet improved
- “Host Tab” restrictions now apply to the ChatMaster Applet
- Increased CPU usage of DigiChat Server resolved
- Existing themes will automatically transfer
- Commander broadcast functionality improved
- Spontaneous closing of chat window immediately after login has been corrected
- Corrected incompatibilities with Java v1.4.x with the Chat Master and Lite applets
Digi-Net has placed a quick FAQ at this page, and the product can be ordered by clicking on this link.
Put a hex on u…
Programmers looking for a handy utility to convert text and integer into hexidecimal or conduct the reverse may wish to take a look at Hex OSAX from 24U Software.
The Applescript addition allows for hexidecimal dumps or edits of files so that programmers and Web developers can easily move portions of their code across platforms or over the Internet. Best of all, 24U is making the program free to all users.
It is our pleasure to introduce this ScriptingAddition as Donationware. This is our gift to you and we hope that it makes your life easier and saves you time. You do not have to pay for it. On the other hand, we would like to raise money for developing similar gifts. Thus, we welcome any donation to help with our future development plans.
More detailed information is available at 24U’s product page, while the program itself is available at this download page.
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