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TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 29 January 2018

BusyCal 3.2.8 — BusyMac has released BusyCal 3.2.8 with fixes and improvements to the calendar app. The update brings the word-wrapping preference to the To-do list panel, improves travel time and weather detection, automatically sends pending invite and meeting updates, fixes clicks for overflowing holiday events, improves handling of trusted SSL certificates on custom CalDAV installations, and resolves an issue with long iCloud calendar names that would fail to sync. ($49.99 new for BusyCal from BusyMac or the Mac App
Store
, free update, 11.8 MB, release notes, 10.11+)

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Bookends 13.0.5 — Sonny Software has issued Bookends 13.0.5 to ensure that scanning is compatible with the recently released version 16.9 of Microsoft Word 2016 (see “Microsoft Office 2016 16.9,” 21 January 2018). The reference management tool also adds support for using PDF tabs in the Attachments tab, remembers scrolled positions in PDFs in the Attachments tab when switching between references, improves the process of finding and attaching local PDFs, fixes a bug that could cause the PDF page count to fail to update when switching between PDFs, and
updates the Print to Bookends feature to work in macOS 10.13 High Sierra. ($59.99 new with a 25 percent discount for TidBITS members, $39.99 upgrade, 46.8 MB, release notes, 10.9+)

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Logic Pro X 10.4 — Apple has released Logic Pro X 10.4, adding new features and instruments to the professional audio app. The update adds the Smart Tempo feature, which enables you to combine music at the same tempo (regardless of each piece’s original tempo), and lets you add any audio file and have it automatically conform to a project’s tempo. It also brings a number of new plug-ins, including ChromaVerb (for creating rich acoustic spaces), Vintage EQ Collection (with three analog EQs originally from the 1950s to the 1970s), and Retro Synth (with 18 filter models).

Logic Pro X 10.4 also adds two Drummers (roots and jazz-influenced brush styles), two vintage brush kits for Drum Kit Designer, and more than 800 new loops in a variety of instruments and genres. Among the hundreds of other enhancements and improvements, Logic Pro X also now enables you to undo mixer and plug-in actions, adds support for bookmarking locations in favorite Files Browser folders, adds a preference to toggle user interface animations on or off, brings four new options for the behavior of Replace mode when recording MIDI, and smooths out zooming with the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad in the Audio File Editor. ($199.99 new in the Mac App
Store
, free update, 1.4 GB, release notes, 10.12+)

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macOS Server 5.5 — Apple has released macOS Server 5.5, improving the overall performance of Profile Manager on systems with a large number of enrolled devices and changing the minimum system requirement to macOS 10.13.3 High Sierra. The update also resolves an issue that caused high CPU usage and prevented tasks from completing, fixes a bug that prevented device enrollment tasks from completing, addresses a problem where tasks for some devices might not complete if the “Settings for Everyone” profile has been installed, and fixes an issue that prevented NetBoot images from
being offered. Note that Apple said separately that it will be removing services from macOS Server; see “Apple to Deprecate Many macOS Server Services” (26 January 2018). ($19.99 new, free update, 194 MB, release notes, 10.13.3+)

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iTunes 12.7.3 — Apple has released iTunes 12.7.3 to pave the way for compatibility with the upcoming release of the company’s HomePod smart speaker (see “HomePod Arrives February 9th, Multi-Room Audio to Follow Later in 2018,” 23 January 2018). The iTunes update provides an improved AirPlay menu that enables you to choose the HomePod for streaming and control what plays next from Apple Music. As always, if you find any other changes with the iTunes user interface or behavior, let us know in the comments. (Free, 264 MB via direct download or Software Update, release notes, 10.10.5+)

Read/post comments about iTunes 12.7.3.

Safari 11.0.3 — Apple has released Safari 11.0.3 for OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan and macOS 10.12.6 Sierra. OS X (High Sierra 10.13.3 also includes it; see “Apple Releases iOS 11.2.5, macOS 10.13.3, watchOS 4.2.2, and tvOS 11.2.5,” 23 January 2018). The update improves memory handling to resolve multiple memory corruption issues that could lead to arbitrary code execution when processing a maliciously crafted Web page. Safari 11.0.3 is available only via Software Update. (Free, release notes, 10.11.6+)

Read/post comments about Safari 11.0.3.

Security Update 2018-001 (Sierra and El Capitan) — Apple has released Security Update 2018-001 for macOS 10.12 Sierra and 10.11 El Capitan, patching security vulnerabilities that the company addressed in 10.13.3 High Sierra (see “Apple Releases iOS 11.2.5, macOS 10.13.3, watchOS 4.2.2, and tvOS 11.2.5,” 23 January 2018). Both of the older operating systems also resolve kernel-related issues associated with the Meltdown security vulnerability (see “Apple Releases Meltdown and
Spectre Info and Updates
,” 5 January 2018), plus a Wi-Fi-related vulnerability that could allow an application to read restricted memory. Additionally, the security update for 10.12 Sierra deals with a memory corruption issue that could allow arbitrary code execution after processing a maliciously crafted audio file. (Free. For 10.12.6 Sierra, 766.6 MB; for 10.11.6 El Capitan, 863 MB; security content release notes)

Read/post comments about Security Update 2018-001 (Sierra and El Capitan).

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