New features abound for Apple's iTools

Apple recently notified iTools users of some important updates to its collection of Web-based services. New iCards are available, new HomePage features have been implemented and Apple also has some advice for AirPort users who are having trouble accessing their iDisks.

HomePage is Apple’s solution to provide iTools users with simple Web page creation abilities. Until now, HomePage’s feature list has been short on some amenities like management and security. No longer, said Apple.

New site management abilities — HomePage now enables users to create and organize multiple sites comprised of Web pages created using HomePage, rather than just having a single flat collection of Web pages.

New security — Individual HomePage sites can also be password-protected, if you have content you’d like to publish but want to restrict to a select audience.

Site menu — HomePage now sports an overview page that will provide visitors with a quick look at what’s on your site.

Hit counter — Want to see what sort of traffic you’re generating with your HomePages? You can add your own custom counter to see how many hits your pages are getting.

Photo Showcase — Instead of just showing thumbnails of photos on your site, you can display the images full-size as a slide show in Photo Album themes. This feature can also be applied to existing Photo Album pages, saving you from having to redo work you’ve already finished.

That’s not all, either. Now that the weather is turning colder and the leaves are changing in many parts of the northern hemisphere, iCards fans will find a new set of Autumn-themed iCards ready to send to friends and relatives. The new cards include New England landscapes, images from nature photographer Bill Atkinson, and Halloween-themed holiday cards too. San Francisco artist Bret Lama is also iCards’ new featured artist.

Apple also explained a problem between iDisk and AirPort wireless networking technology under Mac OS X 10.1. If your network utilizes Network Address Translation services, you may have noticed that you can no longer access your iDisk from the Finder after upgrading the operating system.

The solution to the problem, according to Apple, is to enter Domain Name Services and Search Domain details in your Network System Preferences option, under TCP/IP. You may need to consult your Internet Service Provider or network administrator to obtain this information.