SnowLeopard
Latest
Apple seeds fourth Mac OS X 10.6.7 beta build to developers
AppleInsider is reporting that Apple has seeded another beta build of Mac OS X 10.6.7 to developers for testing. Build 10J855 comes just over a week after the previous beta release. This is the fourth build of 10.6.7 to be released within the last four weeks. Apple is requesting that developers continue to test AirPort, SMB file sharing, Bonjour, graphics drivers and the Mac App Store application. No known issues are reported with this build. The combo build weighs in at 1 GB and 412.6 MB for the delta build. [Via MacRumors]
Switchers: Get "Learn the Switch to Mac" for a buck in the Mac App Store
We've been hearing a lot about how many new Mac users there are. During the January first-quarter financial call, for example, we heard that not only were Mac sales up 23 percent over the same quarter a year earlier, but about half of the Macs sold in Apple Stores during that quarter were to people who had never owned a Mac before. For people switching from PCs to Macs, there's not a lot of help available other than scheduling a One-to-One session at the local Apple Store or begging assistance from a Mac-owning friend. For a while, though, developer Saied Ghaffari and his company It's About Time Products have had a Mac app available that can help switchers learn how to make the most of Mac OS X and many of the built-in apps. The app, called "Learn the Switch to Mac," has been available in a special bundle with Parallels Desktop for US$99. It uses the tested learning method of showing someone how to perform an action, then letting them try that action themselves. Saied explains how you'd do something in Windows, then demonstrates the similar action in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Saied has now made the app available (without Parallels Desktop) in the Mac App Store at an introductory price of $0.99. The normal price for the Mac App Store edition of "Learn the Switch to Mac" will be $24.95, so if you are interested in learning more about your new Mac or helping out a friend who has just purchased his or her first Mac, let them know about this great deal. A video explaining how the app works can be viewed on the next page.
Apple seeds third Mac OS X 10.6.7 beta build to developers
Mac OS X beta build 10J850 has been seeded to developers for testing by Apple. This is the third beta build of 10.6.7 to be released to developers in just under two weeks. The previous beta, build 10J846, was seeded to developers just over a week ago. As reported by MacRumors, Apple is requesting that developers continue to test AirPort, SMB file sharing, Bonjour, graphics drivers and the Mac App Store application. No known issues are reported with this build. Build 10J850 weighs in at 1011.8 MB for the combo update and 376.9 MB for the delta update. For the rest of us non-developers, the official public release of 10.6.7 can't be too far away, can it? And let's not forget, we've got OS X Lion to look forward to in the not so distant future, too!
New version of Mac OS X 10.6.7 beta to developers
9to5 Mac reports that the next version of Mac OS X 10.6.7 was seeded to developers on Monday. Build 10J846 comes just days after the first build was released. At the time, developers were encouraged to test AirPort, Bonjour, SMB file sharing and graphics drivers. Build 10J846 clocks in at 372 MB for the delta update and 1011 MB for the combo update.
Apple seeds first Mac OS X 10.6.7 beta to developers
Apple Insider reports that Apple seeded the first beta of Mac OS X 10.6.7 to developers on Thursday. The beta is Build 10J842 and weighs in at 338.6MB for download. According to those familiar with the build, Apple indicates that there are no known issues, but developers have reportedly been encouraged to specifically test AirPort, Bonjour, SMB file sharing, and graphics drivers. It could be some time before we see the release of 10.6.7 to the general Mac public. It's just over two weeks since Apple released Mac OS X 10.6.6 which included the release of the Mac App Store. However, with no known issues reported, it could be sooner than expected. Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, the next version of Mac OS X, is expected sometime this summer.
Mac App Store hits one million downloads on day one
Apple's just announced that its freshly baked Mac App Store's already hit the one million download mark on its launch day, with more than 1,000 titles -- including both free and paid apps -- up for grabs. Can't say we're surprised, really, especially with popular apps like Angry Birds, Flight Control, and Twitter presumably taking a good chunk out of the bandwidth. In case you're still wondering what the deal is, feel free to take a look at our Mac App Store hands-on.
Mac App Store generating error messages instead of app purchases? Here's the fix
Oh, this ain't cool. According to the roughly gazillion complaints we received this morning upon the launch of Apple's Mac App Store, users are seeing the ol' "unknown error occurred (100)" message when first launching the store after the upgrade. According to TUAW, it's a problem with the iTunes Terms and Conditions -- which some users aren't getting prompted to accept, hence the error message. What should you do if you get the error? Quit the store and reload it. If that doesn't work, folks are finding that rebooting and then launching the store again does the trick.
Apple's Mac App Store goes live
Well it's official boys and girls -- Apple's Mac App Store is live as of this morning, and available to use and abuse via a Snow Leopard update (version 10.6.6 to be exact). The OS X application market takes the company's wildly successful iOS App Store to its logical conclusion, bringing an orderly, structured app buying experience to desktops and laptops across the globe. The Store will launch with over 1,000 titles, including Apple standards like the iLife suite broken out into separate parts (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand) selling for $14.99 each, Pages, Keynote, and Numbers for $19.99 apiece, and the bank-breaking Aperture for $79.99. Of course there'll also be third-party apps present at launch, including Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Pixelmator, Cheetah 3D, and Flight Control HD (yes, a port of the iPad version). The software itself will be a separate application that functions much like the App Store, providing update notifications and a universal installation process. That process, mind you, will be part of the requirements for getting your application into the store, along with Apple's famous content policies -- so we're sure we'll see some irate devs with painful rejection stories. Or maybe not. We know that the company is planning on getting lots of familiar developers into the Store, but we also know that some of what Apple is looking for may not gel with, say... Adobe's installation procedures (or worse). Regardless, right now the number of apps available is small, but you can expect it to grow fast now that every Mac user will get a crack at this software. We're going to be doing a much deeper dive on the experience and report back -- until then, if you're using it, let us know what you think in comments.
USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0)
It took LaCie nearly a full year to ship the 2big USB 3.0 RAID drive -- a device that was announced in the fall of 2009 -- but now that it's here, it's being accompanied by a concept that actually far outshines the unit itself: USB 3.0 on a Mac. For whatever reason, Apple has refused to offer SuperSpeed USB on any of its machines, even a fully specced-out Mac Pro costing well north of $10,000. We've seen purported emails from Steve Jobs noting that USB 3.0 just isn't mainstream enough to sweat just yet, but coming from the guy who's still bearish on Blu-ray, we get the feeling that it'll be quite some time far too long before Apple finally caves and upgrades from USB 2.0. We're obviously no fans of the holdout -- after all, even a few sub-$500 netbooks are enjoying the SuperSpeed spoils already -- so we couldn't have possibly been more excited to hear that a longstanding storage vendor was about to fill the void that Cupertino continues to ignore. We were able to pick up a LaCie USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card as well as a 4TB (2 x 2TB) 2big USB 3.0 drive and put the whole setup through its paces on our in-house Mac Pro. Care to see how it stacked up against USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800? Head on past the break for the grisly details. %Gallery-111542%
Apple Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.5
Apple today released another Digital Camera RAW Compatibility update. Version 3.5 provides RAW format compatibility for imaging applications like Aperture and iPhoto for these new cameras: Canon PowerShot G12 Leica D-Lux 5 Leica V-Lux 2 Nikon D7000 Nikon COOLPIX P7000 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 These cameras have been added to the list of digital camera RAW files supported by Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, and are in addition to those currently listed on Apple's Support website. You can view the list of supported cameras here, or download the update from MacUpdate.
Apple Mac App Store: open for business starting January 6th
Consider the rumors quelled. Despite whispers that Apple would be starting up the Mac App Store in the final year of this decade (or the first of the next, depending on perspective), the Cupertino giant has just affirmed that it'll be 2011 before the general populace gets to dig their hands into it. January 6th is the opening date for the Mac App Store, and unfortunately for those still humming along on OS X 10.5, it'll be a Snow Leopard-only affair. Smack dab in the middle of CES, Apple plans to unleash the store in 90 countries, and it'll feature "paid and free apps in categories like Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity and Utilities." Naturally, it'll be a free update, and it'll work more or less exactly like the App Store does on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. As with those outlets, developers are able to set their own prices and then keep 70 percent of the revenue (provided it's a paid app). So, who's ready to blow a little Santa cash to ring in the new year?
Keepin' it real fake: 'MacBook Pro' runs 'OS X,' dodges questions on 'legitimacy'
Oh, sure -- we've seen a litany of knockoff MacBook Pro units, but how's about one that actually ships with OS X? As the level of nerve skyrockets towards infinity, an unnamed manufacturer in an unnamed section of China seems to be hawking a lookalike MBP with Snow Leopard onboard -- a feat that even Psystar couldn't achieve for long. As the story goes, around $466 buys you a 14-inch machine with a paltry 1.66GHz Atom D510 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and NVIDIA's Ion 2 graphics platform. Oh, and a glowing Apple logo on the lid. Unfortunately, the dodgy specifications list seems somewhat reluctant to "admit" that "OS X" is actually loaded on, but it's there. Trust us. We think.
10.6.5 server update back online, with a small security tweak
The Mac OS X Server 10.6.5 update is back online, now marked v1.1 and with an incremented build number. It's available through Software Update and for download after fixing a memory aliasing issue in Dovecot's handling of user names. We reported earlier that the 10.6.5 Server update was pulled briefly, coincident with reports of a number of issues. These included problems with Whole Disk Encryption, DNS resolution issues, LDAP/Open Directory master hiccups and remote connection drops. It's not clear yet whether the revised update is only associated with the reported security issue, or if it's going to address the other problems reported. Our advice: Wait a few days before applying, use a non-production server to test, and back up first.
10.6.5 Server update pulled by Apple
Update: Version 1.1 of the 10.6.5 updater is online. If you're going with it, best to use the Combo updater. If you were listening in on the Talkcast last night, you heard Steve relay a tale of woe from a client who rushed to update his server to the latest Snow Leopard build, 10.6.5, only to encounter a slew of Open Directory problems -- and with no backup to revert to safely. (Let it go forth from this time and place: Do Not Do This.) Seems like his buddy may not have been alone in finding the update less than ideal: AppleInsider reports that the update has been "quietly pulled" from Apple's servers. The problems with the update, as reported on Apple's discussion boards, include DNS resolution issues, LDAP/Open Directory master hiccups and remote storage/server connection drops. None of it good, and none of it immediately subject to workarounds; let's hope there's a patch to the patch sometime very soon.
Apple contributing to OpenJDK project, ensures continued Java availability on OS X
As of just a few weeks ago, Java's legacy of write once, debug everywhere was looking in doubt. Apple's flavor of the Java 6 runtime was deprecated and all those .class and .jar files on Macs were looking like they'd swirl to a lingering death in the great coffee pot in the sky. That all changes today with an announcement from both Apple and Oracle that Cupertino developers will "contribute most of the key components" for OpenJDK Java SE 7 implementations on 32- and 64-bit flavors of OS X, with runtime virtual machines set to cover both Snow Leopard and the upcoming Lion release. Additionally, Apple will continue to make the SE 6 version of Java available, while Oracle will take over responsibility for ownership and distribution of version 7 and those to come. Makes sense -- Apple might be pulling away from the enterprise and server markets, but there are lots of Java devs using Mac OS X out there, and it's only natural for Oracle to pick up support for them.
AirPrint: how to make it work for shared printers
Update: The clever fellows over at Netputing bundled the files together with a snazzy install/uninstall button to produce AirPrint Hactivator, which takes care of all the under the hood business for you. The same caveats apply: remember that you are installing obsolete/beta system files, use at your own risk, and if you'd prefer a supported product there are options. Mac OS X 10.6.5 was released yesterday, and one of the features it was expected to bring to the table was support for AirPrint, a new feature in iOS 4.2 that was supposed to enable wireless printing from an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Unfortunately, whether it's because of technical problems or patent trolling, Apple pulled support for this feature at the last minute. In its current incarnation, AirPrint in iOS 4.2 will now only work with specific printers that come with AirPrint functionality built-in... and you probably don't own one of those. iOS 4.2 hasn't been officially released yet, but some enterprising developers, Steven Troughton-Smith and Patrick McCarron, have already found a way to re-enable AirPrint functionality in Mac OS X 10.6.5. Apparently, three files from earlier developer builds of 10.6.5 were removed or altered for the final public release, and it's these files that are essential to restoring full AirPrint functionality. Click "Read More" for a walkthrough on how to enable AirPrint. The usual caveat: This procedure involves a moderate degree of peril, and TUAW cannot help you if you mess up your system. Proceed at your own risk.
Mac OS X 10.6.5 update available now
And look at what we have here! That's right, the rumored Mac OS X 10.6.5 update is dropping as we speak. What this will mean for the impending iOS release (and the whole AirPrint thing) remains to be seen, but in the meantime you can get started now if you want to ooh and ahh at the various implemented fixes, including improved Microsoft Exchange server reliability, improved MainStage performance ("on certain Macs"), and various security improvements. For more info, hit that source. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Critical security warning issued for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Computerworld reports that security researchers from CoreLabs have publicly released details on a critical security flaw in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, an older version of the Mac's operating system. Curiously, the security flaw in Leopard is quite similar to a flaw we reported on back in August, which allowed easy-as-pie browser-based jailbreaking of iOS devices. CoreLabs became aware of the flaw in Leopard and informed Apple only a couple weeks after Apple patched a similar hole in iOS 4; according to those same researchers, Apple has had more than enough time since then to patch the flaw in Leopard. That the flaw remains unpatched was the researchers' motivation for sounding the alarm publicly. The current version of Mac OS X, 10.6 Snow Leopard, is not vulnerable to this exploit. Those using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard will remain vulnerable until Apple offers a security update for the older OS, which theoretically should be coming soon (reportedly, Apple has developed a patch and is simply waiting to release it). As it stands now, Mac OS X Leopard's vulnerability could potentially leave the OS vulnerable to malware or remote attacks. More specific information is available on CoreLabs' website.
Drowning in information? Tags can help
If you're anything like me you have lots and lots of information. Endless folders and files are scattered about, and while Spotlight in Mac OS X is very helpful, it's not a perfect fit for every situation. One solution I've found very helpful is Tags, from Gravity Apps. Our own Brett Terpstra took a look at version 1 of the program back in January of 2009, and now the app has been updated to make it even more useful. Click here to see what's changed in this new version. Tags is a system-wide method of tagging just about anything on your Mac for easy retrieval. The real power comes from associating different file types that you may want to relate, like a web page, photo, contact and note. The tagging easily takes place from within the application, and requires a couple of keystrokes. Control-Space bar brings up the tagging GUI, and Option-Space bar triggers the search menu. If those hot-keys conflict with something else you use, they can be easily changed.
AppleJack startup utility now works with Snow Leopard
In the hustle and the bustle of last week's full-court press press, there was a bit of Mac news worthy of mention: the indispensable AppleJack single-user utility has been updated for compatibility with Snow Leopard. If you never need AppleJack, you'll be happier, but if and when you do need it there's no doubt it can save your sanity (and your Mac). Developed by Kristofer Widholm with an assist from Steve Anthony, the AppleJack utility can only be run when you boot your Mac into single-user mode (by holding down the S and Command keys during startup). It will allow you to clean caches, run repairs and generally happy-make your unhappy Mac. The tool is open-source and free, so go get it. [hat tip to TidBITS]
