Apple Already Working on Mac OS X 10.7 Development
Less than three months after the launch of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, evidence has surfaced that Apple is already working on the next version of OS X, presumably to be designated Mac OS X 10.7. The information comes from an entry posted earlier today in a database of changes to the open source "launchd" framework, which oversees booting of Mac OS X and administers processes running on the system. In particular, today’s entry cites an error message containing the text string "11A47", a reference to the Mac OS X build number being used.
< rdar://problem/7386864> 11A47: SecurityAgent no longer visible via Accessibility
Apple’s build numbering scheme utilizes a numerical prefix indicating the major release version, followed by a letter code indicating the minor release version and a numerical suffix indicating iterations of that version throughout its development. For example, the initial shipping version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard was termed Build 10A432 while the 10.6.1 update carried a designation of Build 10B504 and the 10.6.2 update released last week was termed Build 10C540. Meanwhile, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) carried a build number of 9A571 when it first launched.
Based on this numbering scheme, the "11A47" entry cited in the launchd change database would refer to the initial version of Mac OS X 10.7, with the "47" suffix indicating that, while still early in the development process, Apple has been working on builds of the next major operating system revision for at least the last month or two.
Of course, news that Apple appears to be working on Mac OS X 10.7 is certainly not surprising given the long development time required to refine and polish Apple’s major operating system releases. While 10.6 incorporated many "under the hood" changes, however, some have speculated that we may see more radical end-user changes in 10.7.
Hulu Aiming to Offer Music Videos
Hulu plans to announce the somewhat restricted deal it has with EMI, who is the smallest of the four major music labels. The video-streaming site plans to make a whole 'channel' dedicated to Norah Jones, and since Norah has a new album called "The Fall" coming out the week, they hope to get a bunch of people to visit the site and notice the channel. Hulu and EMI plan to add more artists over time, as well as new Norah Jones material.
Hulu’s rival YouTube, on the other hand, already has many music videos uploaded, and is working on making a music video hub called Vevo, with Universal music and Sony Music Entertainment’s available songs. Since EMI is more limited, it could be a sign that Hulu is declining to give the financial terms the other labels are probably looking for.
Andy Forssell, Hulu’s senior vice president for content and distribution said that Hulu had the idea of putting thousands of music videos on the site, but "In the end, we thought the best starting point that fit with our mission, and with what our users expect, is a good mix of content, some music videos, long-form content and interviews, everything we can get for an immersive experience around certain artists." He also said the he still is talking to other labels and that he thinks that he will have a relationship with all of them at some point.
Microsoft knocks a few bucks off of Office for the holidays
Microsoft is getting in the Holiday spirit by offering $20 off of the retail prices of Home and Student, $40 off of Business Upgrade and $50 off Business Edition of Office 2008 for Mac. The new prices are still more than Amazon charges but it is the thought that counts, right?
AT&T responds to 'false and misleading' Verizon ads
AT&T has issued a note to its customers disputing claims made in Verizon’s latest string of advertisements, over which the two companies are now engaged in a lawsuit.
Google add new Programming Language
Google has added a new language, Go, to the programming linguistic landscape. Google says it combines aspects of Python with characteristics of compiled languages like C and C++. Though Go is still in its experimental stages, Google hopes developers will help build it into a language that makes programming faster and easier.
Apple releases Safari 4.0.4 with security flaw patch
Apple Wednesday afternoon released an update to its Safari Web browser, addressing a vulnerability that could allow an image file to exploit Macs with older software.
According to Apple, the flaw allowed maliciously crafted images with an embedded color profile to execute arbitrary code, or unexpectedly terminate the application. The issue does not affect Mac OS X 10.6 systems, and was already addressed with Security Update 2009-005 for Mac OS X 10.5.8 systems.
The 36.2MB download is available via Software Update. In addition to the security patch, Safari 4.0.4 is said to offer:
- Improved JavaScript performance
- Improved Full History Search performance for users with a large number of history items
- Stability improvements for third-party plug-ins, the search field and Yahoo Mail
The last update to Safari, 4.0.3, was released in August. It provided stability improvements for Web pages that use the HTML 5 video tag, and fixed issues that prevented some users from logging into iWork.com
UK’s O2 Offers iPhone Unlocking Services
With Orange becoming the second officially iPhone carrier in the UK, O2 is sealing up a new deal to cope with losing its exclusivity contract. O2 has begun offering unlocking options for iPhone customers, including making it easier to switch over to their services by making it free.
The unlocking service does have some drawbacks, however. Existing customers are still obligated to carry out the terms of their contract and prepaid customers have to wait 12 months to even be considered, as well as pay a fee, which is factored into the customer’s account balance. All unlocks are expected to take two weeks and are confirmed by text message.
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.2 with 40+ bugs fix
Apple’s second update for Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6.2, was officially released, fixing a number of issues including a guest account bug that could potentially delete a user’s account data.
Awesome Mac OS X Apps for FREE
Free is the best price. MacHeist knows this and has managed to give away six very fine Mac OS X apps completely for free in their latest bundle. It’s a limited offer, as of today November 10, there are only 2 days left, so get in and download while you can.
Apps included are worth $154 combined, but are free for the next 2 days:
ShoveBox – shove information, URLs, notes, whatever, into a drawer to access later
WriteRoom – awesome writing app we have covered before, the best distraction free writing app I’ve ever seen
Twitterific – probably the best Mac Twitter client, sits in your menubar and makes tweeting and following tweets beyond easy.
TinyGrab – uploads screenshots to the web immediately for sharing with the anyone, very handy
Hordes of Orcs – desktop tower defense featuring Orc’s in beautiful 3d, a great game and fun way to waste time.
Mariner Write – (not free as of writing but will be soon) – a very powerful professional Mac word processor, with all the features you’d expect from Microsoft Office but a fraction of the price, or in this case, FREE!
Do yourself a favor and go on over to MacHeist to pickup this totally sweet Mac app bundle. All that’s required is a simple registration, if you never want to hear a peep out of them just set the email preferences to receive no email after signup.
Apple opens doors to France’s first Apple Store
Thousands flocked to The Carrousel du Louvre on Saturday, the scene of France’s first Apple Store opening. Beneath the Louvre Museum in Paris one can find a host of high-end shops and eateries and can now also find France’s first Apple store. Saturday saw the store’s opening, and thousands were on hand to peruse Apple’s current line of products and take advantage of the Genius Bar’s knowledgeable staff.