The betas of the next Snow Leopard update continue at a fast and furious pace. Apple has reportedly begun seeding a new build of Mac OS X 10.6.2 to developers, just one week after the previous beta.

The new potential release focuses on graphics issues, specifically relating to drivers, QuartzCore, and ColorSync, as well as hitting issues with the Dock. Apple has identified no outstanding issues with the build, though the company is asking developers to pay special attention to graphics drivers, TrackPad preferences, and virtual machines.

The company says 148 components have been addressed in 10.6.2 betas so far, including issues in Dictionary, Expose, File Sync, Front Row, iPhoto, MobileMe, Parental Controls, QuickTime, Screen Sharing, Spotlight, Time Machine, and USB.

[via MacNN, Apple Insider]

While Jason D. O'Grady considers anything more than ordinatrix inflagrante to be success when he's installing a new operating system, he and others are still reporting on the various and sundry issues that have cropped up since Tuesday's 10.5.7 update:

• I can't find my brain: Some users are reporting that their Buffalo (among other) external disks aren't mounting after installing the update. Solution: Nothing concrete, though many people are suggesting installing the combo update you can download from Apple's site, rather than using Software Update. You can participate in Apple's Support Discussion on the topic if you share this problem. [via MacNN.]

• Blue screen of death: No joke: since the update restarts your computer up to three times, some users are getting hung up on the first blue screen that appears after the gray Apple logo screen. Solution: Wait until disk activity stops, then shut down the computer hard by holding down the power button. [via PowerPage.]

• I was blind, but now I see: The update is causing some video cards to output non-native display resolutions. Instead of outputting 1920 x 1200, instead Mac OS X will try and output 1920 x 1080 (which works fine for HDMI, but not many widescreen displays). Solution: An oldie-but-goodie: Zap the PRAM by holding down command + option + P + R at startup until the computer restarts a few times, then letting go. [also via PowerPage.]

• Cold fusion: VMWare is suggesting people hold off on updating if their configuration includes an ATI graphics card and they use Fusion to run 3D Windows apps. (2D apps are just fine.) Slow and poor rendering and general crashiness are symptoms of the problem. Solution: None yet. Apple and ATI are working on an update. [via MacNN.]

Got problems of your own? Let us know by leaving a comment.

MacNN reports that Rogers Wireless will be revising its iPhone plans on October 1 to include a new 250 minute plan for $60, among other changes.

The new bundles, MacNN says, would feature a $60 plan with:

• 250 daytime minutes
• 75 texts
• 1GB data
• Visual Voicemail
• three months of unlimited local calling
• a permanent MY5 Local option

A $75 plan may also be available, with 400 minutes, 100 texts, and 2GB data.

Early on, Rogers has had a rocky relationship with iPhone customers, many of whom are unhappy with the relatively high cost of plan rates and miniscule data allowances.

Canadian readers: Is this an improvement, or does Rogers still have a long way to go? Let us know by leaving a comment.

If you've ever been to an Apple store, then you know how friendly and helpful the staff are. If you are the friendly type of retail employee in the vicinity of an Apple store, be on the lookout for recruiters from the fruity company.

MacNN reports Apple recruiters have come up with a new strategy for hiring new employees -- just give friendly retail employees at other companies cards with the words "You're amazing. We should talk." on the front of them. On the back, the cards detail how the employee at XYZ company can become an employee for an Apple Store. This definitely helps with the hard work of hiring new Apple employees to fill the nearly 2,400 positions nationwide caused by the nearly 35-40 new stores opened each year.


[via MacNN]

Survivingcinemas.org.uk has uncovered the future location of Apple's first store in Scotland. 147 Buchanan Street, Glasgow will house Scotland's Apple Store as well as a glass spiral staircase and a Genius/iPod bar. This former theater will have an estimated £1,1,68,000 pumped into it to covert it into an Apple store with stainless steel encased ceilings (signage will be approved separately). Interestingly, it would seem that this store will not have a theater which is becoming a trend in new Apple Stores.

[via MacNN]

Yesterday's prelim 4th quarter report was great news for Apple's health as a manufacturer of personal computers - they shipped over 1.6 million Macs, the most ever in a quarter and 30% more than the previous quarter. Today's news of a rise to 6.1 percent market share in the U.S. from Gartner, however, has the Mac web doing the market share dance all over again, as just a year ago this month it was the NPD Group reporting that Apple's U.S. market share - excluding online sales - had risen to 6.6 percent. The confusion ensues when considering MacNN's conflicting report from Gartner claiming Apple's U.S. share just rose to 6.1 percent. Of course where and how these different groups are getting their numbers is unbeknownst to this blogger, but methinks something might have been lost in translation between all these analysts.

Still, while market share numbers might be getting a little fuzzy as of late, we can at least trust Apple's announcement of selling the most.Macs.evar in a quarter, and that's alright with me.

Hot on the heels of the WWDC '06 Stevenote the Macweb was in a tizzy. Didn't Steve look a little sickly on stage? Why did he include so many other Apple execs in the keynote? Could this mean that Steve is in ill health?

Katie Cotton, Apple's VP of worldwide corporate communications (she never calls, she never writes), told InformationWeek that, 'Steve's health is robust and we have no idea where these rumors are coming from.'

So there you have it, Steve is fine but I bet he is a wee bit preoccupied.

[via MacNN]