What's New - Jan 17, 2007
By: Richard Glaser - Revised: 2007-01-19 rebecca
Introduction
What's new for the Mac in the previous month:
- General issues, workarounds and fixes
- New Software and hardware
- Software and hardware updates/patches
New Hardware
- Order Now, will ship February 2007
- Made for Widescreen high-definition TVs
- Mac + PC with iTunes 7 or later
- Works with Wi-Fi 802.11b,g, or n
- Requires a fast Internet connection
- 40GB hard drive for up to 50 hours video
- Syncs digital media from one computer
- Stream from up to five computers
iPhone - Available June 2007
- 4GB $499 with 2 year contract w/Cingular
- 8GB $599 with 2 year contract w/Cingular
- Reinvention of the phone
- No buttons
- Built-in Advanced Sensors
- Uses quad-band GSM, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Cingular's EDGE network
- Widescreen iPod
- Breakthrough Internet Device
- Connects to computer using 30-pin dock
AirPort Extreme Base Station - Order now, ships February 2007
- Mac + PC
- Up to 5x the performance, 2x the range
- Share your printer or hard drive
- Supports WPA/WPA2 and 128-bit WEP
- Enhances Apple TV
New Apple Issues
- Questions about the iPhone?
- Pogue's Posts has a two-part iPhone FAQ
- iPhone Lawsuit
- iPhone Hackers?
Discontinued Apple Hardware
- iSights that are not built-in to computers
- No official statement from Apple
- Unable to purchase from Apple
- Maybe it was too expensive to manufacture?
- A good third part opportunity
- Desktop users out of luck?
- Apple has not officially addressed this issue
- MAYBE Apple may put iSights in cinema displays?
Macworld 2007 Best of Show Products
- Axiotron ModBook
- Order now, available in April 2007
- "First and only Mac tablet computer solution"
- Write and draw directly on the screen
- True pen and handwriting recognition
- Aircraft-grade magnesium allow for all-terrain use
- Three after market MacBook modifications (available through otherworldcomputing.com)
- Pre-Reserve Price $2199 for 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 512MB RAM, 60GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
- Free GPS Upgrade
- Pre-Reserve Price $2399 for 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 1GB RAM, 80GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
- GPS Included
- Pre-Reserve Price $2699 for 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 2GB RAM, 160GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
- GPS Included
- Roxio Toast Titanium 8
- TiVo ToGo transferring
- Blu-ray Disc support
- Restore and recover files from scratched or damaged discs while copying
- Now includes audio enhancement features previously released in RoxioJam
- Full version $79.99, Upgrade price from Toast 7 is $59.99
- Parallels Desktop for Mac (Build 1970, released 11/1/06)
- For Intel Macs only
- Run Windows and Mac OS X at the same time without rebooting
- No RAM limitations and no need in hardware configuration
- "Installation of Windows on a Mac is easier than on a PC"
- $79.99
- IntelliScanner mini
- Ultra-portable Class 2 laser barcode reader with software
- Scans standard retail barcodes worldwide
- Powered by standard watch batteries
- Scan and delete buttons
- Flash memory (unknown amount of memory)
- Requires:
- PC with Windows XP or Windows 2000 OR Mac with Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later
- USB Port
- $299
Apple Security Updates
- Mac OS X 10.4.8 (PPC & Intel)
- 2006-007 released 28 Nov 2006
- Patch to fix multiple serious vulnerabilities
- 2006-008 released 19 Dec 2006
- Patch to fix one low-rated vulnerability
Notable Apple Updates
- Apple iChat AV 1.0 (PPC & Universal)
- Renews the .Mac certificate for encrypting text, audio, and video conferences
- Apple iPod Shuffle Reset Utility 1.0.1 for Mac & Windows
- For First Generation 512MB & 1GB iPod Shuffles
- Completely erases all music and data
- Reinstalls iPod software version 1.1.5
- Xserve RAID Driver Update 1.0
- Reduces I/O WRITE latency
- Improves video capture performance
- X11 Update 2006 1.1.3
- Addresses font issues present in version 1.1.2
- Enables X11 to better handle stereo visuals and offscreen rendering
Notable Third Party Updates
- CommuniGate Pro 5.1.5
- Pronto Flash Interface is included
- XIMSS (XML Interface to Messaging, Scheduling, and Signaling) protocol enhancements
- 12 Bug Fixes including enhancements with authentication and authorization, server stability, and application behavior
- DiskWarrior 4
- Universal Binary
- Significantly faster than previous versions
- Repairs invalid file permissions
- Identifies corrupted .plist files
- Repairs ACLs (Access Control Lists)
- Full version for $99.95 or Upgrade from version 3 for $49.95
- Graphic Converter X 5.9.4
- Universal Binary
- More Importing/Exporting file formats
- Many user enhancements
- Microsoft Office version X for Mac 10.1.9 Update
- Enhances security and stability
- Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.3 Update
- Enhances security and stability
- Stuffit Expander 11.0.2
- Fixed some Stuffit Engine issues that:
- Prevented some Windows self-extracting executable .zip archives from being recognized as .zip archives
- Prevented some .zip archives from being expanded
- Prevented some .tar archives from being recognized
- Fixed Stuffit Expander from crashing when opening Preferences
- Fixed an issue with Stuffit Expander's and DropStuff's progress bar that would sometimes cause the application to crash
- Update is free
- VLC Media Player 0.8.6a
- Security updates
- Fullscreen controller improvements
- Update is free
- TechTool Pro 4.5.2
- Universal Binary
- Fixed video memory and main memory RAM calculation size issues
- Fixed Wipe Data and Data Recovery issues for GUID partitioned volumes
- Updated Volume Structures test
- Addressed eDrive free space capacity issue
- Full version for $98, Upgrade from version 4 for $59
- VueScan 8.4.02
- Available for Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
- Improved scanner profiling
- Improved color accuracy
- Fixed Canon 8400F scanner bug
- $49.95 for Standard Edition
Mac User Issues
- Month of Apple Bugs (MoAB): January 2007
- A project which will uncover an undocumented security hold in Apple's operating system or its applications for each day in January
- Goal is to improve Mac OS X
- Month of Apple Fixes: January 2007
- Landon Fuller, a programmer, Darwin developer, and former engineer for Apple's BSD Technology Group has launched an effort to provide runtime fixes for each MoAB issue as they are released