Apple came out with a minor but notable software update this week. iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and 3.2.2 for the iPad patched a flaw in the way PDF files are displayed. This flaw was used as a method of jailbreaking the devices, but could also have been used for malicious purposes.
Adobe also released a minor but notable update. The Mac Flash player now uses graphic card acceleration in video playback. This should make video smoother on higher-end Macs.
And speaking of higher-end Macs, the Mac Pro models announced in July are now available for order in the online Apple Store. Quad-core models start at $2,500 and a 12-core variation starts at $5,000.
Late last week there was a bit of a shake-up at Apple when Mark Papermaster, the head of the iPhone and iPod division, left the company. Some speculate that this may be fallout over the iPhone 4’s antenna issue. But Apple hasn’t commented on the change.
You can find out how much disk space your Trash folder is using in a variety of ways. One is to open the Trash folder from the Dock, and without selecting any file use Command+I to bring up the Info window. This will show you the size of the Trash, though it may take a minute to calculate it if you have a lot in there.
Since the release of the very first iPhone I’ve used panoramic stitching apps. But this one is the best so far because it takes all the work out of your hands. When I’m somewhere interesting enough to take a panorama, the last thing I want to do is stare at my iPhone screen for minutes on end working with an app. Just take some photos and feed them in to AutoStitch Panorama and it will do everything for you. Then send to your friends while still enjoying the view.
Hackers this week released a method for jailbreaking the iPhone that only involves visiting a web site. The method uses a security vulnerability that allows code to hide in a font embedded inside a PDF file. Apple has reportedly been working on a fix for this vulnerability and will release an update soon.
Jailbreaking allows owners of the iPhone to install third-party apps that come from sources other than the Apple store. Modifications to iOS on the iPhone can also be made. This is often confused with “unlocking” which allows an iPhone to operate on wireless networks other than AT&T in the U.S.
A security fix is necessary because the same vulnerability can be used to install other software, even malicious software, on the iPhone without the user knowing.
Meanwhile, the legality of jailbreaking was in the news recently. Federal regulators stated that Apple should not use of copyright law to claim that jailbreaking is illegal. This legitimizes many companies and web sites that help people jailbreak their iPhones. But it does not prevent Apple from making jailbreaking difficult.
Microsoft announced a release date and pricing for an update to the popular Microsoft Office suite for Mac. Office 2011 will arrive by the end of October and will feature lower prices: $119 for the home edition and $199 for business. The suites include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Messenger. The business edition also includes Outlook, a replacement for Entourage.
Want the lid of your MacBook Pro to look cool and unique? Forget about covering it with stickers. Instead, get one really awesome one that plays off of the glowing Apple logo. Stuck Off Decals has some really interesting stuff, including superheroes, villains and other geeky characters that incorporate the Apple logo. I’ve got the “particle physics” one on my MacBook Pro right now.
Years of having nothing but Risk clones on the iPhone are over, as Electronic Arts finally gives us the real thing. Risk: The Official Game works on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and also supports a local multiplayer mode. The options are pretty basic, but you can’t beat the original ruleset anyway.
When trying to open a file in an application you can use Quick Look in the open dialog. Just select a file and press the spacebar to bring up a preview of the image, media or document. You can leave the preview window up and use the arrow keys to navigate between files to find the one you want.
Camera apps mentioned in this post:
It seems weird to spend money on an app that basically gives recipe ideas an grill times. But the On the Grill app from Weber becomes worth it quickly if you spend your summers grilling out back. Saving just one steak from being over or under cooked makes it worth it, and the rest is gravy — or, barbecue sauce.
Most Mac users know you can cycle through application using Command+Tab. But you can also cycle through windows in your currently running application without moving your hands from the keyboard. With Command+` (The key to the left of 1 and above Tab) you can bring each window of your application to the front in turn. This is especially useful if you have multiple browser or word processing windows in use.
Apple made changes to its iMac and Mac Pro lines this week. The new iMacs that feature i3, i5 and i7 processors, dropping the Core 2 Duo processor. Video chipsets in the new iMacs were also upgraded with 256MB to 1GB ATI chipsets. Faster memory is also included, and the SD card slots now support SDXC cards with up to 2TB of data. Drives on the new Macs start at 500GB with 1TB as a standard on most, and a 256GB SSD option as a second drive.
The Mac pro towers now come with either 4 or 6-core Xeon procesors, new ATI video chipsets, an option for a 512GB SSD and other improvements.
In addition to the new computers, Apple introduced a whole new interface this week with the Magic Trackpad. The device is essentially a trackpad like the ones on MacBook Pros, but as a stand-alone wireless Bluetooth device that replaces a mouse. The device allows an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro user to use touch gestures which have been available on MacBooks for a while.
Apple also changed its display line, adding a 27-inch (2560×1440) LED display that also features an iSight camera, USB hub and speakers. It also has a port for connecting power to the most recent MacBook line. This is now the top-of-the-line display for Apple, which discontinued its 30-inch display.
Gmail is the dominant email service used by MacMost users, followed by MobileMe. In a poll of 728 people, Gmail was reported as the preferred service by 41 percent. Mobile followed with 27 percent.
