We had a full TidBITS issue ready for you, and then Apple overwhelmed us with major announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference today. We expected more details about the iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, but we were pleasantly surprised by the updates to the MacBook Pro line and the announcement of the iPhone 3GS, and that’s not even mentioning the release of Safari 4. Read on for details. In news that would normally have been interesting, Apple has also released updates to most of the iLife ’09 applications, and Jeff Carlson gives you a look at the undocumented features in iMovie ’09 8.0.3. Plus, we just published a notable update to Glenn Fleishman’s “Take Control of Your 802.11n AirPort Network,” and we look at the just-updated Fetch 5.5. In the TidBITS Watchlist, we glance at the releases of BackJack 5.1.4, AirPort Utility 5.4.2 for Mac, and Sandvox 1.6.2.
Apple's new $199/$299 iPhone 3GS looks mostly the same on the outside, but with a faster processor, support for the world's fastest cellular data standard, voice control, and a much more capable camera, Apple has raised the ante once more. The 8 GB iPhone 3G remains available, but at the reduced price of $99.
A major update for the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPod touch ships 17-Jun-09, with a huge array of new features, enabling users to find a missing iPhone, use an iPhone as a broadband modem, buy upgrades and items within iPhone applications, exercise parental controls, and much more.
In an unexpected move, Apple revamped much of its laptop line. The 13-inch aluminum MacBook goes Pro, while the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models receive performance and spec bumps. Apple also slashed prices on both new and existing models.
The first full-on preview of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard reveals a faster, sleeker cat that's designed to be more compact and efficient, and to take full advantage of the fast multi-core processors in Intel-based Macs.
Apple has pushed out bug fix updates to nearly the entire iLife '09 suite.
The latest minor update to iMovie '09 turns out to not be so minor at all. Jeff Carlson details what has changed in iMovie '09 8.0.3.
For full details on setting up, extending, and optimizing an 802.11n AirPort network, turn to the just-updated "Take Control of Your 802.11n AirPort Network," written by TidBITS editor and Wi-Fi networking expert Glenn Fleishman. Glenn covers all of Apple's 802.11n AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and Time Capsule models, and looks at how to include older gear in the mix.
Fetch 5.5 extends the long-standing FTP client with support for Leopard's Quick Look feature, improved editing of remote files, and even better transfer reliability.
Notable software releases this week include BackJack 5.1.4, AirPort Utility 5.4.2 for Mac, and Sandvox 1.6.2.
Read on for a collection of links to the most interesting articles and resources that the TidBITS staff discovered on the Web this week.
Plenty of topics make up this week's TidBITS Talk discussions. Readers offer suggestions for dead AirPort base stations, faulty MacBook power cords, erased digital photos, slow MacBook performance, inexpensive Web hosting, and the latest Mac OS X Java vulnerability. Plus, why are some mail servers being blacklisted? We also talk about what Apple uses to create its documentation and running multiple monitors on a Mac laptop.