An Italian computer maker is the latest company to ignore Apple's Mac OS X license agreement and launch a new series of Mac clones, according to the Italian site Macity. The startup Engineering Project recently launched a site promoting its upcoming EVO computers, which are allegedly compatible with several platforms including Mac OS X.
Gideon Softworks has launched updates for Dock-It, Snard and Snippet Monkey, adding Snow Leopard support to all three. Dock-It 2.7.2 is a multifunctional dock and Finder enhancement tool, enabling users to create or customize multiple docks and navigate folder contents without the need of a Finder window. Docks can be used to hold files, folders, apps and scripts; users can drag-and-drop as well as copy and paste text clippings or URLs.
Apple's latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta, build 10C540, reportedly includes a wide variety of new bug fixes for software and hardware issues, according to AppleInsider. The software addresses problems with graphics drivers, AirPort performance on the new iMacs, and the latest VMWare Fusion virtualization software.
The flip from daylight savings to standard time has created unusual problems for Snow Leopard owners, Apple's support forums indicate. Some Mac users note that nearing the point of the official changeover, 2AM on November 1st, their CPU usage peaked as high as 100 percent for no apparent reason. Aside from rendering software unusable, such spikes also run the risk of overheating a computer.
Apple has begun distributing a new developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.2, 10C535. The release follows a week after 10C531, and is mainly said to address graphics issues, specifically relating to drivers, QuartzCore and ColorSync. Separately fixed are problems with the Dock; as with the past two builds, Apple has identified no outstanding issues.
Support for ZFS was ultimately dropped from Snow Leopard as a result of licensing issues, claims Jeff Bonwick, a project team leader at Sun. The technology was initially expected to be a highlight of Snow Leopard, for instance providing image-based backups, and eliminating the need for drive partitions. Hints that ZFS had been removed came in June however, and the technology is nowhere to be found in shipping copies of the OS.
Despite previous efforts to bring support for the ZFS file-system to Mac OS X, Apple has dropped the project. Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz several years ago publicly claimed Leopard would utilize ZFS instead of HFS+, although Apple only provided limited support for the new technology. Even the read-only functionality was dropped with the transition to Snow Leopard.
Apple has been exploring the possibility of embedding advertising within Mac OS X, or other platforms, a newly-published patent application reveals. Originally submitted in April of last year, the application credits CEO Steve Jobs and several other people with the invention. If implemented OS users would be presented with one or more ads, which would temporarily disable some aspect of the software before allowing people to continue on.
Apple is already distributing a third beta seed of Mac OS X 10.6.2 to developers, sources say. Called 10C527f, the build adds fixes for 13 different components of the OS. Of special emphasis are corrections for video errors, including several GraphicsDrivers problems which can cause screen flickering, crashes in OpenCL or stuttering while playing 1080p movies in QuickTime X. QuickTime itself has been fixed to allow some movies to play properly.
Norbert Doerner has released MP3-Info 2.0, a major upgrade to his plug-in for Finder and iTunes that organizes music collections. The new version turns the software into a stand alone application for Snow Leopard, and includes integration with Twitter, which allows users to display what song they are currently listening to. The app also displays its own track info.
Mac cloner Psystar has announced a new OEM licensing program, designed to spread the company's virtualization software. Subscribers to the program gain access to the company's Darwin Universal Boot Loader (DUBL), which allows users to install Mac OS X on a PC, instead of just an Apple-branded Mac. Users can in fact have up to six operating systems on a computer, but hardware certified by Psystar must at least have Linux, Windows Vista or Windows 7 pre-installed.
Windows is regaining some of its marketshare, claims Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "We’re gaining share. Apple is expensive," Ballmer says in a new interview. "And in tough economic environment, people get it. Their [Apple's] model is, by definition, expensive. And we’ve actually held or maybe even gained just a tiny bit of share relative to the Mac in the last 12 months. And it’s not really Snow Leopard. It’s really Windows PCs versus Mac."
Apple has made major alterations to its educational licensing program, ones which could potentially raise the cost of Macs for schools. The company is said to be abandoning a previous volume licensing scheme, which allowed institutions to buy Mac OS X at costs of $39 to $59 per copy, depending the amount of licenses ordered. Instead, schools must now pay for annual license renewals.
Microsoft has launched a new educational discount for Windows 7, aimed at college and university students. Eligible buyers can now order a copy of either Home Premium or Professional for just $30; the discount runs until January 3rd at 12AM CST. The homogenized Professional pricing is intended for people at schools with a "domain join" policy, where features like HomeGroup and Remote Media Streaming may become useful.
Mac OS X Snow Leopard has been Apple's best OS launch in years, at least in terms of sales numbers, according to the NPD Group. Tracking figures are said to show sales more than twice those of the Leopard launch in October 2007, generally considered a success in its own right. The sales are also four times those associated with Tiger, released in April 2005.
Apple has taken the decision to make Grand Central Dispatch, a key feature of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, available as an open-source project. Developers can now find the component's services API on the web. Grand Central is intended to simplify multi-core support in Mac OS X, which without an intermediate layer can be difficult to program for.
Mac OS X Snow Leopard is preventing some users from installing any further software, posts on Apple's support forums indicate. After upgrading to the OS, users may find that Installer is incapable of completing any kind of installation, whether in terms of first- or third-party programs. Because of Installer's deep integration into Snow Leopard, it is even preventing minor upgrades of existing applications, such as Aperture.
Apple on Thursday released security updates for Mac OS X v10.5.8 and v10.4.11, including the standard and Server editions. The updates resolve a variety of security vulnerabilities relating to maliciously crafted alias files, resource forks, image files, PDFs, scheduler requests and PixarFilm files, among others.
Apple on Thursday released Mac OS X 10.6.1, its first maintenance update following the recent Snow Leopard launch. The company has addressed a variety of compatibility issues involving Sierra Wireless 3G modems, interrupted DVD playback, automatic account setup in Mail, and Motion 4 problems.
(Updated with Snow Leopard Server info) Apple has seeded a new build of Mac OS X 10.6.1 to developers, sources say. Titled 10B504, the build is notably only one increment number over that of the initial seed, released approximately a week ago. The turnaround could indicate a short development track, in contrast with some v10.5.x updates, which took several weeks to reach the public.
Following the recent Mac OS X Snow Leopard release, users have reported a variety of problems upgrading their systems. A number of forum posts on Apple's Support page point to problems with printers. One user reports incompatibility with Canon's Multifunction Laser printers, while several others cannot print to select HP devices.
The unfinished Mac OS X 10.6.1 update -- now in distribution to a small number of developers -- so far only makes a minor number of fixes, accounts say. These include improvements to compatibility, stability and security, such as better support for Sierra Wireless 3G modems, and the proper display of printer compatibility drivers in the Add Printer dialog. A more critical fix prevents freezing in Motion 4.
Apple has released a Java update for Mac OS X 10.5.8 that addresses a wide range of security vulnerabilities. The most serious issue allowed untrusted Java applets to obtain elevated privileges after users visit a web page containing maliciously crafted code. The problem has been addressed for systems running Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.5.8 Server.
Just days after the operating system's launch, Apple has already begun a closed test of the first major update to Snow Leopard, according to anonymous sources. Mac OS X 10.6.1 allegedly became available to a small number of developers on Monday, specifically groups of coders invited by Apple. Distribution to all members of the Apple Developer Connection could begin within a week or two, if historical trends serve as a precedent.
Adobe has spotted yet more compatibility problems created in transitioning its software to Snow Leopard, according to the company's principal product manager, John Nack. In particular, Photoshop is currently said to crash when switching to the Menlo font; the only solution at present is to avoid using the font entirely. The editing software may also crash when using the Open and Save commands, and dragging images to the program's Dock icon may not open them, as intended.
Apple has still left considerable gaps in Mac security, despite advances in Mac OS X Snow Leopard, say some security experts. The OS is said to have several protection advances over Leopard, most notably a built-in anti-virus scanner, perhaps the first concrete admission from Apple that Macs are now vulnerable to malware. The tool scans content received through apps like Safari, Mail and iChat, and can also check signatures to determine whether a file has been altered since its creation.
In a bid to promote its new operating system, Apple is says it is now distributing free evaluation copies of Snow Leopard Server. To qualify, people must fill out a form on Apple's website, and represent a business, government agency, non-profit organization or some form of educational institution. Specifically excluded from the promotion are resellers, students, NPOs with less than 10 people and anyone under the age of 13.
Mac OS X Snow Leopard may be designed with a tablet computer in mind, a new report argues. The OS is for instance equipped with a new Expose feature, which allows users to click and hold a Dock icon to display all of an application's windows. Such a feature could be ideal for a tablet, which might not have easy key or gesture commands for triggering Expose.
Mac cloner Psystar has filed a second lawsuit against Apple, this time contesting policies surrounding Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Psystar should have the right to buy Snow Leopard and install it on third-party computers for sale, the filing says. The suit moreover accuses Apple of illegally linking Snow Leopard to Apple hardware, creating monopolies in the trade of "premium" computers, and/or systems running Mac OS X as a platform. "Apple's share of revenue in the market for premium computers -- computers priced at over $1,000 -- is currently 91 per cent," Psystar attorneys note.
The latest version of Boot Camp -- found in Mac OS X Snow Leopard -- supports the 64-bit version of Windows 7, examination shows. Though not heavily promoted by Apple, Boot Camp 3.0 is noted to feature both 32- and 64-bit drivers for Microsoft's next operating system, whereas Boot Camp 2.1 can only handle the 32-bit code. Some Mac owners have already been installing copies of Windows 7 despite the only legal availability being limited to a release candidate; the final software is due October 22nd.
Although the operating system has only just been released, Apple has already posted two networking-related updates for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The first, Network Registration Update 1.0, is specifically intended for Snow Leopard Server. It is a 24.8MB download, and fixes a problem with duplicate serial number alerts on servers using multiple interfaces.
This week's release of Snow Leopard is more intended to undermine Windows 7 than to advance Mac OS X, argues Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. Snow Leopard is shipping less than two months before Windows 7, and Munster notes that the former is only a "minor upgrade," a revision of Mac OS X "without many significant new features." In marketing, Apple has highlighted multi-core enhancements and support for OpenCL processing.
Validating rumors, Apple has formally announced that Mac OS X Snow Leopard will ship on August 28th, just ahead of its predicted September launch date. The software is a $29 upgrade for individual Leopard owners, or a $49 upgrade for people needing a five-license family pack. It can also be had with a new Mac computer, or as a part of the Mac Box Set, which bundles the latest versions of iLife and iWork. Single-user and family pack versions of the Box Set cost $169 and $229, respectively.
Overnight on Thursday, Apple's UK online store temporarily listed the shipping date for the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date program as August 28th. The listing has since been corrected to say September. It follows various rumors hinting that Snow Leopard could be available by the end of August, ahead of the official date. Equivalent pages at other Apple online stores have not deviated from a September timeframe.
The rumored gold master version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard is likely still a preliminary release, says MacMagazine. 10A432 is described as a preview due to notable bugs remaining, including Mail instabilities, scroll bar errors, and a collection of freezing applications.
Apple has released Security Update 2009-004 for systems running Mac OS X 10.5.8 and v10.4.11, including Server editions. The fix comes just a week after the company's last update which contained a longer list of corrected vulnerabilities. The current update addresses an issue relating to the Domain Naming System server. A remote attacker could potentially create a malicious update message to interrupt the BIND service.
In parallel with the distribution of Mac OS X 10.5.8, Apple has posted four security updates for its last-generation operating system, Tiger. Two target PowerPC and Intel systems running the core OS. Similarly, the remaining updates address the PowerPC and Universal Binary codebases for Tiger Server.
The Mac OS X 10.5.8 update, released on Wednesday, includes a variety of fixes for security vulnerabilities. A bug included in previous versions allowed decompression of maliciously crafted data to terminate an application. Another issue allowed a website to control the displayed website URL in a certificate warning.
Apple has posted an anticipated v10.5.8 patch for Mac OS X, updating a number of components in the operating system. The list begins with Safari, which has been upgraded to v4.0.2, and should now be more accurate when running full history searches. Connectivity problems have been smoothed out in several areas, for instance in terms of better reliability when linking with AirPort networks or Bluetooth devices.
Apple has seeded Mac OS X 10.5.8 Build 9L30 to developers, following an earlier build released just a few days ago, according to MacRumors. The update is said to address an issue relating to external monitors waking from sleep mode. No other significant changes have been made, potentially indicating the company is ready to offer the final version to the public.
Apple has won a collection of new patents from the US Patent and Trademark Office, linked to a wide variety of products. Among these is the Apple TV, for which Apple has been granted a patent on the set-top's remote. The remote is able to identify expected light sources in the midst of ambient ones, such as reflections.
Apple has released build 10A421 of its upcoming Snow Leopard operating system. The latest developer update is almost 745MB, and includes bug fixes and enhancements. Some unannounced changes include a new QuickTime Player icon, and several new desktop pictures. A new version of the Unix kernel has left beta stages, and Darwin is now listed as a final component of the System Profiler.
New builds of Mac OS X 10.5.8 and 10.6 Server have been seeded to developers, reports say. The v10.5.8 release, titled 9L25, is said to have no known problems, and correct only two: one with saving e-mails as individual documents, and another involving URL localization. Testing efforts are now shifting from narrow to broad focus, concentrating on some three dozen components previously examined in other builds.
Apple is seeding a new beta build of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, developers say. Titled 10A402a, the build measures 1.3GB, and is the second to have arrive in a span of two weeks. Although Apple describes the software as having "general operating system fixes for stability, compatibility, and security," the most noticeable changes are said to include responsiveness, which is faster throughout the OS.
Google's launch of Chrome OS today could create a conflict of interest that forces its chief Eric Schmidt off of Apple's board of directors. Although the two companies continue to collaborate on the iPhone, iLife and other projects, the creation of an operating system intended for full-fledged computers now means Google has products that can compete directly with two out of three of Apple's key businesses, as Android and now Chrome OS both give it a vested interest against the iPhone and Mac OS X.
With the release of Snow Leopard Server, Apple will drop deployment support for the WebObjects web application server, sources claim. WebObjects is an enterprise framework for creating web apps, as well as deploying them through a related Java server. The technology was originally acquired by Apple in 1996, when it bought NeXT, headed by former (and now present) Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
The next update for Mac OS X Leopard is rapidly advancing towards release, reports suggest. Build 9L22 of v10.5.8 is said to have been delivered to developers on Wednesday, following the distribution of 9L20 last Friday. Such turnaround times are typically a sign of imminent release for Apple software, evidence for which may be backed by a shift in testing focus.
Over 11 million copies of the final version of Safari 4 have been downloaded in a space of three days, Apple claims. The software became available for Macs and PCs on Monday, following Apple's WWDC keynote. Prior to the keynote, a beta version of the web browser had been available since February. It is not known how many downloads of the beta were recorded.
Apple has changed its attitude towards viruses and malware on the Mac, claims security firm Intego. Apple last year issued an advice statement admitting that "since no system can be 100 percent immune from every threat, antivirus software may offer additional protection." In announcing more features of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Intego notes that Apple has taken a more stringent approach, for instance implementing code changes like sandboxing, library randomization and execute disables; each limits the potential damage of an outside threat.
The long-expected addition of ZFS to Snow Leopard Server may have been silently dropped. Although Apple has previously indicated that the file management system would be a part of Server, ZFS was not mentioned in yesterday's keynote, and is not listed in the features on Apple's website.
