Apple just released an update for iMacs sporting either a ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro or a ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics card. According to Apple, the update will "improve system stability" by installing a firmware upgrade on the graphics cards. This does affect the newly released iMacs.
After this update is installed, you should see ROM version: 113-B2250L-259. You can download the update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) on the affected system, or by downloading the installer package directly from Apple.
Apple also notes: To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/iMac ATI Radeon HD Graphics Firmware Update.app). The updater will launch automatically when the Installer closes.
With threeothersoftware updates out the door today already, you could have forgiven Apple for not providing a fourth. However, Apple has also released an updated Firmware Restoration CD (version 1.6) for for a number of Mac models:
Xserve (Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch Late 2007)
iMac (20-inch Mid 2007)
iMac (24-inch Mid 2007)
The Firmware Restoration CD is used to bring the firmware on an Intel-based Macintosh back to factory condition in case of an emergency (such as an interrupted firmware install). Apple makes a note that you cannot use this CD to restore the firmware that has already been successfully applied to your system; this is used only for systems that did not successfully get a firmware update applied.
You can download this update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple's support website.
Please note: To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/iMac EFI Firmware Update.app). The updater will launch automatically when the Installer closes.
Today, Apple updated the EFI Firmware for the entire notebook line. MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air all received the EFI update. Here's what Apple says about the updates:
This update fixes several issues to improve the stability of [MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air] computers.
You can download this update by opening Software Update on your notebook (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from Apple's support website.
Apple also notes: To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/MacBook EFI Firmware Update.app). The updater will launch automatically when the Installer closes.
Today Apple released an update for the Aluminum Keyboards that ship with most of their desktop systems. This update applies to both wired and wireless keyboards. Here's the information that Apple gives us: This firmware update addresses an issue with the aluminum Apple Keyboard and the aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard where a key may repeat unexpectedly while typing. The update also addresses other issues. Mac OS X 10.5.2 is required before installing this update. Please note that as a firmware update, you must download the installer (either by downloading from Apple's website or by opening Software Update). Once the download has succeeded, you will be able to open the installer in the Utilities folder (~/Applications/Utilities/ )
I haven't played with iPhone firmware 1.2/2.0 yet, but I'm told that some developers have encountered what is becoming known as the PSOD: a pink-colored start screen that apparently replaces the "connect to iTunes" graphic you'd normally see before activation.
iPhone hacker AlJaMa wrote in with his how-to method for downgrading a 2.0 iPhone back to 1.1.4. According to AlJaMa, you can put your iPhone into restore mode, do a 1.1.4 restore (use option-Restore to pick the 1.1.4 ipsw package) and be no worse off than getting the Error 1015 we've all come to know and love. iLiberty or INdependence will kick you out of the 1015/recovery mode. The restored phone will continue to work as a phone despite the updated baseband.
AlJaMa warns that you may encounter error -2002. In such a case, he suggests you try restoring to other firmware versions until you get back to the 1015 error.
According to our sister blog, Engadget, the iPhone 2.0 firmware has been seeded to developers. Before this update, the firmware was listed as version 1.2, but now shows up as version 2.0. Engadget says that the update didn't provide many changes: Cisco VPN tweaked, root-level mail / ActiveSync settings were changed around, but not much else.
Yesterday, Apple gave Mac Pro owners an EFI Firmware update. Here's what Apple says about the update:
This update fixes several issues to improve the stability of Mac Pro (Early 2008) computers.
To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update.app). The updater will launch automatically when the Installer closes.
To download the firmware updater, open Software update or download the installer package from Apple's support downloads website.
Yesterday, Apple released an updated Firmware Restoration CD (version 1.5) for all Intel Mac models. The Firmware Restoration CD is used to restore the firmware on an Intel-based Macintosh in case of an emergency (such as an interrupted firmware install).
Apple makes a note that you cannot use this CD to restore the firmware that has already been successfully applied to your system; this is used only for systems that did not successfully get a firmware update applied.
Exchange support works as smoothly as Scott and Mike had hoped, but there's still no two-pane Mail client. The multiple mail message selection works, however, and we finally found out why the Calculator button has changed -- apparently there are a ton of new features in there, including a sideways scientific calcalculator. There are a number of other fun features and improvements as well, although the main event, the App Store, only functions enough to give an error that it can't connect.
June can't come any faster, as far as we're concerned. Bring on the iPhone version 2.0!
The iPhone hacking community is at it again, and they're not going to take the SDK for an answer. The dev team has recently found out how to install and run iPhone firmware 1.2. This is supposedly the SDK-only developer version, which runs the iPhone (Aspen) simulator. Firmware 1.2 may end up re-released as version 2.0 in June, assuming there are no showstopping problems. There is no word yet on how they got access to the firmware, but it is still a cool video, and looks like the real deal. In this video, you can see the following 2.0 features:
However, not shown was the AppStore (which was clearly displayed on the home screen) or the search feature in the contacts list. This video is just a taste of what firmware 2.0 should bring -- it also makes me look forward to getting it in June.
The iPhone Dev Team seems to have stumbled across a hidden feature in the next version of the iPhone firmware. The picture is reminiscent of the iPhone SDK "Organizer" that shows the currently connected iPhone. However, something that's different from the screenshots that we posted is the "Console," "Crash Logs," and "Screenshot" tabs at the top of the window.
The screenshot shows a "Parental Controls" setting inside the "General" iPhone settings. It looks as though you can enable these parental controls and turn on or off:
Playing explicit songs in iPod
Website control in Safari
YouTube control
iTunes Wi-Fi Store control
AppStore control
According to a recent post on the Modmyifone Forum, this is a version of the firmware that was distributed with the SDK (version 1.2) which the forum post seems to believe will be re-issued as firmware 2.0. The forum post also goes on to say that the firmware is jailbroken; however, this has not been confirmed.
Just connected my iPhone to iTunes. More details as they come in.
1:30: I'm downloading the software now... To download directly, the direct links are iPhone and iPod. (Do let me know if I messed either of those up.)
I've decided that my wee little iPod touch will be the update fodder this time--remember last time all the trouble I ended up with when I basically fried my iPhone when going back to 1.1.1 after testing 1.1.3? The things I do for TUAW!
Help requested If any of you are in ADC, please see whether the SDK is available? Thanks!!
Today Apple released a keyboard update for both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro notebooks. In regular Apple style, their release notes are not extremely profuse, "This MacBook and MacBook Pro firmware update addresses an issue where the first key press may be ignored if the computer has been sitting idle. It also addresses some other issues."
Please note, this is a firmware upgrade that will install an application in the utilities folder that you will then, in turn, need to open and follow the on-screen instructions. For a list of MacBooks that may need the update, you can look at the Apple support note.
If you computer has been affect by these issues, or if you are just inclined to installing all Apple updates, you can get this update by opening Software Update (Apple Menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support downloads site.
Cre.ations.net's Nate True wrote a blog post describing what he found inside the iPhone firmware 1.1.3 update. Whilst digging around in the iPhone's firmware innards, he found that Apple has made some startling changes to the iPhone's OS, including:
The SpringBoard doesn't have to be modified to show custom Applications installed on the iPhone
Applications no longer run as root, instead they run as 'mobile'
Preferences are no longer stored in /var/root
True states additionally that he has also found what appears to be widget support in the SpringBoard.app. 'SBWidgetApplication' manages package locations and icons. So, what does this all mean? It might mean that the stars are aligning so properly that this might be the release: the one that makes it possible for 3rd party developers.
Apple just released an update for iMacs sporting either a ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro or a ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics card. According to Apple, the update will "improve system stability" by installing a firmware upgrade on the graphics cards. This does affect the newly released iMacs.
With 
Today Apple released an update for the Aluminum Keyboards that ship with most of their desktop systems. This update applies to both wired and wireless keyboards. Here's the information that Apple gives us: 
According to our sister blog, 
Yesterday, Apple gave Mac Pro owners an EFI Firmware update. Here's what Apple says about the update: 
The 
Cre.ations.net's Nate True wrote a 
