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Mac OS X Lion beta reveals "Restart to Safari" browser-only mode (update: honeypot)
MacRumors was digging through the latest developer beta of Mac OS X Lion when it found a rather intriguing new option -- if you choose "Restart to Safari" on the user lock screen, the computer will reboot into a mode which consists entirely of the web browser. If that sounds familiar, perhaps you've heard of Google's Chrome OS, a partially-fledged operating system that runs within the browser itself... but we haven't heard Apple express a desire for any such thing. Now, certainly we've seen a number of Windows desktops and laptops ship with a secondary, browser-centric OS like Splashtop in order to have an instant-on mode, but if you have to boot and reboot the computer to get to Safari, that doesn't sound like much of an improvement. Perhaps it's a way to let guests (or children) entertain themselves without giving them access to your files? All we know for certain is that it's a most mysterious option. Update: But perhaps not as mysterious as we thought -- 9to5 Mac spotted its genesis earlier this week, and it's a bona fide honeypot. If your Mac gets stolen, the idea goes, it'll need to be connected to the internet for you to be able to track it with Find My Mac or perform a remote wipe, so you'll let the thieves browse this guest account to keep them busy without letting them peruse your personal files. Cue the Admiral Ackbar, we suppose. [Thanks, Jamie]
Doing the Math: At $29.99, Mac OS X Lion was WWDC's most expensive product
Our own Dave Caolo pointed out something that took the rest of the TUAW team aback: at US$29.99, Mac OS X Lion was the most expensive product discussed at WWDC today. It's not as though the next version of the Mac's operating system had a lot of pricing competition at the keynote. iOS 5 will be a free upgrade to users with supported hardware, and iCloud's services -- which used to cost $99/year under MobileMe -- are all completely free. In fact, other than Lion itself, the only thing Apple announced at WWDC that costs anything at all was iTunes Match at $25 a year. One of the major anti-Apple memes over the lifetime of the Mac has been that Apple's products are far more expensive than those of its competitors. While there are arguments both for and against that line of thinking for Macs and equivalently-configured PCs, the iPad's pricing compared to other tablets' blows that argument out of the water, and Apple's software prices undercut those of Windows by an astonishing margin, as demonstrated in the graphic above. Windows 7 comes in a spread of flavors, while Mac OS X Lion comes in only two: the standard $29.99 user edition and an upgraded server edition that costs $50 more. Both will be downloads from the Mac App Store, and while there's no official word yet, based on a cursory reading of the current terms and conditions, it seems that both Lion and Lion Server Edition will be installable on up to 10 machines associated with a user's iTunes account. So our graphic is wrong in one sense: while you could buy multiple copies of Lion for the same price as the equivalent Windows software, you don't actually have to. If anything, this makes Lion an even more economical prospect than Windows. Even if you want to make the argument that it'd take a Server Edition upgrade to put Lion's feature set on parity with Windows 7 Ultimate Edition (an assessment with which we'd politely disagree), Windows 7 is still only installable on one machine. Therefore, even with "Lion Server Edition" costing a total of $80, that's $80 for a 10-machine license under the current terms and conditions versus $220 to install Windows 7 Ultimate Edition on one. Put another way: for the amount of money you'd pay for a single-machine license for Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, you could install Mac OS X Lion and its server tools on 20 machines and still have 60 bucks left over. If you're like us and you think Lion doesn't need the server tools to be on parity with Windows 7 Ultimate, you could install Lion on 70 machines and buy yourself a six-pack for the same price as one Windows 7 Ultimate license. Apple charged $129 for Mac OS X Leopard and older iterations of its operating system, which were still considered bargains against the pricing of equivalent Windows packages. But Lion's incredibly low cost compared to that of Windows merely demonstrates what we've known all along: Apple is, at its heart, a hardware company. It makes money off of its hardware, but the only purpose of the software is to make the hardware sing. iTunes? Free. iCloud? Free. iOS? Free. Mac OS X? 30 bucks. Microsoft, on the other hand, is primarily a software company dependent on hardware makers to run its software. Xbox 360 and some minor pilot projects aside, Microsoft makes an overwhelming majority of its money off licenses of Windows and Office editions. With that in mind, it's little wonder that Microsoft's software costs so much more... or that Apple is currently cleaning Microsoft's clock financially.
Mozilla's Webian Shell interface will cloak your OS in a browser (video)
With Google's fleet of Chromebooks making their way to market, Mozilla Labs has decided to release a similarly browser-based desktop interface, known as the Webian Shell. As of now, the prototype app consists of a screen-encompassing web browser, which essentially replaces your desktop interface. There's an address bar running across the top of the screen, a clock in the bottom right corner, and a tab button for all your web apps. Developed as part of the company's Mozilla Chromeless project, the tool was written entirely in HTML, CSS and JavaScript and, unlike Chrome OS, is designed to run on top of existing operating systems, rather than replace them. For now, the Shell is still in an early phase of development, looks pretty spartan and can't control a system's hardware. Mozilla, however, says it has plans to incorporate multiple home screens, split screen views and an on-screen keyboard, among other features. Windows, Linux and Mac OS X users can download the Shell now, from the source link. Otherwise, you can just head past the break to see a brief demo video.
iCloud offerings might be free to those who upgrade to Lion
When Steve Jobs kicks off Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next Monday, AppleInsider suggests the iconic CEO may reveal an aggressive price-point for some of the Cupertino company's upcoming cloud services -- free. On Tuesday, Apple announced plans to unveil iCloud, a suite of cloud services expected to replace MobileMe, and Lion, the eighth significant upgrade to Mac OS X, at WWDC next week. According to the post, people familiar with Apple's plans expect the computer maker to offer some of iCloud's services gratis to Mac users who upgrade to Lion. But AppleInsider notes that some components of iCloud are not likely to be free for any customer. Apple recently negotiated new licensing deals with (at least) Sony, EMI, and Warner Music, and is expected to announce its own music streaming services on June 6. Much like MobileMe today and competing music offerings from Google and Amazon, Apple's upcoming music services will likely include a complimentary trial period, but customers should ultimately expect to pay a subscription fee to host content on the company's servers.
Mac Security Update 2011-003 now hunting MacDefender
Mac Security Update 2011-003 has appeared in Software Update and is available for immediate download and installation. According to KB article HT4657, the update provides a File Quarantine definition for the OSX.MacDefender.A malware and Mac OS X 10.6.7 will now automatically update the definitions on a daily basis. The update will also search for and remove MacDefender and its known variants. If you prefer to defuse your malware manually, be sure to refer to our guide. The update will be available later directly from Apple Downloads, and we'll update this post with a direct link at that time.
Apple to unveil iCloud, iOS 5 on Monday, June 6
Had some doubts that Apple was heading skyward? Those lingering concerns can now be put to rest. Apple has confirmed that it will be announcing iCloud on June 6th, what it's calling an "upcoming cloud services offering." That will be part of the keynote for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, known to the cool kids as WWDC. This is, of course, where everyone has come to expect new iPhones to come to light, but this year we're thinking the focus will be more on software, and indeed Apple's event notice indicates that the big highlights will be Mac OS X Lion and the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5. This is a decidedly non-Apple way to announce something big like iCloud, making us wonder what other surprises Steve Jobs will have for us at the event -- yes, he'll be kicking things off. As ever you can find out as it happens here, live.
Latest build of Mac OS X 10.6.8 hints at Lion upgrade path through Mac App Store
Yesterday we told you that Apple released a third build of Mac OS X 10.6.8 to developers. At the time there were no known issues with the build and developers were asked to focus on AirPort, Networking, Graphics Drivers, QuickTime, VPN, and the Mac App Store. Now it turns out that the Mac App Store may be the biggest component of that 10.6.8 upgrade. German site fscklog was the first to point out that the release notes for the 10.6.8 build specifically notes that this point upgrade to Lion will "Enhance the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion." The release notes all but confirm that Apple will be pushing the Mac App Store as the primary upgrade mechanism for Mac users. Also, if 10.6.8 is released before WWDC, which starts on June 6, it could be a signal that Apple is set to release Mac OS X 10.7 Lion sooner than most people expect -- which is something we've heard they might do. [via Electronista]
Nuance voice samples provide a taste of Lion text-to-speech
As we reported on May 14, Lion Developer Preview 3 includes a number of voices from Nuance's RealSpeak Solo software that can be used for text-to-speech (TTS) operations in the OS. These voices are a good improvement on the existing voices used by Mac OS X, and could point to a greater use of speech recognition and TTS as a user interface feature in Lion and iOS 5. If you have a hankering to hear just how good these voices are, OS X Daily has linked to a number of samples that are available on the NextUp Nuance Sample page, some of which are listed below: • Samantha - American English Female • Serena - British English Female • Sangeeta - Indian English Female • Felix - Canadian French Male • Karen - Australian English Female • Lee - Australian English Male • Yannick - German Male • Monica - Spanish Female • Paolo - Italian Male My current favorite on the list is Karen, the Australian English female voice. What voice do you want to hear coming out of your Mac or iOS device speakers in the future? Let us know in the comments.
Switched On: Chrome alone
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. About a year after the debut of the first Android handset, Switched On discussed the threat that Chrome OS posed to Android. To reprise it briefly: Like chief rivals Apple and Microsoft, Google has two operating systems trying to bridge the rift between consumer electronics and traditional computing, but Chrome is different than Mac OS and Windows in an exceptionally important way. Rather than trying to refine the traditional software experience (as Apple has done with the Mac App Store and other iOS-inspired developments in the queue) or move that experience forward to tablets (as Microsoft is doing with Windows), Chrome OS is not looking to carry forward any legacy beyond the browser. Unlike with Mac OS vs. iOS or Windows vs. Windows Phone, the battle isn't over which apps make sense, but rather the irreconcilable difference around whether apps to begin with. This makes Google's suggestion that the two operating systems might merge at some point less credible, and sent a mixed message to developers about whether to focus their efforts on apps or the web. At Google I/O 2011, however, the company clarified its position.
Apple updates 2011 MacBook Pro firmware to v1.4, fixes stability, Thunderbolt, and Turbo Boost issues
In spite of the "Pro" in its name, Apple's 2011 MBP got off to a bit of a bumpy start for many users. Some encountered problems when outputting video through the Thunderbolt port to their Cinema Displays, while others found the new MacBook Pro freezing up when processing loads got that little bit too intense. The good news is that Apple now has a software update geared to remedying all these maladies, with changes specifically designed to improve graphics stability, 3D performance, and support for external displays and Thunderbolt devices. You can grab the download at the source link below or use Mac OS' built-in Software Update utility to freshen up your laptop with the latest code. [Thanks, Mats] Update: A separate EFI Update (version 2.1) has also been rolled out. This one fixes the perplexing issue some reviewers had reported of seeing Intel's Turbo Boost disabled on some machines. Turns out the problem was related to Boot Camp and Apple has now resolved whatever was causing it. Click below for more info. Thanks, Francesco!
Report: 68% of Mac users running Snow Leopard
As GigaOm points out, a new report from Net Applications shows that 68% of Mac users are running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Mac OS X 10.5 is a distant second at 24%, while Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger holds just 6% of the Mac market. The remaining 2% is made up of Macs running Mac OS X 10.3 or below. For those of you keeping track, the highest ever adoption of a Mac OS was 10.5 Leopard, which reached a 71% Mac market share in July 2009, a month before Snow Leopard shipped. Net Application's numbers are interesting, but I'd like to find out what OS a majority of our readers are running. Vote in the poll below -- and if anyone is still running OS 9, you're gonna have to let me know why in the comments. %Poll-63270%
Rumor: Evidence for a Castle in the 'iCloud' for Lion
French blog Consomac sent us a heads-up that they've done a bit of digging in the current developer preview, searching for further evidence of the suggested Find My Mac feature in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and the fabled iCloud domain name. What they found was fascinating. In searching through Lion's strings for references to Find My Mac, iCloud or MobileMe, they came up with the localized strings seen in the image: "Complete your Castle upgrade," and "Click OK to open System Preferences and complete your upgrade from MobileMe to Castle." Now, as much as we'd love to see Apple's email, calendar and cloud storage offering converted into an ABC romcedural starring the delightfully geeky Nathan Fillion, that might not go over so well with everyone. As Consomac's post suggests, the likeliest explanation for this string set is that 'Castle' is a code name for the next-generation online service offering from Apple. Said online service, naturally, is what we suspect the iCloud domain will be used for in the next OS version -- and chances are we'll see it in action at WWDC. Thanks to Sylvain for the tip.
Shocker! Microsoft commands 79 percent of worldwide OS revenue (update)
Everyone knows that Windows is installed on the vast majority of computers, but it's always interesting to be reminded of what a cash cow the OS has been for Redmond. According to Gartner, Microsoft owned 78.6 percent of the global market revenue share for desktop operating systems at the end of 2010 -- revenue up almost 9 percent from 2009. That means, of the $30.4 billion in revenue that various companies generated, $23.8 billion lined Microsoft's coffers. But while Windows remains the kingpin, Mac OS X and -- wait for it -- Red Hat, posted more substantial gains. Apple's market revenue shot up almost 16 percent to 1.7 percent, Red Hat surged 18 percent, while dark horse Oracle leaped from ninth place to fourth, with a 7,683 percent growth in income -- no small thanks to its 2009 acquisition of Sun Microsystems. Only one question remains, then -- who's the loser here? Update: Looks like we got this one wrong, folks, as it's not market share that's being measured here, but rather revenue share -- how much money each company made from its operating systems relative to one another. That means companies that price their operating systems cheaper will be at a disadvantage in the rankings, not to mention those organizations that charge nothing at all -- Ubuntu, anyone? Oh, and as some of you have pointed out in comments, there are both desktop and server operating systems in the chart above.
App review: Seamless for iOS and Mac (video)
If you're the kind of person who's always listening to music and wouldn't be caught dead headphone-less, pause that song for a quick second and check out Seamless. This lightweight app links your iPhone's Music player to iTunes on your Mac in a pretty clever -- not to mention Cupertino-esque -- fashion. The whole crux of it is the "transition," which simultaneously fades out a song on one end while bringing it to full blast on the other. All it takes to get started is a quick $1.99 download for your i-device and free Mac-centric companion app. Does it work as advertised, or is it really just a gimmick? Head past the break for a quick rundown of just how seamless this utility really is.
Mac OS X Lion feature 'Reading List' to compete with Instapaper and ReadItLater
MacRumors has discovered a new Safari feature that will compete with Instapaper and ReadItLater in the latest Mac OS X Lion Developer build. The feature, called Reading List, allows users to save web pages for later reading. It's represented in the toolbar by the eyeglasses icon to the right. Currently the feature is inactive, but Apple does offer a description of it: "Reading List lets you collect webpages and links for you to read later. To add the current page to your Reading List, click Add Page. You can also Shift-click a link to quickly add it to the list. To hide and show Reading List, click the Reading List icon (eyeglasses) in the bookmarks bar." As MacRumors points out, Apple's implementation looks to be partly based on HTML/js, which off the bat wouldn't allow for synchronization between devices. However, if Apple plans on adding the popular functions of services like Instapaper and ReadItLater into Safari, it's very likely that they will add syncing features as Safari for Mac OS X and iOS are tightly integrated. The image below shows you how items will be displayed in your Reading List.
Possible fix for font issues in 10.6.7
Late last month, a troubling font issue came to light after Apple rolled out version 10.6.7 of Mac OS X. The update appeared to cause problems with the printing and PDF handling of OpenType PostScript fonts. Apple has not officially acknowledged the problem, but a growing thread on Apple's discussion boards details the issues Mac users are experiencing. Good news for those affected by this font problem as forum member KJK555 claims to have a fix. KJK555 has released an installation package that replaces the affected 10.6.7 ATS.framework binaries with the previous 10.6.6 versions. The ATS.framework is involved in the font layout and management of Apple Type Services Before you jump for joy, the initial success rate of this fix is mixed. Some folks claim font issues in apps such as LiveType disappear, while others are still reporting problems with Adobe apps like Acrobat distiller. If you are plagued by this problem and don't want to wait for Apple to roll out an official update, this solution may be worth a try. As always, proceed at your own risk, as there is always the chance of a negative outcome when you start mucking around with system components, such as fonts and printing. If you do bravely forge ahead and apply the fix, give us a shout in the comments and let us know how it works for you. Thanks, Laurie!
10.7 Lion Developer Preview 2 update released
There's a new cat in town: registered Mac OS X developers can now hit Software Update for the just-revised latest update to Lion Developer Preview 2. The prerelease version of Mac OS X 10.7 works with XCode 4.1 Developer Preview 3. If you're a developer but you haven't yet downloaded your Lion installer (and why not?) you can pick up your redemption code in the Mac Dev Center and then download Lion from the Mac App Store at your leisure.
Safari 5.0.5 and Security Update 2011-002 now in Software Update
Seems like the update fairy has been very busy today. In addition to the iOS 4.3.2/4.2.7 updates that appeared moments ago, Mac OS X users can now download Safari 5.0.5 and Security Update 2011-002. Details on these updates are not yet on Apple's security page, but they should be showing up shortly. Please note that both the security update and Safari update require a reboot.
Apple updates Dictionary app in Lion, still has a way to go
AppleInsider has spotlighted some improvements Apple has made to the built-in Dictionary app in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. Among the new features, the actual dictionary files used in the app have been updated from the second edition (2005) of the New Oxford American English Dictionary to the third (2010) edition. The third (2010) edition of the British Oxford Dictionary of English is also included along with the British Oxford Thesaurus of English. The Shogakukan Japanese dictionaries and Apple's own dictionary of trademark and product names have been updated as well. The app now also uses a two-pane display, which makes it easier to navigate between words or phrases. Previously, you would be presented with only a list and have to click back and forth to the list in order to select a new word. Another welcome feature is a pop-up definition preview when a word is searched for using Spotlight. Now, hovering over the word in a Spotlight list displays the full definitions of the word instead of just the first few words of the definition. Apple has also added a new multi-touch trackpad command to its built-in dictionary. Now clicking on a word using three fingers will open up the in-line dictionary panel for that word or open that word in the dictionary app itself (depending on your Dictionary settings). As a writer, I geek out over any improvements Apple makes with its dictionary features. However, I will not rest until Apple adds access to the excellent OneLook Reverse Dictionary from within the Dictionary app itself (much the same way you can access Wikipedia within the app). Sometimes you just want to see a list of words describing "red fruit" without having to manually think of every such word; alternatively, you may know the definition of a word, but not the word itself (such as "urge to travel"). Besides adding a reverse dictionary, I would also love to be able to bookmark favorite words and create word lists where I can group similar words together for quick access. For example, it would be nice to create a list of words or phrases I could possibly use to describe someone who is angrily shouting. I guess I can only hope Apple reads my words.
Mac OS X Lion to tone down the Aqua
The Aqua interface has been a staple of Mac OS X since version 10.0, but now it appears that Apple is toning down the Aqua appearance of its operating system in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. As you can see from the screen shot above, Apple has removed a lot of the Aqua trimmings from drop-down menus; it has also taken the pill-shaped Aqua buttons and given them a more flat, rectangular appearance. In addition to the changes above, Lion has also stripped out OS X's Aqua scroll bars and replaced them with iOS-like scroll bars that fade away when not in use. The white pill button found in the upper-right corner of a Finder or app's window, which shows or hides a window's toolbar, has also now been replaced with a full-screen button. I'm a fan of the new look myself. I'm glad Apple hasn't totally abandoned the Aqua interface, but it's nice that it's been toned down. If you want to see more of the subtle changes listed above, click on over to AppleInsider, which posted the above images.
