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April 2007 News Archive

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Copyright 2007 by Bill Fox All rights reserved.
Last Updated: April 30, 2007

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[4/30] Apple extended WWDC07 Early Registration to May 11--Save $300

Early registration for Apple's 2007 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference has been extended so don't miss out on the savings! Purchase your WWDC07 ticket before May 11 and save $300.

WWDC07 is being held June 11-15 at San Francisco's Moscone West Conference Center. [Bill Fox]

[4/30] [Updated]Halo (Universal) 2.0.1--How Fast Is It?

On Friday, we noted that MacSoft had released version 2.0.1 for the Universal Binary edition of Halo for the Mac. One of the claimed features is increased speed on both PowerPC-based (up to 35 percent) and Intel-based (up to 25 percent) Macs.

We use the game Halo as one of our standard speed benchmarks so we ran it on both our 15" 2.33 GHz MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo with ATI Radeon X1600 graphics and 24" 2.33 GHz iMac Core 2 Duo with the optional Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT graphics card. Here are the results from both Macs running Mac OS X 10.4.9:

Speed comparison of Halo (Universal) versions measured in frames per second
Computer (Graphics)
Halo 2.0
Halo 2.0.1
% Change
.
15" MacBook Pro C2D (ATI)
55
69
+25
24" iMac C2D (Nvidia)
94
71
-24

Halo 2.0.1 on the MacBook Pro with ATI graphics is 25 percent faster as claimed by MacSoft. However, on the iMac with Nvidia graphics Halo 2.0.1 is nearly 25 percent SLOWER! [See Update below.] Just to be sure no mistakes were made, we re-installed Halo 2.0 and it ran at 94fps as before. After updating it again to 2.0.1, Halo ran at 71 fps, confirming the near 25 percent reduction in speed.

A reader wrote that v2.0.1 caused problems with running the Universal version of Halo in single-player mode on his Intel-based Mac mini with Intel graphics:

[The] Halo 2.0.1 updater [c]aused obstructions like trees and rocks to be visually invisible, otherwise they are still there (i.e. they still block shots and cause collisions).

We do not have this problem with our MacBook Pro C2D or iMac C2D but in single-player mode we have a problem with the "tab" key for switching weapons--it usually doesn't.

In summary, if you primarily use the multiplayer mode and have an ATI graphics card, you will probably like this update. If you have a Mac with Nvidia or Intel graphics, you may not like this update for the reasons we've noted.

[Update: We heard from Ken Cobb of Destineer, the main developer of Halo (Universal),who was surprised that version 2.0.1 (and v2.0.2) ran more slowly than v2.0 on our 24" iMac Core 2 Duo with Nvidia GeForce 7600GT graphics. He looked into why and discovered the reason. Our standard Halo test configuration includes enabling 2X Full-Scene AntiAliasing (2X FSAA). It seems that in the initial release of Halo 2.0 (Universal), FSAA was not working on the Nvidia graphics in our 24" iMac Core 2 Duo but it is in v2.0.1 and v2.0.2 giving the appearance of a speed reduction. In fact, if we had tested without 2X FSAA enabled we would have seen a speed improvement between v2.0 and version 2.0.1/2.0.2 similar to that experienced with the ATI graphics.] [Bill Fox]

[4/30] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Battery Update 1.2 for MacBook and MacBook Pros

Battery Update 1.2 is available for download via Software Update if you have a MacBook or MacBook Pro or as a stand-alone updater from this Apple Web page. According to Apple,

Battery Update 1.2 updates battery firmware and improves battery functionality.

After Battery Update has been installed, each battery you insert into your MacBook or MacBook Pro will be updated automatically. Your computer's power cord must be connected and plugged into a working power source.

Installation of Battery Update 1.2 requires Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later.

The Battery Update 1.2 supports the following products:

MacBook
MacBook (Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy)
MacBook Pro (15-inch Core 2 Duo)
MacBook Pro (17-inch)
MacBook Pro (17-inch Core 2 Duo)

Battery Update 1.2 places a file in the System/Library/SystemConfiguration folder called BatteryUpdater.bundle. The BatteryUpdater.bundle will check to see if a battery needs to be updated on startup, wake from sleep, and when a battery is inserted. If in these cases there is no AC power supplied, it will then wait until AC power is present and then check to see if the battery needs to be updated. If the battery needs to be updated it will update it automatically. Wait 30 seconds before you validate the installation.

We downloaded Battery Update 1.2 via Software Update and installed it in our 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo. We decided to restart and when we did it took longer than normal at a blue screen during the startup process, possibly applying the firmware update to our battery. Then, startup proceeded normally. We haven't noticed any appreciable change in battery life. [Bill Fox]

[4/30] Software Special Deal of the Day: Data Backup 3.0 (Universal) for 32% Off--$39.99 Today Only

Data Backup 3 is a powerful utility that allows you to backup, restore and synchronize your valuable data with minimal effort. Whether you are a new computer user or a seasoned professional, Data Backup 3 offers you just the right amount of power, flexibility and ease-of-use to help you protect your files fast.

  • Easy, No complicated setup - built-in backup sets to quickly backup your iTunes or iPhoto files, other important data or your entire system.
  • Custom create your own backup sets. Just drag and drop.
  • "Fast Start" feature preselects the files to be backed up, saving you time (requires OS X 10.4+).
  • Powerful Go "back in time" and see your files and directories, as they were when your backups happened.
  • Schedule your backups to automatically run at a specific time, on a recurring basis or when a drive is connected.
  • Have your Mac automatically wake from sleep to execute scheduled backups. Backups run whether you are logged in or not.
  • Create a bootable clone of your hard drive. Choose to compress and/or password protect your backups.
  • Flexible Backup to any mounted drive including FireWire, USB, ATA, or net worked drives. Backup to CD/DVD disks automatically span on multiple disks. Creates an exact copy of a folder or a drive, including bootable OS X backups.
  • Synchronize folders - perfect if you use more than one computer.

Normally $59.00, Data Backup 3.0 (Universal) is offered for $39.99 today only--that's 33% off as Today's MacUpdate Software Promo. [Bill Fox]

[4/30] Samsung mass producing 16Gb NAND Flash Memory, the largest, finest and fastest available

iPods and digital cameras, and possibly notebooks, will soon get a boost in flash memory because Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., has become the first to begin mass producing 16 gigabit (Gb) NAND flash, the highest capacity memory chip now available. The company said it will fabricate the devices in 51 nanometers (nm), the finest process technology to be used in memory mass production to date.

Samsung's 51nm NAND flash chips can be produced 60 percent more efficiently than those produced with 60nm process technology. Samsung achieved this new migration milestone just eight months after announcing production of its 60nm 8Gb NAND flash last August.

The new 16Gb chip which has a multi-level cell (MLC) structure can facilitate capacity expansion by offering 16 gigabytes (GBs) of memory in a single memory card. Furthermore, by applying the new process technology, Samsung has accelerated the chip's read and write speeds by approximately 80 percent over current MLC data processing speeds.

Samsung will offer an optimized suite of Flash software and firmware-incorporated storage devices for music phones and MP3 players to support 4KB pages. It also will provide a multi-plane performance optimization feature and wear-leveling for improved reliability. Memory cards and MP3 controllers to support the 4KB-page are already available.

Technology migration to 16Gb is expected to boost the recent explosive demand for high-density data storage in high-end music phones and the phenomenal trend toward user created content (UCC). As the demand for video content grows stronger by the day, products that feature extended recording time of high-resolution video footage, including mid-to-high-range digital cameras, will particularly benefit from the high capacity and performance of 16Gb NAND flash memory. With support technology in place, demand for 16Gb NAND flash memory is expected to grow rapidly, pushing this new chip into the mainstream market beginning late this year. Aggregate global sales through 2010 are estimated to be US$21 billion. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] Flip4Mac WMV Player 2.1.1.70 is Out--View Windows Media Files

Flip4Mac WMV Player is a collection of QuickTime components that allow you to play, import, and export Windows Media video and audio files on your Mac using your favorite QuickTime-based applications. The latest version 2.1.1.70 is available for download via MacUpdate.com.

What's new in version 2.1.1.70:

  • Added support for reclaiming file types assumed by other applications.
  • Added support for Windows Media 9 Advanced playback.
  • Improved ASX handling.
  • Improved support for MPEG 4 playback.
  • Resolved some issues related to 2-pass VBR encoding.
  • Resolved manual activation issue.
  • Resolved Helix streaming server playback issue.
  • Resolved Save as and Save As QuickTime Movie issue on OS 10.3.9/QT 7.1.2 systems.
  • Resolved potential for crash when playing back files that have been deliberately modified/damaged.
  • Improved support for installation using Apple Remote Desktop.

We downloaded and installed v2.1.1.70 in place of v2.1.0.33 with no problems. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] Software Special Deal of the Day: iRepo X 1.0.1 (Universal) for 33% Off--$7.99 Today Only

Repo X is a very easy to use iPod utility to recover songs off iPods. You simply connect your iPod and iRepo X will show you all the songs on the iPod. You can then easily select which songs you want to transfer and then tell iRepo X to start transferring. This is very useful in the following situations:

  • Recover from computer crash If you've lost all your songs on your Mac due to a computer crash, iRepo X can let you copy the songs back from your iPod. This is impossible using iTunes alone.
  • Load songs onto new computer When buying a new computer, iRepo X makes it possible to easily transfer your songs to your new computer from your iPod.
  • Copy songs from any iPod iRepo X gives you the ability to copy songs onto your computer from any iPod. If your friend has songs you would like, you can connect their iPod to your computer and transfer over all the songs you don't have.

How it works You simply start up iRepo X and connect your iPod. After connecting your iPod, iRepo X will display a listing of all the songs on the iPod in a very easy to use interface much like the browser interface in iTunes. You select which songs you want and click a button to start the transfer process.

Normally $12.00, iRepo X 1.0.1 (Universal) is offered for $7.99 today only--that's 33% off as Today's MacUpdate Software Promo. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] Apple Revised the Offerings from Two Hot Deals Retailers

CDW Mac Warehouse - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: Kingston DataTraveler 512MB USB flash dirve for only $9.37!; Pentax Optio M30 7.1-megapixel compact digital camera for only $199.95!; HP Officejet 4315 All-in-One color printer from Hewlett Packard for only $89.99; ZR850 MiniDV widescreen camcorder from Canon for only $399!; and much more.

GadgetLocker - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: Keynote Theme Park Superset 1 for Apple's Keynote presentation software from Wow You Design for only $11.95; Toast 8 Titanium for all of your CD, DVD and Blu-ray burning needs from Roxio for only $85.99!; iHome ColorTunes nano portable speaker system for only $29.99!; iLuv Bluetooth wireless ear clips for only $129.99!; NuLOOQ Navigator control device adds power to many Mac applications from Logitech for only $63.99!; and much more.

[Bill Fox]

[4/27] Adobe Lightroom 1.0 Special Intro Price of $199 ends Monday

Time is running out to get Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software at a special introductory price. If you order a copy of Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 before April 30, 2007, you'll save US$100 off the regular retail price of $299.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software is the professional photographer's essential toolbox, providing one easy application for managing, adjusting, and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] Halo 2.0.1 Updater (Universal) is Out

MacSoft released Halo 2.0.1 Updater. It will update the Universal Binary version of the original Halo for the Mac from version 2.0 to version 2.0.1. Halo 2.0 (Universal) is not to be confused with Halo 2 which is not out for the Mac. The Halo 2.0.1 Update is for the U.S. (i.e., English) version only. Download it from MacGameFiles.com.

Version 2.0.1 changes include:

  • Overall performance on PowerPC Macs has been improved by up to 35% over the original Universal Binary version, depending on graphics configuration.
  • Overall performance on Intel Macs has been improved by up to 25% over the original Universal Binary version, depending on graphics configuration.
  • Cinematic full-screen effects run much faster.
  • Now using hardware occlusion query for much faster performance when "Lens Flare" is set to High or Extreme.
  • Fixed intermittent flashlight and vehicle headlight problems for all configurations.
  • Flashlight and vehicle headlights fixed specifically for Intel GMA 950 video, and overall rendering much improved on Intel video.
  • Fixed hanging bug when editing multiplayer game type.

We downloaded and installed the version 2.0.1 Update. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] iQuiz Library Web Site Opened

iQuiz, an Apple-made game for the iPod, is available for $0.99 from the iTunes Store. Jesse Perry created a website called the iQuiz Library. He is compiling a list of all of the iQuizzes out there, planning to create a small community as more and more people create iQuizzes for their own needs through this handy iPod game.

You can also make your own iQuiz game with iQuiz Maker. [Bill Fox]

[4/27] Peachpit released New Titles for Final Cut Studio 2 Users

Apple Final Cut Studio 2 introduces new versions of Apple's popular video editing, motion graphics, and audio software: Final Cut Pro 6, Compressor 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, Motion 3, DVD Studio Pro 4 and Color. Peachpit Press is releasing several books related to Apple's new digital video and editing suite for individuals learning Final Cut Studio 2 from scratch to seasoned video professionals aiming to take their skills to the next level.

The new titles are:

FINAL CUT PRO 6:

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 6
Professional Editing in Final Cut Studio
Diana Weynand
ISBN 0-321-50265-5
May 2007

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 6 Beyond the Basics
Real-Time Editing, Effects, and Color Correction
Michael Wohl
ISBN 0-321-50912-9
June 2007

Apple Pro Training Series: The Craft of Editing with Final Cut Pro
Michael Wohl
ISBN 0-321-52036-X
July 2007

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro for Broadcast Quick-Reference Guide
Joe Torelli
ISBN 0-321-51423-8
July 2007

Final Cut Pro 6: Visual QuickPro Guide
Lisa Brenneis
ISBN 0-321-50269-8
July 2007

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Server Quick-Reference Guide
Matt Geller
ISBN 0-321-51024-0
July 2007

Apple Final Cut Pro 6: Video Training Book
Larry Jordan
ISBN 0-321-44549-X
September 2007

COMPRESSOR 3:

Apple Pro Training Series: Compressor 3 Quick-Reference Guide
Brian Gary
ISBN 0-321-51422-X
May 2007

SOUNDTRACK PRO 2:

Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack Pro 2
Martin Sitter
ISBN 0-321-50266-3
June 2007

MOTION 3:

Apple Pro Training Series: Motion 3
Damian Allen, Bryce Button, and Mark Spencer
ISBN 0-321-50910-2
July 2007

DVD STUDIO PRO 4

Apple Pro Training Series: DVD Studio Pro 4, Second Edition
Martin Sitter and Bruce Nazarian
ISBN 0-321-50189-6
July 2007

COLOR:

Apple Pro Training Series: Color
ISBN 0-321-50911-0
David Gross and Alexis van Hurkman
July 2007

For a complete list of all Peachpit releases for Final Cut Studio 2, visit this Peachpit Web page. [Bill Fox]

[4/26] Apple reported most profitable Q2, Earnings beat Analysts Estimate by 36 percent

Apple had an outstanding second quarter of their 2007 fiscal year (Q2 2007) posting a $770 million net profit, its highest second quarter profit ever. Earnings per share (EPS) came in at 87 cents on revenue of $5.26 billion, blowing away the Thomson Financial analysts' consensus estimate of 64 cents by over 36 percent (see chart at right). Gross margin was up to a remarkable 35.1 percent and cash and short term investments now total $12.6 billion, up from $11.9 billion last quarter.

Compared with last year's second quarter (Q2 2006), Q2 2007 is up 88 per cent in net profit, up 21 per cent in revenue, up 79 percent in earnings per share and up 18 per cent in gross margin.

This terrific financial performance was driven largely by increased sales of Macs by 36 percent and increased sales of iPods by 24 percent over Q2 2006). The growth rate in Macs sales was three times the industry average resulting in an increase in market share.

Sales of Apple notebooks, the MacBook and MacBook Pro, were 891,000 out of a total Mac sales of 1,517,000. The notebook sales were up 79 percent from Q2 2006.

Desktop (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro and Xserve) sales at 626,000 were up slightly by 2 percent from Q2 2006. Apple executives still reported positive acceptance of the new Intel-based Mac Pro but also still expected delayed purchases due to the lack of Intel-based Adobe applications now shipping in Q3 2007.

iPod sales reached 10,549,000, up 24 percent from Q2 2006, but revenues were down by 1 percent due to increased popularity of the less expensive iPod shuffle II.

Sales revenue was up over Q2 2006 in two geographical areas (Americas and Europe) by 15 and 29 percent but down in Japan by 8 percent.

The Apple retail stores are still doing well. Sales revenue increased 34 percent over Q2 2006. New-to-Mac sales continue to be over 50 percent of their sales.

A few other interesting tidbits from Apple's late afternoon analysts' conference call (replay it here) with Apple CFO Peter Openheimer and COO Tim Cook answering questions, include:

  • Apple's future earned revenue from the iPhone will include shared revenue from AT&T plus additional Apple accessories.
  • Gross margins are expected to still be higher than normal but decline some to 32 percent in the third quarter and then to 27-28 percent thereafter. This is due to parts prices generally trending upward.
  • There are no detectable effects of the iPhone on iPod sales so far.
  • Still no iPhone order date announced.
  • iPhone and Apple TV revenue would also be booked on a subscription basis due to adding features through software updates after purchase at no cost to the purchaser.
  • iTunes music sales have an 85 percent market share in the U.S.
  • Capital expenditures were $105 million during the quarter.
  • Depreciation was $69 million.

The second quarter is traditionally Apple's lowest but Apple expects its third 2007 quarter results to decline slightly from the second quarter to $5.1 billion in revenue and to 66 cents in earnings per share. Here is Apple's press release. [Bill Fox]

[4/26] Apple Board Members defend Apple CEO Steve Jobs in Statement

In light of former Apple CFO Fred Anderson's statement that we noted yesterday that entwined Steve Jobs in Apple's stock options backdating problem, Apple Board Members Bill Campbell, Millard Drexler, Albert Gore Jr., Arthur D. Levinson, Eric Schmidt and Jerry York released the following statement:

We are not going to enter into a public debate with Fred Anderson or his lawyer. Steve Jobs cooperated fully with Apple's independent investigation and with the government's investigation of stock option grants at Apple. The SEC investigated the matter thoroughly and its complaint speaks for itself, in terms of what it says, what it does not say, who it charges, and who it does not charge. We have complete confidence in the conclusions of Apple's independent investigation, and in Steve's integrity and his ability to lead Apple.

[Bill Fox]

[4/26] Software Special Deal of the Day: PDF Studio 4.40 (Universal) for 33% Off--$39.95 Today Only

PDF Studio is an easy to use yet powerful program to work with PDF documents within your workflow.

  • View & Print: Open any pdf document and send it to the printer. Documents will be automatically resized to fit the paper size. PDF Studio supports all types of pdf fonts.
  • PDF Interactive Forms: Fill any pdf form and save it locally. Once the form is filled, you can flatten form fields to obtain a non-editable version of the form.
  • Sticky Notes: Open any pdf document and add your sticky notes or comments to the document using text and graphic markup tools. You can add free text notes, or draw shapes such as lines, circles, rectangles to work with the existing content of the pdf document.
  • Audio Comment: Record or import a sound and add it to a pdf document.
  • Rubber Stamps: Mark your documents as urgent, paid, confidential. You can also create your own Signature Stamp. All stamps can be saved to be reused later.
  • Headers and Footers: Add titles, page numbers to your pdf documents.
  • Hyperlinks: Add hyperlinks to your pdf documents.
  • Modify Pages: Append, merge or split documents. Delete, insert, replace pages in a pdf document. Or extract pages to create a new pdf document.
  • Passwords and Permissions: Add passwords or change permissions on your pdf documents. You can set /remove permissions to print, to modify, to copy, to annotate and to fill form fields. PDF Studio encrypt pdf documents using the higher security level (128-bit RC4 encryption).
  • Scan to PDF: Scan documents from any Twain compliant scanner into a new or existing pdf document.
  • Batch functions: Stamp, Print, or Encrypt multiple documents with a single click as a batch.
  • PDF To Images: Converts pages of a pdf documents to JPG images or TIFF images (optimized for scanning).
  • Import/Export: Import and Export comments and form data in FDF or XFDF format.

Any platform, no third party programs required: Works on Macintosh, Linux, Windows, AIX. And because PDF Studio uses Qoppa's proprietary technology to view and modify PDF files, it doesn't require Adobe Reader or any other other software to run.

Normally $60.00, PDF Studio 4.40 (Universal) is offered for $39.95 today only--that's 33% off as Today's MacUpdate Software Promo. [Bill Fox]

[4/26] Apple Revised the Offerings from Two Hot Deals Retailers

ClubMall - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: 320GB Monsoon external hard drive with FireWire/USB 2.0 from EZQuest for only $99.99!; 8" digital photo frame from Tricod works with most memory cards for only $119.99; ScanSnap S500M duplex color sheet fed compact desktop scanner from Fujitsu for only $449.99!; Kensington USB Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer for only $49.99!; Photoshop Lightroom from Adobe for only $189.99!; Epson Stylus Photo 1400 13" x 19" dye-based color photo inkjet printer for only $339.99; and much more.

MacMall - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: 500GB My Book Pro Edition triple interface external hard drive from Western Digital for only $219.99!; EyeTV Hybrid USB-powered digital/analog TV converter for your Mac for from Elgato for only $127.99!; Signature Suit form-fitting leather case for 15" MacBook Pro from Case-Mate for only $149.99!; EndNote X from ISI Researchsoft - new way to manage PDF files for only $193.99; SyncMaster 941BW 19" wide-screen display from Samsung for only $164.98 after $20 mail-in rebate!; 18x external multi-format DVD +/- R burner from Sony, FireWire and USB 2.0 for only $199.95; and much more.

[Bill Fox]

[4/26] Tonight on The Tech Night Owl LIVE--Apple's Q2 Financials and Adobe's InDesign CS3

Tonight, host Gene Steinberg examines the impact of Apple's quarterly financials, where unexpectedly large sales and profits were reported. Coming along for the ride will be industry analyst Ross Rubin, of the NPD Group. You'll also hear from Joe Wilcox, editor of Microsoft Watch, on how Apple's continued success is impacting the world's largest software company. Another cutting-edge view will be presented by commentator Daniel Eran of Roughly Drafted Magazine.

In addition, you'll learn about the latest and greatest version of Adobe's flagship desktop publishing application, InDesign CS3, from noted author Galen Gruman. Is the upgrade worth it or not? You can tune into the Web broadcast Thursday night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Pacific, 9:00 to 11:00 PM Eastern. [Bill Fox]

[4/25] [Updated]Apple to release its Q2 Financial Statement Today

Apple will release the financial results of its second quarter of 2007 today following the close of the stock market. Live audio streaming of a conference call with financial analysts to present and discuss the results will be accessible through this Apple Web page at 2pm PT (5pm ET) [Times corrected].

Thomson Financial's consensus of analysts estimate of Apple's Q2 2007 earnings is $0.64 per share. This is high for Q2 but Apple always seems to beat the consensus estimate, sometimes substantially--see graph at right.

Look for our follow-up report. [Bill Fox]

[4/25] SEC sues Former Apple General Counsel Nancy Heinen over Backdating Stock Options

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as we expected, filed charges "[accusing] ... former General Counsel Nancy R. Heinen of participating in the fraudulent backdating of options granted to Apple's top officers that caused the company to underreport its expenses by nearly $40 million. The Commission's complaint alleges that Heinen, of Portola Valley, Calif., caused Apple to backdate two large options grants to senior executives of Apple — a February 2001 grant of 4.8 million options to Apple's Executive Team and a December 2001 grant of 7.5 million options to Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs — and altered company records to conceal the fraud."

An attorney for Ms. Heinen disputed the claims and stated that she will fight the charges in court.

Fred Anderson, former Apple Chief Financial Officer, was also accused of improprieties but settled with the SEC, as we noted yesterday, by agreeing to pay, in essence, a $3.65 million fine. He lashed out at Apple CEO Steve Jobs and the former Apple General Counsel in a statement blaming them for what happened. [Bill Fox]

[4/25] Software Special Deal of the Day: MacScan 2.4 (Universal) for 48% Off--$12.95 Today Only

MacScan is designed to detect, isolate and remove spyware, keystroke loggers, trojans horses, and bring awareness to remote administration applications which could have been maliciously or inadvertently installed on your Macintosh. The blacklisted cookie scanner will allow you to scan for tracking cookies and remove them without losing saved usernames or passwords. MacScan can also clean internet files and cookies for a variety of web browsers.

    Normally $24.95, MacScan 2.4 (Universal) is offered for $12.95 today only--that's 48% off as Today's MacUpdate Software Promo. [Bill Fox]

    [4/25] Registration for OSCON 2007 Open, Program revealed

    Registration is now open for OSCON, the O'Reilly Open Source Convention. This year's program will examine how open technologies are making breakthroughs in the mainstream IT community, and delve into the advances on the open source horizon. Now in its ninth year, OSCON is the annual gathering of developers, hackers, visionaries, and alpha geeks who are driving the open source movement. OSCON returns to the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon July 23-27, 2007.

    OSCON will feature more than 400 sessions and tutorials in fifteen tracks that will cover Administration, Business Databases, Java, Linux, People, Perl, PHP, Programming, Python, Ruby, Security, and Web Applications. Also happening concurrently will be the O'Reilly Radar Executive Briefing, a full-day discussion and debate that will give attendees the opportunity to take part in the conversation between Tim O'Reilly and the innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are fostering the evolution of computing via open source technologies.

    Speakers, tutorials, and sessions at OSCON this year include:

    • Kirill Grouchnikov, Amdocs, "Advanced Effects in Desktop Java
      Applications"
    • Rasmus Lerdorf, Yahoo!, "PHP - Bigger and Faster"
    • Lamont Peterson, NeverBlock, "High Availability Xen"
    • Simon Willison, "OpenID Bootcamp"
    • Rachael Madsen, "Exploiting Multi-Core Capabilies From Python"
    • Guido van Rossum, Creator of Python, "Python 3000"
    • Theo Schlossnagle, "OmniTI Advanced Production Troubleshooting"
    • Chris DiBona, Google, "A Year of Open Source at Google"
    • Simon Peyton Jones, "Microsoft A Taste of Haskell"
    • Michael Koziarski, "Generating Gorgeous Word Documents, PDFs and Excel
      Spreadsheets"
    • Jesse Vincent, Best Practical, "Building Domain Specific Languages
      in Perl"
    • Ben Krug, Adapt Technologies, "DBA Tales from the Front: from Oracle
      to MySQL"
    • Dawn Foster and Danese Cooper, Intel, "Art of Community"

    OSCON 2007 will feature an expo hall where companies offering open source products and services will display their latest innovations to the more
    than 2,500 attendees that are expected at the convention. Sponsors and exhibitors so far include: Autodesk, Novell, Google, Intel, The New York Times, Sun, Microsoft, Optaros, IBM, and Ingres. Networking opportunities at OSCON will be plentiful for the entire open source community, particularly during evening events such as the Open Source Alliance SSO Hack-a-Thon, "Meet-n-Geek," and the Google O'Reilly Open Source Awards. [Bill Fox]

    [4/24] Former Apple CFO Anderson settled with SEC on Stock Options Backdating Case for $3.65 Million

    Fred Anderson, Apple's former CFO who resigned from Apple's Board when the stock options backdating issue broke, has reportedly settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a fine of $150,000 and repayment of $3.5 million in gains from his backdated stock options grant. Anderson admitted no wrongdoing.

    The other former Apple executive in the SEC's sights is Nancy Heinen, former Apple General Counsel. She is accused of participating in backdating her own stock options and signing off on the minutes of a bogus meeting giving Apple CEO Steve Jobs backdated stock options later cancelled. Ms. Heinen plans to contest the charges rather than settling according to the same Reuters report.

    This is an interesting case since backdating stock options is in itself not illegal and is apparently a very common practice in corporate compensation. However, there are SEC rules about how such compensation is accounted for in financial filings and in reports to stock holders that are at the heart of the issue. [Bill Fox]

    [4/24] Blu-ray Disc vs HD DVD--Blu-ray Disc hits 1 million Mark and 70% of HD Movie Sales

    According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, Blu-ray Disc has become the first high definition format to sell more than one million discs, a milestone it has achieved in less than a year. Blu-ray Disc sales also accounted for 70 percent of the high-definition movies sold during the first quarter of 2007, according to sales figures published yesterday by Home Media Research.

    Blu-ray's sales lead has increased each month since the first of the year and nearly three out of every four high-definition movies sold in March were on Blu-ray Disc, according to the HMR sales figures.

    Industry projections suggest that this steady growth trend will continue based on the fact that seven of the eight major studios are releasing an increasing number of blockbuster movies on Blu-ray Disc, most of which will only be available in high-definition on Blu-ray Disc. In 2006, 18 of the top 20 selling DVDs were released by studios that are publishing their movies on Blu-ray Disc.

    Blu-ray Disc titles accounted for eight of the top ten selling high definition titles in the first quarter of this year and since the introduction of both high definition formats, seven of the top ten selling high definition movies are on Blu-ray Disc.

    The sustained sales advantage enjoyed by Blu-ray throughout the first three months of the year is expected to continue as studios maintain an aggressive release schedule to bring the biggest Hollywood movies to high definition. In the coming months, Blu-ray Disc studios will be releasing blockbuster titles such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Night at the Museum, Cars and Dreamgirls.

    Apple supports the Blu-ray Disc format. [Bill Fox]

    [4/24] Peachpit Press publishing New Titles on Adobe Creative Suite 3

    Adobe Creative Suite 3 introduces new versions of Adobe's market-leading software including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, and more. Peachpit is publishing several new titles related to CS3 by their bestselling authors and within their key series: Adobe Press, Peachpit Press, and New Riders.

    The titles below are just a small sampling of their complete lineup:

    Adobe Press

    Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book
    Adobe Creative Team
    ISBN 0-321-49202-1
    *Hot off the press!

    Adobe InDesign CS3 Classroom in a Book
    Adobe Creative Team
    ISBN 0-321-49201-3
    *Hot off the press!

    A Designer's Guide to Adobe InDesign and XML
    James J. Maivald and Cathy Palmer
    ISBN 0-321-50355-4
    July 2007

    Adobe Illustrator CS3 How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques
    David Karlins
    ISBN 0-321-50894-7
    June 2007

    New Riders

    The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers
    Scott Kelby
    ISBN 0-321-50191-8
    May 2007

    How to Wow: Photoshop CS3 for Photography
    Jack Davis and Ben Wilmore
    ISBN 0-321-50986-2
    July 2007

    Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3
    Mordy Golding
    0-321-49621-3
    June 2007

    Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3
    Bruce Fraser and Jeff Schewe
    ISBN 0-321-51867-5
    Fall 2007

    Nighttime Digital Photography with Adobe Photoshop CS3
    ISBN 0-321-50354-6
    John Carucci
    July 2007

    The Designer's Apprentice: Automating Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign in Adobe Creative Suite 3
    Rick Ralston
    July 2007

    Digital Photographer's Notebook: Practical Tips for Professional Photoshop CS3 Users
    Kevin Ames
    ISBN 0-321-35841-4
    August 2007

    For a complete listing of CS3 books, as well as sample chapters, related articles and videos, visit Peachpit's CS3 Resource Center. [Bill Fox]

    [4/24] TurboTax E-filing Glitch continues to reverberate--Fee questioned

    As we previously noted, Intuit's servers choked on the volume of last-minute tax returns causing the IRS to grant a two-day extension for those caught in the glitch. This raises the question as to why the tax software companies are allowed by IRS to charge for e-filing when they do nothing more than aggregating the returns and passing them on. Intuit charges $17 to e-file using TurboTax and H&R Block charges $15 to e-file using TaxCut. However, e-filing could be direct to the IRS and save these charges.

    The New York Times confirmed that H&R Block's TaxCut customers did not experience a last-minute e-filing glitch. [Dana Baggett & Bill Fox]

    [4/24] Periscope (Universal) is a New Webcam Application for the Mac

    Freeverse today announced the immediate availability of Periscope, a new webcam application for Mac OS X. Designed for simplicity, Periscope allows the user to easily configure the Mac's built-in iSight to document a day, protect a home, or keep an eye on the kids. It knits together Apple's amazing hardware, software and services such as DotMac, Applescript, the iSight, Mail, iPhoto, and even the Apple Remote, to create a whole new tool for security, a whole new vector for fun.

    Within minutes, a user can configure Periscope to monitor a room and email a picture when it detects motion or sound. Or they can configure Periscope to take a photo every half-hour and upload it to a DotMac web page, Flickr account or FTP site. Create a time-lapse movie of the view from a window, or catch that squirrel that's been raiding the bird-feeder!

    Periscope is a Universal application and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. Priced at only $29.95, Periscope is an affordable and welcome enhancement to the power of Apple's iSight. [Bill Fox]

    [4/24] Griffin Technology shipping AirDock for iPod

    Griffin Technology Inc. is now shipping their AirDock for iPod, a charge/sync/play docking station for iPod, designed to position your iPod as the centerpiece of any home entertainment system.

    Griffin's AirDock is much more than just another dock for iPod. AirDock provides the output connectors for integrating your iPod with your TV and home stereo. Connect the included AV cable and soon you are enjoying your music, audiobooks, TV shows, movies, music videos and your own photo slideshows directly from your iPod to your TV and sound system. Living up to its name, AirDock even includes a RF remote control so you can control playback from your couch.

    AirDock also lets you connect your iPod to your computer for data synchronization and charging its battery while you work. Just connect AirDock to your computer with the included USB cable.

    AirDock features:

    • Connect AirDock to your computer's USB port to sync or play your iPod while it's charging
    • Connect AirDock to your home entertainment system to share your iPod with the whole room
    • Included RF remote controls audio and video playback from your iPod
    • Works with 4th & 5th generation iPod, 1st & 2nd generation iPod nano, and iPod mini

    AirDock for iPod (9803-AIRDOCK) is priced at $69.99 and is available from Griffin's Web site and most major retailers nationwide. [Bill Fox]

    [4/23] Brief Hands-On Report--Microsoft IntelliType Pro and IntelliPoint 6.2 Mouse and Keyboard Drivers are Out

    Version 6.2 of the drivers for Microsoft keyboards and mice is available for download via VersionTracker.com.

    We use a Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 5-button mouse so we downloaded the new drivers and installed them for the mouse. The installer lets one pick either or both of the mouse and keyboard drivers to install. The preference pane is slightly different but we did not notice any major change. The mouse worked fine in hours of use. [Bill Fox]

    [4/23] Software Special Deal of the Day: FinanceToGo 1.3.1 (Universal) for 56% Off--$19.95 Today Only

    FinanceToGo is an affordable and easy-to-use personal finance manager based on the principles of double entry accounting. If you are an individual or small business owner, FinanceToGo is an ideal tool which allows you to create budgets and track what you spend your money on with automatically generated graphs and charts.

    You can track debt, profit and losses, liquid and fixed assets, transactions, multiple accounts and more in a one-window application with a sleek Mac OS X interface.

    Main features:

    • Graphs — Bar and pie charts of your financial data is automatically generated.
    • Accounts — Manage dozens of accounts at any one time.
    • Shares — Track any share investments you have in businesses.
    • Reports — Generate balance sheets, profit and loss statements and more.
    • Import Quicken files — if you already use Quicken for Mac, you can import a QIF file and continue as usual!
    • Transactions — Track thousands of transactions in multiple accounts at once.

    Normally $44.95, FinanceToGo 1.3.1 (Universal) is offered for $19.95 today only--that's 56% off as Today's MacUpdate Software Promo. [Bill Fox]

    [4/23] Cool Mac Software--Smart Scroll X 2.2 is Out

    Smart Scroll X by Marc Moini makes scrolling more convenient:

    • Super Wheel makes your scroll wheel smoother, faster and more comfortable.
    • Grab Scroll gives you a Hand tool to easily move any window's contents. It features coasting, just like on the iPhone.

    Other features include Universal Scroll Keys that let you scroll from the keyboard, FileMaker Pro and AppleWorks enhancements, and more.

    New in version 2.2:

    • Grab Scroll support for Safari's RSS display.
    • Grab Scroll support for NetNewsWire (Thanks, Arnold Kid!)
    • Super Wheel and Grab Scroll support for Camino (Thanks, Thomas Meyer & Timothy James!)
    • By popular request, a "Scroll without moving cursor" option for Grab Scroll.
    • Fixes a problem in v2.1.2 where Smart Scroll X would sometimes stop working in Safari.
    • FileMaker Pro enhancements are now working again (broken since v2.1.1).
    • Various fixes and improvements.

    Smart Scroll X 2.2 (Universal) is shareware ($19 single user license). [Bill Fox]

    [4/23] System Shootouts updated for Mac Pro and Educational Shootouts

    Charles Gaba posted a few updates to his Mac vs PC Shootouts Web site:

    • New $2,800 Workstation shootout (Mac Pro w/20" Cinema Display vs. Dell Precision 690 w/20" LCD)
    • Two new Educational Desktop shootouts (Mac mini vs. OptiPlex SFF and Dell Dimension E520)

    These are his first shootouts to feature Vista on the Dell systems and the Educational shootouts are the first new ones in over 2 years (costs taken directly from Apple/Dell's Educational stores). [Bill Fox]

    [4/23] SendStation shipping iPod Dock Extender

    SendStation Systems announced that its long awaited Dock Extender for iPod has begun shipping. The unique Dock Extender is the only solution on the market which allows you to dock the iPod or attach dock-mounted accessories without constantly peeling your iPod from its case.

    It is available for $28.95 from the SendStation Online Store and authorized resellers worldwide. [Bill Fox]

    [4/21] Apple Revised the Offerings from Four Hot Deals Retailers

    audioMIDI - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: Oxygen 49 keyboard w/USB interface from M-Audio with a free copy Key Rig virtual keyboard software for only $95.63!; KORE from Native Instruments is a universal sound platform that integrates all your software instruments and effects into a single unified interface - only $279.42!; EastWest QLSO Platinum Pro Bundle (includes Platinum Edition, Platinum Pro XP and a free Pace iLok USB key!) for only $1,439.42!; Wizooverb Special Bundle true stereo room emulator from Wizoo for only $99.42!; and much more.

    MacMall - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: the 10.2-megapixel Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi SLR black body kit for only $679!; 10.2-megapixel Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi SLR silver body kit for only $649!; ScanSnap FI-5110EOXM color duplex desktop scanner from Fujitsu for only $269.99!; Canon Pixma PRO 9000 photo inkjet printer for only $475.99!; Tunewear BoomTune Mini tripod speakers for all iPods from Kagan Electronics USA for only $31.99!; GPX iLive mini stereo system that supports all dock-able iPods for only $112.99!; Quickverse Bible Study from Findex.com for only $39.99!; and much more.

    MacZone - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: QuarkXPress 7 upgrade for only $199.98!; Planar PL1700 17-inch dual monitor w/Ergotron DS 100 w/stand for only $499.99!; Infocus Work Big IN24 SVGA projector w/free shipping for only $489.99!; LaCie 1TB Big Disk Extreme II triple interface (FireWire 800/400 and USB 2.0) external hard drive for only $389.99!; StuffIt Deluxe 11.0 from Allume for only $26.97!; Acrobat 8.0 Pro from Adobe for only $448.97 w/free shipping!; Nikon Coolpix L11 6-megapixel compact digital camera for only $149.99; and much more.

    Publishing Perfection - has deals on a variety of Mac compatible hardware and software products including: ScanMaker i900 flatbed scanner with film tray for glass-less scanning and FireWire interface from Miroteck for only $479.95!; ScatterLight Lenses pro digital lenses for scattering light from Andromeda for only $89.95!; Family Playday stock footage royalty-free video clips (NTSC/PAL) from RedHot Footage for only $599!; and much more.

    [Bill Fox]

    [4/20] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Security Update 2007-004

    Security Update 2007-004 is available via Software Update for Mac OS X 10.4.9 and 10.3.9 or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to Apple,

    Security Update 2007-004 is recommended for all users and improves the security of the following components:

    AFP Client
    AirPort
    CarbonCore
    diskdev_cmds
    fetchmail
    ftpd
    gnutar
    Help Viewer
    HID Family
    Installer
    Kerberos
    Libinfo
    Login Window
    network_cmds
    SMB
    System Configuration
    URLMount
    Video Conference
    WebDAV

    The details of the update are as follows:

    AFP ClientCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0729)--Under certain circumstances, AFP Client may execute commands without properly cleaning the environment. This may allow a local user to create files or execute commands with system privileges. This update addresses the issue by cleaning the environment prior to executing commands.Description:

    AirPortCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0725)--A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the AirPortDriver module which processes control commands for AirPort. By sending malformed control commands, a local user could trigger the overflow which may lead to arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. This issue affects eMac, iBook, iMac, PowerBook G3, PowerBook G4, and Power Mac G4 systems equipped with an original AirPort card. This issue does not affect systems with the AirPort Extreme card. This update addresses the issue by performing proper bounds checking.

    CarbonCoreCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0732)--The CoreServices daemon could allow a local user to obtain a send right to its Mach task port, which may lead to arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. This update addresses the issue by through improved checks in the CoreServices interprocess communication. This issue does not affect systems prior to Mac OS X v10.4.Description:

    diskdev_cmdsCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0734)--A memory corruption vulnerability exists in fsck. It is possible to cause fsck to be run automatically on a disk image when it is opened. By enticing a user to open a maliciously-crafted disk image, or to run fsck on any maliciously-crafted UFS filesystem, an attacker could trigger the issue which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of UFS filesystems.Description:

    fetchmailCVE-ID: (CVE-2006-5867)--fetchmail is updated to version 6.3.6 to fix a vulnerability that could allow authentication credentials to be sent in plain text, despite being configured to use TLS. This issue is described on the fetchmail web site at http://fetchmail.berlios.de/fetchmail-SA-2006-02.txtDescription:

    ftpdCVE-ID: (CVE-2006-6652)--lukemftpd has been updated to version tnftpd 20061217 to address a buffer overflow vulnerability in the handling of commands with globbing characters that could lead to arbitrary code execution. This issue does not affect Mac OS X Server v10.3.9 or Mac OS X Server v10.4.9. Credit to Kevin Finisterre of DigitalMunition for reporting this issue.

    GNU TarCVE-ID: (CVE-2006-0300)--A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the handling of PAX extended headers in GNU tar archives. By enticing a local user to list or extract a maliciously-crafted tar archive, an attacker can trigger the overflow which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This issue has been addressed by performing additional validation of tar files. This issue does not affect systems prior to Mac OS X 10.4.Description:

    Help ViewerCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0646)--A format string vulnerability exists in the Help Viewer application. By enticing a user to download and open a help file with a maliciously-crafted name, an attacker can trigger the vulnerability which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This has been described on the Month of Apple Bugs web site (MOAB-30-01-2007). This update addresses the issue by eliminating any format string processing of file names.Description:

    HID FamilyCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0724)--Insufficient controls in the IOKit HID interface allow any logged in user to capture console keystrokes, including passwords and other sensitive information. This update addresses the issue by limiting HID device events to processes belonging to the current console user. Credit to Andrew Garber of University of Victoria, Alex Harper, and Michael Evans for reporting this issue. This fix was originally distributed via the Mac OS X v10.4.9 update. However, due to a packaging issue it may not have been delivered to all systems. This update redistributes this fix in order to reach all affected systems.Description:

    InstallerCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0465)--A format string vulnerability exists in the Installer application. By enticing a user to download and install an installer package with a maliciously-crafted file name, an attacker can trigger the vulnerability which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This issue has been described on the Month of Apple Bugs web site (MOAB-26-01-2007). This update addresses the issue by eliminating any format string processing of file names. This issue does not affect systems prior to Mac OS X v10.4.Description:

    KerberosCVE-ID: (CVE-2006-6143)--An uninitialized function pointer vulnerability exists in the MIT Kerberos administration daemon (kadmind), which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution with system privileges. Further information on the issue and the patch applied is available via the MIT Kerberos website at http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2006-002-rpc.txt. This issue does not affect systems prior to Mac OS X v10.4. Credit to the MIT Kerberos Team and an anonymous researcher working with iDefense for reporting this issue.Description:

    KerberosCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0957)--A stack buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the MIT Kerberos administration daemon (kadmind), as well as the KDC, which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution with system privileges. Further information on the issue and the patch applied is available via the MIT Kerberos website at http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2007-002-syslog.txt. Credit to the MIT Kerberos Team for reporting this issue.Description:

    KerberosCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-1216)--A double-free vulnerability exists in the GSS-API library used by the MIT Kerberos administration daemon (kadmind), which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution with system privileges. Further information on the issue and the patch applied is available via the MIT Kerberos website at http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2007-003.txt. Credit to the MIT Kerberos Team for reporting this issue.Description:

    LibinfoCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0735)--In some cases, Libinfo does not correctly report errors to applications that use it. By enticing a user to visit a maliciously-crafted web page, an attacker can cause a previously deallocated object to be accessed, which may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue by performing appropriate error reporting in Libinfo. Credit to Landon Fuller of Three Rings Design for reporting this issue.Description:

    LibinfoCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0736)--An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the RPC library. By sending maliciously-crafted requests to the portmap service, a remote attacker can trigger the overflow which may lead to a denial of service or arbitrary code execution as the 'daemon' user. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of portmap requests. Credit to the Mu Security Research Team for reporting this issue.Description:

    Login WindowCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0737)--Login Window does not sufficiently check its environment variables. This could allow a local user to execute arbitrary code with system privileges. This update addresses the issue by through improved validation of Login Window environment variables.

    Login WindowCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0738)--Under certain conditions, the user's preference to "require a password to wake the computer from sleep" is ignored, and a password is not required to wake from sleep. This update addresses the issue by through improved handling of this preference.Description:

    Login WindowCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0739)--Under certain conditions, the software update window may appear beneath the Login Window. This could allow a person with physical access to the system to log in without authentication. This update addresses the issue by only running scheduled tasks after the user login. This issue does not affect systems prior to Mac OS X v10.4.Description:

    network_cmdsCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0741)--A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the handling of RTSP packets in natd. By sending malformed RTSP packets, a remote attacker may be able to trigger the overflow which may lead to arbitrary code execution. This issue only affects users who have Internet Sharing enabled. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of rtsp packets.Description:

    SMBCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0744)--Under certain circumstances, SMB may execute commands without properly cleaning the environment. This may allow a local user to create files or execute commands with system privileges. This update addresses the issue by cleaning the environment prior to executing commands.Description:

    System ConfigurationCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0022)--Admin users have the ability to alter system preferences through the writeconfig utility. When the writeconfig utility launches the launchctl utility, it does not clean the environment inherited from the user. This could allow arbitrary code execution with system privileges without authentication. This issue has been described on the Month of Apple Bugs web site (MOAB-21-01-2007). This update addresses the issue by cleaning the environment before calling the launchctl utility.Description:

    URLMountCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0743)--The username and password used to mount remote filesystems through connections to SMB servers are passed to the mount_smb command as command line arguments, which may expose them to other local users. This update addresses the issue by securely passing the authentication credentials to the mount_smb command. Credit to Daniel Ball of Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Geoff Franks of Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute, and Jamie Cox of Sophos Plc for reporting this issue.Description:

    VideoConferenceCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0746)--A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the VideoConference framework. By sending a maliciously-crafted SIP packet when initializing an audio/video conference, an attacker can trigger the overflow which may lead to arbitrary code execution. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of SIP packets.Description:

    WebDAVCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0747)--When mounting a WebDAV filesystem, the load_webdav program may be launched without properly cleaning the environment. This may allow a local user to create files or execute commands with system privileges. This update addresses the issue by cleaning the environment prior to executing commands.Description:

    WebFoundationCVE-ID: (CVE-2007-0742)--An implementation issue allows cookies set by subdomains to be accessible to the parent domain, which may lead to the disclosure of sensitive information. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of the domain to which a cookie is being sent. This issue does not affect systems running Mac OS X v10.4. Credit to Bradley Schwoerer of University of Wisconsin-Madison for reporting this issue.Description:

    We downloaded and installed the update on a number of Macs: Mac mini Core Duo, MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo, iMac Core 2 Duo, iMac Core Duo, Power Mac G4 Cube and PowerBook G4. All installations were completed without a hitch. Our two Core 2 Duo machines and iMac Core Duo double restarted and the rest, including the Mac mini Core Duo, did a normal single restart. All took awhile longer than usual to restart, especially the Intel-based Macs.

    After several hours of use, we have not noted any issues. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]

    [4/20] Apple released Aperture 1.5.3

    Aperture is the first all-in-one post-production tool for photographers. Built from the ground up for professionals, according to Apple Aperture offers an advanced RAW workflow, professional project management capabilities, powerful compare and select tools, nondestructive image processing, and versatile printing and publishing. The 1.5.3 update is available as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page.

    What's New in this Version 1.5.3:

    Aperture 1.5.3 addresses issues related to overall reliability and performance in a number of areas, including:

    • Generation of thumbnails for adjusted images
    • Entering and exiting Full Screen mode
    • Working with large sets of keywords in the Keywords HUD
    • Restoring from a vault

    Among the specific issues that have been addressed:

    • Previews now update properly when images are sent to an external editor.
    • Leaf Aptus 22 and Aptus 75 images are now imported with the correct orientation.
    • When folders are imported as projects, the folder structure is now correctly preserved when identically named subfolders are included in the hierarchy.
    • Reconnecting referenced images that have been externally edited now works more reliably.
    • Setting the ColorSync profile in the Aperture Print dialog now correctly suppresses color management settings in the Mac OS X Print dialog.

    We do not have Aperture so we can not test this update for you. [Bill Fox]

    [4/20] Cool Mac Software--Mactracker 4.2 is now available for Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later

    Mactracker is donationware and it is an indispensable utility for every Macophile, telling you everything you want to know about all Macs and most of Apple's products. The update is available via this MacUpdate.com Web page.

    A solid update, version 4.2 adds the latest Apple hardware, the ability to create smart categories with multiple search criteria, "View Options" for individual categories, updated Support Status for Apple's latest Vintage and Obsolete products, updated AirPort entries to indicate support for 802.11n, and fixes a couple of bugs from 4.1.

    Improvements to the "My Mac models" feature range from new categories to show a system's warranty status to Address Book integration.

    The complete release notes can be found on this Mactracker Web page. [Bill Fox]

    [4/20] Brief Hands-On Report--Thunderbird 2.0 Final E-mail Client is Out

    Thunderbird 2.0 is the latest version of the Mozilla Corporation's stand-alone e-mail client. This final version replaces the RC (release candidate) version released in early April but the build number 20070326 of the final and RC versions is the same. In addition, both disc images carry an April 5 creation date and are identical in size.

    So what's New in Thunderbird 2?

    • Message Tags: Create your own tags for organizing email. Messages can be assigned any number of tags. Tags can be combined with saved searches and mail views to make it easier to organize email.
    • Visual Theme: Thunderbird 2's theme and user interface have been updated to improve usability and maximize screen real estate.
    • Session History Navigation: Back and Forward buttons allow navigation through message history.
    • Advanced Folder Views: Customize the folder pane to show favorite, unread or recent folders.
    • Easy Access to Popular Web Mail Services: Gmail and .Mac users can access their accounts in Thunderbird by simply providing their user names and passwords.
    • Improved Support For Extensions: Extensions can now add custom columns to the message list pane in addition to storing custom message data in the mail database.
    • Improved New Mail Notification Alerts: New mail alerts include information such as the subject, sender and message preview text.
    • Folder Summary Popups: Mouse over a folder with new messages to see a summary of the new messages in that folder.
    • Saved Search Folder Performance: Search results for saved search folders are now cached, improving folder loading performance.
    • Find As You Type: Finds and highlights message text as you type.
    • Improved Filing Tools: Recent folder menu items for moving and copying messages to recently used folders. Move / Copy again functionality.
    • Updates to the Extension System: The extension system has been updated to provide enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions.

    We have used this build of Thunderbird for two weeks without running into an issue. We like Thunderbird except for its handling of attachments, a feature in which Apple Mail excels. [Bill Fox]

    [4/19] Apple's 30% Mac Shipment Growth Tops Vendors in U.S. for 2007 Q1

    Apple is no longer a computer company? Says whom? According to Gartner Inc., Apple topped the list of computer manufacturers for sales growth in U.S. shipments of computers during the first q