Those improvements start with an all-new audio capture engine, for better performance. Airfoil can now capture audio from a lot of edge cases that previously failed. It’s now also fully compatible with the FMOD audio library, powering many games as well as the Qobuz music service’s desktop application.

For users of Windows text scaling, Airfoil’s interface is now fully resolution-independent. We’re not through with these updates, as we’ll be working at making the same updates to Airfoil Speakers in the future. There are also myriad bug fixes and minor improvements, from the ability to mute all output at once to improvements to the Equalizer, and more.

We want to get everyone using this version of Airfoil for Windows, so in addition to working better than ever, it’s also a free update. Just visit the Airfoil for Windows page, and you can download it immediately.

First, on Thursday, I sat down with Macworld Senior Associate Editor Dan Moren and App Cubby founder David Barnard to discuss Apple’s App Stores. Our discussion covered some well-worn territory, but also included some new thoughts based on our own success in the Mac App Store with Piezo. You can check out that discussion here, but only if you promise to ignore the goofy poster frame for the video.

On Saturday, just before the show ended, I got to have a spirited discussion with several friends. The group consisted of Guy English, Glenn Fleishman, John Gruber, and Dave Wiskus, and was led by Macworld Staff Writer Lex Friedman. We talked about some of our favorite apps as well as their flaws, and discussed software development in general. This might be one of my favorite panels I’ve participated in – preparation ahead of time led to great content. You can check it out here. You’ll again see me in the poster frame, looking slightly less goofy but also failing to notice Guy controlling an invisible marionette.

If you’re already regretting missing the show, be sure to mark your calendar for next year, when Macworld will take place January 31st to February 2nd, 2013.

Feedback

If the beta works, excellent – that’s just what we expected! Keep using it until the official Airfoil 3.2 arrives. However, if you run into any problems, use the in-app support form in the Help menu to let us know.

Of course, we always recommend simply downloading our free trials to test drive our software. But if you’d like to come see Airfoil in person, or just say hello, don’t forget we’ll be at Macworld-iWorld next week, in booth #742.

First, on December 28th we were honored to have Piezo selected as the pick of the day by The Observer’s Very Short List. Very Short List is a free, daily e-mail that recommends a single must–see treasure each day, so being chosen for December 28th, 2011 was quite the honor. If you’re interested in joining Very Short List, subscribe right here.

Just two days later, we learned of another award, this one from Macworld. We’d already received a very positive 4-mouse review, but on the 30th, we learned we’d been selected as one of the Mac Gems of the year, alongside other great apps like TextWrangler, Printopia, Fantastical, and several others. Airfoil 4 also received a nod, as an honorable mention. Not too shabby!

We’ve also started off 2012 in style, as Piezo was selected as Leo LaPorte’s pick of the week, on the most recent episode of MacBreak Weekly. This marks the fourth application of ours which has been so honored, alongside Airfoil, Audio Hijack Pro, and Fission, and we’re certainly delighted to be garnering such praise.

Ultimately though, what the critics think doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you think. We hope you’ll love Piezo, but first, you have to check it out. If you haven’t yet done so, hopefully these recommendations will convince you to take a look.

This year, it’s easier than ever to exhibit. There’s a special area of the show floor called the OS X Zone, and it already features several dozen Mac developers, including our friends at BusyMac, Flexibits, and Smile. For $2000, you get almost everything you need – just bring a laptop, and a friend or two to help exhibit. Print up a simple flyer to hand out, and you’re all set.

With the ascendency of the Internet, and now things like the Mac App Store, a lot of folks think trade shows have lost their relevance. They may not be as big as they once were, but they still have plenty to offer. Demoing your product on the show floor is a great way to get exposure while simultaneously learning all sorts of new things about your own work. If you’re a Mac developer, exhibiting at Macworld is the way to get face-to-face contact with both tens of thousands of users and hundreds of members of the press. If you’re interested, there’s still time to sign up. I certainly hope to see many Mac OS X developers at the end of the month.

What’s New?

When we updated Airfoil to version 3, we revamped its interface as well. While this update was most welcome, it unfortunately didn’t work perfectly on systems which make use of Windows text scaling. Airfoil 3.2′s interface will be fully resolution-independent, and this beta is 99% of the way there. So, if you’ve had issues with Airfoil’s interface since version 3, give this beta a try.

Beyond that, almost all of the updates in this beta are under the hood. They’re important, and they’ll make Airfoil work better for nearly all users, but they aren’t flashy. Nevertheless, after weeks of internal testing, we need more folks to use the app and make sure everything works as expected. That’s where you come in! Just grab the download, and use it as normal.

Get the latest Airfoil for Windows 3.2 Beta here.

With the latest update, we have very few known issues left. Grab the latest beta from the link above.

Feedback

If the beta works, excellent – that’s just what we expected! Keep using it until the official Airfoil 3.2 arrives (you’ll be alerted to the update when it ships). However, if you run into any problems, use the in-app support form in the Help menu to let us know.

Details
Dates: January 26th – January 28th, 2012
Times: 12 PM – 6 PM (Thursday), 10 AM – 6 PM (Friday, Saturday)
Location: Moscone Center, San Francisco

If you’ve been to Macworld’s exhibit hall before, you’ve got a decent idea of what to expect. As always, there will be hundreds of Mac and iOS vendors coming together with tens of thousands of Mac users to talk about the software and hardware we all use every day. This year there will be a whole lot more going on, from musical performances by big name bands like Modest Mouse, BT, and Moe, to great tech talks, and much more.

If you’re going to make it, we’ve got a great deal for you – a limited number of free Exhibit Hall passes! You can register here to get in for free. Once the free passes are gone, they’re gone, but it’s still just $25 to get in.

Once you’ve registered, mark down 1/26/2012 through 1/28/2012 in your calendar, and put our Booth #742 in there too. We’ll see you in San Francisco!

When recording VoIP conversations with previous versions of Piezo, you would hear your own voice fed back to you while you spoke. This was somewhat disconcerting at best, and after hearing from many users, we worked rapidly to solve it. We’ve now fixed that issue for Piezo 1.1, and also split audio onto two channels, with your own audio saved to the left and the other party’s audio on the right (you can even see this reflected in the VU meters). With Piezo, recording from Skype and other VoIP apps couldn’t be simpler.

What about Audio Hijack?

A lot of folks have asked us how Piezo compares to our powerful audio recorder Audio Hijack Pro. The shortest answer is that Piezo is great for simple recordings, while Audio Hijack Pro is great for users who need more power. We’ve got a more detailed comparison over in our Support center, and you can always download the free trials of each to see what works best for you.

When it comes to VoIP recordings specifically, both apps are now capable of providing great results. If you’re looking to create a professional podcast, it’s likely you’ll want the power Audio Hijack Pro provides. For many users, however, Piezo is likely to be all that’s needed.

Details

Piezo 1.1 is a free update for all users. To update from an older version, either launch the App Store app, or (if you purchased directly) choose Check For Update from the Piezo menu.

New users can purchase and download right through Apple’s App Store. Of course, we’ll always sell it directly as well. Whichever way you choose to buy, you can download Piezo first to take it for a test drive.