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software-update posts

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Software, Odds and ends, iTunes, Apple, Developer

iTunes 8.2 to include Blu-ray support?


Update: Our bad... the date on the MacRumors comment was in late April, and this recycled up into our queue due to an editing mixup. Apologies –Ed.

There's a new iTunes beta version out in developers' hands straight from Apple, and a forum poster over at Mac Rumors found a little something fun in the About screen: a reference to Gracenote's ability to identify Blu-ray discs. Gracenote is the service that IDs your CDs when you import them into iTunes, so you don't have to sit there and type all the track names and artist information in. Apparently Apple is mentioning that not only CDs and DVDs, but also Blu-ray discs, will get information from Gracenote in the latest version of iTunes.

This doesn't mean that Apple will adapt Blu-ray as a standard (though it would probably be about time, don't you think?). But it should mean that the future version of iTunes will include Blu-ray support, so if you happen to have a Blu-ray drive hooked up to your Mac, you'll be able to read or play the discs via iTunes.

It could just mean that Apple has upgraded the Gracenote version in their app, however, and that they have no plans to actually use it -- the text in the About screen could just be a boilerplate cut-and-paste from some required Gracenote documentation that happens to include "Blu-ray." We'll have to wait and see just what shows up in 8.2 when it eventually releases to the public.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, OS, Software, Odds and ends, Software Update

Nvidia Quadro FX 4800 requires 10.5.7, which should be out soon

Sunday night on the Talkcast, we approached the rumors of a 10.5.7 release coming soon, and all pretty much agreed that yes -- whatever is in it, it's very likely coming soon. Here's another rumble of thunder that hints at the storm: Nvidia announced a brand new card recently for Macs, called the Quadro FX 4800 -- it offers "ultra fast performance," "realistic effect," and tons of triangles and all of the other things that comes along with a video card that looks more like a Flip Mini than an actual set of circuits.

But most importantly, under "Drivers and Downloads," you can see that the Mac drivers require Leopard 10.5.7. Combine that with all of the other speculation flying around, and odds are that we'll see a new version of the OS in Software Update as soon as later today.

Thanks, Daniel N!

Filed under: Software Update, Leopard

Mac OS X 10.5.6 is available via Software Update

Apple's support page and Software Update appear to be a little bit hammered --- you know what that means: A new OS update!

Mac OS X 10.5.6 has just been released to Software Update. The ~190 MB update (assuming you are already running the latest version of OS X) offers up the following, according to Apple's Support Page:

  • Various improvements to performance and stability in Mail.app, iCal, Airport and Safari
  • Graphical improvements
  • DVD player performance improvements
  • A new Trackpad panel in System Preferences for portable Macs
  • Time Machine and MobileMe improvements
  • Other various fixes.

The whole support page lays out the improvements with more accuracy than we often see from Apple and there are security updates too.

My download has just finished and my dock is bouncing, so I'm off to update my system. Post your results in the comments!

Thanks Tyler and Mike!

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Freeware, iTunes, Software Update, Bad Apple, Apple

Is Apple pushing Safari 3.1 on Windows users?


If you run iTunes or QuickTime on your Windows PC, but not Safari, you might have seen an uninvited guest show up in the Apple Software Update earlier this week. Yes, Apple thinks you need yet another browser. They tried to slip the new Safari 3.1 in for iTunes owners, a move that has some Windows users up in arms.

Cybernet reminds us that this wasn't quite unexpected -- Steve did say that Apple had made inroads on Windows with iTunes, and that they planned to use those inroads to send Safari around. The only problem is that, while yes, the button and the text do say "Install," the program is usually used for "updating" software, and so getting new software with the deal wasn't something a lot of users expected. And users who don't do anything but the default (I can guarantee you that, since I bought my mother an iPod for Christmas, my parents now have Safari 3.1 installed on their PC, despite the fact that they still aren't quite sure how that Firefox I installed for them works), are basically getting software they didn't plan to have.

Sneaky unwanted software scheme, or just a not-so-subtle hint to Windows users that they could be using a better browser? You decide. I just know that I'm going to be paying a little closer attention to exactly what my Software "Update" is updating (or "installing") from now on.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Filed under: Software, iTunes, Software Update, Apple

iTunes 7.6.1 is out

Update-addicts listen up: it's that time again, as iTunes 7.6.1 has hit Software Update. For a change, the release notes take up a good few paragraphs (at least on first inspection). Skipping the Apple TV marketing spiel, however, the release notes for this update amount to "several bug fixes and improve[d] compatibility with Apple TV software version 2.0." -- music to your ears if you've been experiencing issues.

The 44MB update for Apple's ubiquitous jukebox is available now through Software Update, and presumably Apple's Download pages momentarily.

Thanks to all those who sent this in!

Filed under: OS, Software Update, Apple

10.5.2 in Software Update right now

Apple has dropped a 10.5.2 update out on Software Update. The patch has a number of different bugfixes all across the OS, from Dashboard and Airport improvements all the way to a menubar option in Time Machine and the disabling of GrowlMail 1.1.2 or earlier "to avoid security issues fix 1.1.2 from crashing growlmail."

My Software Update is apparently taking its sweet time downloading the patch, but other TUAWers have already grabbed it and gotten rolling. Welcome to 10.5.2!

UPDATE: Chris Forsythe from Growl notified us that it wasn't a security issue with Growl.

Filed under: Software Update, Apple

Apple posts iWork updates

If you're an iWork 08 user, then you may want to run a software update, as Apple has just pushed out updates for all three applications. As ever, there's hugely informative release notes: for Pages 3.0.2 and Numbers 1.0.2 "[t]his update addresses compatibility with Mac OS X" while the Keynote 4.0.2 update "primarily addresses performance issues while playing or exporting presentations."

On the TUAW Intel testbed here in the UK, the updates weigh in at 32.4MB, 29.3MB and 27.4MB for Keynote, Pages and Numbers respectively.

Keynote 4.0.2 at Apple.com
Pages 3.0.2 at Apple.com
Numbers 1.0.2 at Apple.com

Thanks to all those who sent this in!

Filed under: Software, Leopard

Mac OS X 10.5.1 released to Software Update

The truth is out there, so they say, and so is Mac OS X 10.5.1. There's a 39 MB download in Software Update now (your size may vary, depending on installed components) or a 110 MB version downloadable direct from Apple.

Changes listed at Apple or after the break. Please, please check your backups before updating. Let's be careful out there.

Thanks Aaron, Jonathan and everyone else who is sending this in.

Continue readingMac OS X 10.5.1 released to Software Update

Filed under: Software, iMac, Software Update, Apple

iMac Software Update 1.2.1 (Tiger) is available

Here's a rather specific update for iMac users running Tiger (specifically, 20-inch and 24-inch aluminum iMacs with 2.0, 2.4, or 2.8 GHz processors). According to Apple, Update 1.2.1 "...improves the performance and reliability of graphics-intensive games and applications and fixes an issue that some customers encountered when installing Mac OS X Leopard after applying iMac Software Update 1.2."

Check software update if you meet the criteria. Let us know if you have any problems.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Software, Software Update, Leopard

Leopard delivery delays hit some areas


Brian A. sent a tip to say he called his FedEx delivery manager in Huntsville, AL, and they told him that they were backed up with Leopard deliveries. Apparently, they weren't able to make the 10:30 AM deadline in some areas, and though delivery is still scheduled for sometime this afternoon, they'll be showing up late. How late? We're not sure, but hopefully not too late for Apple stores to receive their copies. Hopefully, this is just a hiccup in shipping, and not the start of a widespread delay.

In other news, reader Don also had a problem with his Leopard delivery-- when checking his tracking number with FedEx online, he noticed to his dismay that someone named "Ramirez" had already signed for his package (and he doesn't know anyone named Ramirez). He called Apple and they blamed FedEx, saying that FedEx was reusing tracking numbers, and the signature Don was seeing was for a different package.

And even if you have your copy, you may still be having problems-- Paul got his copy in Australia last night, but says Software Update has been zerged to death. With so many people trying to sign on and get their new apps, it may be a rough road for installers this weekend. Good luck out there.

Update: We've also heard about a delay out of Indy. If you were expecting Leopard in the US by 10:30am, odds are you don't have it yet.

Filed under: Software

Apple Remote Desktop 3.2 is available

If you've got Apple Remote Desktop installed, launch Software Update. Version 3.2 is available, and includes these changes:
  • Compatibility with Mac OS X Leopard
  • Getting status and connecting to computers on slow networks
  • Typing accented characters on European language keyboards
  • Using Open Application tasks on Intel-based Macs
  • Accurately reporting operating system version numbers
There's more, of course, and you can view the full changelog here.

Unfortunately, my complaint has not been addressed. While the box says "Apple Remote Desktop," the application on my Mac says "Remote Desktop." That irks me.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, iPod Family, iTunes, Software Update

iPod Classic and Nano get updated to 1.0.2

iTunes has an update for the new iPod Classic and the new Nanos, and while the update doesn't have a description at all, MacRumors sez:
  • Improved CoverFlow
  • Quicker menus
  • And the much awaited video out fix, among a few other interface tweaks
Apparently there's a new option that will "Ask" users to output video when a compatible cable is connected. And some people say that the calendar and contacts will synch better as well, although I have the same reservations I have whenever I hear about unlisted feature updates -- if Apple did make it better, why didn't they want to tell us? Wouldn't they want us to know the iPod works better than ever?

At any rate, if you think it works better, then more power to you-- enjoy your updated iPod. As always, the update can be grabbed by connecting up your Classic or Nano to iTunes and hitting "Check for Updates."

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Filed under: Software Update, Apple, Macbook Pro, MacBook

MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0

If you have recently bought a MacBook or MacBook Pro you should check Software Update posthaste. Apple has just released MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0 which corrects an issue with Journaling on those machines. It would seem that a number of MacBook and MacBook Pros left the factory without Journal turned on. This update simply enables Journaling on your Startup volume.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

iTunes update: 7.4.2 is out

You hardly have a moment to catch your breath here on the iTunes update desk (cue teletype sound effects); 7.4.2 has just arrived in the hopper. What's new? Well, believe it or not, bug fixes -- and a fix for issues when creating ringtones from iTunes Plus (EMI, high-quality DRMless) tracks. Note this warning from reader Patrick: "Download a copy of 7.4.1 while you still can from Apple! This update even deletes your old ringtones." YMMV.

The update weighs in at 38 MB, grab it from Software Update or from here.

Thanks to Mentalsticks, Patrick & Eric for the heads-up.

Tip of the Day

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