Together 2.4 is now available from this web site and the Mac App Store. Most of the changes in this release are to make Together suitable for the Mac App Store, however there are some new features mentioned below.

OpenMeta

Together now has support for OpenMeta tags. OpenMeta is a technology that allows applications to save metadata, such as tags, to the filesystem so that these may be searched by Spotlight and used by other applications.

In Together, OpenMeta tags will be imported as Together tags when files are first imported and any tags changed in Together will be updated in OpenMeta.

On first launch for existing users, Together will ask whether you would like it export its current tags to OpenMeta. For new users, this will be on by default.

There is no syncing of tags, so existing OpenMeta tags for files in Together’s library, or tags added in other applications after the files have been imported, will not be reflected in Together. Together will not overwrite any existing tags that it doesn’t know about.

Bookmark File Import

Together can now import standard HTML Bookmarks files, such as those exported by web browsers. In the case of bookmarks exported from Delicious, Together will also import the tags and comments. For bookmarks exported from web browsers, Together will preserve the folder structure used.

Search Bookmarks

Together can now perform content searching on bookmarks. Normally, Together uses Spotlight for all its content searching, but Spotlight does not index these files.

Mac App Store

Together in the Mac App Store does not have the encryption feature. This is because for apps that use encryption, Apple requires US export licenses that I have yet to obtain. For a variety of reasons, it is possible I will drop this feature altogether in a future version of the app; there will be a migration path if that happens. A tool to decrypt files without Together is available on Together’s Downloads page.

Another change made for the Mac App Store, but which affects both versions, is that Together will now ask where to create its library on first run, regardless of which version you are using. This is because the Mac App Store restricts the creation of files outside of application-specific folders in the Library and Application Support folders. If you are an existing user, then you will not notice this change at all.

Finally, Together can no longer install its “Save PDF to Together” PDF service in the Mac App Store version. This allows you to print PDFs to Together by using the PDF button in the standard print panel. There is a small application that can be downloaded from Together’s Downloads page to install the service.

Together 2.4 requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later and is a free upgrade for all registered Together 2.x users. A full license costs $39.95 and upgrades from KIT 1.x are $14.95. Education and bulk discounts are also available when purchasing through the Reinvented Software store.

In case you missed it, Poster got a great review on Allison Sheridan’s excellent NosillaCast a week or so ago. Allison is also fairly unique in that there is a complete transcript of her audio podcast, so you can read as well as listen.

I authorized Poster to access my Flickr account and a beautiful window came up. It showed my uploaded photo in a pane on the left, and in the right sidebar it showed all of the meta data that goes along with a photo on Flickr. I could change the name, enter a description, enter tags, select a set to add the photo to, put it in a group and change moderation settings like privacy, safety, content type and accessibility to public searches. Rather than being utilitarian, the interface is what you’ve come to expect from great Mac software; simple, yet elegant. Even the tags autofill from YOUR tags you’ve used in the past.

Link: NosillaCast #293

Feeder and Poster are on Mac App Store for its launch today. Together requires more changes than those two apps and should follow in a couple of weeks, provided it is accepted and depending on how long the review process will take.

Poster

Poster is now $9.99. The version on the Mac App Store is identical in its functionality, however it will not offer to install export plug-ins for Aperture or iPhoto, as installing additional software is prohibited. Versions of the plug-ins are available for download from my site. These new versions of the plug-ins will check for updated versions as those cannot be delivered through the main app. On the price drop, existing customers will be refunded the difference.

Feeder

Feeder is on the Mac App Store with its price unchanged. This version is almost identical to the regular version with the exception that it will not offer to wake your Mac from sleep for scheduled publishing, because that requires admin privileges, which is also prohibited by the Mac App Store. A workaround is to schedule wake from sleep manually in System Preferences.

Finally, a note about version numbers, which aren’t quite in line. Poster 1.0 in the App Store has all the relevant fixes from Poster 1.0.1. Feeder 2.1.6 is on my site today to bring it in line with the App Store version, but doesn’t add anything significant for existing users so it won’t appear in Feeder’s automatic software update.

Poster 1.0 is released today. Poster is an application for Mac OS X that provides a first-class experience for posting photos and videos to the web.

Until now, there hasn’t been an ideal solution for uploading photos to the web. Uploading through a web page is usually a miserable experience. iPhoto and Aperture’s support remains fairly basic, and everything else out there is clumsy to use or shows your photos as minuscule thumbnails. Plug-ins suffer from being trapped in a box, where you can’t change your mind without losing what you’ve done so far and where every button feels like a terrible burden.

Poster explodes out of that box as a standalone app for uploading to multiple sites and accounts with a sleek design that not only lets you see your photos properly, but work with them effortlessly too. Working with Flickr and Facebook at launch, Poster takes a tailored approach that makes the most of each site’s unique features.

For Flickr, Poster can post both photos and videos, auto-complete tags, allows you to create and choose sets, submit photos to groups, tag people and moderate your photos all within the app. Its All Items view lets you work with an entire set of photos as easily as just one.

On Facebook, Poster is able not only to post to your profile, but also any pages that you administer, making Poster ideal for anyone whose business, band or cause takes advantage of Facebook’s massive user community.

Poster works with the photo editing and management applications you use and can even perform some tricks of its own, such as rotating and resizing photos before uploading. As a convenience, plug-ins are provided for iPhoto and Aperture to launch Poster with the exported files.

The best part of Poster is that it is a pleasure to use. Packed with thoughtful touches, its understated design and tasteful animations are both intuitive and easy on the eye and its support for multitouch gestures and full keyboard navigation help make posting your photos and videos as enjoyable an experience as taking them.

Poster 1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later, and is available as a 15-day trial that can be unlocked upon purchase. A full license of Poster 1.0 costs $19.95.

Try Poster now: Poster.dmg

The Fourth edition of the Give Good Food to Your Mac promotion is now on. Give Good Food to Your Mac is a highly-respected promotion where you can find a wide range of software at amazing prices.

Discounts range from 20% to 60% off; the more apps you buy, the less you pay.

The promotion runs from November 26th to the 10th of December 2010.

Apps include Pixelmator, Speed Download, Relationship, Freeway Express, BannerZest, Feeder, Together and much more. Check out givegoodfood2yourmac.com to see everything on offer.