Cycling '74 announced an update to version 4.5.2 of Max-MSP, its graphical programming environment. This update features : minor changes and many bugs fixed.

Info on Cycling '74 web site.

MicroTonic or "µTonic" by Sonic Charge is a VST plug-in featuring a unique drum and percussion synthesizer combined with a pattern based drum-machine engine. it now comes for Mac OS X (10.2 or later) and needs a Mac 500MHz G3. It costs $69.

Because registration is cross-platform, you do not need to purchase an additional registration for the Mac version if you own the µTonic for Windows

Edirol announced the R-1, a portable 24-bit Wave and mp3 recorder and player. The R-1 features two electret mics, external line and mic inputs, a 24-bit internal effects processor (noise reducer, 10-band EQ, reverb and more). it also features a metronome, a tuner, half-speed playback, and A-B repeat to loop one section of an audio file. The R-1 stores files to Compact Flash (up to 2Gb) and comes with a 64MB card which allows a maximum record time of 130 minutes (mp3, 64 kbps mode). it also features an USB port and a phones/optical output.

The R-1 will cost $550 and will be available in late November.

RealGuitar is available as a VSTi version for OS X. In RealGuitar, new features are : added special 'RnC' mode providing the direct access for Rhythm'n'Chords Pro 2.5 MFX plug-in to RealGuitar multi-sample architecture. RealGuitar is now Mac compatible (OSX VSTi only).

A demo version is also available from the MusicLab web site.

SoundField has announced the new Surround Zone plug-in for Digidesign's Pro Tools software. The Surround Zone brings all the control of SoundField's surround and stereo processing to the digital domain. It combines the hardware features of both the SP451 surround processor and the MKV System.

Surround Zone for Pro Tools costs $1,062.50.