Apple Today released Mac OS X 10.6.3, the latest update to Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The update is recommended for all users of Snow Leopard, and brings a number of fixes, improvements, and security patches. The update’s size may vary depending on the configuration of your Mac.
General operating system fixes and improvements provided for:
performance of Logic Pro 9 and Main Stage 2 when running in 64-bit mode.
printing reliability.
sleep and wake reliability when using Bonjour wake on demand.
a color issue in iMovie with HD content.
glowing, stuck, or dark pixels when viewing video from the iMac (Late 2009) built-in iSight camera.
an issue in which the Finder reports a -36 error when copying directories to a drive formatted as FAT32.
reliability of photo screen savers.
compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications.
an issue in which shadows in PDF of Aperture book are black instead of gray.
an issue in which the microphone level in iChat may not increase the volume after reducing it to prevent a feedback event.
the reliability of certain third-party USB devices.
the Accounts preference pane can now limit login to members of groups hosted by a non-Apple directory service, such as Active Directory.
DNS server ordering as specified in Network Preferences and DNS reliability.
the reliability and compatibility of QuickTime X.
Data Collection: Mac OS X v10.6.3 can collect diagnostic and usage information from your Mac and send it to Apple for analysis automatically. The information is only collected with your explicit consent, and is submitted anonymously to Apple. For more details, see this article.
AirPort and wireless networking fixes for:
general reliability for wireless connections.
improvements to 802.1X reliability, including closed network connections , and WPA2.
sleep/wake reliability for current iMac models when connected to 2.4GHz wireless networks.
Date and Time fixes provided for:
Daylight Saving Time rules to reflect recent changes in areas including Argentina, Fiji, Pakistan, and Antarctica.
Directory Services fixes provided for:
an issue that could cause the system to become unstable or unresponsive when bound to an LDAP server using SSL.
an issue in which the 802.1X Loginwindow Profile is in place, but the wireless network is not available, directory authentication over Ethernet will now succeed.
File Services fixes provided for:
an issue that could prevent saving files from Microsoft Office 2008 to an SMB server volume.
issues copying, renaming or deleting files on an SMB server volume.
clear-text authentication enabling to an SMB file server.
iCal fixes provided for:
changing the invitation list for a single instance of a recurring event will no longer “un-book” the location of the meeting.
an issue in which new invitations on a Microsoft Exchange server might not appear in the Notification pane.
properly showing recurring Microsoft Exchange events which have a set end date. For details, see this article.
Mail fixes and improvements provided for:
an issue that causes background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail.
signing and encrypting messages, such as when using an Entrust PKI (Public Key Infrastructure).
synchronization of the “Sent” mailbox on a Microsoft Exchange server.
an issue that could cause Mail to delete mailboxes on a Microsoft Exchange server that is hosted behind an Internet load balancer.
Mobile Accounts fixes and improvements provided for:
home directory synchronization when the home directory is stored on an SMB file server.
properly warning mobile users in an Active Directory domain about upcoming password expiration.
creating a Mobile Account that uses smart card authentication, without using a command-line tool.
reliability in background synchronization.
MobileMe fixes and improvements provided for:
an issue in which movies could not be viewed in Safari when visiting www.me.com/gallery.
reliability of iDisk Sync.
reliability of syncing calendars.
Parental Control fixes and improvements provided for:
restoring Safari bookmarks functionality to parental controls users.
better handling of Safari bookmark management when using Parental Controls.
more reliable application launch restrictions when using Parental Control.
Rosetta fixes provided for:
an issue that prevented files with the # or & characters in their names from opening in Rosetta applications.
System Imaging fixes and improvements provided for:
the asr command, which now accepts the “–allow fragmented catalog” option, for restoring images that have a fragmented catalog file. For details, type man asr in Terminal.
the installer command, which can now be used to upgrade a Mac OS X v10.5 system with a QuickTime 7 Pro key installed to Mac OS X v10.6.
Time Machine fixes and improvements provided for:
reliability from Time Machine-to-Time Capsule backups, including multiple computers.
an issue with Time Machine in which system backups could be restored onto unsupported Mac configurations.
an issue in which a Time Machine backup might not work using an AirPort connection.
Xsan fixes and improvements provided for:
the reliability of Fibre channel connections to an Xserve RAID.
an issue that could cause the size of certain Fibre channel LUNs to be mis-reported.
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Another tablet has entered the competition for business. A few tablets on the market or soon will be are the Microsoft Courier & Apple iPad & HP Slate . Should they be worried?
JooJoo tablet is in production and ready to be shipped on by the end of this month.
Formley the CrunchPad the JooJoo will come loaded with , a 12.1? multi-touch capacitive display with native resolution of 1366 x 768, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, 4GB SSD, front-facing camera, accelerometer, support for Flash.
The support for flash really hurts the Apple iPad because as of now it does support flash at all. Only thing is that the JooJoo doesn’t support 3G as of yet, Considering the built in USB port we may be able to connect or USB 3G cards to it.
According to a screen capture @ 9 :09 in apples last week event there seem to be a embedded i-sight camera in Steve Jobs iPad. Although, it could be the ambient light sensor. Mission:Repair (Certified Mac Technicians) have reported to received repair parts for the iPad and there seem to be a camera area on those too!
The Apple “ iTablet” finally got its name and image today at Steve Jobs keynote. The iPad is official. The Hype has been a long time coming but its finally here!
The apple iPad is going to retail starting @ $499 for the 16GB, 32GB for $599, and $699 64GB. Adding 3G costs a $130 per model. The WiFi-only model will ship in 60 days, and the 3G models will come in 90.
The iPad is a half-inch thick and weighs only 1.5 pounds, with a 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen IPS LCD display.
it’s running a custom 1GHz Apple “A4″ chip developed by the P.A. Semi team, with a 10-hour battery life and a month of standby.
The iPad comes built in with a 30-pin Dock connector a speaker, a microphone, Bluetooth, and 802.11n WiFi, and an accelerometer and a compass as well.
There’s also a keyboard dock, which connects underneath in the portrait orientation. The device can be synced and managed by iTunes.
As expected, it can run iPhone apps .The 3G version comes with new data plans: 250MB for $14.99 and unlimited plan for $29.99 a month contract-free on… AT&T.
Activations and cancellations are handled on the iPad, so you can activate and cancel whenever you want.
Every iPad comes GSM unlocked, so you can use it with your favorite carrier..
Microsoft and Hp has teamed up and launched a tablet. This tablet is ironically a surprise because all us geeks are awaiting the release of the Apple tablet. The BATTLE of The TABLETS!. According to Ballmer it’s more powerful than a phone and almost as powerful as a PC. It’s perfect for reading and actually has pinch-and-zoom, yes, multitouch. The price wasn’t mentioned, but it’ll be available “later this year.” Of course, it’s running full Windows 7. Check out video below.
Stay tuned to The Gadget 411 for more info on this one!
The new decade is already poised to start off in a huge way in the tech world. Google has a press conference scheduled for Monday in which they will be releasing the Nexus One, their first foray into the world of hardware. Some say this is going to be to the first “true” Google phone. Engadget already got their hands on one. Check out their first impressions.
Also, rumors have been at all time high for Apple’s “universe-changing” tablet/ebook/large-iPhone/iSlate(?). Rumors about this device have been around for at least five years, and kind of died down with the release of the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Now some serious sources like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and many others seem to be pretty confident that this “God gadget” will be coming in 2010. Some have even concluded that an Apple event will be held at the end of the month and will focus on the “mobile computing space” (aka a tablet). After waiting years for a touch-screen iPod because of rumors of its release every other week, I now only believe it when I see it. Though this time, with the fever pitch of rumors, I may just believe it before I see it. Just like the iPod changed the music industry this past decade, the Apple tablet may change the print industry over the next decade. The end of the month couldn’t come soon enough. If this “iSlate” actually does come out then, you bet you’ll be hearing from me about it!
So, which of these tech news items gets you excited/hopeful for the coming year/decade? Sound off in the poll after the break!
With all the concepts of what the Apples upcoming product the iSlate, iTablet or what ever apple may call it, everyone is really ready to see what this device will look like, the cost, and what the specs will be. Rumors have it that apple booked the Yerba Buena Center for Arts, San Francisco for a major product announcement to take place on January 26, 2010.
The tablet is rumored to have all the abilities of a typical Mac, but of course Touchscreen. This means that the tablets will a have a touchscreen UI. The tablet will most likely feature hand gestures to make navigation a breeze. The tablet is also rumored to have a 10.1 inch screen and be around in the $1,000 range.
Apple® today introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ technology. Pioneered on iPhone®, iPod touch® and Mac® notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac® and will be available as a Mac accessory at just $69.
“Apple is the Multi-Touch leader, pioneering the use of this innovative technology in iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads,†said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Apple’s Multi-Touch technology allows us to offer an easy to use mouse in a simple and elegant design.â€
Magic Mouse features a seamless touch-sensitive enclosure that allows it to be a single or multi-button mouse with advanced gesture support. Using intuitive gestures, users can easily scroll through long documents, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. Magic Mouse works for left or right handed users and multi-button or gesture commands can be easily configured from within System Preferences.
The Magic Mouse laser tracking engine provides a smooth, consistent experience across more surfaces than a traditional optical tracking system. Magic Mouse uses Bluetooth wireless capabilities to create a clean, cable-free desk top and its secure wireless connection works from up to 10 meters away. To extend battery performance, Magic Mouse includes an advanced power management system that works with Mac OS® X to automatically switch to low power modes during periods of inactivity. The wireless Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries which are included.
Pricing & Availability
Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and is available at the end of October through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $69 (US). Magic Mouse requires Mac OS X Leopard® version 10.5.8 or later
Apple announced a new iPod nano with a built-in camera on Wednesday at the “Rock and Roll†event in San Francisco. Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the new model by citing the popularity of pocket flash memory-based video cameras like those from Flip and Kodak. “This market’s really exploding,†said Jobs, “and we want to get in on this.â€
The new iPod nano comes in 8GB and 16GB models, each of which incorporates a video camera and microphone on the back of the unit, as well as a built-in speaker. The video camera shoots H.264 VGA video—640 by 480 pixels—at up to 30 frames per second with AAC audio in either portrait or landscape modes. It also features 15 special effects that can be applied in real time: Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Light Tunnel, Dent, Stretch, and Twirl. The nano can display video or sync it back to your computer, where you can easily upload the clip to YouTube, Facebook, MobileMe, or share it via e-mail. The microphone can also be used with the nano’s voice recording feature.
In addition, the nano now has VoiceOver support, which provides audible navigation cues in 20 languages, and the new Genius Mixes feature, which creates up to 12 endless playlists of music based on your existing library. There’s also a built-in pedometer which can measure your steps and sync the information with the Nike+ service and, in a first for an iPod, an FM radio tuner. The radio tuner includes support for live pause, which allows users to pause a live program and resume it later, and iTunes Tagging, which lets listeners tag radio songs they like and then preview and optionally purchase the song next time they sync with iTunes.
Other than the camera, the physical form factor of the nano remains mostly unchanged, although it now features a larger 2.2-inch, 240-by-376-pixel, display and comes in nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, (PRODUCT) RED and pink. The 8GB model runs for $149 and the 16GB for $179 (a discount from the previous nano, which cost $199). Both new models are shipping today.
The new nano requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later as well as iTunes 9. iPhoto 6.0.6 or later is recommended for Tiger users and iPhoto ’09 for Leopard or Snow Leopard users. Windows users need Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later as well as iTunes 9.
The iPod nano will now feature a built-in camera, as Apple updated its iPod line as part of a music-focused press event in San Francisco on Wednesday
The new iPod comes in 8GB and 16GB models, priced at $149 and $179, respectively. The music players now feature a video camera and microphone on the back of the device along with a built-in speaker. The nano can display video or sync it back to your computer for uploading to YouTube.
According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs—making his first public appearance at an Apple event since returning from a six-month medical leave—the company added the camera to the nano line to capitalize on the popularity of pocket-sized flash-based video cameras.
The nano was just one of the changes Apple introduced to its iPod line on Wednesday. The company also cut the price on its entry-level 8GB iPod touch to $199; previously, that model sold for $229. In addition, Apple boosted the capacity on the touch to 64GB. The 32GB and 64GB models are now 50-percent faster and feature support for the Open GL|ES 2.0 graphics API.
Despite speculation that Apple might discontinue the iPod classic—the last remaining hard drive-based device in its iPod line—that model remains with an expanded capacity. The iPod classic now features 160GB of storage at the same price as before, $249.
As for the iPod shuffle, it comes in new colors. The 2GB and 4GB models sell for $59 and $79, respectively; a special edition 4GB model made of stainless steel costs $99.
iPod talk dominated the second half of Apple’s Wednesday event, but the company also had software news. A new version of the iTunes is now available, featuring Genius Mixes for creating recommended playlists of music and movies.
Other features in iTunes 9 include Home Sharing, which brings iTunes synchronization to up to five authorized computers and a new interface for managing iPhone and iPod touch applications. iTunes 9 also introduces a number of improvements to Apple’s online iTunes Store, including new artist pages with more visual material added.
Finally, Apple released a minor update to its iPhone software. iPhone 3.1 rolls out some bug fixes in addition to extending the Genius media-recommendation algorithm to recommend iPhone apps to users. The update also beefs up the iPhone OS’s ringtone capabilities.
