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Apple unveils Safari 6: goes well with your new Mountain Lion (update: Windows version absent)
Apple's web browser has joined its latest OS, and joins the dots on a raft of new features that we've been promised for a while. These include iCloud tabs and a new tab view -- both Mountain Lion only -- alongside a new smart search and unified search (with support for Chinese search giant Baidu) and address bar. If your older OS is missing out on those iCloud tabs, there's some other good news, Reading Lists will now work without being online -- which all sounds very in-flight friendly. There's also a Do Not Track option to cover your internet tracks, but for all the minute detail on some new developer additions, we'd advise hitting the source below. Update 1: We're not spotting a Windows release yet -- and nor can we see whether it will work on Snow Leopard. Let us know in the comments if you manage to grab the latest iteration. For anyone on Lion, the update will be available from the Mac App Store. Update 2: The latest version may not arrive on Windows -- with all references to the old version now gone from Apple's site. As 9to5Mac notes, nightly WebKit builds are still out there if you have a sudden pang for Safari. We've reached out to Apple to confirm.
Apple retires Lion from Mac App Store, there's a new king in town
Cue the video of 10.7 walking off into the sunset. Today is Mountain Lion day, and with the arrival of the new operating system comes the departure of its predecessor. Clicking the link for Lion will bring up a "The item you've requested is not currently available" error message in the Mac App Store. Thankfully, Mountain Lion is just one $20 download away for Lion and Snow Leopard users alike.
Mountain Lion hits the Mac App Store, is one $20 credit card deduction away
You've read (or closely skimmed) the review, you've watched the video -- now it's time to fire up your downloading finger and see for yourself. The latest version of Apple OS X just hit the Mac App Store, carrying a a modest $20 price tag. Of course, this round is download-only, so if you want to get your grubby paws on the desktop version of AirPlay Monitoring, Messages, Share Sheets and the rest of those 200+ features, this is the only way to do it. Update: Looks like the big cat is "Temporarily Unavailable" for download. We'll let you know when that's not the case. Update: Everything seems to be fine now. Download away.
Firefox 14 adds fullscreen support for OS X Lion
Stop me if you've heard this one: How is Mozilla Firefox like Pittsburgh's weather? Answer: If you don't like it, wait a little while and it's gonna change. The open-source desktop browser continues its drumbeat of frequent releases with Firefox 14.0.1 for Mac, Windows and Linux in over 70 different language localizations. If you're happy with version 13 (or, for that matter, version 12), the major new feature for Mac that you'll be living without is full-screen view support on 10.7 Lion. The new build also enables HTTPS secure connections for Google searches and adds some additional bug fixes and tweaks. [via Engadget]
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me watch and work at the same time
Dear Aunt TUAW, Ever since I upgraded to OS X Lion, I've been unable to use dual monitors if I have an application running in full screen on my iMac's display. I would love to be able to fire a movie up on the second display, make it full screen and still make use of my iMac, rather than turning it into a 21.5" television that can do so much more... Any ways to accomplish this? Your loving nephew, Josh, aka Single-Display in Columbus Dear Josh, Lion's inability to properly handle full screen apps across multiple displays is truly an irritating feature, although it's one that Mountain Lion will apparently address. Instead, she recommends using QuickTime's "Fit to Screen" (Command-3) for that television watching instead of "Enter Full Screen" (Control-Command-F). Yes, this leaves your desktop wallpaper visible. So if you are really concerned about these things, hop into System Preferences and set your desktop to a solid black (System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Desktop > Apple > Solid Colors > Black). Auntie has found one exception to the full screen dilemma: Aperture. According to Uncle Rich, Aperture will use the second monitor when the primary one is in full screen mode. It doesn't do it by default but you can turn it on after entering full screen. This is probably because Aperture's full screen mode predates Lion, though; Aperture has always worked this way. Want to let Apple know how you feel about dual-full-screen issues? Drop them a note at their bug reporting site. Hugs, Auntie T.
Apple issues Leopard update with Flashback removal tool
Folks still rocking Apple's Leopard may have been feeling left out after Lion and Snow Leopard both got an update for addressing that Flashback malware. If you're one of them, you'll be glad to know that Apple has finally issued a Leopard fix that comes with a removal tool for the vulnerability afflicting its big cats. In addition to a 1.23MB Flashback update, Apple also released a second 1.11MB fix for Leopard that disables versions of Adobe Flash Player that don't have the requisite security updates. Both should further whittle down the number of Apple computers affected by the Flashback trojan. For the actual updates, feel free to pounce on the source links below.
OS X Lion updated: 10.7.4 fixes FileVault vulnerability
Fire up Software Update if you're using Lion, and be prepared to have your passwords protected by encryption, as they should be. After a nasty error in 10.7.3, fixed in the just-out 10.7.4 update, I'm hoping Apple learned a lesson. The update also includes a few welcome fixes for other issues. From Apple: The 10.7.4 update is recommended for all OS X Lion users and includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac including fixes that: Resolve an issue where the "Reopen windows when logging back in" setting is always enabled Improve compatibility with certain British third-party USB keyboards Address an issue that may prevent files from being saved to a server Improve the reliability of copying files to an SMB server For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5167. For information on the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222. As you update (back up first!) let us know how it goes.
Editorial: Apple isn't making a 'converged' laptop / tablet hybrid, but I still want one
Deflated. Disappointed. Let down. Unsurprised. All of those emotions ran through my being at one point or another following Apple CEO Tim Cook's comments regarding "converged" devices, but if anything, his denial has made me all the more hungry for this particular device. For months -- heck, maybe even years -- I've waited for Sir Jonathan Paul Ive and co. to finally nail the concept of a laptop / tablet hybrid. In many ways, Apple managed to get right on a smartphone in 2007 what I felt was wrong holding a BlackBerry. I still think the iPad's screen is about 2.7-inches too large for my own personal tastes, but the world at large has affirmed that it nailed that design, too. Oh, and the MacBook Air? C'mon -- we all know it's the thin-and-light you always wanted, and given that it'll run Windows with poise, it's arguably the sexiest Windows laptop currently on the market. The point? Apple has waited for companies to flounder about with certain designs before, all while perfecting its own take for a future release. Windows-based tablets were flooding out in the early noughties, and believe it or not, Toshiba was already giving the tablet / laptop hybrid thing a whirl in 2003 with the Portege 3500. Apple waited over half a decade to usher in the iPad, and the rest -- as they say -- is history. The iPhone followed a similar path; companies came before it and did their best to produced pleasing, long-lasting, highly usable smartphones, but the iPhone completely changed the trajectory of everything that came after. Love it or hate it, it's hard to imagine a 2012 with Windows Phone in it had Apple not pinned Windows Mobile in a corner back in '07. So, if Apple has shown an ability to thrive with designs that others have experimented with, why is the "converged" laptop / tablet a nonstarter?
OS X Lion update accidentally outs user passwords in plain text, stumbles over FileVault
Are you an avid user of OS X's FileVault encryption and running a recently updated version of Lion? It may be time to consider changing your passwords. According to security researcher David Emry, users who used FileVault prior to upgrading to 10.7.3 may be able to find their password in a system-wide debug log file, stored in plain text outside of the encrypted area. This puts the password at risk of being read by other users or enterprising cyber criminals, Emry explains, and even opens the door for new flaw-specific malware. FileVault 2, on the other hand, seems to be unaffected by the bug. The community doesn't currently have a way to fight the flaw without disabling FileVault, so users rushing to change their password now may find it being logged as well. Obviously, we'll let you all know once we hear back from Apple regarding this matter.
Apple seeds OS X Lion 10.7.4 Build 11E52 to developers
Apple has seeded the fourth build of OS X Lion 10.7.4 to developers. Build 11E52 lists no known issues and asks developers to focus on graphics, iCal, Mail, Printing, and Time Machine. The fourth build of 10.7.4 weighs in at 1.43 GB for the combo update and 716 MB for the delta update. OS X Lion 10.7.4 Build 11E52 comes just ten days after the previous build of 10.7.4, down one month from the previous iterations. A shortening timeframe between builds generally suggests the update is getting closer to public release.
Apple offering free Snow Leopard update to MobileMe holdouts
Mama had it right -- procrastination is bad -- but mama never knew Apple. For Leopard users still clinging tightly to their MobileMe account, it looks like the path to iCloud just got a wee bit cheaper. Qualifying MobileMe holdouts are reportedly receiving email notifications that point them to a special portal; behind a registration form, folks are finding a free copy of OS X 10.6 (on DVD, no less). The goal here is to get customers to make yet another jump to Lion (an extra $29), but the idea of keeping most of that cloud functionality via iCloud is certainly enticing. As MacNN so accurately points out, it's odd that Apple's not including the $69 USB drive version of Lion, which contains the ability to boost even Leopard users to OS X 10.7. If you're one that generally skips out on reading those automated Apple emails, you might want to make an exception for this one.
Apple is giving away Snow Leopard to MobileMe customers
In an effort to get the remaining MobileMe customers upgraded to Lion and iCloud, Apple is offering a free upgrade to OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for those still running OS X 10.5 Leopard. Macgasm posted pictures of the missive, which directs MobileMe customers to this link. After signing in, those who need a copy of Snow Leopard can get an installation DVD after filling out mailing information. Snow Leopard retails for $29. Those who take advantage of the offer will still have to pay $29.99 to upgrade to Lion. The Snow Leopard upgrade program expires on June 15, a couple weeks shy of MobileMe's shutdown date of June 30.
Apple issues Flashback removal tool for 10.7 Lion systems not running Java
The Flashback OS X trojan continues to cast a rainy shadow over Mac owners' sense of security, and even though a fix has been released, this was only for what Apple considered "the most common variants." Users of Lion, who don't have Java installed, weren't included in that initial run, but there is a new removal tool just for them. So, if you're running 10.7 and never installed Oracle's virtual machine, make sure you point your browser at the source link below.
Apple seeds third beta of 10.7.4 to developers
The latest developer's build of OS X 10.7.4 is now available to developers at the Mac Developer Center. Build 11E46 was seeded as a 1.4 GB combo update or a 716 MB delta update. It comes a month after the first seed of the latest update to Lion was pushed to developers. There are no known issues in the build. Focus areas include the Mac App Store, Graphics, Mail, QuickTime, Screen Sharing and Time Machine.
Apple publishes support page for Flashback malware, is working on a fix
After the Flashback / Flashfake Mac trojan was exposed by Russian site Dr. Web, Apple has finally responded by publishing a support page about the issue and promising a fix. If you haven't heard by now, the malware exploits a flaw in the Java Virtual Machine, which Oracle pushed a fix for back in February, but Apple didn't patch until a botnet consisting of as many as 650,000 Macs was identified on March 4th. Antivirus maker Kaspersky has confirmed the earlier findings, and released a free tool affected users can run to remove the trojan from their computers. Other than the update already delivered for computers running OS 10.6 and 10.7 Apple recommends users on 10.5 and earlier disable Java in their browser preferences. What isn't mentioned however, is when its fix is incoming or any timetable on its efforts with international ISPs to cut off the IP addresses used by the network. This is not the first time Macs have fallen prey to malware and as their market share grows will likely not be the last, so don't think just opting for OS X is automatically keeping you a step ahead security-wise. Check the links below for more information about what the malware does, and how to get rid of it.
Lion's Auto Save vs. Save As
Apple's OS X Lion introduced Auto Save, and eliminated the Save As feature from several apps as a result. Not everyone is happy about the switch, including Pierre at Betalogue: I have already talked about the totally unnecessary (in my view) elimination of the 'Save As...' command in Apple applications, including the iWork suite. The 'Duplicate' command that replaces it is simply not a good enough replacement, and the change irremediably breaks well-established workflows that cannot be adapted to the new command." Amen, Pierre. He goes on to illustrate the various stumbling blocks that Auto Save and its Duplicate feature introduced. It's worth a read. [Via Daring Fireball]
High-res Mountain Lion art could point to Retina Macs in 2012
Apple developers test-driving the latest Mountain Lion (10.8) release may have noticed some higher-res graphics erroneously popping up in "unexpected places," such as the double-size phone icon that appears alongside an audio chat invitation in Messages. One such dev reported his findings to Ars Technica, as you can see evidenced in the graphic above. This mild slip-up could imply that Apple plans to release Macs with high-density displays later this year, or, at the very least, that Mountain Lion will be Retina-ready. High-res support dates back to OS X Lion, which is reportedly equipped to play nice with HiDPI displays, should they eventually become available. Compatible icons are but a second piece of the puzzle, which could be completed to the tune of deliciously dense 2880 x 1800 (or higher) resolution 15-inch LCDs. Wouldn't you love to see that.
Safari 5.1.4 now available, fixes issues and improves performance
Heads up! Safari 5.1.4 is now available for immediate download. The update, measuring 46.4 MB in size, is available for OS X Lion and Snow Leopard. Windows users can also get the update. What's new? According to Apple: Safari 5.1.4 contains improvements to performance, stability, compatibility, and security, including changes that: Improve JavaScript performance Improve responsiveness when typing into the search field after changing network configurations or with an intermittent network connection Address an issue that could cause webpages to flash white when switching between Safari windows Address issues that prevented printing U.S. Postal Service shipping labels and embedded PDFs Preserve links in PDFs saved from webpages Fix an issue that could make Flash content appear incomplete after using gesture zooming Fix an issue that could cause the screen to dim while watching HTML5 video Improve stability, compatibility and startup time when using extensions Allow cookies set during regular browsing to be available after using Private Browsing Fix an issue that could cause some data to be left behind after pressing the "Remove All Website Data" buttonFor detailed information on this update, please visit this site: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5142 For detailed information on the security content of this update, please visit this site: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
Intuit releases Lion-compatible Quicken 2007, as promised
It was late last year that Intuit offered a Christmas olive branch to frustrated Quicken 2007 for Mac customers. The finance software giant promised that it would find a way to make Quicken work on the latest version of OS X; today, it looks like that promise has been kept. Quicken for Mac 2007 Lion Compatible is now available for purchase. While the company had built a ground-up Mac offering in Quicken Essentials that showed some spark and a new look, it lacked some of the key features that users of Q2007 had grown fond of (QIF export, direct bill pay, support for rental properties); unfortunately, the older app was never updated past its PowerPC roots and ceased working when Lion dropped support for the Rosetta compatibility layer. Q2007 users fumed, jumped ship to other finance products, stuck with Snow Leopard, or shrieked with frustration if they updated without realizing the issue. (We tried to warn you, people, really we did.) It's not easily found on the Intuit site, but the Lion-friendly version of Quicken 2007 can be bought online (it's US$14.99). Searching for it via Intuit's built-in tool doesn't work, and it's not listed in the full product rundown; it's possible that it's not officially announced/ready for prime time, but there it is. You can read about the data migration process back from Essentials on the company's support page. No data migration is needed for Q2007 or older versions post-2004. Intuit still recommends that new customers go with Essentials instead of Q2007. You can read our interview with Intuit's Aaron Patzer here, and an external perspective from Intuit's competitor IGG Software here. [via MacRumors]
Switched On: Mountain Lion brings iOS apps, malware traps
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. According to Wikipedia, the mountain lion, also known as the cougar, is distinguished by having the greatest range of any large wild terrestrial animal in the Western Hemisphere. Indeed, from what we've seen so far of Apple's forthcoming Mac operating system, its new features will likely find favor with a broader range of Apple users than Lion.
