Apple Updates Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop client and administration applications for Mac OS X are now available from Apple’s Website, or from the software update mechanism in Mac OS X. Read more

Mac OS X 10.5.5 Update Released

Apple has released the recommended updated Mac OS X 10.5.5 for all users of Mac OS X 10.5x Leopard which includes over 100 bug fixes and more than two dozen security enhancements. Yikes. The staff at AppleInsider writes, “As of press time, the 321MB update was only available via the Software Update mechanism located under the Apple menu of your Mac.”

General stability improvements and over two dozen security enhancements are included in the update. It also addresses issues with Disk Utility, iCal, MobileMe, Mail, Address Book and Time Machine. Here is the detailed list of the fixes included:
General
• Includes recent Apple security updates.
• Addresses stability issues with video playback, processor core idling, and remote disc sharing for MacBook Air.
• Addresses an issue in which some Macs could unexpectedly power on at the same time each day.
• Resolves a stability issue in TextEdit that could be found when accessing the color palette.
• Improves Spotlight indexing performance.
• Fixes an issue in which contacts might not sync properly with PalmOS-based devices.
• Improves iPhone sync reliability with iCal and Address Book.
• Includes improvements to Active Directory (see this article for more information).
• Improves Speech Dictionary.
• Fixes Kerberos authentication issues for Mac OS X 10.5 clients that connect to certain Samba servers, such as Mac OS X Server version 10.4.
• Includes extensive graphics enhancements. Address Book
• Addresses stability issues that may occur when creating a Smart Group.
• Resolves a printing issue with address cards containing information that spans more than one page. Disk Utility and Directory Utility
• Improves reliability when rebuilding a software mirror RAID volume in Disk Utility.
• Improves reliability of server status displayed in Directory Utility.

iCal
• Updates iCal to more accurately handle repeating events.
• Improves performance when choosing meeting attendees.
• Resolves an issue in which the “Refresh All” option may be dimmed (”grayed out”) in the contextual menu for certain calendars.
• Fixes issues with read-only calendars.
• Addresses an issue that prevents an invitee from moving an event to a different calendar.
• Resolves an issue with syncing published calendars.

Mail
• Addresses performance issues related to displaying IMAP messages.
• Resolves an issue with SMTP settings for AIM, Compuserve, Hanmail, Yahoo!, and Time Warner Road Runner email accounts.
• Addresses stability issues that may occur when dragging a file to the Mail icon in the Dock.
• Addresses an issue with the “Organized by Thread” view in which the date does not appear when the thread is collapsed.
• Resolves an issue in which RSS feeds could temporarily disappear from the sidebar. • Improves Mail robustness when sending messages.
• Improves reliability when saving drafts that have attachments. MobileMe Improves overall sync reliability. Improves Back to My Mac reliability. Time Machine
• Improves Time Machine reliability with Time Capsule.
• Addresses performance issues that may affect initial and in-progress backups. • Fixes an issue in which an incorrect alert message could appear stating that a backup volume does not have enough free space.
• Time Machine can now back up iPhone backups that are on your Mac, as well as other items in (~/Library/Application Support).

By the way, kudos are due to our friends at AppleInsider whose sources, on September 5, predicted the OS X 10.5.5 was only a week or two away. Might this mean that their predictions in regard to that redesigned MacBook release could be true?

Apple Releases iPhone Software 2.1

The update for Apple’s iPhone is now available, delivering an improved battery life and fixing a range of bugs.

The update is available on iTunes 8. It’s necessary for you to connect your iPhone to your computer, using iTunes 8, and following the on-screen instructions. The update is 238MB and includes:
-Better battery life for most users
-Improved reliability for email, especially in retrieving email from POP and Exchange accounts -A decrease in call set-up failures and in dropped calls
-Faster installation of 3rd party apps -Significantly reduced time to backup to iTunes
-Fix for bugs causing hangs and crashes for users with lots of third party applications
-Improved text messaging performance
-Improved accuracy of 3G signal strength display
-Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
-Faster loading and searching of contacts
-Option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
-Genius playlist creation

Apple Releases Updates for Quick Time, Front Row

QuickTime 7.5.5 and Front Row 2.1.6 have been released by Apple and are available using either Software Update or for direct download from Apple’s website.

Both updates are required for iTunes 8 software, which was released Tuesday night. iTunes 8 adds “Genius”, a new browsing feature to iTunes, which offers suggestions for new music which is compatible with music already in your music library. iTunes 8 also offers the ability to download and watch HD television shows.

All QuickTime 7 users are recommended to update to 7.5.5, since it includes changes that increase reliability, improve application compatibility and enhance security. Front Row 2.1.6 fixes bugs and improves iTunes 8 compatibility.

MacBook Air Update Released

Introduced with great fanfare at the 2008 MacWorld Expo, the MacBook Air is Apple’s ultraportable, ultrathin and truly astonishing laptop.

In keeping with the ultra-thin, ultra-light nature of the design, perhaps, this download is quite small — Weighing in at only 368KB. This is an update which addresses issues with video playback and processor core idling. The Apple website also indicates that third-party software which modifies processor operating characteristics (such as frequency and voltage) is not supported and should be removed before this update is installed. The update can be downloaded from the Apple’s website.

Next Page »