MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Zirana.com published a weekly crime summary of Cupertino, CA for late December which reveals that a prototype Apple laptop was stolen from Apple campus: Trade Secret Theft/Possession of Stolen Property - Infinite Loop Between 1/1 and 12/18, unknown suspect(s) took a prototype laptop worth about $100,000 from Apple Computers on Infinite Loop using an unknown method. The suspect(s) sold it to...

BumpTop, the popular physics-based 3D desktop environment for Windows, has now been made available for Mac OS X 10.5 and later, offering users new features for organizing their desktops. BumpTop offers users multiple surfaces on which to store files, allowing users to alter the sizes of individual items and take advantage of several organizational features such as piles. BumpTop for Mac is...

Following up last week's report of a claimed image of Apple's tablet "glass" that appears to be more accurately described as the front bezel, The Mac Observer has received two additional images that provide a greater sense of scale for the part. The Mac Observer again notes that it has been unable to corroborate the information presented in the images, and we remain skeptical of their...

Apple today released Security Update 2010-001 for users of Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Leopard. According to the associated support document, the update addresses security issues affecting a half-dozen system areas, including CoreAudio, Flash Player plug-in, and OpenSSL. - Security Update 2010-001 (Snow Leopard) (21.90 MB, Requires Mac OS X 10.6.2) - Security Update 2010-001 Client (Leopard)...

Apple yesterday released several software updates targeting both Mac Pro and Xserve users and users of its Logic Studio professional audio application package. Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.4, which weighs in at 1.96 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.2, addresses several issues related to Apple's Early 2009 Mac Pro models. This update addresses the following issues for Mac Pro (Early...

A new report today from The Korea Times claims that Apple is preparing to launch the fourth-generation iPhone, with sources claiming that it could debut as early as April. The assertions apparently come from an executive of KT, the exclusive iPhone carrier in South Korea, who claims that the new iPhone will launch to large Korean corporate clients in April, with release to the general public...

Apple today released a pair of updates for its Apple Remote Desktop software package, updating both its admin and client applications to version 3.3.2. This update improves the overall stability and performance of Apple Remote Desktop in addition to delivering the specific improvements listed below. Setup * Improved handling of IP address and port changes for clients accessed behind a Network...

The Mac Observer reports that it has received an image from a source showing what is claimed to be the "glass" for Apple's much-rumored tablet device, although the image actually depicts a front bezel. With no sense of scale for the image, the report relies on the source's claim that the "glass" (presumably the bezel opening for the screen) measures in at 10 inches. The bezel has a...

Apple today released Bonjour Update 2010-001 via Software Update, addressing issues with Apple TV connections. The update, which weighs in at 959 KB, has not yet appeared on Apple's Support Downloads page for manual download. This update improves the reliability of connections between iTunes and Apple TV....

Cult of Mac reports that it has received a tip from someone claiming to have contact with an Apple employee who revealed that the company's much-rumored tablet will have a "steep learning curve" when it comes to the device's interface. According to reader Tom: "I just heard [to] be ready for a steep learning curve regarding the "new" Apple product about to be released [and its] interface. This...

TUAW noted yesterday that Apple has dropped its regular U.S. educational pricing for the MacBook by $50 to $899. Special pricing apparently available through the University of Maryland's custom Apple Store reportedly even temporarily dropped pricing as low as $728 yesterday, although the offer was quickly removed. The new $899 price covers Apple's standard MacBook offering updated in October...

Citing a source who has been "amazingly accurate", Boy Genius Report issued a brief note today claiming that Apple's much-rumored tablet will be announced in January and will carry a 7-inch screen. Most rumors have pointed to a 10-inch screen for the tablet, and while the source does not rule out the possibility of such a model, they can only confirm the existence of the 7-inch model. It has been ...

Ever since the release of Apple's multi-touch Magic Mouse just a few months ago, one of the primary complaints from users has been a lack of support for Expos and other functionalities given the limited options available in System Preferences for configuring the mouse. Addressing these issues, Gizmodo today points to a new menu bar application, MagicPrefs, that greatly expands the...

CNET briefly noted late last week that Apple's iTunes U channel [iTunes Store] offering education content through the iTunes Store has surpassed 100 million downloads. According to Apple, one of the most popular areas of iTunes U has been that of the United Kingdom-based Open University (iTunes link), whose learning categories include Arts and Humanities, Business and Management, Childhood and...

Apple yesterday released several updates for Xsan, the company's enterprise-class storage area network (SAN) solution, bringing the software to Version 2.2.1. The updates target only the FileSystem portion of Xsan and include the following fixes: - Improves filesystem reliability - Improves the cvfsck filesystem repair utility - Resolves an issue that could cause QuickTime media to report...

Apple today released a pair of Snow Leopard printer driver updates, bringing additional compatibility for printers and multifunction devices from Epson and Lexmark. - Epson Printer Drivers v2.2 for Mac OS X v10.6.1 (546 MB) - Lexmark Printer Drivers v2.2 for Mac OS X v10.6 (121 MB) A full list of Snow Leopard printer drivers and compatibility is available on Apple's support...

Autodesk today announced that it is set to begin shipping Smoke 2010 for Mac OS X, a brand-new version of the company's high-end video post-production software. The release marks the first of Autodesk's pro finishing tools to be developed as a native OS X application. "The business of post-production is evolving. Post-production and broadcast facilities alike are seeking more affordable,...

French site Nowhereelse.fr has published [Google translation] what appears at first glance to be a video of a tablet computer being used to browse a touch-enabled version of an IKEA catalog. The sleek profile and iPhone-like status bar at the top of the screen have led to speculation that the device might be Apple's much-rumored tablet device. The video demonstrates a feature similar to Cover ...