How soon? It's scheduled for release next year. I know you'll probably say that's too long a wait for the improvements, but I'm telling you, it's going to be worth the wait.

Apple's Pages software will contain significant improvements come version 3. These "improvements" include the introduction of two new modes - Layout and Word Processing. The current Pages software handles these two types of documents with only one common set of tools and templates, but in version 3, the new modes will be utilized and optimized for their respective tasks.

Document creation is expected to become easier with the new Word Processing mode. Features of this mode include a thesaurus that will be integrated with Wikipedia, Spotlight and Google, and a "robust grammar checking engine" for Pages.

Another improvement which will be in Pages 3 is the Inspector's "Mini-Inspectors" which will allow users to get to frequently accessed settings with just one click.

Mail Merge's functionality will also be dramatically improved as it will support mail merging to e-mail.

Pages 3 will be included in iWork '07 which is expected to be released January next year. Other softwares contained in iWork '07 are Keynote 4 and a new spreadsheet application.

FileMaker Inc. may announce the release of FileMaker Pro 8.5 and Pro 8.5 Advanced - its first release as a Universal Binary for Intel processors - on Monday. According to its maker, FileMaker Pro 8.5 runs up to 91% faster on Intel-based Macs than on PowerPC systems.

FileMaker v8.5 also features a Web Viewer where information on Web pages can be downloaded directly into FileMaker databases. The upcoming v8.5 already includes MapQuest/Google Maps, Google Search, Google Finance, FedEx, and Wikipedia in its address book. Web integration has also been expanded to Web-enabled applications.

Other additions will include an online Learning Center with over 30 QuickTime-based video tutorials, sample databases, documentation, a searchable Knowledge Base, and other resources. Upgrade to FileMaker v8.5 will cost $99.

There are a lot of speculations on what the highly-anticipated and much publicized Operating System from Apple, Leopard, will have as its spots, I mean, features. Some possible candidates that are being thrown around are Boot Camp, Bit Torrent, Maps...

Yes, you read it right, Maps. I bet you never saw that one coming huh? What good purpose will maps on your Macs serve, you ask? Apparently, Leopard will come bundled with something simply called Maps, which works pretty much the same way as Google Maps and Microsoft's Virtual Earth does. Maps, insiders say, will use GPS to track down stolen Apple goods. How Steve Jobs and the people a Apple are going to do that before its release in August, I absolutely have no clue. We simply know they can.

Adium is a multi-protocol instant messaging application for Mac OS X. It supports AIM, ICQ, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Jabber, Lotus Sametime, MSN, Novell GroupWise Messenger, Yahoo!, and Zephyr.

For this year's Google Summer of Code, the Adium team have narrowed down thousands of hopefuls, down to only six. The participants and their respective projects are as follows:

Integration of Jingle (Voice chat, and video chat in the far future, over Jabber)
Student: Alvaro Saurin
Mentor: Evan Schoenberg

Jabber enhancements by integrating the Smack library
Student: Andreas Monitzer
Mentor: Augie Fackler

Improving disability support
Student: Chirag Shah
Mentor: Peter Hosey

Psyduck Â? A Desktop Presence Framework
Student: Joshua Lock
Mentor: Colin Barrett

Enhanced tabs through PSMTabBarControl
Student: Kent Sutherland
Mentor: David Smith

Allowing the user to separate out parts of the contact list
Student: Nicholas Peshek
Mentor: Brian Ganninger

A previous version of the post mentioned "eventually video chat" but they want to clarify that it'll take a while for video to happen soon.

If you are interested in being a part of Adium, they are inviting everyone to consider joining the development team independently of the Summer of Code, as fresh ideas and helping hands are always welcome.

Kudos to Adium!

FUSA has launched a website it hopes will attract users of the Video iPod for its special search abilities. The new website will be able to search for iPod-compliant videos from throughout the internet, giving everyone the opportunity to fill up their iPods with as many fun, quirky, sexy or curious clips they want.

Searchforvideo.com Beta is currently up and running. If you're having a hard time trying to fill up those 30 or 60 gigabytes of storage space on your brand-new Video iPod, you have some work to do now. A Google for Video iPods? Yeah, it was only a matter of time.

[Via, Macworld UK]

Let me know if anyone gets reminded of that Epic 2014 video about googlezon taking over the internet when you read this press release.

Google Inc announced the planned opening of the Google Video Store, the first open video marketplace enabling consumers to buy and rent a wide range of video content from a major television network, a professional sports league, cable programmers, independent producers and film makers. This fast growing collection of videos will include prime-time and classic hits from CBS, a full slate of NBA games from this season and outstanding performances from the past, music videos from SONY BMG, Charlie Rose interviews as well as news and historical content from ITN and new titles being added everyday.

"Google video will let you watch lots of high quality video on the web for the first time. You can search and browse, and we make it fast and easy for you to watch," said Larry Page, Google's co-founder and president, Products. "For video producers and anyone with a video camera, Google Video will give you a platform to publish to the entire Google audience in a fast, free and seamless way."

Additional highlights of Google's video collection will include:

• Music videos from SONY BMG. The line-up of launch videos includes offerings from some of SONY BMG's global superstar artists, including Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Kenny Chesney, Destiny's Child, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Lil' Flip, Jessica Simpson, Shakira, System of a Down, Switchfoot, Usher, and many more.
• Feature Length Independent Films from Greencine.com. Including works by legendary Polish director Andrzej Wajda (Zemsta), documentary filmmaker Ted Bonnitt (Mau Mau Sex Sex) and independent actor/director Caveh Zahedi (In the Bathtub of the World).
  Historic, news and educational footage from ITN. This material ranges from coverage of key events in 2005 such as the Pope John Paul II's death, back to a recording of the 1896 coronation of Tsar Nicholas II Â? one of the earliest known pieces of moving imagery.
• Charlie Rose interviews. Including interviews with Henry Kissinger, Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, Martha Stewart, Martin Scorsese, Harrison Ford, Dan Rather, Charles M. Schulz, Steve Jobs, Jay Leno, Tom Brokaw, and others.
• Cartoon classics from Classic Media. Featuring many of the world's most famous animated series such as "Felix the Cat," "Casper The Friendly Ghost," and "Rocky and Bullwinkle."
• Children's educational programming from Clearvue. Educational video topics vary from teen education on tattoos to explanations about the workings of the human brain.
• Cartoon classics from Classic Media and children's educational programming from Clearvue. Google Video also offers many of the world's most famous animated series such as "Felix the Cat," "Casper The Friendly Ghost," and "Rocky and Bullwinkle." Educational video topics from Clearvue vary from teen education on tattoos to explanations about the workings of the human brain.
• Clips from Getty Images' Archive Films Collection. A diverse collection of short clips that capture personalities, moments and eras throughout history - selected from vintage newsreels and educational film, as well as contemporary news and events from around the world.

iPod and Sony Playstation Portable users will also be able to download and watch any non-copy-protected content from Google Video, and even get it specially optimized for playback on their devices. Google Video Store will be available throughout the world, however purchasing premium content in the Google Video Store will only be available in the U.S

Thanks to Wrdeal24 for the news!

If you have an iPod handy, but you don't have that spiffy new navigation system found on luxury vehicles, don't fret -- there's an answer for you. Dedicated users of Apple's iPods continue to find ways of making the device useful beyond its awesome music-playing ability.

Two sites on the 'net feature handy little navigational programs that may just come in handy the next time you're on that cross-country road trip, or simply taking a quite drive out to the country.

This user shows you how you can load up Google Map documents on your iPod. You can even toss in a few zoom levels to view the directions from several distances. Another user, meanwhile, offers a free service using a small download that makes the process a little bit easier.

"IPod-iWay is a powerful step-by-step directions saving tool that will export online driving directions from results by Yahoo Maps and import them into your iPod Photo. It?s an easy solution for getting Yahoo Map directions saved and displayed onto any iPod Photo or Nano, and without the need of additional software!"

[Via, Google Maps on iPod Photo]
[Via, iPod iWay]