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Apple issues security patches to protect devices from the FREAK bug
In addition to launching new MacBooks and revealing its smartwatches' release date, Apple has also issued software updates to protect its devices from the FREAK bug. If you recall, the security flaw allows hackers to force weaker encryption on Safari (and Android browser) users visiting certain websites, including a few owned by the government. The weaker encryption makes it easier and faster for them to break into users' accounts and steal sensitive info, that's why Cupertino promised to issue a patch as soon as possible. To secure iPhones and iPads, you just have to install iOS 8.2, which also comes with Apple Watch support. MacBook users who have OS X Mountain Lion, Mavericks or Yosemite installed will get an update notification, while those who own the company's streaming box have to download Apple TV 7.1. The latest software updates also come with other security patches for both Mac and iOS, so don't forget to download them when you can.
28 million Mountain Lion copies shipped
Tim Cook has just announced that 28 million copies of Mountain Lion have been shipped to date, making it the best-selling OS X ever. The Mac now has a user base of 72 million people, and 35 percent of these Mac users are running OS X 10.8. "The Mac business has out-paced the PC business for several years now," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, making the MacBook the No. 1 US notebook and the iMac the No. 1 US desktop.
Tim Cook: 28 million copies of Mountain Lion shipped, more than any other Mac release
Cupertino has been known to share a stat or two during its WWDC keynotes, so it's hardly a surprise that the company just dropped some sales figures for its Mountain Lion. According to Tim Cook, 28 million copies of the OS have shipped, making it the best-selling Mac release of all time. Cook also said that about 35 percent of users have updated, compared to less than five percent for Windows 8. And Apple wasn't just talking Mountain Lion to brag; those numbers were part of a build-up to announcing the latest desktop-based software: OS X Mavericks. Hit up that link for more info. Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.
Apple issues RAW compatibility update for OS X 10.8
Do you like it RAW? Fans of the minimally processed image file format should head out to the Mac App Store today for another in a series of RAW compatibility updates for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Today's update features updates for three new Canon cameras (Canon EOS-1D C, EOS Rebel SL1 and EOS Rebel T5i), the gorgeous Hasselblad Lunar, Nikon's Coolpix A, D7100, Nikon 1 J3, Nikon 1 S1 and the Sony Alpha NEX-3N. Apple invites you to read more about RAW formats on its website.
Mac 101: Temporarily disabling Notification Center
One gripe I hear a lot from OS X Mountain Lion users is that they sometimes get notifications bothering them at the most inopportune times. I know that when I'm working on TUAW TV Live, the last thing I want is something else to distract my attention when I'm already distracted by about 15 other open windows. Author and tip maven Saied Ghaffari was showing me one of his e-books the other day that included a very useful tip on how to temporarily shut off those annoying notifications in Mountain Lion. To do this, simply press the Option key and click on the Notification Center icon at the far right end of the menu bar. The icon turns grey to indicate that those banners, sounds and alerts are not going to harsh your mellow. When you're ready to start getting notifications again, do the Option-click on Notification Center dance again and the endless parade will continue.
Mac 101: Mountain Lion's Magic Trackpad triple-finger tap dictionary lookup
Let's say you're reading TUAW and you see that I've used the word "peripatetic" in a post. While some of you would know the meaning of the word, others might be doing a bit of head-scratching and fire up the Dictionary app on your Mac. If you have a MacBook with a multi-touch trackpad or a desktop Mac with a Magic Trackpad, and if you run OS X Mountain Lion on your Mac, you can easily look up words with a simple gesture. In whatever you happen to be looking at on your Mac, simply use three fingers to tap on the word that's causing you confusion. The word is highlighted in yellow, and a small popup shows you dictionary, thesaurus and Wikipedia entries that pertain to it. Sadly, this doesn't work with the Magic Mouse... It's a fast way to look up words without missing a beat, so give that perplexing word a triple-finger tap the next time you're flummoxed or befuddled.
Use Automator to get the Airport Utility 5.6.1 working on OS X 10.8
When I acquired a second printer dedicated to making prints and photos, I decided to dig the older Airport Express I have out of a drawer and set it up to be a wireless print server for that printer. However, I ran into a bit of a snafu: the older Airport Expresses require AirPort Utility 5.6.1 to run. It's still available on Apple's website, but even though it's easy to obtain, you can't run it in Mountain Lion. The actual AirPort Utility 5.6.1 software runs just fine on Mountain Lion. Its installer, however, isn't compatible. The solution I initially discovered, thanks to Douglas Urner in the Apple support communities, was to use Terminal to extract the AirPortUtility.pkg from the installer and dig the app out of it. It worked great, and it nets you a working copy of AirPort Utility 5.6.1. But UI designer Frank Tisellano makes this even easier. He developed an Automator workflow does all the coding work for you. This is the solution for those who aren't comfortable with diving into the inner workings of your Mac. Here's what to do: Download the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 installer from Apple. Download Tisellano's workflow from his website. Drag the AirPort Utility installer file onto the extracted workflow item. Don't just run the workflow, otherwise it won't work properly. Authorize any permissions needed and let the workflow do its magic. Once it's finished, you'll see an AirPortTemp and the older AirPort Utility sitting on your desktop. Move the AirPort Utility to your Utilities folder, trash the other folders, and you're good to go!
Daily Update for January 4, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Serial upgraders: OS X customers consistently upgrade
California-based Net Applications measures operating system and browser adoption rates by checking stats from visitors to about 40,000 Web sites. A Computerworld post today highlighted the fact that Apple's OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard), 10.7 (Lion) and 10.8 (Mountain Lion) have been adopted by Mac users at a rate about three times that of Windows 7, Microsoft's best-selling version of Windows to date. Snow Leopard was installed on 32 percent of all Macs within five months of its launch, while Lion and Mountain Lion were at the 29 percent level after five months. With Windows 7, only 11 percent of all Windows users had upgraded at the end of five months. That number, however, dwarfs Windows Vista, which saw only a 5 percent adoption rate after five months. Net Applications' data is showing that the uptake rate for Windows 8 appears to be about the same as Windows Vista, although that could change after the holiday buying season. So why do Mac users consistently upgrade faster? Well, part of it could be pricing. The last three versions of OS X have been available for less than $30, while Windows upgrades are much more expensive -- an upgrade to Windows Vista Home Edition was $159 in 2007. Microsoft appears to be trying the lower-price path with a $40 deal for Windows 8 Pro upgrades that expires at the end of January 2013. The biggest difference, though, is that most Mac users are consumers, who can choose to upgrade at any time. On the other hand, many Windows machines are located in enterprises, which tend to be very cautious about upgrading to a new OS.
Dev pre-release of OS X 10.8.3 available today
Apple has made a pre-release of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 (Build 12D32) available for download on the Mac Dev Center today. According to an email received by TUAW, the seed note mentions that focus areas of the update are AirPlay, AirPort, Game Center and Graphics Drivers. One known issue -- Safari 6.0.2 won't be available to 10.8.3, so it's recommended to update to the latest version of Safari before installing 10.8.3. There are some other odd quirks, including after waking from sleep, when some background graphics may appear in black or become transparent. In addition, when using Command+Tab to switch between apps, icons may appear in black. Thanks to RL for the tip!
OS X Mountain Lion Supplemental Update 2.0 fixes keychain errors
Everybody's favorite cat, OS X Mountain Lion, has a new update this morning. But don't be surprised if you don't see it under the Updates tab in the Mac App Store -- OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Supplemental Update 2.0 is "recommended for all Mac systems introduced in 2012." According to the update notes, the update "addresses an issue with Keychain that can affect 2012 Mac systems." The update file is relatively small, only about 26.65 MB in size.
Apple pulling the plug on Messages beta for OS X Lion on December 14th
Apple is notifying OS X Lion users that the platform's preview of Messages will end on December 14th. Originally available as a free beta download for Lion 10.7, Messages went on to become an official feature of Mountain Lion 10.8. Obtained by Cult of Mac, the email from Apple advises that in order to continue using Messages, you'll need to upgrade to Mountain Lion. While it's saddening to have pay for an app that you're accustomed to having for free, keep in mind that this was only a preview. Besides, the upgrade to Mountain Lion is $20 and if you can afford any of Apple's products, we're pretty sure that this expense won't be too much of a stretch. Be sure to take a look at the email in question after the break, because it could be lurking somewhere in your junk mail folder.
Mac mini review (2012)
More Info Mac Mini updated in two new flavors, at $599 for i5 dual-core and $999 for i7 quad-core server model iFixit opens up new Mac Mini, has no trouble putting it all back together again Mac mini review (mid 2011) October 23rd was mostly the iPad mini's coming out party; an event with one major headliner. But that newborn product didn't enter Apple's ecosystem alone. Amidst the flurry of announcements, there was one other wee hardware relative on hand ready to join in on the launch festivities: a refreshed 2012 Mac mini. Addressing criticisms of last year's model, Apple added USB 3.0 ports, upgraded to third-generation Ivy Bridge Core processors and boosted the standard RAM allotment to 4GB (you can configure it with up to 16 gigs). Perhaps most interestingly, it's now offering a hybrid storage option, the so-called FusionDrive, which combines flash memory with a SATA HDD. One quirk still remains, though: the product's demographic leanings. Just who is the Mac mini for? Is it the go-anywhere, portable desktop best integrated in yachts, airports, automobiles and living rooms? Or, with a starting price of $599, is it the perfect, low-cost migration assistant (pun intended) for consumers making the switch from a Windows desktop? Follow on to see which hat this not-quite-an-HTPC wears best.
Clear for Mac, Clear for iPhone/iPod touch 1.2 announced
Users of the innovative Clear "to-do list" app for iPhone and iPod touch have some good news today; a Mac version of the app is on the way, as is an update to the original iOS app. The app is a collaboration of Realmac Software, Impending and Helftone. What's new? TUAW had an opportunity to preview Clear for Mac (US$14.99, available November 8), and it looks and acts just like the iPhone app. Similar gestures are used to navigate through the app, but there's a welcome twist to the Mac software -- keyboard shortcuts that make it easy to use the app while keeping your hands on the keyboard. Realmac has also added sound effects to the app, providing a new levels of feedback as you create new lists, add new items or complete items on your lists. To sync your to-do items between your iPhone and Mac, there's iCloud sync. That last feature limits the app to users of OS X Mountain Lion. Clear for iPhone 1.2 also gains the iCloud sync capability, and has a new gesture for moving between lists as well as a way to paste items from other apps into a new Clear list. Check out the official launch video below.
Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 4.01 supports Canon EOS M, Nikon D600
Apple today released the latest in a series of Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Updates that are designed to add RAW support for new digital cameras to iPhoto and Aperture. It's available now through the Mac App Store Updates tab or downloaded directly here. Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 4.01 is notable in that it is providing RAW file support for a number of the new Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Cameras (MILC) that have recently hit the market. In particular, the new Canon EOS M MILC and Nikon D600 DSLR are covered by the new update. A full list of supported digital camera RAW formats can be found in Apple support knowledge base document HT5371: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5371.
Apple says no Java for you, removes plugin from browsers on OS X 10.7 and up
Apple has recently released a Mac update for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion that removes its Java plugin from all OS X browsers. If you install the update, you'll find a region labeled "Missing plug-in" in place of a Java applet; of course, Apple can't stop you from clicking on it to download a Java plug-in directly from Oracle. The Cupertino-based company had previously halted pre-installing Java in OS X partially due to the exploitable factors of the platform, so this update signifies further distancing from Larry Ellison's pride and joy.
TUAW TV Live: Brett Terpstra reveals Mountain Lion tips
Welcome back to TUAW TV Live! While you may miss the smiling faces of my substitute hosts Kelly Guimont and Doc Rock, you'll get to see my relaxed post-vacation visage as well as that of today's guest -- the one and only Brett Terpstra. I've got the usual avalanche of accessories to demo, and Brett and I will be talking about his new book with David Sparks -- "60 Mountain Lion Tips." Below, you'll find a Ustream live stream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. You'll be watching the show in glorious HD! If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. In addition, the live stream and chat will be available through our Facebook page. Just point your browser here to watch the show and chat with other viewers while you're on Facebook. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices. Video streaming by Ustream
Apple releases OS X 10.8.2 with new Facebook, Messages and FaceTime features
On the same day it released iOS 6, Apple also dropped the latest version of OS X Mountain Lion. Version 10.8.2 adds new Facebook features including single sign-on, the ability to share links and photos via Facebook and the addition of Facebook notifications in Mountain Lion's notification center. Facebook also made its way into Game Center so you can share your best scores with your Facebook friends and see your friends in Game Center's friend recommendations. There's even a "Like" button that you can use to share all your favorite games. Apple also improved Messages and FaceTime so that iMessages and FaceTime calls sent to your phone number will be also land on your Mac. There's also a handful of bug fixes that affect Twitter, AirPlay Mirroring, Safari and more. You can check out the full list on Apple's support website and download the update from the Mac App Store or by clicking on Software Update in the Apple menu.
Daily Update for August 31, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Chitika research: Mountain Lion on 1 of every 10 Macs
In news that really should surprise no one, Chitika Insights used web impressions to determine that a little more than a month after its release, OS X Mountain Lion has been installed on one out of every 10 Macs. Most of those installations took place within the first week of release, with an additional spike in downloads within the past week. With the low upgrade price and the ease of installation through the Mac App Store, the fact that a lot of Macs already are running it isn't a shock. Previous studies by Chitika showed that the adoption of OS X leaped a bit in the month after Lion was released in 2011, and that Mountain Lion downloads accounted for 3% of web traffic in the week after it was released. [via GigaOM]
