We're seeing a lot of updates to navigation applications, and the latest is for the CoPilot Live app [iTunes link] for the iPhone. As promised, the company has updated the map data to fix mistakes or omissions that were reported by users. The latest update also adds iPod controls within the app, which many users were requesting.

The update fixes a reported address search issue, improves GPS reception and makes some improvements to the user interface.

The previous version of the U.S. $34.99 app added text to speech and a better method of text entry.

As we've mentioned before, the competition in nav apps is going to get very interesting if Apple allows the Google nav app into the app store. It will be free, and has a host of features that are not currently available in the paid apps that are shipping for the iPhone now.

With the FCC watching the relationship between Google and Apple, I'm thinking Apple will have to let the app in, but Apple has surprised me before, and not always in a positive way.

Regardless of some of the breathless comments coming out about the Apple TV 3.0 update, it appears that Apple TV is still a "hobby" to Apple. That is my impression after updating my Apple TV this afternoon and giving it a short run around the block.

To start with, I need to qualify this post with a quick reminder that I rarely use my Apple TV. But the gyrations I went through to get it updated are an indication that it still needs a real update, not just a facelift.

I began the update by turning on my Panasonic Viera Plasma TV and flipping the various switches to get the Apple TV on the display. Shortly after, the Apple TV woke up from a few months of sleep and I began flipping screens to find the Update button. I saw something that said "Downloads," and decided that was where I needed to go.

It asked for my Apple ID and password, and then told me I had the password wrong or it couldn't find the Apple ID. All of this was done not by typing on a keyboard, but by using the old white plastic Apple remote to pick one letter at a time off of a grid of letters and numbers. So much for Apple's vaunted skills in user interface design...

Engadget is reporting what everyone who has a twitchy refresh button already knows: iTunes 9.0.2 is out, bringing support to Apple TV 3.0. The iTunes update is available through Software Update, and the Apple TV update is right there in the box that says "Apple TV" on it.

The Apple TV update refreshes the look of the main menu, Genius Mixes and internet radio. It also adds iTunes Extras and LP support. Here's the official press release.

Notice any other new stuff? Tell us in the comments.

Our sharp-eyed iPhone goddess, Erica Sadun, alerted us to the fact that there's a small, but potentially important, update that has just shown up in Software Update.

Performance Update 1.0 "addresses intermittent hard drive-related stalls reported by a small number of customers." It may not show up for you, unless you have one of the following Macs:

MacBook Air (Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009), iMac (20-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008), MacBook Air (Late 2008), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008), iMac (24-inch, Early 2009), iMac (20-inch, Early 2009), Mac mini (Early 2009)

If you own one of these models, be sure to load the update at your earliest convenience, especially if you have experienced the problem described in the update notes.

Thanks to Erica and to Joachim Bean, who provided the link to the Apple KB article.

It looks like another day with another update from Apple. This time, iMovie has been updated to version 8.0.5. This updates fixes some minor issues, as well as improve compatibility with the 5th generation iPod nano and some camcorders

These fixes include:

• Improved compatibility with camcorders using the iFrame video format

• Improved compatibility with importing video captured on the iPod nano

• Fixed problems with resizing the iMovie window during playback

This update available and recommended for all users of iMovie '09, it's around 36MB, and it's available through Software Update or the Apple Support Downloads page.

Thanks Mike for the tip!

Apple has just released an update to Logic Pro, revving it to version 9.0.2. This update provides numerous fixes and enhancements, as well as addressing several issues.

These fixes include:

• Flex Markers can align & snap to MIDI notes

• Performing a punch-in recording with Replace Mode now behaves correctly

• The I/O plug-in adds an option for latency measurement

• TDM plug-ins now behave as expected. (Only affects users with Pro Tools HD audio hardware.)

It's 183MB, and is available through Software Update or the listing on the Apple Support Downloads page. This update is available for all users of Logic Studio 9.0 and later, which was released this July.

In the last few days, two builds of Mac OS X 10.6.2 Snow Leopard have been seeded to the Mac developer community. The latest build, 10C591F, is 456.8 MB in size and adds about a dozen changes to the fifty or so tweaks in the prior build.

Apple has asked developers to test nearly 150 specific areas in order to make the new version of Snow Leopard as clean as possible. Known issues that are outstanding and have yet to be addressed include Core Data output, video corruption, and occasional hangs within System Preferences.

With another release of Snow Leopard pending, I thought we could have a little fun with a poll. Given that it took 88 days for 10.5.2 to hit Software Update after the initial release of Leopard, it may be too soon for another Snow Leopard cub to show up (November 24th would be 88 days). Of course, the past isn't any indication of future Apple OS release dates, so your guess is going to be as good as mine. If we don't have a date range listed that's you think is plausible, let us know what your guess is in the comments.

VMWare has pushed out another update to Fusion, the popular virtualization app.

Version 2.06 was released yesterday. The 289 MB download includes multiple fixes for running Fusion in a 32-bit Snow Leopard environment. The release includes enhancements for better 3D performance on Macs with Nvidia cards under Snow Leopard.

There are also the usual assortment of other bug fixes.

You can download the update here for free if you're a registered Fusion user. You can get detailed release notes from VMWare at this page. Users who upgrade should note that VMWare Tools does not automatically update when you do the upgrade. You'll have to install the tools from the Fusion menu bar.

When I opened my older version of Fusion this morning I was not alerted to the update, which was a bit of a surprise. Your mileage may vary, so I and am passing the info along to you in case you don't get flagged on it.

Happy downloading.

iWork.com, Apple's service for sharing documents from iWork '09 to the Internet, which our own Dave Caolo posted about it's shortcomings just last week, received an update a few days ago along with iWork '09. It added a few new features and improvments to the service, which is still in beta.

They include:

• Automatic email notification. Now the iWork.com beta lets you stay up to date whenever viewers add new comments or notes to your posted documents. You can choose to be notified immediately, hourly, or daily.

• Enhanced security. Automatic 128-bit SSL encryption now safeguards communication between you and your viewers via iWork.com. You can also password-protect documents you share on iWork.com-so even if someone has a link to your document, they won't be able to view it without the password you supply.

• Refined user interface. The redesigned Shared Documents page includes thumbnail previews so you can more easily identify your shared iWork files. You can also organize your shared documents by date, name, size, or comments received. And you can now access all your shared documents by signing in at www.iwork.com.

You should be able to use these new improvements once you've updated to the latest version of iWork '09, if you haven't already done so.

Also, Apple has set up a new iWork.com news page, where you can get updates on iWork and the iWork.com service.

Hopefully, these improvements will further advance the iWork.com service.

• Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.
• Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.
• Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.
• Fixes a problem syncing Podcasts in playlists to iPod or iPhone.
• Fixes a problem sorting albums with multiple discs.
• Addresses an issue with the Zoom button not switching to Mini Player.
• Improves application syncing for iPod touch and iPhone.
• Genius is now automatically updated to show Genius Mixes.

The update is close to 90 MB, and like the previous iTunes 9 build it requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 and up, or Windows XP + newer. Note that the Mac version requires Safari 4 as well as QuickTime 7.6.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

One of my favorite little utilities has been updated to fully support Mac OS X 10.6.1. Default Folder X makes it easy to navigate when both saving and opening files, and it has saved me constant hours of prowling around for folders where I save and open stuff. It's been particularly valuable when I'm working on a new book, because I have graphics and text strewn all over the place in folders on multiple disks.

This new update also adds improved capabilities in Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5. In Snow Leopard I saw some nasty strange screen drawing anomalies, and that is now fixed with this most recent version. The developers also say there are improvements when using Final Cut Pro, QuickTime Player 7, and other applications that export files using QuickTime.

You can try the utility for free for 30 days. Otherwise it is US $34.95, or $14.95 for users of versions bought before June 1, 2007.

It's nice to see this utility updated, and while I love it dearly, it would have been so nice if more of this functionality had been built in to OS X natively. Until then, Default Folder X is a great solution for opening and saving files in a completely quick and sane manner.

There are quite a lot of posts on the Apple support forums discussing whether nor not the upgrade to iPhone OS 3.0 and later releases has trashed the GPS functionality of the device.

At last count there were 24 pages, a high percentage from users in Europe who claim that moving to 3.0 eliminated GPS functions, and all they get is Wi-Fi geolocation or cellular network triangulation.

As often happens, the passion devolves to nasty comments going back and forth, but clearly, some people are having a GPS problem which Apple is not acknowledging as a bug. They are giving some people new phones, but others aren't getting them because their iPhones are out of warranty.

Here's a typical comment from one poster:

"I could not get a satellite GPS (blinking blue dot) on my iPhone, while two other phones running 3.0 like me, got it within seconds. So I returned my unit, and got it replaced. The new phone got a correct GPS signal at once and according to MotionX GPS it was correct within 8 meters.

This leads me to the conclusion that OS 3.0 makes GPS not work on some iPhones (not all). Replacing the unit was the only solution for me, and it worked.

I recommend it to anyone who never (or almost never) get a GPS satellite signal."

Some are blaming their cell service provider, others are blaming Apple. Others are saying it was fixed by the recent version 3.1 update. Of course, with any new hardware/software there are problems, and with millions sold, a lot of reports will surface. What's odd here is that some people are solving it with resets, some with new phones, others with turning 3G off. There just doesn't seem to be any consistency in the solutions, which is probably driving Apple crazy.

Hope these folks get this problem sorted out, and Apple dives in and finds a solutions, or more likely, solutions.

Thanks to Torstein in Norway for the tip

Appearing alongside the Mac OS X 10.6.1 update, Apple released another update today: Security Update 2009-004 is out for users of Leopard and Tiger. This update patches several vulnerabilities, including the security issue with Flash that was also part of Mac OS 10.6.1.

It's available now through Software Update and is applicable for Mac OS X Leopard, Tiger (PPC and Intel) and Tiger Server (PPC and Universal).

Although it seems like just yesterday (or at least a few days ago) that Snow Leopard debuted, the hotly anticipated 10.6.1 has just hit the ground running. 10.6.1 introduces a number of bug fixes and tweaks for "the stability, compatibility, and security" of your Mac. Highlights include:

• Printer compatibility enhancements for printers that do not properly appear in the Add Printer browser.
• Bug fix for DVD playback (when playback stops abruptly)
• Bug fix for the Dock (bug prevents removal of icons from the Dock)
• Bug fix for account set up and sending mail via SMTP servers in Mail
• Bug fix for Sierra Wireless 3G modems
• Adobe Flash Player update (new plug-in version 10.0.32.18)

The Flash update is particularly important. "Multiple issues exist in the Adobe Flash Player plug-in, the most serious of which may lead to arbitrary code execution when viewing a maliciously crafted web site. The issues are addressed by updating the Flash Player plug-in to version 10.0.32.18." Further information is available via the Adobe web site.

The download is now live via Software Update.

iPhone OS 3.1 made the scene today at the Apple event, with a number of new features and fixes that should make iPhone owners happy (and iPod touch owners -- although for them, the version number is 3.1.1 instead). After a slow start to the download, I was able to get the update loaded onto my iPhone 3GS and I gave some of the new features a test drive.

The first big new feature is the Genius for Apps. To turn it on, you go to the Featured screen the App Store, and click the Genius button at the top of the display. After approving the license agreement, Genius is up and running, and clicking on the Genius button gives you a list of what it considers to be good suggestions based on what I have purchased. I wasn't very happy with the first list it produced (see screenshot at right), since I don't live in NYC, don't read Time, and really don't want something called The Most Useless App Ever.

The Genius lets you refine this list by swiping items to remove them. I did notice by the third screen of suggestions that the Genius was starting to pick apps that were more my style, so I think it's going to work out.

Read on for more impressions of 3.1.