A number of reports on Apple's Support pages suggest the latest QuickTime update, v7.6.4, has been causing problems on Windows machines. Many users attempting to play embedded videos can only hear the sound, while the video content is left blank.
In tandem with iTunes 9, Apple has released QuickTime 7.6.4, a minor update to its signature AV playback software. The patch primarily fixes problems with H.264 and/or MPEG-4 playback, which exposed systems to crashes or arbitrary code execution. H.264 vulnerabilities were connected to memory corruption and heap buffer overflows, while an MPEG-4 flaw involved conventional buffer overflows.
Beginning with two Tuesday updates, all future iterations of Mozilla's Firefox browser will check for at least some outdated plug-ins, the company has announced. Firefox 3.5.3 and 3.0.14 will both scan for the latest version of Flash, prompting users to visit a link where an updated plug-in can be downloaded. "For now, our focus is on the Adobe Flash Player both because of its popularity and because some studies have shown that as many as 80 percent of users currently have an out-of-date version," says Firefox security team member Johnathan Nightingale.
AJA Video Systems has introduced a portable video-recording system for filmmakers and video professionals, Ki Pro. The device connects to almost any digital camera through SDI, HDMI or analog inputs, and records high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files that can be edited within Apple’s Final Cut Studio software. The device integrates both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connection capabilities, enabling users to control the device via a browser or their iPhone.
A controversial report today has accused Apple of borrowing or being late to features previously available in Windows. The PC World story argues that Apple is behind in implementing 64-bit and that Exposé's new integration with the Dock, the enhanced PDF preview, and QuickTime X are all either derivative of features first seen in XP or Vista or else available separately. Author Randall Kennedy goes as far as to claim that QuickTime X is a "reactionary" move to Windows Movie Maker.
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.
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.
Samson today hoped to bring quality to pocket video cameras and launched the Zoom Q3. It records video in standard VGA (640x480) but adds two large condenser microphones borrowed from the audio-only H4n, giving it 48kHz, 24-bit stereo sound. The enhanced audio can additionally focus on a particular point independently of the fixed-zoom lens to capture sound at a distance.
The QuickTime 7.6.2 update, released on Monday, allegedly addresses a security vulnerability that was partially described in "The Mac Hacker's Handbook," according to PCWorld. Apple usually succeeds in addressing bugs before they are made public, although the book written by Charlie Miller and Dino Dai Zovi provided many of the details surrounding an issue with the way QuickTime reads files compressed using the JP2 format.
Apple has published updates for two of its main media playback utilities, iTunes and QuickTime. The most crucial is iTunes 8.2, which introduces support for the yet-to-be-released iPhone 3.0 firmware; the upgrade may signify an iPhone 3.0 debut on or around Apple's imminent WWDC event, scheduled to begin June 8th. Also addressed in the download are unspecified bugfixes and accessibility improvements.
A number of minor but cumulatively important interface changes have been made in Mac OS X Snow Leopard, observes a Flickr user with access to the developer beta. Beyond some known tweaks, such as the addition of sliders for icon size, the software is also expected to warn users who have not created a password hint, and enable Quick Look within Open and Save dialogs, not just Finder. The System Preferences pane has meanwhile been rearranged, for instance splitting the Keyboard and Mouse sections, removing QuickTime, and moving Bluetooth under a new Internet & Wireless header.
The next version of QuickTime, QuickTime X, should incorporate features for uploading directly to media sharing sites, people experienced with the current beta say. The video playback software is described as having a new "Share" menu, offering the ability to upload to YouTube without a separate encoder or browser. Options should also include uploading to MobileMe Galleries, the only requirement for any upload being login info.
Apple is distributing a new build of Mac OS X Snow Leopard to its developer community, adding a redesigned QuickTime Player and a Cocoa-based desktop. AppleInsider reports that beta 10A286 was released Friday morning, with a completely redesigned version of QuickTime thought to be QuickTime X, featuring a minimal user interface geared towards playback. The first-ever Cocoa-based desktop is said to include updated info windows and contextual menus.
The two current versions of Apple's QuickTime software may merge into one come the release of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, new information hints. The latest developer seeding of Snow Leopard is said to enable all features of QuickTime by default, including advanced functions such as sharing and movie creation or capture. Special features have typically been reserved for QuickTime Pro, a $30 package advertised through pop-ups in the regular QuickTime Player.
JVC today rolled out a pro-grade HD camcorder designed explicitly for videographers using Apple's Final Cut Pro editing suite. The GY-HM700 is the only 1080p camera to capture directly in the MOV format used by QuickTime and so lets producers send raw footage directly to Final Cut without the software having to first transcode or otherwise alter the material before it enters the pipeline. Editors can even trim video while it's stored on the camera, JVC notes.
Apple's QuickTime 7.6 update addresses seven security issues. The first issue involved accessing a maliciously crafted RTSP URL may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution Description: A heap buffer overflow exists in QuickTime's handling of RTSP URLs. Accessing a maliciously crafted RTSP URL may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Version 7.6 fixes the issue by performing additional validation of RTSP URLs.
Apple has launched QuickTime 7.6, addressing seven security issues. The update increases reliability, improves compatibility and enhances security. It is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users. The 75.1MB download (via software download) will work with Mac OS X 10.4.9-10.4.11 and Mac OS X 10.5 and later. It is available for Windows Vista, XP SP2 and SP3 as well.
Apple on Tuesday has unveiled QuickTime 7.5.7, an update to its multimedia player system that reportedly removes HDCP protection from standard definition movies bought or rented from iTunes when played across the DisplayPort on some of the more modern Macs. MacRumors reports that the update resolves issues on the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, all of which feature the miniature DisplayPort connector.
Ross Video has released its SoftMetal 4.0 software, adding native MXF recording and playback support for HD and SD video clips, and QuickTime-native SD playout. It also adds closed-captioning support, embedded audio, and stereoscopic recording and playback. Version 4.0 additionally introduces capacity for 16 channels per video input/output. The upgrade is free for previous customers.
Apple allegedly has QuickTime 7.6 beta builds seeded to developers, which will allegedly offer Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, and Windows users 5.1 audio, as well as several optimizations, AppleInsider reports. Developers are asked by Apple to stress the current build (A26) with multi-channel audio, taking note that audio plays back correctly with each channel. GPU acceleration is not expected to arrive in this update, a feature heavily used by Adobe's new Creative Suite 4 applications.
A possible security hole has been discovered in QuickTime 7.5.5, which was released last week alongside iTunes 8. Symantec researcher Aaron Adams notes that a particular parameter in QuickTime is not geared to cope with strings past a certain length, and that if this trait were to be properly exploited, it could represent a security threat. "Symantec is currently investigating this flaw further to determine the underlying technical details," Adams' official note reads.
Divergent Media has announced ClipWrap for the Mac, an m2t batch converter for creating QuickTime HDV files. With most Hi-Def cameras recording in m2t transport streams, and few video applications capable of handling m2t, ClipWrap attempts to bridge the gap, converting the streams to QuickTime movies. The software is a rewrapping tool, moving video and audio streams to a QuickTime container. In theory this avoids generational loss through re-encoding, and saves hours of encode time.
Plyxim has upated its QuickTime-based scheduling software for closed-circuit broadcasting systems. Exibia 1.2 Server allows users from multiple platforms to use their web browsers to upload content to a central server. Version 1.2 includes a "major overhaul" to Exibia's web client interface. Exibia supports iCal and LDAP integration, and works with third-party plug-ins including Flip4Mac, Perian and Divx.
Apple's recently unveiled Quicktime 7.5 update preceded updates released on Tuesday – iMovie 7.1.2 and iDVD 7.0.2 – two applications with heavy reliance on the company's multimedia platform. The update information pages say little about what specifically addressed, with both merely stating: "This update addresses general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues." Apple is supplying the updates through its support page, as well as through Software Update.
Apple on Monday released QuickTime 7.5, an update to its multimedia software (available for both Macs and PCs). The software, according to the company, improves application compatibility and addresses five security issues; it "is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users." The download is 60MB and available via the Software Update for Tiger, Panther, and Leopard users. In addition, Apple has also posted the QuickTime/MPEG video stream of the keynote. Our own coverage is still available online and we have a full gallery of photos.
Elgato has released the v3.0.2 update to EyeTV, its TV streaming and recording software. The patch makes significant changes, most crucially support for broadcasts with H.264 compression, which are said to be increasingly popular; in Europe, for example, a number of DVB-T channels offer only H.264 streaming. Elgato has also introduced the export of closed captions to QuickTime videos, in particular text broadcast over ATSC and NTSC. As a result, users can now toggle captions on and off in software ranging from iTunes to the iPhone OS.
Vara Software today unveiled ScreenFlow 1.1, a sizable update to its screencasting application, adding audio waveforms, markers, and several other optimizations and improvements. The inclusion of audio waveforms allows users to find and remove unnecessary pauses, coughs, and other audio anomalies in recordings, as well as in any imported QuickTime Media. The update is free for existing users, and costs $100 for a new license.
According to new data from Nielsen Online, Web traffic to the Apple Inc's sites collectivly grew 13 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2008, from a three-month average monthly unique audience of 42.9 million to 48.4 million. Total minutes spent on the site grew 12 percent year over year, from 9.4 billion in Q1 2007 to 10.5 billion in Q1 2008, while total purchases at The Apple Store grew 32 percent month over month, from 322,000 purchases in January 2008 to 424,000 purchases in February 2008. iTunes, Apple Store and QuickTime were the top three fastest growing Apple Computer Web channels year over year in Q1 2008
In brief: Apple will broadcast its second quarter results conference call on Wednesday, Odysseus, the Eudora clone/successor, is available for pre-order, O'Reilly has published a new edition of the big book of Apple Hacks, and Carbon fiber cases for the iPhone are once again shipping ... Apple will broadcast its 2008 second quarter results conference call on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 2:00 p.m. PDT/5:00 p.m. EDT. The conference call will be available as a continuous rebroadcast utilizing QuickTime. The live audio webcast will be accessible through Apple's website. Viewers need a copy of QuickTime 6 or QuickTime 7 to listen to the conference call.
Apple's recent QuickTime 7.4.5 release includes exploit prevention mechanisms designed to block attacks from hackers, according to a recent report from eWeek. QuickTime for Windows Vista now features ASLR (address space layout randomization), technology that randomly arranges key data addresses to prevent developers of malware from predicting targets. ASLR is already used by Mac OS X Leopard to reduce the effectiveness of exploit attempts.
Apple today released updates to QuickTime 7.4.5, iTunes 7.6.2, and Front Row 2.1.3, offering several performance enhancements, as well as a patch for a security hole found in QuickTime. The patch fixes an issue related to the SHA-1 checksum, which is related to protecting files with 160-bit encryption. iTunes 7.6.2 doesn't list specifically which issues are fixed, but more than likely resolves compatibility with the new QuickTime version. Front Row's update similarly guarantees functionality with iTunes 7.6.2.
Mien Software has released MediaEdit 3 for the Mac, a consumer-level video editing tool, which edits virtually all QuickTime readable formats and supports unlimited layers. The new release adds support for nlimited media layers can add video, audio and text and uses non-destructive editing. I talso sports multiple levels of undo, live previews and background rendering and can capture video and audio. MediaEdit 3 has a timeline, can resize and position clip display region and comes with standard effects, filters and transitions. Completed videos can be exported to QuickTime, DV, MPEG-4 and to the web.
Apple's Windows version of its Software Update application is now asking users to install Safari 3.1, regardless of whether users actually have Safari installed on their computers. While Software Update comes with all Macs to manage updates, bug fixes, and security patches, the Windows equivalent is installed by Apple applications such as iTunes or QuickTime. Apple could be using Software Update to give the PC version of Safari a push start.
Users on Apple's Discussion boards are experiencing a hanging problem with several websites after the recent Quicktime 7.4.1 update. The problem seems to manifest when visiting particular Flash-enabled websites such as YouTube and ESPN.com, causing the browser to "beach ball" until it has been forced to quit. Users isolated the problems by disabling plug-ins, which allowed the sites to function properly.
Every Mac comes with the Grab program, which can capture images of the screen that are helpful for showing others how a certain program should look or what users should see after choosing specific commands. Unfortunately still images cannot always show the complete story, just as viewing a photograph is less enthralling than watching a movie. To fill the void Vara Software offers ScreenFlow, which captures screen activity and stores it as a Quicktime movie file that users can copy and distribute to others. Such Quicktime movies, called screencasts, are useful for creating video tutorials for training or teaching.
Apple today released QuickTime 7.4.1 for Mac OS X Panther, Tiger, and Leopard as well as Microsoft Windows. The update beefs up security while improving compatibility with third-party applications. Users who don't update to QuickTime 7.4.1 could visit a maliciously crafted website that could lead to unexpected application termination, or arbitrary code execution.
Digital video specialist Red is alerting its users to an incompatibility with QuickTime 7.4 when using Red Alert, as well as issues with Final Cut Pro and Red One footage. Users will experience decreased system stability, so Red advises users to avoid upgrading to QuickTime 7.4 until either itself or Apple has issued a fix. Neither Red nor Apple has commented on what is causing the issue, and it is unknown if any of Red's other products are affected by the bug.
Adobe is recommending that users refrain from downloading and installing the latest QuickTime 7.4, which was released last week following the Macworld Expo keynote. According to the company, QuickTime 7.4 introduces serious incompatibility problems with both After Effects and Premiere Pro, which can prevent both programs from working properly. After Effects and Premiere Pro users can reportedly resolve this issue by utilizing Leopard's Time Machine and reverting their systems to a previous state.
A new exploit has been discovered for the latest version of QuickTime, an Italian researcher claims. Luigi Auriemma says that in probing around QuickTime 7.3.1, he has discovered a buffer overflow that allows the return address to be overwritten, enabling the execution of malicious code. Specifically, the problem arises when QuickTime attempts to launch an RTSP link, and port 554 is closed. The software will then switch to port 80 in HTTP, triggering an error message that causes the buffer overflow.
Apple has won a total of 14 patents since the arrival of 2008, including its iPhone cellular handset which may be one of the fastest granted patents ever recorded for an Apple product. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has published patents covering Apple's iPod, iPod shuffle, iPod dock, MacBook, MacBook Pro, QuickTime Player, and others.
SecureMac has announced a free Trojan Detection Tool dubbed DNSChanger Removal Tool. DNSChanger Removal Tool detects and removes latest spyware targeting Mac OS X: DNSChanger Trojan (also known as OSX.RSPlug.A Trojan Horse). This trojan attacks users attempting to play a fake video file. Affected systems are used to hijack some Web requests that lead users to other phishing sites, or simply display ads for other pornographic websites to generate ad revenue. Phishing attacks may lead users to believe they are surfing to eBay, Paypal, or various banks when in fact they are accessing specially-crafted mockups designed to retrieve usernames and passwords for those sites. Upon attempting to play the video, the victim receives the following message: "Quicktime Player is unable to play movie file. Please click here to download new version of codec."
Apple has released QuickTime Broadcaster 1.5.2, an application combining the power of QuickTime with Apple's ease of use that allows average users to produce a live broadcast event. The update offers H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10 video) live broadcasting, as well as 3G streaming support for sending live broadcasts to multimedia-enabled cellular phones. QuickTime Broadcaster 1.5.2 requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later.
Apple today issued security updates to its QuickTime 7.3.1 software (Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Windows) for Mac OS X 10.3.9 Panther, 10.4.9 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, and Windows Vista/XP SP2 that bolsters security. The Cupertino-based company also enhanced its GarageBand audio software. GarageBand 4.1.1 features better overall stability and fixes to issues with file export to iPhone. [updated]
SilverStack v1.4 has been released, adding a new 10-bit color depth pipeline for QuickTime media creation to the tool for handling image sequences in film and video production workflows. The software includes tools for viewing, managing and exporting of image sequences of various formats including DPX and Cineon. The current update offers additional features for Mac OS X Leopard users. Codecs include Apple's ProRes, Uncompressed 10bit 4:2:2, CineformHD as well as codecs from AJA and Blackmagic. For Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard users SilverStack v1.4 introduces improved handling of image sequences in everyday's production work: A genuine DPX QuickLook plugin shows DPX files including metadata without the need of opening any application, image sequences can be browsed in the CoverFlow view of Finder.
Symantec has notified DeepSight customers that a bug in QuickTime's Real Time Streaming protocol can lead towards the execution of malicious code on any computer running QuickTime 7.2 or later, and that a working proof-of-concept set of code being circulated on the internet. Computerworld reports that the bug was originally posted on milw0rm.com, and that the exploit code had worked when tested against Windows XP and later in Vista. Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and 10.5 Leopard are said to be vulnerable as well, but took considerably more time for researches to craft a reliable, working exploit.
