Apple drops OS X 10.4.5 to combat Intel iMac Front Row problem

Well that didn't take long. Nary a week after Apple fessed up to video problems in Front Row on Intel iMacs, they've released Mac OS X 10.4.5 which "eliminates some potential video redraw issues when using Front Row on Intel-based Macs." There are a few other minor fixes, but it was nice of Apple to bump the OS from 10.4.4 so quickly, now we just have to find out if the fix actually works.

[Via News.com]

[Asim U. @ Feb 15th 2006 1:27PM]

So far so good.. no FrontRow glitches and iMovie themes are nice and fluid and flicker-free.
Nice fast turnaround for this patch.

Although I didn't see mention of the fix on the update notes list.

[andrew @ Feb 15th 2006 1:34PM]

it works for me. kudos to apple for fixing the problem relatively quickly. anti-kudos to apple for waiting so long to acknowledge it publicly and squashing/deleting threads about it in apple's discussion forums.

[Chris @ Feb 15th 2006 2:01PM]

Sorry, but since when has Engadget been reporting on Apple software updates? I hate to agree with the Engadget Loving Apple bashers, but this does seem to sort of prove it.

[Blair Cook @ Feb 15th 2006 2:03PM]

I have a 20'' Intel iMac with the 256MB video card and this update fixed the display issues I was having. Props to Apple for fixing the problem so quickly!

[matt @ Feb 15th 2006 2:07PM]

i have a snes and it does not fix the problem. GODDAM APPLE!!!

[Jeff @ Feb 15th 2006 2:11PM]

LOL. That screenshot is from the video I made of the problem and originally posted just to help explain wat was going on with my new iMac. I guess my camera work wasn't so bad after all... ;-)

[James Rice @ Feb 15th 2006 2:18PM]

I didn't notice the video issue on my 20 inch, but I didn't use FrontRow that much... but I am downloading the update now :)

[diulei @ Feb 15th 2006 2:28PM]

Haha, Apple fanboys that hate anything non-Apple. See, Apple isn't as perfect as you make it sound.

And for the record - I use a 12" PowerBook. I'm just realistic too.

[carstenw @ Feb 15th 2006 2:47PM]

the most important difference to some is that aperture runs many times faster than before. it was really quite slow before, and i have a dual 2.5GHz with 2.5GB ram, but now everything happens nearly instantaneously.

[Benson Leung @ Feb 15th 2006 3:11PM]

Engadget didn't report on the Mac OS X software update on it's own. Engadget simply reported a follow up to a story that they reported last week about iMacs and the Front Row not functioning properly... the follow up being... Apple fixed it.

Engadget isn't biased toward Macs.

It's just like saying... oh man! Engadget posted that Microsoft released a fix for Intel Core Duo laptops... Engadget must be rabidly biased toward Microsoft and Intel!!!111oneoneoneone.

Give it a rest you Engadget Loves Apple bashers.

[Johnny @ Feb 15th 2006 3:48PM]

Can Engadget find a different synonym for "releases"? The word "drops," at first glance, always seems to mean the opposite of what actually happened. (That is, "Apple drops widget" sounds like Apple has cancelled/will no longer make the widget.)

[Michael @ Feb 15th 2006 4:33PM]

Engadget is too hip to make sense.

[Reg Muffet @ Feb 15th 2006 4:49PM]

Of course Engadget has to report on Apple stuff (even though their staff are generally pretty clueless about specifics and clearly don't use the products).

Even the most fanatical gadget watcher gets jaded with the daily 13 announcements of new phone revisions, 18 contradictory reports of rumored PlayStation 3 features, and 36 reports of HD/Blu-ray delays.

Reporting on iPod and Mac stuff is the only way for the site to keep the cool kids interested.

[Mike @ Feb 15th 2006 5:11PM]

#10
OK, I'm really confused here. Do you mean
Engagdet loves _Apple bashers _
or
_Engadget loves Apple_ bashers

?!?!?!
signed,

Confused

[t-diddie @ Feb 15th 2006 5:23PM]

other forums have said front problems fixed, but new one arises as they are unable to browse movie previews. Anyone else able to confirm?

[Chris @ Feb 15th 2006 6:33PM]

I can confirm that I cannot view Movie Trailers through front row since the update... hmm... one thing fixed... one thing broke... come on Apple :)

[David T @ Feb 15th 2006 6:45PM]

i find it interesting that when MS fixes a problem, almost everyone yells at them for having a problem at all. when Apple fixes a problem, it's congrats for getting it fixed so soon. wow.

[Lee Gibson @ Feb 15th 2006 7:36PM]

I find it interesting that when Microsoft has a problem, it's "Your computer can get pwn3d by looking at this GIF" and when Apple has a problem, it's "Yeah, we found out that these movies don't play as smoothly as they ought to".

Interesting contrast, eh David?

[Peter Frampton @ Feb 15th 2006 8:12PM]

You didn't report on the Mac OS X software update on it's own. Engadget simply reported a follow up to a story that they reported last week about iMacs and the Front Row not functioning properly.

[mike @ Feb 16th 2006 4:06AM]

Haha, Apple fanboys that hate anything non-Apple

---

that's.......what a fanboy is

[David T @ Feb 16th 2006 7:51AM]

Lee Gibson: interesting indeed, except when you're using Apple's Quicktime, and get the exact same security concern.

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2006/Jan/msg00001.html

[Pip @ Feb 16th 2006 9:26AM]

Engadget reports on gadgets as the primary news stories.

Apple is the leader of the gadget market right now. So if you dont want to see Apple news stories out the ass, you probably dont want to visit any sites that deal with media or gadgets in general.

[VegasMacGuy @ Feb 18th 2006 9:35AM]

"except when you're using Apple's Quicktime, and get the exact same security concern."

Of course Apple's security concern was a buffer overflow from inadvertant errors in coding. Microsoft's exploit was considered a "Feature" much like the numerous ActiveX exploits out there. Also Apple doesn't wait 6 months to fix these security holes.

As for the Apple Fanboi comments that are sure to follow, I use Windows and am a Network Administrator. I know what it takes to maintain a windows machine. When I sit down at my Mac I don't have to worry about running a spyware or virus scan. I also don't worry about disconnecting it from the internet during an install.

The interface is always responsive even on my old G4 450 running Tiger. When I switch from one applictation to another the computer doesn't hesitate for 10 to 15 secondsd like my windows machine. At any given point I have at least 12 applications open with no noticable slow down. On windows if I run more than three applciations my computer comes to a screeching halt.

So if you want to know if I'm an Apple fanatic. the answer is yes. I have good reason to be. I think a computer should work with minimal user maintenence. Somewhere along the line Microsoft has convinced users that it is normal to have to spend ten to fifteen hours a month or hundreds of dollars paying GeekSquad to maintain your computer. In fact Microsoft has users so brainwashed that they are releasing their own anti-virus and spyware software for which they will charge once its out of beta. That's like paying the guy who slashed my tires to replace them.