01/29, 9:06am
Speed up how you use Safari on your Mac
You hear more criticism of Safari than you do of any other browser on OS X -- but then, of course you would. It's the one that comes on your Mac, and if nobody ever criticized it, you'd never think to try Chrome or Firefox's latest build (that will likely be incremented before you finish this paragraph), or any of the other options. There are things that rival browsers do better, but by far the biggest difference between them all is your personal taste - but bailing on Safari means you're missing out on excellent features, and most especially so in the very latest release. Here are ten fast and short pointers for getting more out of Safari on your Mac.
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01/21, 10:06pm
Claims company knowingly infringed on two 3D UI patents from 1996
Apple has been named in a new lawsuit filed in San Francisco on Wednesday by patent non-practicing entity (NPE, often nicknamed "patent troll") TriDim Innovations. The NPE accuses the iPhone maker of knowingly infringing on a pair of patents from 1996 that covers a 3D workspace user interface, and claims that the company's Cover Flow technology, bought from Steel Skies in 2006, violates the two patents. Time Machine and Mobile Safari in iOS 7 and 8 also use the technology.
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12/17, 4:03pm
AutoFill, HTML5 video, notifications among testing areas
Apple is distributing three new Safari betas to OS X developers. Yosemite users are getting v8.0.3; v7.1.3 is available for Mavericks, while v6.2.3 is the equivalent for Mountain Lion. Some testing focus areas include AutoFill, web notifications, website and extension compatibility, HTML5 video playback on "popular video sites," and debugging sites via Web Inspector. Apple is also concerned with bookmark editing, and the read/unread state of Reading List items.
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12/11, 3:16pm
8.0.2 update replaces botched 8.0.1
Apple has released Safari 8.0.2 for users of OS X Yosemite. Unlike most updates to the browser, v8.0.2 is virtually identical to its predecessor. It instead patches over the broken v8.0.1 release, which was found to cause some copies of Safari to become completely non-functional, and later pulled.
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12/09, 2:31pm
My gripes with Safari
This week in the MacNN Forums, members discuss gripes with Safari, iPad battery drainage issues, and more. One long-time forum-goer, "l008com," took to the forums this week to voice their complaints about Safari, and some users agreed with his criticisms. Yesterday, Mac Enthusiast "TribeLeader" took to the forums to bump a thread he had started last week about his wife's iPad battery draining while it is in sleep mode, and a solution has yet to be found.
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12/03, 5:52pm
Bugfix updates add Firefox import, improves WebGL on Retina displays
On Wednesday, Apple released minor updates to Safari for the current and two most recent OS X versions. Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8.5) users will see an update to Safari v6.2.1, Mavericks (10.9.x) users will see Safari 7.1.1 available for update, and Yosemite users (10.10) will get Safari 8.0.1. The releases share a variety of bug and security fixes, and add the ability to import usernames and passwords from Firefox.
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11/25, 3:23pm
Companies look to exploit end of Google contract
Yahoo and Microsoft are courting Apple in hopes of becoming the default search provider for the Safari web browser next year, a report says. Apple renewed a mapping and search partnership with Google in 2010, but that contract is set to expire next year, which could give other companies an entry point. Both Yahoo and Microsoft executives are said to have approached Eddy Cue -- Apple's senior VP for Internet Software and Services -- about a potential deal. So far, though, there's no sign that Apple has made a decision, and indeed it could choose to remain with Google.
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11/21, 2:24pm
Workaround: Use Firefox or Chrome, switch Safari ID to other browser
Users are starting to chime in on Google and Apple's support forums about a sudden incompatibility with video hosting service YouTube. Some users of OS X 10.10.1 are complaining that YouTube videos with leading advertisements either fail to load, play a discordant sound with no video, or crash Safari itself. Firefox and Chrome are not affected by whatever is causing the problem.
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11/18, 3:55pm
private browsing, custom colors and more
Yesterday, when trying to figure out how to set up Safari's private browsing feature in Yosemite, Mac Elite "jeff k" turned to the MacNN Forums looking for some help. Earlier today, forum-goers assisted "Ralph Tomaccio" with trying to change the color of the text under a folder icon on their desktop on Yosemite.
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11/04, 11:23am
Titles from the '80s and '90s run in Firefox, Safari with caveats
The Internet Archive has launched the Internet Arcade, a web-based library of arcade (coin-operated) video games from the 1970s through to the 1990s, emulated through modern browsers. The library contains hundreds of games, ranging through many different genres and styles, and is intended for "research, comparison, and entertainment in the realm of the Video Game Arcade," according to the site.
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11/04, 7:50am
Several support threads discussing issue related to GPU switching
Some early Retina-equipped MacBook Pro users are seeing graphical issues in Safari and other browsers following an upgrade to OS X 10.10 Yosemite. The severity of the issues vary, but a growing series of support threads on the Apple user forums show users experiencing problems ranging from minor text entry issues, all the way through persistent crashing. A pair of workarounds are available, but not all users are reporting success with them.
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10/22, 5:08pm
Marketing built into new OS
People using Chrome or Firefox within OS X Yosemite are seeing push notifications asking them to try Safari, accounts say. The messages tout Safari as "fast, energy efficient, and with a beautiful new design," and even include "Later" and "Try Now" buttons. They appear to be triggered by launching Chrome or Firefox for the first time after the Yosemite upgrade.
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09/23, 12:52pm
May also fix Wi-Fi, battery problems
As predicted, iOS 8.0.1 is now in the hands of carrier partners for testing, a source says. The person notes that the update fixes a variety of bugs left in the OS for its debut last week. For example, it copes with glitches in the Phone app, which can affect call forwarding, and cause freezes when accessing Visual Voicemail.
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09/18, 12:59pm
Follows a day after 7.0.6
Despite v7.0.6 being released just yesterday alongside OS X 10.9.5, Apple has released another version of Safari for Mavericks, 7.1. The release mainly follows in the steps of its iOS 8 sibling, introducing secure search site DuckDuckGo as an alternative to the likes of Google or Yahoo. Security for Yahoo searches has been improved, as entries into the search field are now encrypted.
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09/16, 1:43pm
Hints at imminent public launch
OS X 10.9.5 is already being seeded within Apple, say several sources working for AppleCare. The step is believed to be an immediate precursor to launching the update for the public, since AppleCare staff need to be familiar with the update in order to troubleshoot it. Furthermore, iOS 8 is being released tomorrow, and Apple often clusters major software updates.
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08/20, 8:00pm
AutoFill, subpixel rendering, extension compatibility and more being tested
On Wednesday, Apple released two betas for its Safari web browser, as well as a new beta for OS X Server. The Safari betas, 7.1 for Mavericks and 6.2 for Lion and later, add new features to WebKit, the rendering engine at the heart of the browser. In addition, Apple has asked testers to focus on general website compatibility in light of changes in some defaults, and tie-ins to forthcoming features in OS X and iOS. The new OS X Server beta requires the latest Mavericks (10.9.4).
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08/13, 7:01pm
WebKit vulnerability, memory corruption, other issues addressed
Seven potential security and stability flaws in the WebKit engine that drives Safari have been identified and fixed in a new update for the default Mac web browser, which was released on Wednesday. The patch updates the version numbers to 6.1.6 for older OS versions going back to Lion (OS X 10.7.5), and to 7.0.6 for Mavericks (10.9.4). Problems with a WebKit vulnerability that could cause crashes, alongside some memory corruption issues, prompted the update.
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08/13, 3:07pm
Focus areas remain same as second release
Apple is now seeding a third beta of OS X 10.9.5 to developers. The software has a 13F14 build number, and focus areas identical to the previous beta. Developers are asked to test Safari, graphics, Thunderbolt support, and USB/USB smart cards.
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07/30, 4:44pm
Testing concentrates on Safari, USB, graphics bugs
Apple has started seeding the first beta of OS X 10.9.5 to developers. The code is listed as built 13F7, and available through the Developer Center. Users are asked to focus testing on just a handful of areas, including Safari, graphics, and USB, including smart cards.
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07/24, 9:01am
AutoFill, compatibility main areas of testing focus
Apple is distributing new developer betas of Safari 7.1 for OS X Mavericks and Safari 6.2 for OS X Mountain Lion. In release notes for both, the company is asking developers to test AutoFill, extension compatibility, and "general website compatibility." The updates' main feature though will be WebGL, making it possible to run 3D content without third-party plugins.
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07/11, 2:00am
New beta brings WebGL 3D rendering, JavaScript Promises, CSS Shapes and Compositing, more
Apple on Thursday seeded new betas of Safari for OS X Mavericks (10.9.x) and OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.x), number as versions 7.1 and 6.2 respectively, that feature a new build of WebKit with a number of improved and new features. The betas, once released to the public, will help bring the Safari used with those versions closer to the expected updated Safari that will ship with OS X 10.10 Yosemite in the fall. Among the improvements are Web-GL powered 3D rendering, support for IndexedDB for web applications and more.
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07/08, 2:35pm
Mavericks Applescript Problem
This week, MacNN Forum members assist others with troubleshooting Applescript problems, updating Flash issues with Safari, and more. One Fresh-Faced Recruit has been having problems with an Applescript after upgrading to Mavericks from Mountain Lion, and he hopes that others might be able to assist in figuring out why. Today, "jeff k" was asking fellow forum-goers if they could figure out why Safari would keep asking him to do a Flash update after he has already updated Flash.
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06/30, 1:59pm
Builds in Safari 7.0.5
In addition to iOS 7.1.2, Apple has issued the final version of OS X 10.9.4 via Mavericks' Software Update feature. Like its sibling, v10.9.4 deals exclusively with bugfixes. It solves a glitch preventing Macs from automatically connecting to recognized Wi-Fi networks, as well as the reliability of waking a computer from sleep mode.
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06/17, 3:50pm
Safari sees several minor changes
The second iOS 8 beta includes some minor but still important changes, users note. Podcasts, for instance, is no longer a separate app, but supplied with the OS and impossible to remove, as with iBooks since beta 1. Apple initially spun Podcasts off of the core Music app in a previous edition of iOS.
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06/13, 2:42pm
Function will require deliberate support
Apple's iOS 8 will make it simpler to log into apps by pulling usernames and passwords saved via Safari's AutoFill feature, beta users note. A given example is Facebook; if login information from the website is already saved in Safari, people will be able to simply tap on the appropriate login when loading the Facebook app. Developers will, however, have to enable the function by adding a file to their website and a new entitlement in their iOS app.
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06/11, 7:54pm
New betas expand areas for developers to test; OS X Server also updated
Two weeks after its initial OS X 10.9.4 Mavericks beta, Apple has sent out a second one for both the client and OS X Server versions. The latest Mavericks developer build, 13E16, expands areas of interest for developer testing beyond the usual graphics drivers and Safari to include Bluetooth, audio drivers, the App Store and Finder. A Safari 6.1.5 beta for older systems was also issued, with requests for testers to focus on general website and extension compatibility.
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06/03, 4:35pm
Possible thanks to updated Safari
People watching Netflix in OS X Yosemite will now be able to stream video via HTML5 instead of Silverlight, according to an official blog post. The service says it has been "working closely with Apple" to implement HTML5 Premium Video Extensions in Yosemite's edition of Safari. This allows viewers to start watching videos instantly, instead of having to install the Silverlight plugin first, as in OS X Mavericks.
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05/21, 5:00pm
Follows just one week after 7.0.3
(Updated for Safari 6.1.4) Apple has issued a minor update to Safari, v7.0.4. The patch is in fact much smaller than most, solving only a security flaw in WebKit, the rendering engine that underlies the browser. Memory corruption problems in v7.0.3 could've potentially let hackers use malicious websites to assume control of a computer.
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05/15, 2:00pm
Includes Safari 7.0.3
Following a long beta period, Apple has released the final version of OS X 10.9.3. The update makes relatively few changes, but does improve support for 4K displays on 2013 models of the Mac Pro and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. It also restores the ability to sync contacts and calendars between a Mac and an iOS device using USB, instead of alternatives like iCloud.
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05/12, 10:55pm
Improvements in WebKit's Nitro JavaScript engine could appear in OS X 10.10
According to reports from testers, the recently-updated beta of Safari contains within it an accelerated version of Webkit's "Nitro" JavaScript engine that could surpass current efforts in rival browsers, once fully developed. The new upgrades to Nitro, dubbed "FTLJIT," are not enabled by default in the OS X version of WebKit at present, but can be enabled through the command line, and offer substantial speed benefits.
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05/07, 10:03pm
Follows internal release to AppleCare workers earlier in the day
In an unusual move, Apple has released a tenth version of the forthcoming OS X 10.9.3 beta to developers, in a slightly different build than one distributed internally to AppleCare representatives earlier on Wednesday. Testers are also being offered a new beta of the Safari web browser, version 7.0.4.
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04/22, 3:40pm
Safari update allows turning off push notification prompts
Apple has released Security Update 2014-002, an OS X patch that addresses various security flaws. The software applies to Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks. More significantly it comes bundled with Safari 7.0.3, which in addition to improved security includes some minor feature additions and bugfixes.
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04/01, 8:22pm
Includes direct support for new top-level domains for Mavericks, Mountain Lion
Alongside updates for the iWork apps for iCloud, OS X and iOS, Apple on Tuesday released version 7.0.3 (for Mavericks) and 6.1.3 (for Mountain Lion) of its Safari browser. The new release, which only had two betas released to developers before going final, adds enhanced push notification settings and direct support for some new top-level domains (which could previously only be accessed through a search). The update also addresses a few credit card autofill and security issues.
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03/25, 3:39pm
Developers asked to test push notifications, AutoFill
Apple has begun seeding its second betas of Safari 7.0.3 and 6.1.3 to developers. Apple is once asking for testing to be focused on push notifications, extension compatibility, overall website compatibility, and login AutoFill. For v7.0.3 exclusively, developers are asked to examine credit card AutoFill.
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03/18, 10:00pm
Developer-only betas focus on site compatibility, push notifications, more
Following its release earlier today of a 10.9.3 Mavericks preview and iTunes 11.1.6 beta, Apple has added new Safari betas for developers to test. The pre-release builds, versions 6.1.3 and 7.0.3 (Lion/Mountain Lion and Mavericks, respectively), are expected to accompany the release of OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 when it emerges from beta.
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03/14, 12:45pm
Says OS X is 'very safe' overall
At this week's Pwn2Own hacking contest, a group calling itself the Chinese Keen Team successfully used two vulnerabilities to run arbitrary code through Safari, according to ThreatPost. The exploit is reported to have been executed via a flaw in Safari's WebKit engine and a bypass of the sandboxing in recent versions of OS X. One member of Keen, Liang Chen, comments however that OS X is "regarded as very safe and has a very good security architecture," and that what vulnerabilities there are are "very difficult to exploit."
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02/25, 1:46pm
SSL fix present but undocumented
(Updated with Safari, security updates for Lion, Mountain Lion) Following a long beta-testing period, Apple has released the finished v10.9.2 update for owners of OS X Mavericks. The software primarily adds support for FaceTime audio calls in both the FaceTime app and Messages. The two apps have also gained contact blocking, allowing people to screen out individual users.
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01/30, 12:57pm
Company presumably trying to avoid confusion with Geniuses
Apple has secured the rights to several ".guru" domains, registration checks show. Recently ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) opened up a number of new top-level domains. Apple appears to have already acquired "apple.guru," "iphone.guru," "ipad.guru," and "mac.guru." A few other domains -- "appletv.guru," "macbook.guru," and "ipod.guru" -- are blocked from registration, most likely per request from Apple.
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01/29, 10:47pm
Flipboard for iOS updated, adds Safari Reading List support
Flipboard, a 'social magazine' app, has released an update for its iOS version. Flipboard allows users to read and view content related to their interests in a magazine format. Offering space to save and collect images and articles in the form of magazines, Flipboard includes news, photos, audio and social network content in a paginated layout that requires a 'flip' gesture of the virtual page.
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01/29, 3:08pm
Web portal could soon become more robust
An unusual URL redirect bug suggests that iCloud.com may soon get access to iCloud Bookmarks. The feature lets people sync Safari bookmarks across platforms, including not just different versions of Safari but also Chrome and Firefox. Currently, people trying to install the Chrome extension from the iCloud Control Panel for Windows will briefly see "iCloud Bookmarks are coming soon. Please check back later" at this URL before being shunted to the Chrome Web Store.
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01/23, 8:10pm
New Mavericks update focuses on Mail, Safari on tabbed browsing
Amidst a slew of other updates, Apple has also issued a new beta version of OS X 10.9.2 Mavericks alongside a new beta of Safari 6.1.2. This third revision of Apple's new OS is build 13C44, and MacNN has learned that it is likely nowhere near a final, bug-free public release.
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01/16, 3:10pm
Court says anonymized data can still be used to identify people
Privacy activists have won the right to sue Google in England over fooling Safari into accepting cookies, according to reports. Some time ago, Apple updated Safari to allow people to block cookie-based tracking. Google developed a workaround, but was discovered, and punished with multiple fines by the US government. An American class action lawsuit was tossed out of court in October because the judge ruled no one could prove they'd been harmed.
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12/16, 2:48pm
Search giant argues for California venue
Google is reportedly calling for a UK privacy lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing that the case should be heard in its home state of California, according to a Guardian report. The company has been sued by a group of users who accuse the company of illegally monitoring their online habits by circumventing security settings on the desktop and mobile versions of Apple's Safari browser.
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12/02, 2:03am
IE 11 now approaching Safari's install numbers
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 11 web browser more than doubled its share of the worldwide browser market in the month of November. This according to new figures from research firm Net Applications, which showed Internet Explorer 11 at 3.27 percent of the worldwide web browser market. The November surge saw IE11 leaving Opera far behind, and the Microsoft-made browser is now approaching Apple's Safari browser in terms of market share.
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11/14, 8:43pm
Safari betas, new Aperture update both focus on bug fixes
Apple has issued an update to its pro-level photo management app Aperture, bringing it up to version 3.5.1 in a free update that corrects several flaws, most notably fixing Temperature & Tint White Balance so that it works correctly. For developers, Apple is now seeding two new Safari betas - one for Lion and Mountain Lion (10.7 and 10.8 respectively) and one for OS X Mavericks (10.9). The Safari betas, which are not yet officially released, focus on viewing and annotating PDF files, along with password autofill troubleshooting.
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11/04, 12:54pm
Joins previously-rumored Mail update
Apple is preparing updates to several core apps in OS X Mavericks, sources say. The people note that Apple is now seeding new versions of Safari, iBooks, and Remote Desktop to its workers, as well as a previously-rumored Mail update. The Safari code is identified as v7.0.1, and expected to provide a number of bugfixes. The same description applies to iBooks 1.0.1, and Remote Desktop 3.7.1.
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10/24, 9:38am
Could limit key attack vector
Flash is now a sandboxed plugin in OS X Mavericks, according to an Adobe blog post. Using the OS' App Sandbox feature, Adobe says it has been able to limit Flash's file read/write access and what assets the plugin can find in the first place. It can no longer reach local connections to device resources and IPC (interprocess communications) channels, for instance, and network privileges are restricted such that Flash-based malware can't communicate with servers set up by hackers.
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10/22, 5:42pm
Brings many of the same features as the Mavericks version
In addition to a plethora of new products and updates, Apple included a software update for users who will be sticking with Mountain Lion for a while longer -- an updated Safari for Mountain Lion to match the one that comes with Mavericks. Safari version 6.1 offers many of the same features, including Shared Links support, a revamped Sidebar, Safari Power Saver to increase battery efficiency and more -- though some features will be reserved for Mavericks only.
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10/22, 9:30am
Hints at imminent Mavericks release
Some prominent websites are already beginning to push Safari notifications, even though the feature requires OS X Mavericks, reports note. These include sites like NBA.com and the New York Times. The option allows Mavericks users to receive alerts from websites even when Safari is closed; at the moment, the only way to see notifications is with the Mavericks GM available to developers.
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10/10, 7:26pm
Class could not prove that it was damaged by Google's actions
US District Judge Sue Robinson from the Delaware federal court has dismissed a class-action suit against Google, ruling that the class could not prove that Google's cookie deposition policies actually generated any harm. The plaintiffs, users of Apple's Safari and Microsoft's Internet Explorer alleged that Google had bypassed the respective firms' browser settings on cookie usage, and as a result were served targeted advertisements based on ill-gotten data from searches and web browsing habits.
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