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Apple is now offering limited compensation in the wake of the difficult MobileMe launch, according to announcement. The company admits that the transition from .Mac was “a lot rockier than we [Apple] had hoped,” and notes that “within the next few weeks,” it will extend select MobileMe subscriptions by 30 days. At present several important MobileMe functions are non-functional, including groups, webmail, and the HomePage website creation utility.

To be eligible for the extension, people must either have had a .Mac subscription as of July 9th, or created a MobileMe account on or before July 15th at 7PM PDT. Apple is reminding these groups to ignore any e-mails suggesting an imminent renewal deadline; extensions will be applied before accounts expire, and even people whose accounts expired between the 9th and the 15th will be given reactivated subscriptions. If a person is in the middle of a MobileMe trial, the trial period will be lengthened.

source: macnn.com

Apple has posted Mac OS X 10.5.3 to Software Update. This relatively major release addresses a number of issues extant in previous editions of Mac OS X 10.5.x, including problems with AirPort, Time Capsule, Mail, iChat, iCal and more. With regard to general fixes, the update a font issue that could result in Helvetica Narrow being used in applications instead of Helvetica and also addresses an issue with stuttering video and audio playback in certain USB devices. It also fixes an issue in which certain attached hard drives may not show up in the Finder.

AirPort fixes include improvements to 802.1X behavior and reliability and better reliability when using Time Capsule. iChat includes resolution of reliability issues with screen sharing and elimination of an issue in which saved chat transcripts may reported as “still in use” after opening and closing them in iChat. Also resolves is an issue with group chats not being indexed in Spotlight. The new release can also save an unlimited number of lines of active chats, up from 250.

In Mail, an issue was resolved in which the app may prevent idle sleep when set to automatically check for new messages every minute. Also addressed stability issues that may be encountered when dragging large attachments into an email message. 10.5.3 also fixes an issue that could occur if two compose windows are open when dragging a file to the Mail icon in the Dock.

The new edition of Parental Controls addresses reliability issues with application logging and time limits and resolves an issue in which Parental Controls may prevent forced sleep. It also eliminates performance issues with web content filters and fixes an issue with managed accounts in which iChat transcripts may not be created. ‘

Spaces no longer exhibits an issue in which switching to a different space and returning back to the original space may reorder the application windows with a different active window, and resolved is an issue in which activating an application from the Dock switches to a different space, even if there is a window for that application in the current space.

Time Machine has improved compatibility with Time Capsule and resolves certain issues when backing up a portable Mac that is on battery power. The new release also addresses compatibility issues with Aperture 2 and reliability issues when performing a full restore from a Time Machine backup.

The new version of Automator addresses an issue in which some actions may not work with the “Show When Run” option enabled. It also resolves an issue in which the “New iCal Event” action may not work and another issue that prevents workflows from being saved in the Finder’s contextual menu. The new release also includes fixes reliability issues for Automator scripts that search for files by date and an issue that prevents workflows from being saved in the Finder’s contextual menu. Another problem in which Automator workflows as Finder plugins do not work when the workflow begins with the “Get Selected Finder Items” action has been fixed as has an issue in which the “Copy Files” action does not reliably work when added from Automator’s warning dialog.

VoiceOver now includes Braille Update 1.0 which enables GW Micro, HandyTech, HIMS, Nippon, and Papenmeier Refreshable Braille displays. Also, an issue with Braille dot 7 and 8 underlining has been addressed, as has an issue in which HTML page anchors may be ignored by the VoiceOver cursor. The new release also fixes an issue that prevented Hot Spots from being used in text areas and resolves an issue with spell checking in which VoiceOver may only announce the first misspelled word if there are multiple words spelled incorrectly.

source: macnn.com

Apple today announced long-awaited upgrades for both its MacBook and MacBook Pro portables, adding Intel’s 45 nanometer Penryn architecture for its Core 2 Duo processors. All systems now include the larger Level 2 cache, SSE4 media instructions, and reduced power consumption of the new chips. As the flagship, the MacBook Pro now receives the multi-touch trackpad from the MacBook Air and also adds the first LED backlighting option for the 17-inch display; choosing the high-resolution, 1920×1200 screen also adds the more color-accurate backlight and potentially extends battery life. Video memory has also been doubled across the line.MacBook Pro prices start at $1,999 for a 2.4GHz 15-inch system with 2GB of memory, a 200GB hard drive, a dual-layer Superdrive, and a GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB of video memory; the $2,499 mid-range model boosts speeds to 2.5GHz, expands storage to 250GB, and introduces a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT chipset. The 17-inch model sells for $2,799 and chiefly adds the extra screen area.

The standard 13.3-inch MacBook goes without the advanced trackpad but receives a major upgrade to both its performance and storage. The standard 2.1GHz model adds both the architectural leap of Penryn and boosts storage from 80GB in the earlier model to 120GB while keeping the DVD/CD-RW Combo drive of before. Moving to the mid-tier, $1,299 model increases speed to 2.4GHz, doubles the amount of RAM to 2GB, and jumps to a 160GB hard drive as well as a dual-layer Superdrive. A black 2.4GHz model at $1,499 adds a 250GB hard drive. All five systems are available to order immediately from the online Apple Store.

source: electronista.com

Infinis Design recently unveiled iChat Pro, a reskinning feature for Apple’s iChat application that simplifies the user interface to be more compact. Designed for users that are comfortable with using right-click contextual menus to navigate the application’s functions, iChat Pro removes the somewhat redundant communication buttons at the bottom of the buddy list, and trims extraneous features from the top. iChat Pro is free to install for all users of iChat. Designer Philipp Antoni recommends users backup iChat prior to install, so that the process can be reversed, if desired, since iChat is not available as a separate download, apart from the Mac OS X install process.

source: macnn.com

Apple on Tuesday released Aperture 2.0, a major revision of the company’s professional photo editing and management application. The upgrade brings in a new, sleeker user interface that allows users to flip between Browser and Viewer modes with a single key press and a heads-up display that makes the most of the screen area while still allowing quick access to editing or navigation controls. A completely new RAW image processing engine is also said to bring out more detail and more faithful color accuracy for imported shots. Performance has likewise been improved with faster loading times and a Quick Preview mode that lets users browse their libraries at speed without loading each entire image.New editing tools also let editors enhance special qualities of an image: Recovery reduces overblown highlights, while Vibrancy boosts saturation without hurting the skin tones crucial to portraits. A Repair/Retouch function similar to that from iPhoto lets users quickly remove cosmetic imperfections just by dragging across affected areas. The Aperture update is also designed to integrate more smoothly with Apple’s modern web tools: users can more readily post photos to their .Mac Web Galleries with formatting for the iPhone and other handhelds. Apple launches the software immediately for $199 through the company’s online Apple Store.

source: macnn.com

IGG Software today released iBank 3 Public Beta, a trial version of its financial management application for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. The software includes iBank for iPhone, a Web-based iPhone application that allows users to enter transactions from an iPhone on-the-go. The update powers a redesigned interface with Mac OS X Core Animation technology, and a new view allows users to ‘flip’ through transactions presented professionally designed category images. iBank 3 Public Beta requires Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later, and the full version will ship in February for $50.Users can create new interactive graphs with the latest revision of iBank, and double-clicking on a pie slice flips it over to reveal detailed information. The update supports direct transaction downloads from numerous different banks using OFX, and banks that don’t support OFX are accessible via an integrated Web browser. Using Leopard’s Image Kit technology, users can take pictures of receipts or other items and assign them to transactions. Additional new features include smart portfolios for managing investments, and a new loan management module for tracking loans.

source: macnn.com

Equinux today began shipping the fifth generation of its online auction management software, iSale 5. The application allows Mac users to create as well as manage online eBay auctions, and features a template editor that allows supports customization of the included 222 templates. iSale 5 simplifies the search for product information and pictures, according to the company, and can display running auctions on the Facebook platform. iSale 5 is priced at $40, and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later. Upgrades are free for users who purchased iSale after December 15th of 2007, and are priced at $20 for all other customers.”All iSale users will greatly benefit from the new version. iSale 5 not only gives you the possibility to manage and create your auctions, but it now also shortens the time it takes to look up information about the items you’re selling,” said Equinux CEO Till Schadde.

“iSale 5 is the most powerful and comprehensive online auction management software that equinux has ever released. iSale 5 includes an all-new Template Editor that allows users to edit every iSale template, we ever shipped and save them as your favorites.” The new research assistant allows users to easily take product descriptions from a FileMaker database and Delicious Library, adding them to an auction via one mouse click. Additional plug-ins support product research as well as pictures using Google, Amazon, the ISBN Database, or any other website. Posting auctions in a Facebook profile lets contacts know about any upcoming auctions, and iSale 5 manages multiple libraries for archiving old auctions. iSale’s user interface is designed to reflect the style and design of Mac OS X Leopard, and uses the operating system’s calendar to manage deadlines. QuickLook previews also allow users to find any auction with the Finder.

source: macnn.com

Case maker Fabrix has announced new products for the MacBook Air, which is due to release later this week. The company has updated its Delux notebook cases with a size specifically tailored to the Air, measuring less than 0.6 inches thick in order to give the notebook a tight fit. Each case is sewn with quilted padding for protection, and features an improved back pocket with compartments for the IR remote and the optional SuperDrive. The pocket should still have enough space for extra papers and/or a magazine. Buyers can now also pick from over a dozen different patterns for their cases, including the completely new Blue Suit, Red Damask and Black Amber selections. All the cases should begin shipping for $42 within the next week.

source: macnn.com

DigitalFriedChicken has released CookWare Deluxe 3.2, an update to the recipe collection and organization software that adds a calendar to help plan meals. The application automatically formats recipes as they are entered, creates custom printing templates, enables users to assign multiple categories to recipes, and supports saving searches as well as menus. The software is priced at $36, and requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later.The latest release features an editable market list that is sortable by store, as well as the ability to link recipes together that complement or require one another. CookWare Deluxe 3.2 also allows users to create a cookbook from selected recipes with one click, and provides five print formats with unlimited custom formats for creating a physical copy of recipes. CookWare Deluxe 3.2 allows users to print a single recipe, a menu, an index, or recipes that fit in a three-ring binder. The application supports exporting single or multiple recipes in three formats, and can create recipes, market lists, or cookbooks that are viewable on Apple’s iPod on-the-go.

source: macnn.com

Netflix hopes that changes in two formats will prove to be catalysts for its business in 2008, the company said late yesterday in its quarterly results call. Following a year in which the company profited by 97 cents per share and added 1.2 million subscribers, the rental firm says it intends to offer a Mac version of its web-based Watch Instantly feature sometime this year. Though it did not say how it would reach this goal, the company explained that the move would reflect a larger trend towards web video in general by expanding the available audience.”Web-based video viewing is becoming mainstream, as a wide range of content companies make their content easily accessible on the web,” said company chief Reed Hastings. However, Hastings added that a lack of Mac-native digital rights management (DRM) remains a significant “hold-back” for the move. To date, the only widely used DRM format for the Mac has been Apple’s own FairPlay system, which has not been licensed to any third parties. This has so far limited the Netflix service to Windows alone, where the company uses the protected form of Microsoft’s Windows Media to prevent users from ripping permanent copies of streamed videos. An OS-independent copy protection system named Marlin is expected to debut with the beta of Pioneer’s SyncTV service but has not been announced for use outside of other major projects.

Additionally, the movie house also said it should benefit from Warner’s switch to Blu-ray for movies. By consolidating towards one HD movie disc format, subscribers are more likely to buy the relevant movie players and therefore rent Blu-ray titles. This may accelerate further if Blu-ray players crack the $200 mark currently reserved for low-end HD DVD players or if Paramount and Universal decide to sell Blu-ray movies, effectively ending the HD format conflict altogether.

The Netflix executive also dismissed efforts by others to join the Internet video on demand industry with Apple’s iTunes rentals and similar offerings, noting that many of these services are limited by when and where they can be viewed and are dependent on the Internet, potentially causing problems in a very young industry. “You only have 24 hours in which to complete watching the movie [on iTunes], so if you watch over two nights, you pay twice,” Hastings said. “DVD rentals advantages over VoD are ubiquity of content, ubiquity of DVD players, an early window for new releases, and lower prices.” The senior official acknowledged that there will be a switch to online distribution “at some point” but considered the Watch Instantly feature an investment in the future rather than a complete business model, as with Apple’s service or on-demand viewing from many cable TV providers.

source: macnn.com