Jeff Carlson receives a Magic Trackpad that contains - horrors! - a defective battery. Is it time for a recall? Class action lawsuit? Or how about some common sense?
Apple has updated Safari, activating extension capabilities and launching the new Safari Extensions Gallery, a one-stop shop for adding new features to the company's Web browser. Quite a few specific bugs and security vulnerabilities also received attention.
Apple has announced substantial speed and graphics updates to the iMac and Mac Pro lineups, and debuted a new 27-inch Cinema Display.
Apple's new Magic Trackpad brings Multi-Touch gestures to all Bluetooth-capable Macs, not just the MacBook and MacBook Pro. The efficient Apple Battery Charger keeps the trackpad (and other devices) powered using Apple's long-lasting rechargeable AA batteries.
Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.4 to address a wide variety of highly specific bugs and security vulnerabilities. It's undoubtedly worth upgrading to, but perhaps after early adopters have had a chance to determine if it introduces any new problems.
Apple has released a redesigned Mac mini, trimming the unit's physical size, encasing it in aluminum, adding HDMI output and an SD card slot, upping the maximum amount of RAM to 8 GB, and increasing the CPU and graphics processing power - along with the base price.
Resolves issues with the Boot Camp Control Panel and headphone audio. (Free, 1.5 MB)
Probably changes something, but Apple hasn't deigned to provide any release notes. (Free, 10.65 MB)
Apple has quietly updated its low-end laptop, the 13-inch white MacBook, with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, faster Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processor, and longer-lived battery.
Apple continues to set records with its earnings report for the second quarter of its fiscal year. iPhone sales were up 124 percent over the year-ago quarter, and iPod sales stayed remarkably strong. Mac sales fared well, too. Growth outside the United States contributed to the overall strong results. And this quarter ended before a single iPad was delivered.
Remember those real notebook computers that Apple makes? Like the MacBook Pro? Well, Apple has been working on them too, and the company has now released new 13-, 15-, and 17-inch models of the MacBook Pro, introducing new Intel processors, faster graphics performance, and better battery life, among much else.
One of the hardest and most time-consuming parts of buying a new Mac - particularly for demanding professionals - is choosing and configuring it with all the extras: RAM, storage, backups, and software. A new service from Mac Performance Guide and Other World Computing could make that process easier for pro photographers, illustrators, and designers. OWC will deliver a fully assembled, pre-tested, Mac Pro-based system configured to Mac Performance Guide specifications for particular components, system configuration, and testing procedures.
Mac OS X 10.6.3 is one of those updates that addresses issues throughout the operating system, ranging from fixes that affect iMovie and Logic Pro 9 to security improvements.
In an effort to simplify and expand access to Mac OS X development, Apple has made the program's cost cheaper for most people while changing the name to Mac Developer Program. A free option remains, too.
In a statement to Gizmodo, Apple publicly acknowledged the vexing display issues plaguing its latest iMac models. The symptoms of these issues, which mostly affect the 27-inch model, include yellow discoloration and screen flickering. In its statement Apple said, "We've addressed the issues that caused display flickering and yellow tint. Customers concerned that their iMac is affected should contact AppleCare." While the company has been too slow in addressing this problem, better late than never.