What's New - Apr 16, 2008

By: Benjamin Martin - Revised: 2008-05-28 richard

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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
  • Apple Inc. related news

Contents

  1. Apple Updates
  2. Flash Player 9.0.124.0
  3. CanSecWest PWN to OWN
  4. Laptop Graphics Glitches
  5. Time Capsule Review
  6. Apple No. 1 US Music Retailer
  7. Attach of the Mac Clone
  8. GeForce 8800GT for older Mac Pros Released
  9. WWDC 2008
  10. Student Scholarships

Apple Updates

Reference: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/

  • Pro Applications 2008-01
  • MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac EFI updates
  • QuickTime 7.4.5

Flash Player 9.0.124.0

Reference: http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/editors-picks?by=releaseDate&dir=desc&pg=2
  • Critical highly publicized security patch (demonstrated at CanSecWes Conference)
  • Other minor bug fixes


CanSecWest PWN to OWN

Reference: http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/
  • OS X vs. Vista vs. Ubuntu Linux
  • OS X hacked first via Safari exploit
  • Vista hacked second via Adobe Flash player
  • Ubuntu survived

Laptop graphics glitches

Reference: http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/04/14/apple.admits.macbook.bugs/
  • Latest MacBooks and MBPs are affected
  • Visual corruption - text duplication, scrolling issues, flickering video
  • Apple has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix

Time Capsule Review

Reference:
  • Pros
    • Competitively priced, slim, solidly designed
    • Excellent airport utility software
    • Simple easy to use network disk and printer sharing features
    • Big boost in wireless speed and coverage over 802.11 b/g
    • Built in switch for wired Gigabit Ethernet devices
    • Reasonably priced drive options
  • Cons
    • Lacks airport express airtunes for wireless music distribution
    • Gigabit ethernet file sharing performance is disappointing



Attack of the Mac Clone

Reference: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/04/14/resellers_website_offline_following_pledge_of_400_mac_clone.html
  • http://www.psystar.com/
  • Sells multiple configurations of computers that can run Leopard
  • Initially called "OpenMac" after two days changed to "Open Computer"
  • Available now ...
  • Says they will fight Apple's legal team over the EULA
  • Investigation into company yields some very shady results
    • Came into existence 1 week ago (no prior history)
    • Business relocated mid week to an idustrial complex from a 3 bedroom house
      • That industrial park address is another business who has never heard of Pystar

GeForce 8800GT for older Mac Pros Released

Reference: http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/04/15/geforce.8800gt/
  • 512MB GDDR memory
  • PCI-Express
  • two dual link DVI ports
  • supports two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD monitors
  • $280

WWDC 2008

  • June 9 - 13, 2008, San Francisco, Moscone West


WWDC 2008 Student Scholarships

Reference: http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/students/
  • Going ... going ... gone
  • The student scholarships were announced and the deadline has already passed
  • However you can still apply and get on the waiting list