PcMacZone

Corel unveils PaintShop Photo Pro X3 editing software

Corel Corporation has just announced a new edition to one of their software lines: PaintShop Photo Pro X3. The Pro X3 version will host a variety of new features and functions, plus high definition video capabilities for the first time.

The PaintShop Photo Pro X3 program is intended for digital photographers of all skill levels. The editing program includes a a revamped Organizer, designed to select and edit information (tagging, ratings, quick touch-ups) on multiple selected photos at once.

Some of the highlighted additions include:

* HD Video Editing: Users can design HD slideshows and movies, combining both photos and video clips within the same tool.
* Camera RAW Lab: Allows the user to adjust several settings (i.e. white balance, exposure, saturation, etc.) before processing, and then copied to other RAW images. Supports over 350 RAW formats.
* Multi‑photo Adjustments: Changes made to one image can be applied to multiple photos at once
* Smart Carver and Object Extractor: Removing objects and scales without distorting the image; masks image details that are difficult to preserve
* Project Creator: A one-stop shop for creating and sharing photo and video projects (i.e. publish photo books, cards, calendars, etc.) Also allows for direct uploading to YouTube, Facebook and Flickr.

PlayStation 3 'hacked' by iPhone cracker

A US hacker who gained notoriety for unlocking Apple's iPhone as a teenager has told BBC News that he has now hacked Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3).

George Hotz said the hack, which could allow people to run pirated games or homemade software, took him five weeks.

He said he was still refining the technique but intended to post full details online soon.

The PS3 is the only games console that has not been hacked, despite being on the market for three years.

"It's supposed to be unhackable - but nothing is unhackable," Mr Hotz told BBC News.

"I can now do whatever I want with the system. It's like I've got an awesome new power - I'm just not sure how to wield it."

Sony said it was "investigating the report" and would "clarify the situation" when it had more information.

Apple plugs critical security holes

Apple�s first Mac OS X security update for 2010 is out, providing cover for at least 12 serious vulnerabilities.

The update, rated critical, plugs security holes that could lead to code execution vulnerabilities if a Mac user is tricked into opening audio files or surfing to a rigged Web site.

With Security Update 2010-001, Apple also fixes flaws in the Adobe Flash Player plug-in that ships with the operating system.

Here�s what has been patched:

* CoreAudio (CVE-2010-0036) � A buffer overflow exists in the handling of mp4 audio files. Playing a maliciously crafted mp4 audio file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

Google Nexus One Review

The Nexus One. In the modern climate of hyped (and over-hyped) smartphone launches, Google's official entry into the phone-sales game has excelled in a department where many find difficulty: generating legitimate excitement. Of course, long before the name Nexus One or the recent bounty of pictures and details existed, the very concept of a "Google Phone" had been ingrained in the public conscience, predating even the Open Handset Alliance and Android itself; the company dabbled in the concept of direct sales through its offering of the Android Dev Phones 1 and 2 (alias Ion), but this time, it's a public retail ordeal, not a couple of one-off developer specials. The genuine-article Google Phone is finally here -- for better or worse.

The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks -- on paper, at least -- like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 "Flan," if you're counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Can the Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review of the Nexus One, we'll answer all those pressing questions and more... so read on for the full scoop!

Movie Studios Pissed Off At Netflix

Honestly, at what point do entertainment execs finally figure out that by purposely not making content available in the format people want it in, they're only encouraging them to get that content through unauthorized means? We already knew that the big movie studios were annoyed with Netflix and trying to get Netflix to delay movie rentals until at least a month after the DVD comes out. Now we have an explanation why.

Amazon's Kindle has copyright protection hacked

An Israeli hacker claims to have broken the copyright protection on Amazon's Kindle e-reader, reports say.

The hack will allow the ebooks stored on the reader to be transferred as pdf files to any other device.

The hacker, known as Labba, responded to a challenge posted on Israeli hacking forum, hacking.org.

It is the latest in a series of Digital Rights Management hacks, the most famous being the reverse engineering of iTunes.

The Kindle e-book reader has been very successful since it was launched in the US in 2007.

Amazon hopes to have sold a million devices by the end of the year.

It leaves it to individual publishers whether they want to apply DRM but books in its main proprietary format .azw, cannot be transferred to other devices.

It did not immediately respond to the news but it is likely it will attempt to patch its DRM software.

DRM has long divided opinion. While rights holders regard it as a crucial tool to protect copyright, consumers tend to hate it because it limits what can be done with content.

Psystar shut down by Apple....or are they?

After Apple's sweeping permanent injunction, Psystar has officially ceased operations. The company's CEO Rudy Pedraza told the Dow Jones Newswire last night that he is "shutting things down immediately." The company has also released its eight employees, and shuttered its website last night.

The actions came after Apple's permanent injunction against Psystar earlier this week, which gave Psystar until December 31st to stop selling its Mac clones. The clones violated Apple's End User License Agreement for Mac OS X, which expressly forbids use of the operating system on non-Apple hardware.

This also marks the end of Psystar's Rebel EFI software, which had been Psystar's only viable product since early December. Many Psystar watchers doubted if Psystar would continue to sell it.

Modern Warfare 2 breaks into Japanese top ten

Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has entered the top ten all-formats chart in Japan, with the PlayStation 3 version debuting at number four.

Despite shifting respectable numbers of 93,000, the game was no match for New Super Mario Bros Wii however, which topped the chart for a second week with sales of 431,000. Nintendo's game became the fastest selling Wii game to date last week when it sold a massive 934,739 units.

Entering the chart at number two was Namco Bandai's Tales of Grace, and the eternally popular Tomodachi Collection rose three places from last week to number three.

The final new entry to the software chart was another Namco Bandai title, Naruto Shippuden Narutimate Accel 3, which entered at number five.

Combat Arms hits 1 million users in Europe

Nexon Europe has announced that its free-to-play online shooter title, Combat Arms, has racked up 1 million registered users in Europe.

The game, launched in the region in January this year, has now attracted over 4 million players worldwide, says the company.

"Hitting the 1 million user mark within the first year of service is a remarkable achievement for a free-to-play online FPS title, especially in today's saturated European market," said Sung Jin Kim, director of European Business at Nexon Europe. "Most importantly, we've seen a very steady growth in registrations during the path of Combat Arms service which reveals its good potential and consistent appeal to the European gamers."

PlayStation Home hits 10 million users

PlayStation Home now has more than 10 million users, Sony has revealed.

It announced the figure alongside three new Home spaces themed on Uncharted 2, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time and MotorStorm. According to Sony, a Home game space should now be a paramount part of the marketing strategy for any new game.

"PlayStation Home is fast becoming the meeting place of choice between users and developers," said Dan Hill, European Home business manager at SCEE.

"Every new game space enhances the overall experience for consumers, offering more variety, more choice and more enjoyment from a PlayStation Home session. The more game spaces there are, the better it gets, and the number of spaces keeps on growing.