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Today ICO brings you the preview of the upcoming Zeta RC3 Deluxe version (as pointed out in the past, I'm calling this a preview because the subject is still a work in progress. When R1 is released, a review will be done). I've been running it for a couple of weeks now, and I see it as a clear, polished progress over RC2. Keep in mind that RC3 is evolutionary, not revolutionary.

Read below for the preview.

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Today yellowTab announces the development of a new and native media player, named Champion.

The new player, being native, allows a bigger and better integration with the OS than ported players, like the widely used (and excelent) VLC, and also allows users and developers to take advantage of the Media Kit. Click below for a screenshot and more details.

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Vasper over at BeOSMax announced that their version 3.1 beta is now ready for download and testing.

You can get it as a multi-part rar file and within the next 24 hours, as a single zip file. For the changelog go here.

Update: The single zip file is now available.

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Dane Scott just announced over at LeBuzz the partnership between TuneTracker and Zeta.

TuneTracker so far had been bundled with BeOS R5 PE, and this is a (natural) step forward to them.
In testing, the new TuneTracker/Zeta matchup is performing beautifully. On the new TT/Zeta Radio-Station-in-a-Box units available for sale at the TuneTracker web site, the system boots in under 15 seconds and immediately starts broadcasting.
With this move, the software-only price of TuneTracker has gone slightly up to $179.95. The price of the pro and radio-in-a-box systems hasn't changed. To read the full press release click here.

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Eugenia over at OSNews writes to celebrate 10 years of BeOS. It was in early 1994 that the first public version of BeOS came out of Be, Inc and that word started to spread around about the new kid on the block.

I myself only joined the "party" in early 2000 (though my first contact with BeOS was in 1999), and the party was already to wind down as most of you know, and I will always regret not having joined in earlier, but still... it was... it is BeOS.

So head over to read some greats facts of BeOS and Be, Inc history, including a screenshot of BeOS 0.99-EXP "Shark". I doubt there'll ever be another company like that. Thanks to friedn for the heads up.

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Sonork is an EIM, Enterprise Instant Messaging application, available for Windows and Linux (command line only) , that "delivers the advanced collaboration functionality, security, stability and network integration capabilities".

Porting this application has been attempted before, but for one reason or another the projects have been dropped again and again. Helmar (known BeShare user) seeks to end that and get a working port once and for all. He is now offering $1000 to anyone who ports it to BeOS/Zeta and gets the same level of funcionality as the latest Windows 1.7.5 client. Having this port would be one more argument into showing that BeOS/Zeta is feasible in a professional world.

If you think you're up to it, go here.

Update: There's a taker already, Shard. Let's hope it's getting done this time. Good luck.

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yellowTab's CVO Bernd Korz has finished the first part of his trip to Asia and is his presently in Taiwan, to attend Computex.

The trip to Japan went quite well, with demonstrations and meetings with partners (like JPBe.net), which were all quite pleased and impressed with the current state of Zeta. Good news, let's hope the 2nd part of the trip goes at least as well.

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yellowTab has moved into new offices in Mannheim, which provide room for future expansion and are "more suited to the needs of a software company".

Also, yT's CVO Bernd Korz has left for a Far East tour, starting in Japan, where he'll meet with partners, developers and users and after he'll go to Taiwan where he'll attend Computex, Asia's largest computer trade show.

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R?mi Grumeau, of BeOSfrance interviewed recently Mark Erben, a member of the newly announced Team Maui for his site, and was kind enough to send us the english version for posting here at ICO. So click below to read the interview.

[Ed. Note: I edited the interview only for typos and such, the content wasn't changed]

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According to a ThinkSecret's article, our well known, former Be, Inc, Steve Sakoman will be part of Apple's corporate reorganization, and will lead the new iPod division, in the software development department.

Steve Sakoman was previously working in Apple's OS engineering group.

[Ed. note: iPod... *drool*]