Magnus Wrenninge has posted this years Siggraph Volumetrics Course on his website. This covers the volumetric tools used at Sony Pictures Imageworks, Dreamworks Animation,  Rhythm and Hues, Double Negative and used in SideFX Houdini. It includes details about modelling, simulating and rendering volumes. It also covers the FELT volumtric scripting language and SELMA (SEmi-LAgrangian MApping)  used at Rhythm and Hues, Field3d and Svea at Imageworks, and the DNB volumetric renderer at Double Negative.

Jupter Jazz has announced that the first license of their 3delight nuke plugin - Atomkraft - will be completely free. They have also revamped their website recently. Also Josh Burton has released Morpheus – an animation rig currently in free beta.