We're proud to announce that the next update, 0.3, is now available! Before you run to download it however, please note that if you already have QuickGene, the update will download automatically within the next week. You can also make it update itself now by clicking "Check for updates" in the help menu. If you don't have a copy of QuickGene, you can sign up to beta-test it for free. (We're currently in the process of simplifying this, so you can get your hands on it without waiting for a personal invitation from one of us.)

Version 0.3 boasts two big, new features and a battery of improvements. QuickGene is now faster, smaller and more stable! The first feature you may notice is the addition of in-line translations. Translations are displayed in all three frames of your sequence and, if you view the complement strand, reverse frames are shown, as well. Hovering the mouse over a line of translations highlights them, as well as the corresponding codons, providing a much clearer view. A translation manager has also been built to allow selection of alternate translation tables, easily accessed through the tools menu or by pressing F6.

The second obvious addition to QuickGene is the "Stats" tab, which offers statistics and extra information on the sequence currently in view. Most notably, this new tab contains the often-needed restriction table, which allows you to view how each individual enzyme interacts with your sequence. The table combines all the data you need, allowing you to quickly view unique cutters, fragment sizes, and graphical representations. Furthermore, this tab allows you to quickly edit the sequence's name, circular or linear form, description and notes as well as view nucleotide frequencies and GC-content.

As we continue to work on overall improvements, we're still eager to hear your ideas. Next up are expansion of the feature-types with more design options, expansion of search capabilities, printing functionality and Vector NTI database import. We're also eager to move on to bigger, future improvements such as full AB1-support with editing and alignment capabilities, primer design, contig assembly, and extremely streamlined cloning advice. There's plenty to do so let us know what your preferences are!