For those who love, care and cradle Betas .. Firefox 4 Beta 2 has been released, based on the Gecko 2.0 Web platform, has just been released for consumption.

Windows, Mac and Linux versions are all available in a total of 24 languages. Beta 2 brings a new look to Firefox 4 (with tabs now on top by default), a new ‘App Tab’ feature, and features various performance improvements over the previous beta. Mozilla warns that some add-ons may not be compatible with this version of Firefox.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Wowzers, that took them a while. How long does it take to get an 8GB memory card to the market? If you’re Eye-Fi, and the card is the WiFi 802.11n-toting Eye-Fi Pro X2, then it’s a couple of months; the company has announced that its latest wireless-enabled memory card is shipping from today, promising faster transfer speeds and improved overall performance.

According to the Eye-Fi blog, that’s all down to their new X2 engine, which bundles together a 200 MHz ARM926 processor with an MMU, dedicated flash and radio interface engines, and encryption acceleration hardware. Combined, they’re good for improved WiFi-triangulation geotagging accuracy and “Endless Memory”, Eye-Fi’s new system whereby images and video are automatically deleted from the X2 once the card has verified that they’ve been correctly uploaded to the server.

The Eye-Fi Pro X2 will also come with Eye-Fi Center, the newest version of the company’s desktop manager app for PC and Mac. Eye-Fi Center will also be available for existing Eye-Fi owners, though so far we can’t find it to download on their site. As for the Eye-Fi Pro X2, that’s available for $149.99.

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Way back in the day I had a set of JBL Creature II speakers. The things always reminded me of the ghosts from the Pac Man cartoon my brother and I watched as kids. The newest version of the speakers is the JBL Creature III and they have a very similar design to those Creature II speakers.

The new speakers are available in black or white colors and have a 3.5mm input for connecting to Mac or PCs. The drivers in the satellites are 40mm units and the subwoofer is a 3-inch unit. The dimensions of the satellite speakers are 3″ x 3″ x 2-3/4″ and the sub measures 9″ x 9″ x 9″.

The speakers still look a lot like the Pac Man ghosts to me. JBL uses its latest Odyssey transducer technology in the speakers and the Creature II speakers are available exclusively at the Apple Store and on Apple.com. The MSRP for the speakers is $129.99.

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ASUS introduced the HP-100U, a new headphone set that aims to deliver a personal Dolby home theater experience to PC and Mac systems. ASUS, the leader in computer-based Hi-Fi solutions and acclaimed producer of CES award-winning Xonar audio products, today launched its innovative HP-100U personal Dolby home theater set.

Comprising a gorgeous, lab-tuned pair of headphones, a Xonar U1 external audio device and a high quality array microphone, the HP-100U is the total audio solution for discerning listeners who brook no compromise when it comes to PC or Mac audio.

Outstanding Home Theater Sound

The HP-100U comes with the lauded Xonar U1, a uniquely-styled external audio device that harnesses the power of four major Dolby technologies to deliver high fidelity, interference-free PC audio. Furthermore, it supports DirectSound, EAX 2.0 and Open AL acceleration for the best audio experience in Windows Vista® / Windows XP™ and also on Mac platforms. It is even equipped with a Hi-Fi headphone amplifier for improved clarity when driving headphones.

Outstanding PC and Mac Compatibility

The HP-100U is tailored to meet the needs of the rapidly growing population of users who consume audio visual entertainment on notebooks. This is particularly significant for Mac users, who have previously been starved of Dolby solutions due to compatibility issues. The HP-100U addresses these needs emphatically, delivering immersive Dolby Home Theater audio across both Windows and Mac OS X-based notebooks.

More info at at ASUS.

The sensation of Pro DJ’ing is surely staying up to 4am, packed into a mixing booth before a sea of heaving, ketamine-fuelled bodies swinging their arms rapturously, while your ear-drums are slowly pounded out of existence by far more bass than is medically advisable.

Unfortunately, Hercules seem to have decided that their version of that sensation is actually all about tweaking your MP3s into digital mixes, and with that in mind they’ve launched their latest DJ control surface, the MP3e2.

The DJ Control MP3e2 hooks up to your PC or Mac via USB, and packs twin virtual mixing-decks, twin jog-wheels, a cross-fader and dual volume faders. There are also various peripheral controls, for important matters such as adding loops, playing with bass, treble and mids, and dropping in effects.

Compared to the previous model, the surface has become better spaced and the jog wheels broader and more precise. More of the controls are backlit – all the better to see them in your bedsit – and the file navigation joystick has been replaced by buttons. Still included is software for your computer, in this case VirtualDJ DJC MP3e2, which lets you play all sorts of havoc with MP3, WAV, WMA or AAC audio files.

The Hercules DJ Control MP3e2 will land in October, priced at $129.99.

(Click the above image for the large version)

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Hot on the heels of the Wal-Mart rumor we find that there is a problem with the way Mac OSX handles Java.

This flaw in the way the OS handles Java is present in all versions of OSX even the latest version 10.5.7. The vulnerability could be used to infect a system just by visiting a compromised page.

Once the user has browsed to that page the code can be executed at the same permissions level as the currently logged in user.

Now given the hype that Macs are impervious to malicious code it is likely that this could be easily exploited by a ne’er do well bent on hacking into your pricy and clean new Mac. After all Mac users do not have to worry about opening suspicious links do they?

The vulnerability could be used to perform what SecureMac refers to as “drive-by-downloads,” or the ability to infect a computer by simply visiting a Web page. Fuller explains that the flaw allows malicious code to run commands with the permissions of the current user.

In a post on his Web site, Fuller clearly seems upset and mystified that the vulnerability remains unpatched in the latest versions of the operating system.

“Unfortunately, it seems that many Mac OS X security issues are ignored if the severity of the issue is not adequately demonstrated,” Fuller said on his site. “Due to the fact that an exploit for this issue is available in the wild, and the vulnerability has been public knowledge for six months, I have decided to release my own proof of concept to demonstrate the issue.”

It’s Apple rumor time! Yup that wonderful time of day when we present to you the latest rumors about the company with the expensive toys.

Today’s installment is called home to bring Macs to the masses. Well we have seen Apple throw its lot in with Best Buy and there are the usual Apple stores, but what about the average Joe? How do we get these stark sterile systems to them?

The answer? Put them in Wal-Mart. Yup you heard me right according to some analysts Wal-Mart wants to sell the expensive white toys in their stores.

I myself find it funny that anyone would think that Apple would allow its products to be sold in Wal-Mart.

Read more here.

But Ben Reitzes, an analyst with Barclays Capital, sees Wal-Mart’s makeover as part of an elaborate flirtation with Apple that would result in the retailer being allowed to sell Mac hardware, which AppleInsider noted Tuesday.

“We believe Wal-Mart is actively pitching Apple to carry more products,” he wrote. “With Wal-Mart improving its retail displays, we believe that the mega-retailer could eventually earn the right to sell select Mac products without diluting Apple’s brand.”

Apple has released the latest update for Leopard, bringing the Mac OS X up to version 10.5.7.

The upgrade contains the usualy security updates, stability enhancements, compatibility fixes, and more. Those wishing up obtain the update can do so from the Software Update option within the Apple menu, or from the following links:

- Mac OS X 10.5.7 regular update (442MB)
- Mac OS X 10.5.7 combo update (729MB)

Some of the more notable updates include improved performance of video playback for those with NVIDIA graphics, improved network performance when connected to switches with Flow Control enabled, and additional RAW image support for several third-party cameras. The full list of changes can be found on the Apple support page.