work

QuickCal Mobile is an app that lets you quickly create new events for your calendar using plain language typed into a text field.

Mac users may know QuickCal from the free Dashboard widget of the same name, and the interface shares some similarities: you create events in the same way, by typing into an always-on text field. QuickCal will automatically recognize most parameters--for example, "Go to gym tomorrow 11-noon," "Yard work next Saturday at Dad's house," or "Team meeting next Friday for two hours starting at 3." As you type, the app will … Read more

In spite of being viewed as the "other guys" in some Mac users' minds, Microsoft has generally put out an excellent productivity suite for the Mac with Microsoft Office. Though the latest package is still not on par with the Windows version (you get only the four main programs--a big difference when you consider the Windows version has 10), Microsoft made a big leap with this latest version for the Mac in several other ways. Not only has it nearly reached feature parity (and cross compatibility) with the Mac counterparts to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but it has … Read more

Apple has released a new update for iWork on iPad that adds support for saving documents to MobileMe iDisk as well as the option to export documents in more native Microsoft Office formats.

With Apple pushing to sell the iPad as more than just a consumption tool, these important updates to the flagship productivity suite on the touch-screen tablet indicate that Apple is serious about achieving its goal.

The 1.2 update for iWork gives Keynote and Numbers the capability to export to comparable native Microsoft Office formats for PowerPoint and Excel. Pages previously supported exporting to Word formatted documents.… Read more

Boeing has won an $89 million government contract to build and fly an unmanned solar-powered plane that can--eventually--stay aloft continuously for up to five years. Yes, that's five years.

The defense contractor will develop the SolarEagle aircraft for the Vulture II program run by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, better known as DARPA. Scheduled to get off the ground for its first demo flight in 2014, the plane will likely serve as an electronic sensor and military communications platform. But it could eventually turn into a less expensive alternative to communications and reconnaissance satellites.

"SolarEagle … Read more

Apple has released an update for 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro systems released in mid-2010, which addresses a problem that could cause freezes and hangs during use, and more notably during start-up. The prevalence of this problem is rare, but has affected a few systems.

In addition to the freezes and hangs, the update addresses compatibility issues with external displays.

In order to install the update, you will need to have your external power supply attached and should expect a gray screen with a status bar appear when the system reboots. It is important that you do not interrupt this … Read more

CallitADay is an easy, inviting app that helps you create an electronic diary, with text, images, and even audio and video recording.

CallitADay's streamlined interface suits its straightforward purpose: the main, three-part window has a calendar (to start an entry, you select the date you want), a sidebar of previous entries (which you can organize by topic and browse as thumbnails, in a grid or Cover Flow-style), and a large editing pane, with controls for zooming, changing fonts and color, and browsing back through previous entries. This main window also has buttons for quickly creating audio and video recordings (… Read more

Editors' note, Wednesday 6:52 a.m. PDT: TheChive.com has fessed up: It's a hoax. "We couldn't have pulled this one off without the help of this adorable young woman," an actress named Elyse Porterfield, the Chive-sters said in a short, photo-filled blog post.

Heroism is in even shorter supply than employment these days.

So how can one not be transported to a better place by the story of the personal assistant who seems to have had enough of her boss and decided to reveal his true being? Which, as Mark Zuckerberg has taught us, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--A Russian group is doing check counterfeiting in the U.S. using malware, botnets, virtual private networks, and money mules recruited online, according to research expected to be revealed at the Black Hat hacker conference here on Wednesday.

The SecureWorks Counter Threat Unit investigated the bizarre operation over three months and is now working with law enforcement to find out who is responsible for the scam, which is believed to have netted as much as $9 million from fake checks in the last year.

SecureWorks researchers uncovered the complicated operation in April when it discovered a unique variant of … Read more

Brian Tong takes a look at the latest in news and notes from the world of Apple. This week, he responds to viewer emails regarding a possible new iPod touch, new iLife and iWork, and how to better find great Apps and manage music using iTunes.

Can't see the video? Have an iPhone or iPad? Click the following link to download this week's Apple Byte (should show in the HTML5 viewer in Safari):

→ Apple Byte 6/21/2010 ←

Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums. Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.… Read more