M-Audio unveils Trigger Finger, its new USB controller designed for drum programming. Trigger Finger features 16 velocity-sensitive pads, as well as eight knobs and four sliders. The pads and other controls can be freely assigned to any MIDI parameter and Trigger Finger also features pre-programmed control schemes for Live, Propellerhead Reason, M Audio iDrum and standard GM and XG drum kits.

Trigger Finger will be available in March at $249.95.

Renoise has been updated to version 1.5. this release features a new interface, a new internal code structure, a right-click context-menu, a metronome, and much more. Renoise is the next generation of music tracker software, combining studio quality sound and virtually infinite expandability.

Renoise is available at a new price 50 euros and a demo version is also available.

Available today, Ableton is offering a free update to Live Lite 4 Digidesign Edition. Ableton Live Lite 4 Digidesign Edition features some of the latest enhancements included in Ableton Live 4 software. Compared to the previously bundled Ableton Live Digidesign Edition, Live Lite 4 Digidesign Edition features new MIDI functionality, more precise control of volume, pitch and timing for audio, and offers a variety of audio and MIDI effects as well.

This update is available for all Live 2 Digidesign edition registered users.

Elemental Audio Systems today announced a name change for its new peak limiter and the availability of updates for all of its commercial audio plug-ins. Formerly known as Finalis, Elemental Audio Systems' limiting plug-in and newest product has been renamed Finis. The plug-in updates, released for Firium, Eqium, Neodynium, and Finis, address several issues and offer improved user experience and audio quality. All supported plug-in formats, including Digidesign RTAS, Steinberg VST, and Apple Audio Unit (AU), are affected by the updates.

The new versions are free to all current, registered customers.

Avid Technology will aquire Pinnacle in a cash and stock transaction deal valued at $462 million or a 30% premium over Pinnacle's closing stock price of $4.97. Avid said that Pinnacle's professional products will enhance its end-to-end broadcast production pipeline and that the company's consumer video business will form the basis for a new consumer video division. "We see this acquisition as the next logical step in our long-term strategy. Just as our acquisition of M-Audio in 2004 brought us into the consumer audio business, by acquiring Pinnacle's consumer video business, Avid will be able to tap into the next generation of video editors while they are still learning their craft."