The separate Security Update 2012-001 download for Snow Leopard users is breaking apps that depend on Rosetta, according to complaints. Rosetta allows PowerPC-based apps to operate within Snow Leopard. Programs such as Eudora 6, Acrobat Pro 7, Quicken 2007, and Office 2004 will reportedly crash, freeze, or exhibit other unexpected behavior, such as failing to print documents.
Some OS X 10.7.3 users are reportedly suffering from an odd application crash bug. Affected people will see apps crash often, with the unusual twist of error messages that feature the word "CUI" stamped over them. A 9to5Mac source claims that the company has already sent out an email to a v10.7.3 test group, asking them if they've run into the problem and requesting bug reports if so.
Apple seeded a sixth OS X 10.7.3 beta to developers last night, build 11D46, reports note. The code is arriving roughly a week after 11D42, and contains no known issues. Because of this and the number of builds released already, 11D46 may be the last beta before v10.7.3 is released to the public.
Apple yesterday began seeding a fifth build of OS X 10.7.3 to developers, reports note. Listed as build 11D42, the code is arriving about three weeks after the distribution of the last beta. Developers are being asked to concentrate testing on five key components: Address Book, iCal, Mail, Spotlight, and Safari. A delta version of the update currently measures 989.75MB.
The fourth OS X 10.7.3 beta has dropped a reference to an ultra-high resolution mode known as HiDPI, notes MacRumors. In some past betas of the update, opening the Get Info window for an app would present an "Open in HIDPI mode" checkbox, even though toggling it had no effect. That checkbox yesterday went missing, according to a new report.
Apple is seeding a new pre-release build of OS X 10.7.3 to developers. Listed as 11D24, the build is only the second for v10.7.3, following two weeks after the original. The new code is said to make additional bugfixes, as well as bring Safari and Spotlight into the list of components Apple would like tested. Address Book, iCal, Mail, and iCloud Document Storage also remain areas of interest.
Apple has pushed out a new video update for MacBook Pros. The code is extremely narrow in focus, concentrating only on mid-2010 model 15-inch Pros still running Snow Leopard. It is however said to deal with serious graphical issues, including freezing or video disappearing entirely.
Apple is already at work on OS X 10.8, tracking data suggests. MacRumors reveals that it has recorded at least some v10.8 web traffic since August, and it has gradually picked up over time; activity has surged since the beginning of October. The traffic is more importantly reported to be coming from IPs within Apple, as well as nearby areas.
Organizers have opened up registrations for Macworld|iWorld, a rebranded Macworld Expo. The event is scheduled for January 26th through the 28th at the Moscone West center in San Francisco. The name change is meant to emphasize the iOS side of the gathering. iWorld will also include new Music Experience and Film Event tracks, featuring media and performances created with Apple products, as well talks with some of the people involved. One Film Event session, for instance, will bridge a screening of the unaired South Park pilot with a Q&A hosted by staff from the show.
A new backdoor intrusion attempts to turn Macs into bots for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and can also open them to other exploits, says security firm ESET. The malware is operated through IRC networks, and connects to one of a list of IRC servers so it can interpret commands received in a chat channel. Beyond turning Macs into bots, the malware can also enable file downloads by remote users, or execution of shell commands.
A Mac Trojan now in circulation attempts to disable OS X's built-in anti-malware protection, known as XProtect, according to security firm F-Secure. Identified with the label OSX/Flashback.C, the Trojan first decrypts the paths of XProtectUpdater files, then unloads the XProtectUpdater daemon. To finish the job, the malware then overwrites the XProtectUpdater files with a blank character.
Apple concluded a series of major software updates yesterday by releasing Security Update 2011-006 for Snow Leopard and the iCloud Control Panel for Windows. The former mostly reflects security issues addressed by OS X 10.7.2, solving problems linked to: Apache, ATS, BIND, graphics, Jabber, Mailman, MediaKit, CoreFoundation, CoreMedia, PHP, Python, the application firewall, root certificates, HTTPS servers, QuickTime, Tomcat, X11, the App Store's help content, and finally the web server. The last fix is a part of the Server release of the Security Update.
Continuing a day-long flood of software updates, Apple has released Aperture 3.2 and Xcode 4.2. As expected, the Aperture patch concentrates on compatibility with iCloud and iOS 5. Some other small enhancements have been made though, such as pinch-to-zoom automatically activating Zoom mode, and automatic launch in fullscreen mode if that was in use when the program was last quit. The Import window has gained an option to delete photos from iPhones and iPads after the images have been copied over.
This week Apple released OS X Lion, and MacNN forum goers were quick to start discussing this latest update to the Mac operating system in the thread titled "The official Lion thread™" join in here. Also this week Apple announced the new specs on the MacBook Air, click here to join in on the conversation about this latest hardware upgrade.
The non-profit MIND Research Institute last week launched a new national intervention program, Algebra Readiness. The full year course is aimed at middle and high school students and endeavors to 'rebuild a solid maths foundation' and prepare students for success in 'Algebra 1'. Algebra Readiness offers a 'rigorous yet engaging curriculum', that encourages to 'look' and visualize mathematics problems from simple arithmetic to linear algebra concepts. "Algebra Readiness features MIND’s patent-pending visual approach, which both engages students at any level, and explains math in a direct but powerful way they can understand and retain... MIND developed the program in response to the persistent low student success rate in Algebra I classes and the increasing use of Algebra I as a requirement for a high school diploma." said Dr. Matthew Peterson, a neurosurgeon who helped develop the software.
Stairways Software on Wednesday announced Keyboard Maestro 3.2, the latest evolution of its productivity enhancing 'keyboard macro' application for OS X. The software allows users to design a custom action sequence with their own shortcuts and use them at any time - all by pressing simple keystrokes; version 3.2 brings a host of bug fixes and code-level enhancements, as well as a range of new features, including the ability to records macros for replay at a later date, new options for pre-recorded 'triggering' of macros and an improved user interface.
Nova Media has released Phone Plugins, a utility that allows one-click dialing and text messaging from any application in Leopard. Users of OS X Tiger were able dial cellphones connected over Bluetooth, but Apple removed that feature in OS X 10.5. Nova claims the utility not only restores that lost functionality, but improves on it as well. The Berlin-based developer says the Phone Plugins include a Bluetooth wizard to connect cell phones in one step. Users can call or send a text message to any number within Address Book or other applications using the “services” menu.
Apple on Monday previewed Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the successor to Mac OS X Leopard; the next major version Apple's operating system focuses primarily on new features to enhance performance of OS X, set a new standard for quality and lay the foundation for future OS X innovation, Apple said. Snow Leopard is optimized for multi-core processors, taps into the computing power of graphic processing units (GPUs), enables "breakthrough" amounts of RAM and features the company's new modern media platform with QuickTime X. Snow Leopard includes out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange 2007 and is scheduled to "ship in about a year."
