On a regular basis, Apple World Today posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they’re popular and deserve mention. Here are this week’s picks.
macOS
The CYME team has debuted Avalanche 1.0, new photo migration software for macOS with machine learning capabilities.
Its developers say it’s designed to convert catalogs of photographs from one application to another while keeping the organizational structures intact, ensuring all metadata flows without loss and image adjustments are replicated with the best possible results. All keywords are converted with full support for hierarchies.
Avalanche for Lightroom, the first version of Avalanche, focuses on providing a solution for photographers with photos stuck in Apple Aperture, which isn’t supported by Apple anymore. Since the release of macOS Catalina, Aperture users can’t rely on launching Aperture anymore to access their photo libraries. Avalanche allows a transfer of the libraries towards Lightroom.
Avalanche for Lightroom requires macOS 10.14 or later. It costs $59 and is available exclusively through the developer’s store.
The Pixelmator Team has posted an update to Pixelmator Pro, its image editor for the Mac.
The 1.5.4 update adds a new ML Super Resolution feature, giving users the ability to increase the resolution of images using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques. ML Super Resolution is integrated using Core ML 3.
Pixelmator Pro 1.5.4 also brings improvements to ML Denoise, the AI-powered camera noise and image compression artifact removal tool. With the latest round of improvements, ML Denoise is between 2-4 times better at analyzing and removing image noise, according to the Pixelmator Pro gang.
Pixelmator Pro requires macOS 10.3 or later. It costs $39.99 and is available at the Mac App Store. Version 1.5.4 is a free update for registered users.
SheetPlanner Software has debuted SheetPlanner 1.2, an update to their planning, project and task management application for the Mac.
It’s designed to help users organize information, make long range plans, manage projects, and track everyday tasks. Version 1.2 adds such new features as the ability to select multiple items in a list, a new picture column type that allows you to store images, custom cell styles, and more.
SheetPlanner requires macOS 10.12 or later. Version 1.2 is a free update to users of 1.0 and is available worldwide from the Mac App Store. A 21-day free trial is available. Users can continue to view documents in read-only mode after the trial has expired. An in-app purchase of $49.95 will unlock the app’s full features after the trial has expired.
Feral Interactive says all five episodes of Life is Strange 2, the next standalone story in the narrative adventure series, are out now on macOS and Linux. Originally developed by DONTNOD Entertainment and published by Square Enix on Windows and console, this is the sequel to 2015’s BAFTA Award-winning Life is Strange.
Here’s a summary of Life is Strange 2: “After a tragic incident, brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz run away from home. Fearing the police, and dealing with Daniel’s newly manifested powers of telekinesis – the ability to move objects with his mind – the boys decide to travel to their father’s hometown of Puerto Lobos in Mexico for safety. Suddenly, sixteen year-old Sean is responsible for nine year-old Daniel’s safety, and teaching him right from wrong. As Daniel’s power grows, it’s up to Sean to decide the rules by which they live.
Life is Strange 2 is available now from the Feral Store for $39.95. It requires macOS 10.15 or higher.
ChronoSync 4.9.7 for the Mac is now available free to registered owners. According to the folks at Econ Technologies, the upgrade improves reliability and fixes a handful of minor bugs.
Customers will notice additional Readiness Warnings to highlight potential issues, such as trying to create a bootable backup to FireWire drives on macOS 10.15 (Catalina), they add. Also, Backblaze B2 extremely large file backups are more reliable since fixing a problem were individual files that take more than 24 hours to upload could fail.
The multipurpose app for local and cloud backup, bootable backup and folder synchronizing works with macOS 10.11 and newer. Fully working demo licenses are available. New users can purchase ChronoSync for $49.99.
Ohanaware has rolled out HDRtist NX 2.2, an update to their High Dynamic Range Imaging software product for the Mac.
Version 2.2 includes 26 improvements and 20 fixes/workarounds. The folks at Ohanaware say the focus was on improving the user experience and capabilities of the product, while cracking down on issues.
HDRtist NX2 requires macOS 10.11.1 or higher. It costs $39.99; a demo is available for download.
iOS
Cybersecurity research and consulting firm Trail of Bits released iVerify, a $2.99 iPhone security toolkit, on the Apple App Store.
iVerify is designed to make it easy for users to manage the security of their accounts and online presence with simple instructional guides. It also detects security anomalies—hacks, or jailbreaks—on iPhones and iPads.
Wekth has launched a free app, Maja, that’s designed “specifically to change the way that people interact with their neighbors, ask for favors and help, and build stronger communities worldwide.”
Users log in and then send requests for help from their nearby neighbors and community members. Requests for help can be sent in just seconds and tagged with a user’s location and other information.
