MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Apple today released a pair of firmware updates for the company's latest MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Pro models, addressing an issue in which "an attached external display may occasionally incorrectly show a purple coloration." - MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.0 - MacBook EFI Firmware Update 2.0 Each update weighs in at 1.98 MB and requires Mac OS X...

After last week's release of Mac OS X 10.6.5, a number of users of the Server version of the operating system reported issues with the release, most notably a problem in which certain users were receiving mail intended for other parties. By the weekend, Apple had pulled both the combo and delta versions of Mac OS X 10.6.5 Server. Yesterday, Apple released revised delta and combo versions of...

As noted by 9 to 5 Mac, warehouse club chain Sam's Club has begun following through on last month's announcement that it would begin carrying the iPhone and iPad, with several models of the iPad beginning to appear on store shelves. The iPad is being offered at a slight discount, with Wi-Fi models checking in at $12 under Apple's standard pricing and Wi-Fi + 3G models coming in at a $20...

Late Friday, Reuters reported that Cisco has hired Mark Papermaster, former Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering at Apple. Papermaster left Apple in early August after less than a year and half on the job, with sources citing "cultural incompatibility" as the main reason behind his short tenure with the company. Cisco said on Friday Papermaster has joined the networking giant as...

As noted by 9 to 5 Mac, television postproduction consultant Dustyn Gobler reportedly emailed Apple CEO Steve Jobs to argue the need for Apple to disclose its roadmap for professional applications so that customers making long-term spending commitments have a better idea of where things are going. Jobs allegedly replied, saying that a revamped version of the company's Final Cut video...

While Mac OS X 10.6.5 was the big software update news for the day, Apple also released a pair of other updates targeting users working with cameras shooting in RAW format and users of the company's professional live performance software, MainStage. Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.4 brings compatibility for a number of cameras to iPhoto and Aperture. This update extends RAW image...

Citing an email from the company's CEO, Barron's reports that yesterday's claim that Bluetooth headphone company Wi-Gear has been acquired by Apple is incorrect. "The rumor is false," Wi-Gear CEO Mark Pundsack said via e-mail in response to an inquiry from Tech Trader Daily. "Wi-Gear and its IP are still available for sale."The confusion appears to have stemmed from a source offering inaccurate...

Fudzilla reported earlier today on comments made by AMD senior vice president and chief sales officer Emilio Ghilardi at the company's Financial Analyst Day presentation that are being interpreted as a possible revelation that Apple is set to adopt AMD's Fusion platform that combines CPU and GPU functions on a single die. But based on a viewing of the webcast (free registration required) of the...

Microsoft today released Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.0.1 Update, the first update to the latest Mac version of the company's flagship productivity suite. The update delivers fixes for "critical issues" that can cause freezing or crashing of Office applications. This update fixes critical issues in Office 2011, including issues that might cause Office 2011 applications to stop responding or...

Following on yesterday's news that Target will begin carrying the iPhone on November 7th, Bloomberg reports that Best Buy will expand distribution of the iPad to its standalone Best Buy Mobile stores on that same day. Best Buy, which began selling the iPad in its regular stores in April, is expanding distribution of the touch-screen device as it opens more mobile stores before the holidays. The ...

Sophos today announced the release of free Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition software, a version of their paid software typically targeting business users. That means your home Macs can be protected automatically in-the-background with the latest anti-virus protection, checking every program you run, every file you download, every USB stick you insert, completely free. Is there a catch you're...

Reuters reports that technology distributor Ingram Micro is seeing strong sales of the iPad as Apple loosens the reins to allow business-to-business distribution specialists to offer the device. Greg Spierkel, chief executive of Ingram Micro, said Apple has preferred to sell the iPad to retailers but that the company is increasingly letting his firm sell it to businesses. "What it's telling us...

Apple today released Logic Pro 9.1.3 and Logic Express 9.1.3 to address an issue with Hyper-Threading. This update delivers improved general stability and compatibility. Issues addressed with 9.1.3 include: - Resolves problems related to the support of Hyper-ThreadingUnder Logic 9.1.3's audio preferences, users can specify the number of audio rendering threads the software will open at any ...

Apple today released Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.5, bringing fixes for several issues on the latest version of Apple's professional workstation. This update is recommended for all Mac Pro (Mid 2010) models and addresses the following issues: - Resolves an issue that prevented the firmware password prompt from being displayed - Resolves an issue that prevented the Boot Picker from being...

Apple's retail store at the Roseville Galleria outside of Sacramento, California has reopened as part of the first wave of stores just one week after an arsonist barricaded himself inside a mall store and set fire. Due to concerns over whether the arsonist carried an explosive device in his backpack, firefighters were unable to directly combat the fire for some time, resulting in over $50...

AFP reports that a Chinese firm has accused Apple of trademark infringement for its use of the "iPad" name in that country, seeking up to $800 million to settle the dispute. Proview Technology Co, Ltd, which is based in the southern city of Shenzhen, registered the iPad trademark in January 2000 and still owns the rights to its use in China, the Beijing News said, citing government archives....

Boy Genius Report notes that AT&T retail stores have received their initial shipment of iPads and related display materials, two days before the device is set to go on sale both there and at Verizon retail stores. We have just been told AT&T stores have started receiving iPad display models, iPads for sale, and iPad display accessories. There won't be a separate display area for the iPads, the...

Bloomberg reports that Apple has brought in IT service provider Unisys to help with support for its corporate and government customers, a growing area of focus for Apple. Unisys will provide maintenance and other services to companies and government agencies that purchase Apple devices, Gene Zapfel, a managing partner at Unisys, said in an interview. One of the first of its kind for Apple, the...