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It seems like many of the Websites I visit these days request a login. Whether it’s online banking, Twitter, Facebook, or a blog site, everyone wants a username and password.

Agile Web Solution’s 1Password desktop application helps me generate extremely secure passwords for all my sites, stores them away from prying eyes, and enters them for me almost automatically. It also lets me store all my credit card numbers, auto-populates payment forms, and even gives me a secure place where I can store software license keys, encrypted notes and so on. What’s more, 1Password backs everything up to my Dropbox account for safekeeping.

So I have a solution that works great on my Mac. But what about for password-protected sites I come across when browsing on my iPhone? The obvious answer: use the 1Password app for the iPhone and iPod touch.

(Shawn's Comment: And check out the Sneak Peek: 1Password for iPad)

The latest versions of SmileOnMyMac's PDF editing utilities PDFpen and PDFpenPro come with brief release notes, but include at least one substantial improvement.

Both editions now support OCR for 11 new languages including German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, and Norwegian. The upgrades also reportedly include a number of minor bug fixes and improvements

Pros - Insert images into PDFs; perform optical character recognition on scanned PDFs; use a library to store often-used text and graphics; make placed images' backgrounds transparent; edit text in PDFs.

Cons - Library window can't be resized and lacks a preview mode; editing text in certain PDFs may cause a crash; color changing issue in inserted notes; fuzzy text when using highlighter.

Ambrosia Software is running special holiday bundles worth up to 70% off regular prices. The software bundles are split between Work and Play for the company's various utilities and games. Within each category, shoppers can choose between three levels of Good, Better, and Best at 50%, 60%, and 70% savings respectively.

The promotion runs until December 24th.

SmileOnMyMac announced the immediate availability of DiscLabel 6.2 on Wednesday with new holiday-themed templates.

The update for the CD and DVD label design application added ten new holiday and celebration templates, added the ability to edit layer names, and fixed several bugs.

Disclabel 6.2 is priced at US$35.95 and is available at the SmileOnMyMac Web site. The update is free for version 6 users.

I met Jean MacDonald and the crew from SmileOnMyMac at a developer gathering at Chaat Cafe in San Francisco a few years ago during Macworld Expo. She is a partner at the company and primarily handles marketing and PR. Prior to joining the SmileOnMyMac, she operated Well-Tempered Web, an independent web design and online marketing firm. She also taught web design and online marketing at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon and as a member of Geekcorps in Ghana, West Africa.

Smile is one of the few indie companies that I know of to have somebody on staff dedicated to marketing, so I thought it would be useful to pick her brain for how they do it.

SmileOnMyMac announced the immediate availability of DiscLabel 6.1 on Wednesday. The update for the CD and DVD label design application added the ability to import images from Flickr accounts.

Version 6.1 also added the ability to delete layout items by dragging them outside of the design area, the ability to show and hide layers has been improved, Command-Option-I now shows and hides the Inspector palette, crop marks on plain paper stay visible after the first cut, several bugs were fixed, and more.

Agile Web Solutions announced the immediate availability of 1Password and 1Password Pro 2.2. The update for the iPhone and iPod touch password management applications improved copy and paste support database reset.

Version 2.2 added Quick Copy and Paste so users can copy data with a single tap, and added Landscape Mode for List, Detail and Web Browser views. It also added auto-capitalization for the Notes field, added the ability to rearrange tabs in the toolbar, and fixed several bugs.

1Password Pro 2.2 also added the ability to synchronize folders from 1Password for the Mac, along with the ability to copy multiple fields for pasting into Mobile Safari when using the Look Up bookmarklet.

The Remedy Laptop Shoulder Bag is a minimalist messenger bag with detailed features. Two models are available specifically designed to accomodate Apple's MacBook, MacBook Pro and PowerBook notebook lines.

The Remedy features a snug-fitting notebook section with high-density padding and an organizer pocket on the front for all your essentials. A comfortable handle allows the Remedy to be carried as a briefcase and attaching the removable strap converts it into a shoulder bag.

RadTech has released the CompuShell, a US$269.96 hard shell laptop case. Like the company’s MacTruck notebook enclosures, CompuShell envelopes your portable rig with a heat-extracting aluminum alloy shell. But unlike the MacTruck, it has extra space for power supply and peripherals (for 15-inch and smaller notebooks).

The CompuShell protects your notebook while you use it. It allows full use of your computer, storage for your power supply and related peripherals and unfettered access to all ports, all while cradled within the case’s protective padding. The notebook is easily removed from the case if desired; just lift it out and go.

Air channels located beneath the notebook’s bottom case, combined with the heat conduction properties of the aluminum shell, helps keep your notebook cool, according to the folks at RadTech. The handle is constructed from a graphite enriched poly-resin and shaped for comfort and rotates throughout a full 190 degree arc, which is handy if you want to stow your CompuShell inside a backpack, shoulder bag, or suitcase.

Ambrosia Software on Thursday announced the release of Multiwinia, a new war game for the Mac. It costs $20; a 30-day trial version is available for download.

Multiwinia is from the developers of Darwinia, and it’s set in the same environment. It's “a fantastic fractalized world populated by bloodthirsty little stick men with a mission: follow your orders to annihilate their enemies.” It's a real-time strategy game.

Multiwinia features six different game types with more than 40 maps to choose from, along with online and single player modes. Game modes include Domination, King of the Hill, Capture the Statue, Assault, Rocket Riot and Blitzkrieg.

Answer that question and you could win a 2 GB iPod Shuffle!

SmileOnMyMac and Your Mac Life are giving away 5 iPod Shuffles for the best answers to that question.

The best will be picked by Shawn King and Lesa Snider King, hosts of Your Mac Life. The winners will be announced March 18, 2009. But *everyone* who enters will get a special discount on the SmileOnMyMac application of their choice. To enter, just fill out this form with your answer!

New to the Mac? Get three of the most useful and popular Mac software utilities, all rated 4.5 mice by Macworld! Plus a series of ScreenCastsOnline how-to videos to get your started on your way to become a Mac power user.

Makes a great gift! Special introductory price now through January 31, 2009. Questions? Please contact support [at] smileonmymac [dot] com.

SmileOnMyMac released an update on Thursday for TextExpander, bringing the current version to 2.5.

Among the changes in the new version is date math. This allows users to create snippets to automatically add or subtract years, months, and days from the current date. The company also added time math allowing users to add or subtract hours, minutes or seconds from the current time.

An Internet Productivity snippet group has been added to TextExpander that contains AppleScripts that automatically shorten URLs using online services such as TinyURL and others.

SmileOnMyMac, developers of TextExpander, and Agile Web Solutions, developers of 1Password, have announced a joint marketing promotion.

SmileOnMyMac now offers 1Password at 25% discount when purchased together with any SmileOnMyMac application.

Meanwhile, Agile Web Solutions offers TextExpander in its online store at a discount of 20% when purchased together with 1Password.

Clarifi is no ordinary polycarbonate case.

That's because, when the details matter, Clarifi's built-in lens gives your iPhone a boost in camera resolution.

Slide the Clarifi lens into place over the built-in lens of your iPhone. Your macro and close-up shots are instantly finer in detail, more accurate in color. With Clarifi's lens, your iPhone can image an entire business card with astounding clarity. Slide the lens aside for normal photography. WIthout Clarifi, iPhone requires about 18 inches to focus properly. Slide Clarifi's lens into place and you can move in to 4 inches for crisp detail and great pictures.

And, of course, Clarifi is also a super-protective case, constructed of durable polycarbonate, with cutaways for access to power switch, headphone jack, volume controls, and dock connector. For use with Apple Universal Dock wells, Clarifi features Griffin's trademark EasyDock™ design: the bottom third of the case slides down and off to fit in standard dock wells.

From MacObserver

SmileOnMyMac announced the immediate availability of TextExpander 2.3. The update for the typing shortcut application added a predefined set of accented foreign words that are commonly used in English.

Version 2.3 also improved the TextExpander Preference Pane interface to fit Leopard's wider System Preferences window, fixed an issue with filtering abbreviations and snippets, fixed Tiger-related case sensitivity issues, and more.

TextExpander 2.3 is priced at US$29.95 and is available for download at the SmileOnMyMac Web site. The update is free for all users.

Click here to read more "TextExpander 2.3 gets Accented Word Library"

Celebrate SmileOnMyMac's 5th Birthday with Your Mac Life!

Purchase any SmileOnMyMac application with 20% discount. Offer expires August 15, 2008.

And don't forget you can still be part of their newest Your Mac Life commercials!

Call the SmileOnMyMac hotline at 503-608-7622, and record your answer to the question: "What Makes You Smile On YOUR Mac?"

Click here to read more "Celebrate SmileOnMyMac's 5th Birthday!"

From Macworld

Software utility-maker SmileOnMyMac on Tuesday released an update for its typing shortcut tool, TextExpander, bringing the current version to 2.1.

The new version improves performance and reliability for fast typists; allows single character abbreviations; remembers open groups in Preference pane; preserves format when creating snippets from selection or Clipboard; and fixes problem expanding when there are multiple nested snippets.

TextExpander allows you to insert commonly used text or other snippets using abbreviations instead of typing the entire snippet each time.

Click here to read more "TextExpander 2.1 improves Performance"

From SmileOnMyMac

SmileOnMyMac was a featured developer in the MacSanta promotion, offering 10% off through December 31st. MacSanta offers one-day 20% discounts and extended 10% discounts on Mac OS X software.

Click here to read more "SmileOnMyMac is a Featured Developer Today in the MacSanta Promotion"

Thanks to Griffin Technology, we are giving away a one of a kind signed Evolve Wireless Sound System on Wednesday evening's show!

All you have to do to win is tell us the name of Griffin Technology's J Curtis' wife. Send your guess in the Subject Line to "contest at yourmaclifeshow.com" and then listen for your name to be called on Wednesday evening's show!

From MacMinure

SmileOnMyMac has released PageSender 4.1, an update to its fax software for Mac OS X. The update features compatibility with Mac OS X Leopard and improved printing speed and reliability. PageSender users who are planning to upgrade to the new Leopard operating system must have version 4, as previous versions will not run under Leopard.

Click here to read more "PageSender 4.1 offers Leopard Compatibility"

From SmileOnMyMac

How does your Mac make you smile? The answer to this question could win you one of five new iPod nanos.

SmileOnMyMac, developers of productivity software for Mac OS X, have announced a contest for the best answers to "How Does Your Mac Make You Smile?" The contest entry form and rules can be found at http://www.smileonmymac.com/contest. The deadline for entering is November 6, 2007.

Answers can be short or long. The best answers will be judged by Shawn King and Lesa Snider King, co-hosts of Your Mac Life. The winners will be announced on the show November 7, 2007.

SmileOnMyMac will award up to five new 8GB iPod nanos. The number of prizes will increase as the number of entries increases. For every 250 entries, SmileOnMyMac will add another iPod nano. All contestants will be entered into a random drawing for 5 copies of TextExpander, the typing shortcut utility.

From MacMinute

Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit today released Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.8 Update. The company says this update: "fixes a vulnerability in Word 2004 that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code." The update applies to Office 2004 Standard Edition, Office 2004 Student and Teacher Edition, Office 2004 Professional Edition, Word 2004.

Click here to read more "Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.8 Update Posted"

From MacBU
Microsoft has posted a flash-based site previewing Office 2008 for Mac OS X.

Click here to read more "Microsoft previews Office 2008"

From MacMinute

Today's featured promo on MacUpdate offers DiscLabel 4.4 for US$19.95 (39% off, retail $32.95). "With DiscLabel you can create, print, & share CD labels, jewel case inserts, and DVD covers that look truly professional." DiscLabel 4.4 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Click here to read more "DiscLabel 39% off Today Only"

From Microsoft
Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit (Mac BU) has launched Art of Office, a new Web site that showcases the creativity of Microsoft Office users.

MacBU describes Art of Office as “a user-generated community site” where users can send artistic or useful content created using Office for Mac applications. Users can share, rate, remix and discuss content with other Office for Mac users.

Click here to read more "Mac BU debuts 'Art of Office'"

From SmileOnMyMac
SmileOnMyMac, developer of award-winning productivity software for Mac OS X, has announced a special Back-To-School discount. Students and faculty receive a 40% discount on purchases made at the online SmileOnMyMac Education Store through September 4, 2007.

"Our software can really enhance academic productivity," said Jean MacDonald, SmileOnMyMac's marketing director. "We want to encourage Mac-using students and teachers to start the new school year off right by offering an extra discount during the Back-To-School season."

Click here to read more "SmileOnMyMac Offers 40% Discount for Students, Teachers"

From MacMinute

SmileOnMyMac has released PDFpen 3.3, the latest version of its PDF editing and form-filling tool for Mac OS X. The update adds greater compatibility with Adobe Acrobat mark-up by displaying additional drawn annotations, including stamps. It also features a new preference to lock large images automatically. All the new features of PDFpen 3.3 have also been added to PDFpenPro 3.3, the Pro version that has the ability create fillable PDF forms in addition to all the features of PDFpen.

Click here to read more "PDFpen 3.3 Adds Enhanced Annotation Display"

From MacMinute

SmileOnMyMac has updated BrowseBack, a Web history visualization and search tool that stores a PDF of every Web page visited and makes the pages accessible through an interface that allows the user to browse thumbnails of the pages. Version 1.4 adds support for Flock web browser; improved performance and reduced resource usage; and more. BrowseBack requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later, and is priced at US$29.95.

Click here to read more "BrowseBack 1.4 offers Faster Performance, Flock Support"