O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: Mac

  • CrossOver updated to 11.2.1

    CrossOver, the popular virtualization program from CodeWeavers, has been updated to version 11.2.1. The new version, which is available as a demo, offers the following fixes and changes:

    – This release updates the ‘Crosstie’ installation recipes to avoid errors with failed downloads. You should install this update to avoid these errors.

    CrossOver 11.2.1 retails for US$59.95 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.

  • Opera 12.02 beta goes live, now available for download

    operalogo

    On Thursday, Opera Software released version 12.02 of its web browser. The new version, which is currently a public beta, stands as a 28.2 megabyte download via MacUpdate, boasts the following fixes and changes:

    – DSK-368553 When navigating away from the first page opened in a tab, an extension loses information about the document inside the tab.

    – DSK-372113 Opera crashes if dragging a tab into a stack which contains another stack.

    – DSK-372317 [Windows] Windowless plugin painting messages can prevent Opera from exiting.

    – DSK-372168 [Linux/FreeBSD] Some plugins accessed via symlinks crash (e.g. Oracle Java), others cannot be found.

    – We’re trying out a fix for some SSL connectivity problems, please watch out for any padlock issues.

    Opera 12.02 is available for free and requires and Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

  • VMWare releases Fusion 5.0.0 update

    Late Wednesday, virtualization softare maker VMWare released version 5.0.0 of its Fusion software for the Mac.

    Similar to other virtualization software packages, VMWare allows users to run alternate operating systems such as Windows and Linux distributions on Intel-based Macs at native speeds. Other features, such as Unity, allow users to run and minimize Windows applications from the Mac OS X Dock.

    The new version, a 203 megabyte download, can be found here and offers the following fixes and changes:

    – Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center.

    – Windows 8 Optimization – VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 “Metro” environment directly on a Mac.

    – Enhanced Mac Support – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.

    – Next Generation Performance – Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.

    – Additional Functionalities – New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.

    Fusion 5.0.0 retails for US$49.99 and requires an Intel-based Mac, 2 GB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.6.7 or later (10.7 recommended) and a copy of Windows (if you’ll be installing Windows).

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

  • Mozilla to discontinue support for Firefox under Leopard this October

    elfirefox

    Ya gotta upgrade sometime.

    Per Macworld, Mozilla will drop support for Apple’s OS X 10.5, or Leopard, after it ships Firefox 16 in October, according to company developers.

    “We are not planning to support Mac OS X 10.5 with Firefox 17,” said Josh Aas, who works on the Firefox platform group, in a message last month on Bugzilla. “The builds will fail to run on anything less than Mac OS X 10.6.”

    OS X 10.6 is Snow Leopard, the 2009 follow-up to Leopard, which shipped in October 2007.

    By Mozilla’s release calendar, Firefox 16 is to debut Oct. 9. Firefox 17, the first that will not to pushed to Leopard users, is slated for a Nov. 20 launch.

    Mozilla is following Google’s lead in dropping Leopard; Google released its last browser for OS X 10.5, Chrome 21, on July 31.

    Although Mozilla talked about ditching OS X 10.5 support in December 2011, it decided then to keep Apple’s OS on the list. Discussions among engineers, managers and contributors restarted in late June.

    According to Mozilla, Leopard’s importance is diminishing. “Mac OS X 10.5 users have been declining by 1% per month, as a share of our total Mac OS X users,” said Aas. “This, combined with the impact of the release of Mac OS X 10.8 [Mountain Lion], means that Mac OS X 10.5 users will likely make up around 10% of Mac OS X users when Firefox 17 ships.”

    As of June 21, 17% of Firefox 13’s Mac users were running Leopard, with larger shares on Snow Leopard (35%) and Lion (48%), Aas said. Only 4.6% of all Firefox 13 users were running it on a Mac.

    Like Google, another reason Mozilla cited for dumping Leopard was that Apple has also ended support.

    The last time Apple patched bugs in Leopard was November 2011, and its most recent security update, in May 2012, disabled older copies of Flash Player to stymie Flashback rather than fix specific security flaws. Nor has Apple maintained Safari on OS X 10.5. The final update was issued over a year ago.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Adobe releases Flash Player 11.4.402.265 update

    adobelogo

    Late Wednesday, Adobe released Flash Player 11.4.402.265 for Mac OS X, a 11.9 megabyte download via MacUpdate. The new version adds the following fixes and changes:

    Fixed Issues:
    – Netstream crashes intermittently on disconnect(3193417).

    – Mouse Lock feature disabled after entering Full Screen Interactive mode(3174344).

    – First frame of some live streaming contents freezes(3207896).

    – Issue with CameraRoll.browseForImage() causes transparency loss resulting in white color(3291312) To the top.

    New Features:
    – ActionScript Workers.

    – Sandbox Bridge support.

    – Licensing support: Flash Player Premium Features for Gaming.

    – Stage3D “constrained” profile for increased GPU reach.

    – LZMA support for ByteArray.

    – StageVideo attachCamera/Camera improvements.

    – Compressed texture with alpha support for Stage3D.

    Flash Player 11.4.402.265 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback, please feel free to hurl your two cents in via the comments.