O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: 10.6.4

  • Apple releases LED Cinema Display Firmware Update 1.0 for 27″ monitor

    Late Wednesday, Apple released its LED Cinema Display Firmware Update 1.0 to try and fix a bug that’s been plaguing some users.

    Per Macworld, the issue in question involves audio from the display’s speakers dying intermittently. In order to fix the sound issues, users have resorted to unplugging and replugging the monitor’s USB cable or even rebooting their Mac.

    The update, a 957KB download, can be snagged from Apple’s support download site or via Software Update and then run it from your /Applications/Utilities folder and requires a Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.4 or later to install and run.

    If you’re tried the firmware update and noticed any changes, please let us know.

  • Apple discussion board headings confirm update iLife, MacBook Air products

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    With only hours to go before the company’s “Back to the Mac” event, updates to Apple’s official online forums reveal at least some of the products due to be unveiled at today’s “Back to the Mac” event, including iLife ’11 and a new MacBook Air.

    Per AppleInsider, new sections on the Apple Discussions page added Wednesday include iMovie ’11, iPhoto ’11, and GarageBand ’11, all part of the iLife software suite. There is also a forum titled “MBA (Need official name)” which will likely be the discussion home for the newly redesigned MacBook Air.

    Finally, a mystery space on the forums points to but does not reveal what product it represents. It simply carries the title “Reserved 10 20.”

    Last week, the following details were located and confirmed regarding an updated MacBook Air notebook:
    – A smaller 11.6″ display.

    – 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (with a 2.33GHz option possible).

    – 2GB of memory in the base configuration.

    – No optical drive.

    – Mini DisplayPort, USB, and SD card reader on the left side; USB and power on the right.

    – The trackpad has been updated to match that of the new MacBook Pros.

    – Although smaller due to the 11.6″ display, it’s still about the same thickness as the current MacBook Air.

    – A black power key now sits immediately to the right of a smaller eject key on the MBA’s keyboard — the round aluminum power button is gone. A design decision that might support the MBA’s rumored instant-on capabilities though our source didn’t see this functionality exhibited (possibly because it was running OS X 10.6.4).

    We’ll know the full details in a few hours, so stay tuned and we’ll bring you everything we can get our mitts on.

  • Apple launches updated MobileMe calendar, removes membership requirements

    Apple announced Thursday that its new web-based calendar application for MobileMe subscribers has officially exited the beta stages and is now available to all members.

    Users looking to become new calendar members simply need to sign in to me.com/calendar, click “Upgrade now” in the lower left corner of the Calendar web application, and follow the instructions. Current members who’ve been using the Calendar since it was a beta product don’t need to do anything.

    Per AppleInsider, Apple has stated the new MobileMe Calendar was designed to integrate more fluently with the built-in calendar app on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches by always keeping it in sync with a Mac or PC. New events or changes are automatically pushed to iOS 4 devices so the calendar stays up to date. Users who schedule a meeting on their iOS devices will also see that meeting pushed everywhere too.

    The new version also makes it easier for users to share calendars with one or more MobileMe members to keep everyone on the same page. For example, users can create a shared calendar called “Family” for weekend activities, then allow family members to edit events, and then receive email notifications informing them of those changes.

    
Another new features lets users share a read-only public calendar, which Apple says is ideal for publishing an events calendar such as a child’s sports team schedule. Once set up, a link to view the calendar can be sent to other team members for viewing on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC.

    
Users can also invite guests to an event by adding their email address to the event (they don’t have to be a MobileMe member) and guests will get an invitation email they can respond to directly by clicking a link. The event then automatically updates, making it easy to track RSVPs right in the calendar.

    These features tie into new web application at me.com with redesigned day, week, and month views, as well as a new list view to make scanning events easier.

    Apple says the new web application works best with the Safari 5, Firefox 3.6, and Internet Explorer 8 web browsers. Compatibility with iPhone or iPod touch requires iOS 4.1, while iPad users must be running either version 3.2 or 4.2 (due this November). Mac users must have Mac OS X 10.6.4 or later installed and PC users will need MobileMe Control Panel version 1.6.3 and Outlook 2007 or 2010.

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

  • Apple releases MacBook SMC Firmware Updater 1.4 for older MacBook, MacBook Pro notebooks

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    Late Thursday, Apple released its MacBook SMC Firmware Updater 1.4 for older MacBook and MacBook Pro models solves a charging issue that takes place when using the latest MagSafe power adapters.

    The update, an 880 kilobyte download, requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.4 to install and run.

    If you’ve tried the update and noticed any changes at all, please let us know in the comments.

  • Apple releases Security Update 2010-06 for Mac OS X 10.5.x, 10.6.x users

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    Late Tuesday, Apple released Security Update 2010-05 for Mac OS X 10.5.x and Mac OS X 10.6.x. The update, a which ranges between 80.6 and over an over 400 megabyte download, adds a slew of security fixes and changes, as summarized here.

    More specifically, the update addresses a “heap buffer overflow” in the way CoreGraphics handles PDF files. The vulnerability could allow “unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution” through a malicious PDF file as well as a “stack buffer overflow” that would allow arbitrary code execution through a malicious embedded font. Both the PDF and the font vulnerabilities are fixed through “improved bounds checking.”

    The update requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 on the Mac OS X 10.5 end and Mac OS X 10.6.4 on the Mac OS X end to install and run and can be located and installed via Mac OS X’s Software Update feature.

    If you’ve tried the update and noticed any major changes, let us know.