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Onyx International to unveil the Boox e-reader at CeBIT
Look out, Amazon -- Onyx International has your number. Among the electronic bounty we'll be checking out at CeBIT will be the Boox e-reader. The device boasts a 6-inch e-ink touchscreen with 16 shades of gray, 512MB storage, WiFi, support for various formats (including EPUB / PDF / HTML / TXT / CHM / MOBI / JPG / BMP / PNG / GIF / TIFF / MP3), and text to speech (but sadly, no Tom). We don't have a price yet, so we're not entirely sure how threatened you should feel, but if we had to wager we'd probably bet on "not very."
Freeware favorite OnyX goes 2.0
Whenever we write about Mac OS X utilities for system maintenance, our readers always remind of us one freeware utility that does a lot of work at no cost -- OnyX from Titanium Software.This multifunction application does verification of your Startup Disk and System file structure, performs a lot of miscellaneous tasks for system maintenance and cleanup, and lets you configure some hidden parameters for the Finder, Dock, Dashboard, Exposé, Safari, the Login window, and even some of Apple's applications. The improvements in OnyX 2.0 include faster operation, and deleting the applications cache, Internet cache, and logs has been improved. Most of these improvements are due to the application now being complied with the latest version of Xcode. One new feature lets you rebuild Mail's envelope index in the automation panel. While the version 2.0 download is only available for Leopard, you can also download earlier versions for Tiger, Panther, and Jaguar. Support is pretty good; it's done through Titanium's forums and there are always answers available for most of your questions. If you don't use OnyX, what's your favorite free Mac system maintenance utility?
OnyX 1.9
A new year, a new software update. The creators of OnyX and Maintenance, Titanium Software, updated OnyX today. As you probably know already, OnyX is the ultimate Mac customization / optimization utility. In addition to this new version being completely re-written, there are also some bug fixes which include: Enable/disable Journaling Enable/disable iChat Data Detectors Hide the icon of Spotlight in the menu bar Deleting the Conversations log of instant messaging Resetting the Sidebar of Finder windows Some bugs of the previous beta corrected I am sure that to avid users of OnyX this update is welcomed with open arms. If you haven't checked out OnyX before, what a better time than now? You can get your system tweaked and running smoothly for 2008! OnyX is available as freeware from Titanium Software or Mac Update.
10 commandments of Mac optimization
Jason Swadley of InsanelyMac.com let us know about his posting of the Ten Commandments of Mac Optimization (I especially enjoyed the HotWp1 joke). The list is an interesting one, because it's a good mix of actual software tips, and what you might call mindset suggestions. On the practical tips side, Swadley recommends apps like Onyx and AppFresh, to keep your Mac running so fresh and so clean clean. I agree, too, with his tip about periodically taking stock of installed apps, and pruning the tree, so to speak. Like him, I tend to download and try out lots of stuff, and so it's worth it, maybe once every two weeks, to run back through the Applications folder and clear out (with AppZapper, of course) what I'm not using anymore.But Swadley's other tips are for a much more holistic form of Mac optimization. He talks about removing peripherals that aren't used, buying every piece of software you find useful, and even not coveting your neighbor's Mac (because upgrading your own older machine might be more optimal than carting around a brand new release that you won't use half of).I like it-- it's definitely a more widespread version of these kinds of lists than I'm normally used to, and all the tips are certainly good ones, even if you've heard them all before.
Low End Mac Suggestions for Optimizing Performance
Ed Eubanks over at Low End Mac has a nice set of suggestions for optimizing performance on your Mac. The main upshot of the article is to turn off or delete things you don't need (e.g. Universal Access, seldom used System Preferences, extra localization languages, etc.) in order to salvage as much RAM and hard drive space as possible, but he has a variety of good suggestions. Their motto over there is "How much Mac do you need?", but even if you've got an Intel beast I've found that you pretty much never have enough system resources, so these are good tips for everyone. Check it out over at Low End Mac.[Via Digg]
Spring Cleaning now Universal
Spring Cleaning, the system optimization, cleaning, and uninstaller utility from Smith Micro is now a Universal Binary. Completely rewritten from the ground up, version 9 introduces a wealth of new features and tools, such as a Task Scheduler, Permissions Fixer, a Housekeeping Scripts Runner, Spotlight Index Rebuilder, System Cache Cleaner, and others, in addition to a reworked interface. $49.99 for the package, or $19.99 for upgrades. Requires OS X 10.4. Although I can't vouch for this application, I will recommend OnyX for folks looking for something similar, and for free. I usually make sure to crack OnyX open every month or so for a bit of housekeeping of my own.(via Macworld)
90 days = 90 prizes to give away
Nintendo is holding one hell of a contest over the next 90 days (which began yesterday) where, each day, one lucky winner will be gifted with a DS Lite, DS game of their choice, as well as a GBA game of their choice. Obviously, the sweepstakes have some rules you're going to need to follow, so it's in your best interest to give them a read. Also, it should be noted that they do not specify which color DS Lite unit each winner will receive, however the contest graphic depicts the Onyx model.
Onyx precision guided parachutes
If you've ever fallen out of a plane before (or perhaps been pushed, not that we're bitter or anything), you might've realized that while hitting the ground isn't usually hard to manage, hitting a particular area of ground can be rather difficult. Even more so with unmanned cargo drops, which can land miles from their unintended drop point due to winds or a mis-timed release. Well, Atair Aerospace is bringing some hot "flocking" technology of theirs to bear on the problem, which allows you to deploy 50 or more cargo parachutes in the same airspace, from as high as 35,000 feet, and have them all autonomously glide for as far as 30 miles before landing within 50 meters of a preprogrammed target. The "Onyx" parachutes have parafoil systems to direct themselves, and the flocking and "Active Collision Avoidance" technologies allow the robotic parachutes to communicate with each other and avoid messy accidents. Altair was awarded a $3.2 million contract by the US Army to supply Onyx systems, slightly out-doing our bid of $5.95 and half a box of French fries to use the system for automatic tradeshow schwag deployment.
Onyx and Pink out in the US
When we heard the US would finally be able to choose what color DS Lite they'd prefer to rock, no longer to be bound by a choice-restricted, Polar White existence, we were almost arrested for how much we celebrated the news. Upon Nintendo laying the announcement on us, we ran out into the street and ripped off our pants in celebration, in what was later described by one key witness as "quite the struggle, I mean, that man was ripping at his pants for a good 15 minutes before he found a pair of scissors and cut them off. I would've stopped watching, but I don't really have a job..." The old man then asked us if we'd be willing to go out some time, maybe to a movie. We asked for a raincheck...Creepy old men on the street aside, we will be storming our local retail outlets later on this afternoon to procure both Onyx and Pink (in case we ever find a woman who doesn't take out a restraining order against us that we may give it to, which we probably won't) in the bold fashion we've become accustomed to. Upon acquiring each model, we'll hold them high above our heads in the parking lot and scream at the top of our lungs until security drags us away. Let us hear from you fine reader. Will you be trading in your Polar White for a different color? Been waiting on getting a DS Lite period due to lack of colors? Happy enough with your Polar White DS Lite?
Black DS Lite goes down under in September
After the announcement that the US would be getting the seductive Onyx (black) DS Lite and its more feminine and bright Coral Pink cousin, we were relieved that we had finally been given an option. Screaming from our jail cell DS Fanboy offices in celebration, we firmly gripped our old, has-been Crystal White DS Lites and fell to our knees, nothing more than a husk of our former self. We had fought, long and hard, and we finally did it, we finally won.Now it's the Aussies' turn. The black version of the DS Lite will be made available to the whole country of Australia upon the clock striking the date of September the 21st and we suggest Aussies looking for a darker shade of DS Lite rush to their local retail hot spots, secure a black DS Lite, and use it to rub it in the face of all of their friends. Physically. Nothing more satisfying than purchasing a $199.95 AUD product and rubbing it all over your best friend's face, laughing maniacally until he gets so upset that he snatches it from your hand and throws it to the ground with all his might. Hey, at least it was funny for those 40 seconds, right?[Via Aussie-Nintendo]
Winning Eleven Special Edition DS
So, Nintendo finally tossed us a bone and set the Black and Pink version of the DS Lite for release in North America. Still, any real gamer knows that all the awesome special edition everythings are Japan-only, and this little beauty is no exception. Soocer/football fans, go ahead and drool...the stylistic playbook sketch makes the Onyx Lite that much hotter. Sure, if you want it badly enough, you can import it...but who knows how much you'll be paying?
Nintendo launches Onyx and Coral Pink DS Lites
Looks like the Polar White DS Lite just got some colorful pals to join up in the hilarious mad-cap adventures of attacking kids' allowances with a fierce vengeance; now slated are Lites in Onyx and Coral Pink shades (or dark gray and pink to rest of us), though Nintendo didn't say when these new systems would be out (assume nowish or soonish September 13th) and for how much (assume $130ish).
Confirmed: Black and Pink DS Lites in September
On September the 13th, those hating the simple elegance of the Crystal White DS Lite may finally seek an official alternative in either the Black or Pink DS Lite (officially dubbed Onyx and Coral Pink, respectively). It's about time Nintendo has gone ahead and tossed us poor American gamers a bone. Check out the official press release after the break.
The Onyx - Synaptics' ClearPad concept phone
This is totally on the concept design tip and so won't ever actually be produced, but check out the Onyx, a prototype handset that Synaptics and Pilotfish put together that uses Synaptics' new ClearPad touch screen. We're still not totally sold on button-less phones -- we crave the tactility -- but the Onyx lets you do stuff like close an app by drawing an "X" over it with your finger, send messages by swiping them off the screen, and answer a call simply by placing the phone against your cheek. Don't expect to ever actually get your hands on the Onyx, but Synaptics is planning to make ClearPad available to manufacturers around the end of the year, so there's a decent chance that phones like it could start showing up within a couple of years.[Via Core77]
