05/07, 7:30pm
Patch fixes numerous bugs, requires OS X 10.5.8 or higher
A new update is available for Microsoft Office 2011, the most recent version of the widely-used office suite. Version 14.3.4 addresses numerous issues and bugs, adds a needed font for sharing documents, and most importantly further refines the interoperability of the Office 365 initiative, allowing the option for users to jump to the subscription version of Office if they want. In addition, the new version adds the built-in option of saving files to SkyDrive and SharePoint in Microsoft Word.
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04/30, 3:15pm
Adobe Flash update and more
This week in the MacNN forums, members discuss the most recent Flash update in the thread titled "Adobe Flash 11.7.7 update requires download?" which was started by "Hawkeye_a" who found it strange, especially after the recent malware scares. Yesterday "ibook_steve" reported that his Finder is showing that he has more free space on their hard drive than he does in reality.
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04/17, 10:48pm
Friends who also have Pocket can 'loan out' articles, movies, more
Reading, syncing and content storage app Pocket -- formerly known as "Read It Later" -- has added in-app sharing of videos, web pages, photo galleries and articles between users in its newest update, version 4.5, released on Wednesday. A new "Send to Friend" button has been added that allows users to forward on favorite saved items to other Pocket users, keep track of what they've sent to whom (and using which service), and read or post comments from or to recipients in a new inbox inside the free application. Items can also now be forwarded by push notification.
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04/16, 5:45pm
Photo Stream, Facebook, Nikon P7700 Raw issues addressed
On Tuesday amidst a slew of small updates, Apple has posted new versions of its photo-management and editing software programs iPhoto (now at version 9.4.3) and Aperture (now at v3.4.4). Both are designed to address an handful of specific issues in each program, along with the usual stability and performance improvements. Both also require OS X 10.7.5 (for Lion users) or 10.8.2 (for Mountain Lion users) as a minimum. Apart from that, the two updates address entirely different areas to resolve known issues.
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03/29, 1:30am
Introduces geofencing with more exact distances
Apple's mobile app Find My Friends (free) received a minor update on Thursday designed to allow users to more easily and accurately setup "geofencing" alerts. The feature allows users to be notified when tracked friends or family arrive or depart from a location, and now offers a method for setting an existing distance from or to a target area the person must be in before an alert is triggered. The options for alerts has also been improved, from a simple ping alert to repeating notices. The program works with permission from both parties.
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03/18, 6:46pm
Cover photo changing limited to iPhone only for now
On Monday, Facebook updated its iOS app to version 5.6, revamping its messaging feature slightly to make it easier to name and group conversations and require fewer taps to start a group message. The other main improvement is the ability for users to updated their cover photo directly from the app, though this ability is limited to the iPhone and draws only from the camera or the photo library. Facebook had added free VOIP calling last month, after a brief trial period where the feature was implemented in Canada only.
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02/25, 6:30pm
Improved web dialog support, error handling, API additions
Social media service Facebook on Monday introduced a revamped iOS Dev Center and a upgraded version of its Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS app developers. The SDK, now at version 3.2, focuses on providing better mobile analytics -- including app usage metrics, ad optimization and purchase event logging. The update also brings in better error handling, improved web dialog support and the addition of a new FBAccessTokenData type to its API. The improvements, the company says, will make it easier to build, distribute and promote FB-enabled apps.
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02/20, 1:26pm
Third emergency update may be the charm for recent malware issues
Oracle has once again released an updated version of Java SE 7 in order to combat serious vulnerabilities that have resulted in malware attacks on both Macs and Windows PCs. The new version, Update 15, comes less than three weeks after the previous patch, and follows an Apple-issued update to Java SE 6 in the wake of hacker attacks against Apple's own employees' work Macs. The new update is said by Oracle to "enhance security" as well as improve performance and stability.
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02/12, 5:56pm
Fixes a rare issue for much-used batteries
Users owning a 15- or 17-inch MacBook Pro that is either the "Mid-2010" or the "Early 2011" models will soon see an SMC firmware update for their machines that will update the firmware to version 1.7. The upgrade addresses "a rare issue on some Apple notebooks where a battery that has accumulated more than 1,000 charge cycles may unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning," according to the company. Apple rates the batteries as being good for 1,000 or more cycles.
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02/05, 9:09pm
Builds on move to web-based interface, plug-in architecture
FTP administration and file-serving software CrushFTP has been updated to version 6.2, building on and addressing issues with the earlier release that moved the program entirely to a web-based interface and introduced client applications, multimedia support, PGP encryption, multiple admin capability and more. The new update offers many changes and improvements, and fixes numerous bugs. The CrushSync real-time sync engine has been redesigned to use the web interface, and CrushTask has been extensively improved.
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02/04, 12:33am
Shipping for iPad mini orders drops to 1-3 days
Roughly ten days after it last updated iPad mini ship times, Apple has dropped the wait again -- indicating that availability is improving. While still not achieving what CEO Tim Cook calls "supply/demand balance" (which generally translates into a shipping status of "in stock" or available for immediate shipping), the delay has now dropped to 1-3 business days in the US and Canadian stores, down from the 3-5 day delay recently advertised. The iPad mini has been heavily in-demand since release, and in-store supplies are still constrained.
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12/20, 5:53pm
Release likely coming soon for Mountain Lion users
In an unusual move, Apple has seeded a new build of OS X 10.8.3 to developers just two days after the previous version. No explanation was given for the new build, 12D44 (just one build higher than the previous one), and the release notes on the build are identical to the one given out on Tuesday. The new version becomes the fourth beta of 10.8.3 and the third sent out so far this month. Given the identical release notes, it is possible that the new build simply fixes a discovered flaw or vulnerability in the previous build.
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12/13, 7:15pm
Various bug fixes include disappearing AirPlay button
Late Thursday, Apple updated its two-week-old iTunes 11 with a updated named 11.0.1 (currently only available through Software Update), but which nonetheless restores a feature whose absence was decried by upgraders -- the duplicate finder built into the program. The new version restores the dupe finder, and solves a few teething issues with the overhauled iTunes. Apple's iTunes 11 was the first major rewrite and UI overhaul in the program for over a decade, and has been met with some mixed reviews.
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12/07, 1:57am
Addresses bugs, adds features to Profile Manager
Late Thursday, Apple updated the its OS X Server app for Mountain Lion to version 2.2, with its major new feature being a Caching service designed to speed up software downloads from the Mac App Store. The service caches both software updates and purchased apps. In addition to the caching feature, the update addresses a number of issues in the app, the adaptive firewall feature, and the Mail, Calendar, Contacts and Messenger services. It also makes improvements in the Profile Manager.
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11/07, 2:00am
Affects users running OS X 10.6 and higher
Continuing a series of updates of printer drivers to add new models and bring older printers into compatibility with OS X 10.8.x, Apple on Tuesday released updated drivers for Lexmark and Canon printers, both being unusual since they were previously updated last month. The updates are recommended for users running OS X 10.6 and later, including both Lion and Mountain Lion. The Canon drivers are grouped under the update version 2.11, while the Lexmark drivers are now updated to v2.10.
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10/16, 7:22pm
Patches zero-day exploit for Snow Leopard, Lion, ML
Though recent versions of OS X no longer ship with a Java plug-in -- and Apple has ceased developing its own versions and left compatibility to Java owner Oracle -- the company is pushing an updated version of Oracle's latest release of Java SE 6 (version number 1.6.0 build 37) through its own Software Update mechanism. The update fixes a critical "zero-day" exploit reported at the end of last month and is available as separate releases for OS X 10.6, and OS X 10.7 and higher.
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09/05, 5:39pm
Continuing improvement with AVCHD, MPEG-2 imports
Apple issued a minor update to iMovie for OS X on Wednesday that addressed an issue related to third-party QuickTime components (such as Perian, the now-in-beta Flip4Mac WMV Player 3.0 or other non-Apple add-ons designed to expand QuickTime's compatibility with other file formats) that was preventing iMovie from opening. The update is large in size -- 1.08GB -- as it replaces the application entirely rather than just patching it. Specific changes were not detailed.
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07/12, 8:22pm
Version 9.3.1 fixes bug in Gallery downloads
Users who downloaded their photos from Apple's now-closed MobileMe Gallery may have run into a modest bug that has now been corrected with the release of version 9.3.1, an update available from Software Update or from Apple's support webpage. The minor update, issued earlier today, fixes a problem during the migration of albums from the Gallery that caused some photos to be moved from their original events into a new event called "From MobileMe."
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06/27, 6:30pm
Version for iOS can function as standalone or companion app
After an unsubtle tease and open admission of testing on its company blog, IGG Software has formally unveiled its long-awaited iPad version of iBank, the company's personal financial-management software. The iPad version introduces a new subscription service that allows instant background updates of account balances from thousands of worldwide financial institutions, scheduled budgeting and can function as a standalone app without need of the desktop version.
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05/30, 9:54am
Required install for Office 2008, 2011 versions
Microsoft has updated its AutoUpdate tool for the two most recent versions of Microsoft Office for Mac. The new version, 2.3.4, completely replaces the old auto-updater and will be used to receive future product updates for Office 2008 and Office 2011. The company says the new version "is part of Microsoft's continued effort to provide the latest product updates to customers." The update is mandatory for Office 2008 users to receive updates going forward.
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05/30, 1:27am
Update alongside Camera Raw, DNG Converter 7.1
Adobeis offering an official upgrade to Lightroom after an extended beta release in conjunction with an update to Camera Raw. Lightroom has been updated to version 4.1, addressing several bugs introduced in prior versions of the software, as well as introducing the ability to process HDR TIFF files. Camera Raw is now on version 7.1 and adds support for 28 more cameras and 24 new lenses. Both upgrades are available now from Adobe.com or the update mechanism in Lightroom 4.
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05/10, 7:32pm
Roughly corresponds to iOS 5.1.1
Following the release of iOS 5.1.1 for most iOS devices, Apple has updated its custom firmware for the second- and third-generation Apple TV to v5.0.1 (build 9B206F). Because the version of iOS running on Apple TV is customized and offers a different UI, the company numbers it slightly differently, but the new release roughly corresponds to firmware on other devices.
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05/07, 1:32pm
Lion debug flag left in update causing major security risk
OS X 10.7.3 contains a debug flag which makes system passwords readable, checks show. Depending on the system configuration, people who update to v10.7.3 may have a widely-viewable debug log file containing passwords for all users accessing a system. The passwords are stored in plain text, making for a potentially serious security risk.
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04/30, 7:10pm
Ability to move user's own preview window, more
Microsoft's Skype division has updated its self-named video-chatting and calling mobile apps to version 4.0, bringing enhancements but no major new features to the chat, audio- and video-conferencing utility. Version 4 adds auto-restarting if the application should crash, and the ability to move the users' own video preview window during a video chat. Minor UI improvements and a new sign-in screen add to the usual bug fixes and improved stability features.
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04/26, 10:20am
Sony Tablet S receives ICS upgrade and Face Unlock
An update has been released for the Sony Tablet S. The previously promised upgrade installs Android 4.0 onto the tablet and offers an updated interface as well as other extras such as Face Unlock.
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04/13, 8:30pm
Third build has no known issues
Apple today released a new build of the forthcoming 10.7.4 for developers, asking them to focus on interactions with the App Store, graphics, e-mail, QuickTime, Screen Sharing and Time Machine. The new version, build 11E46, comes two weeks after the previous one (11E35) and barely a month since the first external beta (11E27). The new version has no known issues, and developers are asked to focus on the same areas as in the previous build.
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03/29, 7:00pm
Both minor updates, offer stability enhancements
Apple and Adobe both chose Thursday to offer minor updates to each company's most well-known photo-management programs. Apple has boosted iPhoto to v9.2.3, addressing a specific multiple-user bug and overall stability, while Adobe has issued the first Release Candidate of Lightroom 4.1, which fixes a number of issues including possible lost book layouts, performance in certain situations, and properly opening external apps for further editing.
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03/27, 7:10pm
Fixes downloading and installing bugs, more
Apple has updated its music-creation and editing program Logic Pro, and has extended the update to the recently-discontinued Logic Express. The update fixes an issue that produced error messages when editing fades on numerous regions, and updates compatibility with Garageband for iOS projects. The Logic Pro update also fixes downloading and installing content bugs.
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03/16, 10:00pm
OS X Lion Server also updated
In addition to a second developer preview of Mountain Lion released earlier today, Apple has given developers the first external beta of OS X Lion 10.7.4. The 508MB delta, which is labelled build 11E27, would be the fourth maintenance update to OS X Lion. Release notes indicate only one known bug, but asks developers to focus testing on several different areas. Separately, the company also released a matching beta for OS X Lion Server.
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03/13, 11:00pm
Latter can now delete photos from Photo Stream
Late today Apple has updated almost all Epson printer drivers with built-in support for Snow Leopard and Lion, and has posted a minor update to its pro-photography tool Aperture to grant it the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream, an iCloud feature that can be set to wirelessly copy photos from mobile devices to desktop and notebooks and vice versa. The Epson update is number v2.9, while Aperture is now v3.2.3.
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03/12, 10:55pm
Reader updates over Wi-Fi
Barnes & Noble has released a maintenance update for its Simple Touch e-book reader. The company's website suggests v1.1.2 brings "minor system enhancements," though representatives have confirmed that it attempts to address a Wi-Fi reliability issue that has affected some users.
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03/06, 8:05pm
More left-scrolling gives apps more screen space
Apple has quietly updated the iPad version of the App Store for iOS with minor tweaks ahead of (and possibly in preparation for) the iPad 3 debut on Wednesday, AppleInsider reports. The changes mostly involve using more unhinted horizontal scrolling, which allows (for example) the Top Paid and Top Free iPad apps to be on screen in a more pleasing manner with more information available per app. Users can swipe each "list" to the left to see additional selections.
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02/26, 11:45am
Helps iMac reconnect to networks after sleeping
Apple has issued an update over the weekend specifically for iMacs (late 2009 and newer) entitled Wi-Fi Update v1.0 that is said to correct an issue where the unit does not automatically re-connect to a known Wi-Fi network after waking from sleep. The update requires that users be running the latest version of Lion (10.7.3) and weighs in at 25.81MB. It's available for all supported OS X languages.
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02/24, 2:15pm
OWC updates SSD firmware
SoftRAID has announced that the latest version of its self-titled software for creating and managing disk arrays is fully compatible with OS X Mountain Lion. SoftRAID 4.3 also improves the robustness of mirror volumes, allowing the driver to better handle disk failures that occur during the middle of a read or write operation. Other changes include support for Macintosh Firmware updates, updated SSD support, and improved command line functions. SoftRAID is $129 for the electronic download version and includes one year of free technical support via e-mail. It can be purchased via the SoftRAID website and via retail outlets worldwide.
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02/14, 2:00am
Bugs fixed, release notes truncated
Over the last week, Mac and Windows utility maker Koingo Software has been updating most of its Mac and Windows product lines, fixing bugs and updating requirements. Almost all programs for the Mac now require OS X 10.5 or later, though in many cases older versions that are compatible with previous OS releases are still available. All are minor upgrades that are free for registered users. The company has been on a tear of updates since February 7th.
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12/13, 5:45pm
Originally announced in 2006, still popular
Users of the still-available TextMate text editor have waited a long time for this day. Over five years ago, a 2.0 release of the popular hand-coding application was announced, following the program's debut two years earlier. Following a complete rewrite of the program, developer Allan Odgaard has finally released a "public alpha" of TextMate 2.0, available only to current TextMate license holders and requiring an Intel Mac.
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12/12, 6:00pm
Fixes rare issue with fan noise
Late this afternoon, Apple issued a fix for a fan noise issue that affected a small number of Apple Thunderbolt Displays in a firmware update labeled version 1.1. The 942KB file launches automatically once installed in the Utilities folder and shows on-screen instructions on going through the firmware update procedure. This is the first update specifically for Thunderbolt Display devices, though an earlier patch was issued for Thunderbolt-capable Macs generally in June.
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12/12, 5:45pm
Fixes audio CD distortion problem, more
In response to complaints on various forums about how importing or playing some audio CDs results in distorted sound, Apple has issued an update to iTunes, now at version 10.5.2 which is said to fix the problem, as well as makes unspecified improvements to iTunes Match. The download is available for both Mac and Windows, the latter having separate 32- and 64-bit versions available.
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11/29, 2:00am
Media manager gets UI upgrade
Web blogging tool MarsEdit has been updated to v3.4, which offers a number of bug fixes as well as support for iPhoto's Faces feature, Lightroom Photo Collection Sets, a zoom control for browser thumbnail sizes and Flickr browser improvements. In addition, the company has made some external editing improvements and squashed a number of bugs, including a crashing issue with SVG images and other improvements.
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11/18, 7:00pm
Native Lion full-screen mode now available
Virtualization specialists VMWare have updated VMWare Fusion to version 4.1, which resolves a number of issues from v4.0 as well as bringing in new features including native full-screen support in Lion, "smart" full screen that is aware of multiple monitors, the return of a feature where favorite virtual machines are automatically loaded when Fusion starts up, support for FileVault 2 and significant graphics performance.
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11/17, 9:55pm
New and featured apps easier to scroll through
Apple has silently updated the App Store to make it easier for iPad users to scroll through the latest "featured apps" and "new and noteworthy" additions on both the main page of the App Store and in each category section, Apple'n'Apps reports. The change, while small, makes the pages more touch-friendly by removing small arrows on each end of the featured boxes and instead making the grid swipe-driven.
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11/17, 6:00pm
Resolves issues related to 4.2 update
Apple today put out a minor bugfix upgrade to Xcode, now bringing the company's Mac OS integrated development environment to version 4.2.1. The update fixes a malfunctioning conversion operation, resolves an issue of "missing" developer profiles, and squashes a bug showing a locked file dialog where it shouldn't be. The updates adds to the improvements added to Xcode 4.2, which was updated a little more than a month ago.
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11/17, 1:30am
Resolves issues with fonts, playback, more
Apple late Wednesday updated its flagship pro video-editing software Final Cut Pro X to version 10.0.2, fixing three issues related to fonts, playback and stability. The update fixes a troublesome issue where fonts in a title will revert back to the default font after restarting the program, and is in addition to the significant updates made in v10.0.1 in mid-September that added XML import and export, Lion full-screen view and more.
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11/16, 12:50pm
Magican update adds memory release
Numeric Notes, a desktop notes app that integrates calculator functionality, has recently been updated in the App Store. Any calculation typed into the application is automatically solved, while text input allows users to add helpful descriptions and notes. Formatting occurs automatically as text is entered, allowing users to enter data naturally. Version 2.0 features a new calculation engine, as well as improved formatting and pasteboard operations. Numeric Notes is available as a $6 purchase in the Mac App Store.
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11/10, 10:25pm
Airport and TC updated to v7.6, MBP to v1.5
Late on Thursday, Apple released firmware updates for the MacBook Pro (all models), as well as the Airport and Time Capsule wireless base stations (802.11n capable models only). The update to the MacBook Pros, which brings the firmware up to version 1.5, resolves an issue where the MBP may shut down under heavy load when the battery charge is very low, even if the unit is actually plugged into power at the time.
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11/08, 10:30pm
Address security vulnerabilities
Apple has quietly posted a Java SE 6 update for Lion (version 1.6.0_29), as well as updating the Java runtime for Snow Leopard to the same version. The release fixes multiple security vulnerabilities that exist in Java 1.6.0_26.
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10/26, 5:55pm
Video codec caused crashes in Lion
Apple today updated iPhoto '11 to v9.2.1, a bugfix update the corrects a crashing and importing issue that appeared whenever there was an old 3ivx codec present when users upgraded iPhoto to v9.2. The update, which is only available via Software Update at present, fixes the issue without requiring users to remove the 3ivx codec, which resolved the issue for users prior to the update. The codec was most commonly installed on Mac systems via the Flip digital video recorder.
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10/25, 10:15am
Mac OS X Lion: Pogue's Take
Smile Software has released an updated version of its PDF editing tool, PDFpen. Version 5.6 allows users to set the name used with notes and comments, and adds support for anonymous notes and comments. The update also features a new preference that allows documents to be displayed at their physical size. Additionally, numerous bugs and crashes have been resolved. PDFpen 5.6 and PDFpen Pro 5.6 can be purchased online for $60 and $100 respectively.
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10/19, 11:50pm
Previous version unstable, caused issues
Apple has again released an update for the firmware of its Apple TV device, re-releasing v4.4.1, which was pulled on Monday after users reported serious problems with their devices after installing the update. The new version has fixed the issue, and now does what the original v4.4.1 was supposed to do -- resolve an issue present in v4.4 that caused some Apple TVs to be connected to iTunes in order to update.
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09/30, 8:00pm
Improvements to Lion Recovery, little else
In addition to the last-minute iTunes 10.5 beta and accidental "Welcome to iCloud" e-mails sent out earlier today, Apple has posted another developer beta of Lion 10.7.2 (build 11C71) to ADC members. The update carries no new issues, but does include an update to the Lion Recovery feature, and addresses an issue with firmware passwords and the Find My Mac service. The company seeded build 11C62 just a week ago.
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