On Thursday, shareware developer Maintain released version 5.1.2 of CocktailCocktail (Lion Edition), the popular shareware utility program that allows for additional Mac OS X system tests. The new version, a 2.9 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and features:

- Addresses an issue in which Pilot scheduler could not be enabled.

- Error -105 (Path to user’s home directory contains spaces).

- Error -114 (Home directory not found in the /Users folder).

- Addresses an issue in which Cocktail could not force empty the Trash.

- Error -362 (The Trash contains more than 2000 files).

- Addresses an issue in which Safari webpage previews could not be disabled.

- Addresses an issue in which Cocktail may freeze when trying to gather disk information or the journaling state of the case-sensitive HFS+ disks could not be detected.

- Error -215 (diskutil is not responding).

- Error -217 (Could not get information about the partition).

- Addresses an issue in which improper permissions were applied to the File Sharing logs during the rotation of these logs.

- Added Mac OS X 10.7.3 compatibility.

- Updated Automator actions.

Cocktail 5.1.2 retails for a US$19.00 shareware registration fee and requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later to install and run.

On Monday, software giant Google released version 6.2.0.5905 of its popular Google Earth program. The new version, a 34 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:

- Seamless imagery of geographic landscapes.

- Improved search results and suggestions.

- Biking and transit directions.

- Screenshot sharing via Google+.

Google Earth 6.2.0.5905 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, let us know in the comments.

On Wednesday, software company Delicious Monster released version 2.7.6 of the shareware favorite, Delicious Library. Delicious Monster allows Macs with webcams to scan the bar codes of any book, movie, music CD or video game, then creates an archive based on background information from the Internet. Additional features help keep the library organized and reseller’s tools allow for items to be quickly posted for sale online.

The update, a 16.4 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:

- Fixed a crasher with USB barcode scanning (introduced in 2.7.5, sorry we’re dumb!).

- Fixed a crasher when changing import settings (introduced in 2.0… sorry it took so long!).

Delicious Library 2.7.6 retails for US$40 and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

Google Chrome, Google’s new web browser, just reached version 16.0.912.77 for the Mac. The new version, a 34.9 megabyte download, offers the following change:

- Bug fixes.

Google Chrome 16.0.912.77 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

Early Wednesday, software developer Telestream has released version 2.4.1.4 of Flip4Mac, its QuickTime components package which allows for Windows Media files to be viewed, imported and converted under Mac OS X. The new release, a 24 megabyte download, includes the following fixes and changes:

- Added a progress indicator while waiting for streams to buffer in web browsers.

- Fixes an export scaling issue that causes video quality issues with source frame sizes not divisible by four.

- Fixes a problem exporting Silverlight templates.

- Fixes numerous problems in the Web browser plug-in that prevented streaming and playback of various sites and other problems with clicking and scrolling while in the plug-in.

- Adds support for Windows Media scripting. Note that scripting only works with Web browsers running in 32-bit mode. You may need to select “Open in 32-bit mode” in Finder’s Info pane for Safari or Firefox for scripting to work.

- Fixes a warning dialog issue with DRM protected content.

Flip4Mac 2.4.1.4 is available for free but can go as high as US$179 depending on the version purchased. The new version requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

On Thursday, version 5.5.0.2069 of the Skype VoIP application was released as a public beta). The new version, a 23.2 megabyte download, offers the following fixes and changes:

- Improved Call UI.

- Accept incoming call with video.

- Improvements in quality and stabilization.

Skype 5.5.0.2069 is available for free and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know.

On Friday, software giant Google released Picasa 3.9.2.539, the latest version of its photo organization program for the Mac. Once installed, Picasa imports (without moving or copying) photos from the iPhoto library as well as other folders and external hard drives on your Mac. The program also includes assorted editing tools for straightening, text generation, red eye removal, collage creation and Photoshop-like effects and adjustments. The new version, a 33.1 megabyte download, offers the following fixes and changes:

- Fixed various crashes.

- Fixed an issue with users not being able to log in.

- Fixed some issues with nametags and contacts.

Picasa 3.9.2.539 requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

On Wednesday, Adobe released version 10.1.2 of its Adobe Reader application. The update, which can also be snagged through the Adobe Update Utility, adds the following fixes and changes:

- On printing a PDF file to a PCL printer via Acrobat or Reader, the italic output in the printout is not correct.

- Mouseover events in interactive PDF form fields do not work properly (Applicable only to Acrobat/Reader10.1.1).

- 3D PDFs may crash when viewed in VMWare.

- Policy protected file keeps incrementing *.DAT file in …Acrobat10.0Security and results in Reader X crashing when closing the file.

- When converting a webpage having a scrollable inline frame only the visible content is converted and content seen on scrolling down is dropped.

- Form submission performance is slow with ZCI on Reader 10.1.

- Product view generated in Catia hides some elements when converted to prw/pdf.

- Repeatedly opening and closing PDFs in one browser session may cause a freeze or crash.

- Form goes into unresponsive state when signing form.

- Fixed critical security vulnerabilities in Versions 10.1.1 and earlier.

- Improved stability.

- Support for Mac OS X 10.7.2.

- Web Capture for Firefox 7 and later.

Acrobat Reader 10.1.2 and Acrobat Pro requires an Intel-based processor and Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new versions and noticed any differences, please let us know what you think.

It’s not as specific as you might like it to be, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Per AppleInsider, Apple on Monday supplied developers with a new pre-release build of its mobile operating system in the form of iOS 5.1 beta 3.

Little is known so far about the latest beta, which was issued to test devices as an over-the-air update. iOS 5.1 beta 1 is not yet available to developers as a direct download from Apple, and as such, there aren’t yet any release notes.

The second beta of iOS 5.1 came a month ago, and gave developers the ability to delete individual Photo Stream pictures. In current, public versions of iOS, users cannot delete individual Photo Stream pictures, and must turn off the Photo Stream feature entirely if they do not want a picture to be stored on Apple’s servers.

iOS 5.1 beta 3 is compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad, and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch.

The first beta of iOS 5.1 was provided to developers in late November. It included references to a next-generation iPhone, labeled “iPhone5,1,” as well as third-generation iPad models, “iPad3,2″ and “iPad3,3.”

If you’ve received the new beta and have any feedback to offer, let us know what you think in the comments.

CrossOver Games, the popular gaming emulation program from CodeWeavers, has been updated to version 10.3. The new version, which is available as a demo, offers the following fixes and changes:

- Fixes for Skyrim on Linux.

- Patch fixes for World of Warcraft.

CrossOver Games 10.3 retails for US$39.95 and requires Mac OS X 10.5 and or later and an Intel-based Mac to install and run.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.