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TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 09-Mar-09

Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.4.1 from Apple is a maintenance update that includes various bug and security fixes. The security threats addressed include ones that could lead to an unexpected device shutdown, a denial of service attack, the observation of a private network’s traffic, or the injection of forged packets. Apple recommends that AirPort Utility 5.4.1 or later be installed before installing this update, which is available via AirPort Utility or from the Apple Support Downloads page. (Free update, 17.4 MB)

AirPort Utility 5.4.1 from Apple is the latest version of the AirPort base station management utility, adding features necessary to support the dual-band network, guest network, and MobileMe-based remote access features of the just-updated AirPort Extreme base station and Time Capsule. The update is available via Software Update or from the Apple Support Downloads page. [Editor’s note – also be sure to read “AirPort Utility 5.4.1 Update May Be Problematic,” 2000-03-05.] (Free update, 17.4 MB)

iLife Support 9.0.1 from Apple is an update recommended for all users of Aperture, iLife ’09, and iWork ’09. Unfortunately, its release notes are terse, saying only that it “Improves overall stability and addresses a number of other minor issues.” The update is available via Software Update or from the Apple Support Downloads page. (Free update, 50.56 MB)

iPhoto 8.0.1 from Apple is a maintenance update to iPhoto ’09 (thanks for the confusing version numbers, Apple!) that improves stability and addresses minor issues regarding Internet connectivity, keyword imports, and slideshow exports. The update is available via Software Update or from the Apple Support Downloads page. (Free update, 11.9 MB)

Firefox 3.0.7 from Mozilla is a maintenance update to the popular Web browser with changes focusing on various security and stability issues. Stability issues addressed include a bug that caused cookies to go missing after a few days, a bug that prevented the Flashblock plug-in’s audio from stopping when the corresponding window had been closed, and a bug that caused items in the File menu to show as inactive after choosing the Print command. There is also now support for the Estonian, Kannada, and Telugu languages. Finally, several critical security patches have been issued, including one
that addresses memory corruption resulting from crashing. (Free update, 17.2 MB)

PDFpen 4.1 and PDFpenPro 4.1 from SmileOnMyMac are the latest versions of the PDF editing utilities. In both versions there is now a Continuous option in the View menu that enables users to scroll through a PDF document continuously and thus view multiple pages at once. Also added is AppleScript support for OCR and a handful of minor bug fixes. (49.95/$99.95, free updates, 12.1 MB/12.3 MB)

AirPort Client Update 2009-001 from Apple “Addresses issues with roaming and network selection in dual-band environments.” The update corresponds with Apple’s release of the new AirPort Extreme which is capable of simultaneously handling connections in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The update is available via Software Update and Apple’s Web site, and is recommended for all Intel-based Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.5.6. (Free update, 2 MB)

Battery Update 1.4 from Apple improves the capability of the MacBook battery in models produced from late 2006 to late 2008 to hold charges when the system has been shut down and in a state of disuse for an extended period of time. More information on the update, including steps users can take to determine if they need to install the update, is available on Apple’s Web site. This update is currently available only from Apple’s Support Downloads page. (Free update, 210 KB)

Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.5 from Apple adds raw file compatibility for Aperture 2, iPhoto ’08, and iPhoto ’09 for the Nikon D3X and Epson R-D1x cameras. The update also addresses undisclosed issues for specific cameras and improves overall stability. The update is available via Software Update or Apple’s Web site. (Free update, 3.81 MB)

Adobe Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3 from Adobe provide raw file compatibility for the Nikon D3X and Olympus E-30 cameras. The Lightroom update also addresses a memory leak and other unspecified issues with Adobe’s professional photography application. The Camera Raw update is available for owners of Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac (as well as Photoshop Elements 7 and Premiere Elements 7 for Windows). (Free updates, 33.1 MB/41.6 MB)

Checkup 2.1 from App4mac is a maintenance update to the multipurpose maintenance utility. Changes include an improved user interface, support for RAID disks, improved support for Spaces, new documentation, and a handful of unnamed bug fixes. For more on CheckUp, see Joe Kissell’s review of version 1.0, “CheckUp 1.0: A Beautiful but Unripe Maintenance Utility,” 2008-02-29. (19 euros, free update, 16.7 MB)

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