Are you wondering if it's worth updating to Kontakt 3 ? Or are you just curious, or perhaps have you never tried Kontakt before ?
Native Instruments answers by offering a free demo (version 3.0.1) for Mac OS 10.4 or higher (458 MB) and Win XP (407 MB). You can use it as a stand-alone and as a plug-in via Audio Units, VST 2 and RTAS.
You will benefit by complete function range with all presets, the full PDF manual, and play with a demo library instruments from the categories Band, Orchestral, Synth, Urban Beats, Vintage and World. Demo limits are sessions limited to 30 minutes and no Save and no Total Recall.

This update offers many features, such as the new Full String Playing modes (string pizzicato, bartok-pizz, col legno, sul ponticello, tremolo, sul ponticello tremolo, mute).
The String Playing modes are the first to use Synful new synthesis engine, preserving full 24 bit fidelity while allowing the flexible morphing capabilities needed for Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM), their proprietary technology.
Numerous features have been added, like new controls (release time, noise level, sforzando, tremolo speed, etc.), the ability to map any MIDI continuous control to any parameter, natural divisi (the players arrange themselves automatically across the notes of a played chord)...
Many bugs have also been fixed. This update provides support for Mac OSX (Leopard) UB and Windows XP/Vista 32/64 (in AU, VSTi and DXi plugin formats).

Ohm Force has just released updates for the Mac OS X versions of all of its plug-ins.

Changes:

* Corrected a problem to prevent the installer from blocking on 10.5.
* A lot of various GUI fixes for VST, RTAS & AU.
* Corrected tempo problem on Cubase 4.
* All presets in Audio Unit & Pro Tools format.
* Updated manuals are now far more precise on those recurring questions.
* Mac OS X 10.2 support is dropped.
* Pro Tools 6 support is dropped.

Camel Audio has updated CamelSpace to v1.42 (PC) and v1.44 (OSX), and CamelPhat to v3.42 (PC)Win and v3.44 (OSX). These updates fix MIDI learn and preset selection issues in Cubase 4 and problems with automation in Digital Performer.
These updates are available for free to registered users only, and are downloadable in the support area.
Camel Audio also offer 30% off their preset banks for Absynth, Massive and Cameleon, by entering WINTERSND as the coupon code. And it's 50% off Cameleon 5000 (a bargain, at only $99!), by entering WINTERCAM as the coupon code.

Eiosis releases the E²Deesser, the first in the series of Eiosis' new E²Processors. The E²Deesser features Eiosis' patented, exclusive processing structure and algorithm to bring you a new approach to de-essing. It allows the independent processing of sibilants inside vocal tracks in an extremely easy to use and efficient manner.

To learn more about the E²Deesser, you can watch the video tutorials on the Eiosis website. You can discover in these videos how to use the E²Deesser in many situations, with vocal tracks, but also percussion and slap bass tracks.