Peterson Tuners is currently soliciting beta testers for StroboSoft on the new Intel-based Mac platform. They say "Help us test the world's first .1 cent accurate strobe tuner for your computer on the new Intel Mac platform! Active participants will receive the latest version of the software and be part of a team that includes famous backline techs and audio engineers from around the globe."

Please email your current system specifications including audio card model as well as qualifications to mlj@petersontuners.com.

Independence 1.0.4 by YellowTools is now compatible with Logic 7.2, Digital Performer and ProTools 7.x, and is also specially optimized for live performances. You can pre-load Layers into Independence which are available immediately when you activate them - without any additional loading time and no additionally required RAM. Also improved is the entire "Slice Mode" with an automatic BPM calculation. For a better overview and control also a MIDI indicator and a MIDI panic button is now included.

Note also that 'Majestic goes Independence' : with "Majestic now also the third yellow tools Modular Virtual Instrument is compatible with Independence. All registered users of Majestic and Independence can download the free "compatibility patches" .

After having got to grips with KORE's integrated hardware interface in last week's installment, this week Native Instruments go 'live'. Chapter 4 of the 'KORE story' focusses on the new KORE Performance Manager designed for seamless, on-the-fly transitions between different scenes and sound sets, either manually, pre-programmed or remote-controlled. A new Performance Mixer allows user to adjust the volume, panning and routing for each individual performance channel (with four insert effect slots into).

At last, you can also watch the new "KORE movie trailer" on the Native Instruments web site.

Propellerhead software today announces a version of Reason with native support for Intel based Mac computers. This version of Reason, called 3.0.5, offers full compatibility with Apple's new Intel based computers but does not add any other new features to the program. Beta testing of the new version is planned to start in the week beginning March 20th. As of today, there is no shipping date set. Propellerhead is also "looking for good men and women to help us test Reason for Intel based Macs. This round of testing is open to both non-registered users and to registered Reason 3.0 users with a keen eye and a habit of breaking things."