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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.
Messages beta for OS X Lion users ends December 14
Apple is notifying Lion users that the beta version of the Messages app will expire on December 14th. The app debuted as a free beta download for Lion users and was incorporated into OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion when the latest version of OS X was released earlier this year. An email sent to Lion owners that was published by Cult of Mac says that customers must upgrade to Mountain Lion if they wish to continue to use the Messages app. The Mountain Lion upgrade costs $20 and is available from the Mac App Store. With Messages, Reminders and Notification Center, OS X Mountain Lion is a worthwhile upgrade for customers whose Macs are compatible. You can view a copy of Apple's email below. [Via Engadget and Cult of Mac]
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.
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.
OS X Lion hits 10.7.5 with most recent update, brings improved security with Gatekeeper
While the latest software for OS X Lion isn't nearly as exciting as a couple of other updates that Apple released today, Lion users will find a few worthwhile improvements within the new OS X 10.7.5 update. Most importantly, the latest software introduces Gatekeeper, a security feature from Mountain Lion that makes it more difficult to inadvertently install malicious software. The update also brings improved WiFi reliability for the iMac (late 2009 and newer) and squashes a bug that'd caused Launchpad icons to become rearranged. You'll find an even greater number of fixes / improvements after the break, and it's also worth a mention that even Snow Leopard users have received a bit of love today in the form of a security update. Want to prove you're a good cat owner? Go ahead and check for new updates right away.
Apple Remote Desktop Admin update
With all of the fanfare of a mouse creeping into a dark, dank basement, Apple updated the Apple Remote Desktop Admin app to version 3.6.1 a few days ago. Remote Desktop 3.6.1 requires either OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion. For Mountain Lion, the update is available via the Updates tab in the Mac App Store. For Lion, the update will be available in the Mac App Store if you purchased Apple Remote Desktop from the store originally, or as an automatic software update if purchased on disc. There's also a manual update available for direct download. What's in the update? Apple says that it will improve "the overall stability and reliability of the Remote Desktop application, and includes the following specific changes:" Faster launch speed when long computer lists are present. Reliability of migrated computer lists when upgrading from earlier versions of Apple Remote Desktop. Improves observing and controlling computers that have more than one display. More information about the update is available in KB articles HT5422 and HT1222.
Dear Aunt TUAW: My Lion-only MacBook just died. Help! (Updated)
Dear Aunt TUAW, The hard drive in my late 2006 black MacBook died this week. I purchased a new hard drive for it, used my OS X 10.6 install CD and then updated. I then went to the Mac App Store and found I can no longer download Lion, even with trying to hold the Option key down. What can I do other then buy the US$69 USB key? Your loving nephew, Todd Dear Todd, Update: The Lion installer has made a re-appearance in the Purchases tab, so it may be worth trying to download it one more time. Auntie gathers you didn't make a USB install drive from your original installer, yes? As for Apple's USB installer, Auntie's afraid that's no longer available. It must have been removed from shelves when Lion disappeared from the Mac App Store. Pity. She thinks you should head on over to an Apple Store Genius Bar and throw yourself and your MacBook on their mercy. You shouldn't have to pay $69 for a copy of the installer software that you already paid for. Since you did already pay, if you have any friends with copies of the installer, you're probably on reasonable moral grounds to re-install that way as well. Not near an Apple store? You can also try calling Apple Support, although that's generally better to do if you have Apple Care. Mind you this is Auntie's own opinion. And Auntie has a lot of opinions. Like Teen Wolf. It should be on every night, and go for 52 weeks of the year. All Teen Wolf, all the time. And Werthers should sponsor "Dear Aunt TUAW", providing the TUAW staffers with free candies and back massages. See? These opinions are not entirely based in any reality, so check with Apple about your options. In any case, Auntie wishes you an easy upgrade and a quick return to Lion health. Hugs, Auntie T. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Farewell, Lion, you've served us well; Apple removes 10.7 from App Store
Apple has apparently dropped OS X Lion from the Mac App Store. Those who have purchased it are still seeing it in their purchases list, though some TUAW staffers are saying they're not able to download it. I wasn't able to download it on my MacBook Pro, though I was able to start doing so on my iMac. Those with OS X Lion who are not making the Mountain Lion upgrade should be able use the Lion Internet Recovery process if there are any issues or use Lion Recovery Disk Assistant to make a backup on an external drive. We also recommend making a bootable backup of your computer whether you're sticking with Lion or upgrading to Mountain Lion. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
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.
Ten things you might not know about Mountain Lion, via Hello Tips
I've written about developer Saied Ghaffari and his company It's About Time before; well, they have another new Mac app that's pretty amazing, and the great thing is that TUAW readers can get a free sample of the app right here, right now. The new app is called Hello Tips, Tricks & Secrets (US$1.99) and it's full of OS X tips that you might not know -- including a bunch of new tips especially for OS X Mountain Lion. Saied made ten tips available in the sample web app that I've embedded below, but there are over a hundred tips in the Mac app, all presented in an easy-to-understand video format. Give the example below a try (click the Next button to start cycling through the tips), and then consider buying the app. It's a great way to learn some tips that you can show off to your friends and relatives, and they'll end up thinking you're an amazing Mac whiz! var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-33507452-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();
Adobe acknowledges InDesign crash issues on new MacBooks
Adobe InDesign owners using a new MacBook Pro with an Intel Ivy Bridge processor are reporting problems with both the Creative Suite 5 and Creative Suite 6 version of the app. A growing thread on Adobe's website documents the problem which happens when performing routine tasks like deleting a page with content. The InDesign app reportedly locks up and displays a blank warning box before crashing. Adobe acknowledged the issue and says the only fix right now is to roll back OS X to a version before 10.7.4. Mac OS X version 10.7.4 was released in May to all Mac owners. Pre-Ivy Bridge customers affected by this glitch can restore their machines to factory software and ignore the 10.7.4 update. Customers who just bought a new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air may run into difficulty as their systems shipped with 10.7.4 installed. Adobe did not explain why the issue seems to effect Ivy Bridge Macs more than their Sandy Bridge counterparts. It's also not know whether this problem will be present in Mountain Lion, which should be released later this month. You can follow the Adobe thread to read more about the issue. Hopefully, Adobe will continue to address this problem and respond to user's concerns. [Via AppleInsider]
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me stick my scroll bars
Dear Aunt TUAW, I know I'm late to the party but Lion killed my scrollbars. Please bring back my scrollbars. I miss my scrollbars. Sobbing, Scrollbarless in Seattle Dear, um, "Scrollbarless", Head on over to Settings > General and just set the "Show scroll bars" preference to "Always". Auntie prefers "Jump to the next page" action as well. Your mileage may vary. Hugs, Auntie "Scrollbars are our friends" T.
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.
Around 140,000 Apple machines still infected with Flashback malware, says Symantec
By now, we're all quite familiar with the Java-driven trojan that's affected thousands of Apple's rigs, and while the numbers seem to have drastically dropped since the first Cupertino fix, there's still a plethora of machines carrying the bug. According to Symantec, the number of infected computers is now at around 140,000, seeing a decline of over 460,000 since April 9th. Still, the security outfit remains puzzled by the fact, as it expected the digits to be somewhere near the 99,000 mark by now. Perhaps this is due to some folks not even being aware of Flashback's existence, or maybe not checking for software updates as often as most of us. Either way, we hope you've already used one of the tools Apple handed you.
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.
Skype 5.6 available, full-screen support in Lion
Planning on making some Skype video calls today to talk with your buddies about the new Apple products? Before you hit the dial button, be sure to get the update to Skype 5.6. The update became available yesterday and adds some Lion-friendly features as well as fixes to a few issues. Beom Soo Park at the Skype Garage blog outlined the changes. First, Skype 5.6 automatically updates to newer versions when critical or minor updates become available. The group video calling UI has been improved, allowing you to switch between dynamic mode (person who is speaking appears at the top of the screen) and non-dynamic mode when making calls with 5 or more participants. OS X Lion users can rejoice, as Skype 5.6 also adds full screen mode and "eliminates distractions from the Dock and Menu bars." Skype users now have the ability to delete messages within a conversation, and remove conversations from the sidebar and history. Finally, there's now a way to disable audio gain control from the Skype preferences. This can reduce background noise during conference calls. To install version 5.6, just check under Skype > Check for Updates, or download the installer here.
OS X Mountain Lion to be download-only, USB stick going the way of the dodo
Last time around, Apple was cognizant not everyone has broadband to download a 4GB OS, offering solace to those with slow internet with a (pricey $69) USB stick alternative. Times change though, as Cupertino's confirmed to Pocket-lint that the recently unveiled OS X Mountain Lion won't be offered with a physical counterpart. Apple's reasoning? "It was an interesting test, but it turns out the App Store was just fine for getting the new OS." So there's that. High time you took the plunge and upgraded to broadband apparently, or contemplated moving within the vicinity of an Apple Retail Store's willing WiFi. That or you could just buy a new machine. Your call.
Apple drops the 'Mac' from OS X Lion, Mountain Lion (update: began at WWDC)
Clearly, cats are in. But Mac, it seems, is out. Apple has quietly dropped the Mac name from its latest OS X Mountain Lion operating system, while also retroactively changing the Lion branding on its website. While it's clearly a marketing move and won't affect the user experience, it looks like Cupertino is further defining the line between hardware and software -- Mac is hardware, OS X is software, and that's the end of that. Apple purists will need to download the developer preview of Lion to see the change reflected on the OS side of things, though that could always change with 10.7.4. Hit up the source link to see for yourself.Update: After reviewing our WWDC coverage, it looks like Apple began referring to its latest operating system as "OS X Lion" last summer, as you can see in the banner just past the break.
Snow Leopard update wreaks havoc on Rosetta, luddite users contemplate running with Lion (update)
Normally updates are meant to better your OS, delivering necessary tweaks and performance improvements. But this latest batch out of Cupertino's managed to do just the opposite for users running the Lion 10.7.3 package, as it's caused many applications to force crash and bewildered users to restore Time Machine backups. Well, now the hordes clinging to Snow Leopard can join in the commiseration, as forums begin to flood with reports of failed Rosetta compatibility. That software, essential for PowerPC programs to run on Apple's preferred Intel chipset, has been rendered useless by a just released security fix, prompting one community member to craft a DIY patch. While, Apple is reportedly working on a cure-all for these rampant woes, we'd caution any who haven't taken the plunge to sit this one out for a bit.Update: Good news for those of you on Lion that haven't updated, as Apple's pulled the 10.7.3 delta update (responsible for borked installs), leaving those who haven't taken the plunge to try the larger (and non-problematic) combo one. Unfortunately for users of Snow Leopard, though, the troublesome security update lives on, so until Cupertino rectifies (and we update), sound off on how the temporary fix is treating you in the comments below.
