Applied Acoustics Systems announces String Studio VS 1.0., a new string modeling synthesizer for Mac OS X, available as a standalone application and supports VST, Audio Units and RTAS formats. At the core of String Studio lies a whole new cutting edge string model interacting with picks, bows, hammers, fingers, frets, dampers, and soundboards. With String Studio play stunning guitars, basses, harps, clavinets, bowed instruments, ethereal pads and wild textures. Check out the extensive preset library or use String Studio's innovative tools to craft earthy, organic timbres or other-worldly instruments simply not possible with other synthesizers.

String Studio is available at US$249.

The demo of Kontakt 2 is now availble as download on the Native Instruments web site. The demo version comes with a special demo library that contains nine instruments and showcases the new KSP and convolution features. Kontakt 2 is a powerful new sampling engine that offers virtually unlimited polyphony as well as 64-part multi-timbrality. Multiprocessor support delivers up to 100% performance increase on dual processors systems, while Altivec optimization gives a further performance boost on Macintosh computers equipped with G4 and G5 processors. This new version also features support for multi-channel formats ranging from 3.0 up to 16.0, including industry standards like 5.1 and 7.1, a new Kontakt Script Processor (KSP) a fully programmable processing engine that transforms and generates MIDI and control events on the basis of a versatile yet easy-to-learn script language, a new Ram purge function, and a new convolution effect unit.

Ableton has updated Live to v4.1.3. This new release fixes several bugs : problem with audio effects in MIDI track, bug in MIDI editor velocity selection, and potential crash with MIDI or Audio devices.

Propellerhead today announced the immediate availability of ElectroMechanical 2.0 ReFill, an expansion set of vintage keyboard instruments for exclusive use within Reason 3.0 software. ElectroMechanical 2.0 ReFill is a full set of sound patches and files of vintage keyboard classics such as the Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ and Hohner Clavinet & Pianet.

The ElectroMechanical 2.0 ReFill is a free download for all Reason 3.0 owners. It can also be ordered on a CD for $12,00.

It seems that a very serious bug occurs when using a PowerMac G5 single 1.8 Ghz with Mac OS 10.4 "Tiger". Only G5 single 1.8 Ghz, Rev B (end of 2004, product now on sale on the AppleStore), with ATI Radeon 9600 XT (or Nvidia 5200) graphic card, are affected. The bug consists on a freeze (no Kernel Panic) with softwares using full screen OpenGL (iPhoto, iTunes, Quicktime movies on Safari, and more).