MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Several sites are reporting on a new filing which appeared in the U.S. Patent Office describing a multi-touch sensing device. This has been a known patent application first published in Europe. The implications of this have already been discussed in...

One reader points out a seminar at CompUSA to be held on May 10th, 2006 about the "new iBook" - Overview Hear about the most affordable iBook ever. - What you will Learn Specifications and features of the new iBook. - Featured Solutions Hear about how the new iBook is your go-anywhere digital solution. While suggestive, CompUSA and these training sessions typically do not have any inside...

Multiple readers have reported that their early orders of 17" MacBook Pro's are now shipping. The 17" MacBook Pro was announced by Apple at NAB on April...

Alongside their new "Get a Mac" ad campaign launched this week, Apple also introduced another iPod ad on Thursday. The new ad follows the same silhouetted dancers, this time to Love Train by Wolfmother. Apple has posted a Quicktime version of the ad on their...

It appears as though a significant number of 1.25 Ghz eMac users are suffering from logic board breakdowns that cause video to become distorted. Although Apple's included diagnostic utilities indicate that all hardware is operating normally, opening up the machines reveals bulging and cracked capacitors. Most of the issues are occurring out of the eMac's 1-year standard warranty, and Apple...

CNet News.com reports on recent unpatched security vulnerabilities in Apple's Mac OS X and Safari web browser. The vulnerabilities, the most severe of which could let a would-be attacker run malicious code on a user's Mac, are under investigation by Apple. Reported security vulnerabilities, even unpatched ones, are nothing new. What may be of interest, however, is that five of the flaws...

Macsimumnews reports on recent European patent applications that were revealed this week. The new patent describes Method and apparatus for establishing communication between two teleconferencing endpoints." The patent essentially describes real-time conference between participants along with "data sharing wherein various types of data such as documents, spreadsheets, graphic data, or...

iPodHub claims that according to anonymous sources, Apple is asking Blu-ray content providers to add iPod video content onto their Blu-ray discs. Apple wants to make sure that when their next-generation iPod is released it will have a sufficient library of playable content already available for customers to watch. Reliability of this site is...

Appleinsider reports that Apple has begun plans for a redesign of an iPod nano due this fall. The new Nano is expected around September but there are plans for a "significant internal redesign". This plan is consistent with PortalPlayer's recent announcement that their chips would not be used in future flash based...

Apple has posted Garageband 3.0.2 update in your Mac OS X Software Update: This update to GarageBand addresses issues with video handling, podcast exporting, and importing QuickTime markers. It also addresses a number of other minor issues....

Several sites have pointed to a Computerworld article which reports on Intel's upcoming low-power processors Merom (mobile), Woodcrest (server) and Conroe (desktop). The article references comments by Intel's Asia Pacific sales and marketing group general manager, however, it also provides this (uncredited) tidbit: Apple customers may be the first to enjoy Intels new CPU goodies, with the...

Now in Software Update: Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) 5.0 Release 4 delivers improved reliability and compatibility for Java 2 Platform Standard Edition 5.0 on Mac OS X v10.4.5 and later. This release includes J2SE version 1.5.0_06. With this update J2SE 5.0 becomes the preferred Java version, superseding Java 1.4.2. Additional information can be found in the Apple Knowledge Base. Java-based ...

Macworld.co.uk claims that Apple has an arragement with a UK company to get rid of Apple's "ex-demo stock". According to the news site, Apple is selling through a number of iBooks and eMacs at discounted prices. Macworld.co.uk speculates that this means new consumer portables are coming...

Another reports claims that the 13.3" Intel MacBook is on the way. According to this report, Asustek, Apple's iBook manufacturer, has received the contract for the manufacture of 13.3" intel iBooks. This contract has been previously reported. The 13.3" MacBook is said to be replacing both the current 12" and 14"...

Over the weekend, some users had expressed concern that Boot Camp installations would void their Mac's warranty and there were scattered reports claiming the same. Macworld.co.uk reports that Apple has confirmed that installing Boot Camp will not invalidate your Mac's warranty. Being Beta software, however, you do assume any risks involved if you were to lose any data, so be sure to backup...

Appleinsider notes that Apple is readying a new Serial Number scheme for their products: Under the new format, all "finished goods" such as Macs, iPods and accessories, will be stamped with a serial number consisting of 18 numeric digits. Presently, Apple uses an 11-character alphanumeric scheme. Update: This was first reported by ThinkSecret in...

NBC's Scrubs TV show has been added to the iTunes Music Store, as predicted earlier this month. Several members noted TV ads about the show's availability in iTunes shortly before the series appeared in the store. Sixteen episodes, all from Season 5, are available so far, at the standard price of...

Digitimes claims that Intel will be introducing their first Quad-core CPUs in the first quarter of 2007. The Quad core chip is codenamed "Kentsfield". They also report that Intel's dual-core Conroe chip which is speculated to make its way into Apple PowerMacs (Mac Pros?) this fall will be introduced in September of this...