Apple has released Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 Update (v.1.1). The 615.34MB update is recommended for all servers currently running Snow Leopard Server version 10.6. It includes Safari 5 and general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your server, as well as specific fixes for: ° CalDAV querying of email addresses with Active Directory and Open Directory servers; ° Stability and reliability accessing Wiki Server pages; ° The ability to view movies on Wiki Server with Safari on iPad; ° Accessing publicly accessible Wikis when logged in to the Wiki Server; ° Listing blogs on Wiki Server; ° Vacation mail notices that span across multiple days; °  Updates from Software Update Server viewable by clients; ° Stability and reliability to Software Update Server synchronization; ° Downloading of software updates by Software Update Server; ° Creating NetInstall images which include iLife updater packages; ° Addressing of issues copying, renaming, or...

I thought netbook sales were declining, but ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) says this isn't true. This year, almost 60 million netbooks are expected to ship worldwide. According to a new set of forecasts from the research group. This is almost double that number will be reaching global markets in 2013. This is the result of the rapid netbook market growth observed since the introduction of the new computer category in 2008, a trend which will only start to abate in 2014-2015, according to ABI Research. As the netbook market matures, market shares are beginning to shift among vendors. Half a dozen vendors commanded 78% of the market in 2009, says ABI Research. Acer and ASUS (which pioneered the whole netbook concept with its Eee PC) held almost equal one-third shares of the market in 2008, but ASUS didn’t maintain that lead and lost half of its market share in 2009. “Instead of having a preeminent two, it looks as if only Acer will continue to maintain its commanding lead;...

A flaw in the implementation of Safari's AutoFill mechanism can be exploited to grab Mac users' names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses. Apparently, the web browser will give away a user's Mac OS X Address Book data if asked by a malicious web site. Jeremy Grossman, the founder and chief technology officer of WhiteHat Security, says (http://macosg.me/2/kx) at the moment a user of Safari 4.x or 5.x visits a web site, even if they’ve never been there before or entered any personal information, a malicious website can uncover their first name, last name, work place, city, state, and email address. All a malicious web site would have to do to surreptitiously extract Address Book card data from Safari is dynamically create form text fields with the names from AutoFill, probably invisibly, and then simulate A-Z keystroke events using JavaScript, he says. When data is populated, that is AutoFill’ed, it can be accessed and sent to the attacker. "I have no idea when or if Apple plans to...

Apple is seeking to hire engineers in as many as a dozen U.S. retail stores to put together Apple-based computer systems for small businesses, according to the "Wall Street Journal" (http://macosg.me/2/ku), noting job postings on Apple's web site. The employees would implement computer systems for clients and are expected to be proficient in networking hardware and server platforms. "Thousands of businesses run on Apple products," the posting reads. "Many more would like to, and that's where you come in." Apple is targeting smaller, local businesses that it can reach through its chain of nearly 300 retail stores, according to two Apple employees familiar with the company's strategy, according to the "Journal." The new jobs could pay up to US$80,000 a year, one of them said.

Jeri Chandler, president of Dat-A-Syst (http://www.datasyst.net), announced today that her company has been designated as an “Apple Authorized Service Provider." A Charlotte, North Carolina, business for over 23 years, Dat-A-Syst has been servicing printers and plotters, maintaining computers and networks, iPods and even Sony game consoles and Xbox. Their location at 4035 South Boulevard is convenient to most of Charlotte. Because of the easy access and parking, dropping off equipment is not the challenge that occurs with other Apple service companies, Chandler says. As an Authorized Service Provider, Dat-A-Syst can provide Apple Care service and warranty work for Apple products.

Pomola Software has updated Mac Shutdown X (http://pomola.com/products_macshutdown/macshutdown.html), a Mac OS X utility for shutting down a Mac on a specified event or on a specified date and time, to version 1.5.3. It's a maintenance update with some bug fixes. Mac Shutdown X costs US$20. Version 1.5.3 is a free update for registered users. The software is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.

AT&T (http://www.att.com) has reported solid second-quarter results highlighted by double-digit earnings growth, an increase in consolidated revenues and improved margins. These results were driven by continued growth in mobile broadband, including a record quarter for iPhone activations, gains in IP-based and strategic business services and disciplined execution on cost initiatives. The company saw 3.2 million iPhone activations in second quarter. AT&T saw a 10.3% increase in wireless service revenues, with postpaid subscriber ARPU (average monthly revenues per subscriber) up 3.4%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2010, AT&T's consolidated revenues totaled US$30.8 billion, up $194 million, or 0.6%, versus the year-earlier quarter, marking the company's second consecutive quarter with a year-over-year revenue increase. Versus the first quarter of this year, consolidated revenues were up $278 million, or 0.9%.

MapHook, a software applications developer, has launched new journal and social networking application, MapHook, for the iPhone and personal computer that allows users to create location-based entries -- or "hooks" -- about events, activities and places that can be shared with friends, family, their networks and other users.   MapHook combines "anywhere" journaling, content generation and access to Internet-based information sources. Paul Carter, CEO of MapHook, says it was designed from the start to combine both the power of the Internet and mobility. MapHook is currently available at the Apple App Store and the iTunes website for free.  Individuals without iPhones can sign up at http://www.maphook.com to have full access to the app via the web.

Black Cat Systems (http://www.blackcatsystems.com) has released version 4.1 of Sound Byte, which turns your Mac into a" cart machine" for playing sound recordings, such as music and special effects. The new version adds rack archiving and several additions for future versions of the iPhone/iPad remote control apps. Sound Byte is targeted to DJs, radio stations and audio productions, to quickly and easily play a variety of recorded sounds, such as jingles, advertisements, songs, sound effects at sporting events, and more. Sound Byte is available for Windows as well as Mac OS X. It comes in three versions, starting at US$39.

Xeric Design has released version 5.4.1 of EarthDesk (http://www.xericdesign.com/earthdesk.php), the real-time dynamic desktop map for Mac OS X. The new version fixes some bugs. EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with a photo-realistic image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination as well as real-time global cloud coverage (hurricanes, storms, and worldwide weather systems) on your desktop. It operates silently in the background, keeping your desktop updated while you work. Unlike a screen saver, which only appears when your system is idle, EarthDesk's dynamic desktop is continuously displayed as your desktop background (and optionally as a screen saver). EarthDesk requires Mac OS X 10.5 or newer. Single user copies may be purchased online for US$24.95. Upgrades are available for $12.95 for licensed users of version 4 and $17.95 for licensed

CrispSofties (http://www.crispsofties.com/) has updated its iPod.iTunes music synchronization tool to version 4.5.3, which has been tweaked for iTunes 9.2.1. iPod.iTunes does real add-synchronization, even in two directions if desired. The source can be either the iPod or the iTunes library. The software evaluates the source for songs, videos, podcasts and/or playlists that are not in the target and only adds these seamlessly, avoiding duplicates. Unlike iTunes' own synchronization iPod.iTunes generally does not delete content in the target. iPod.iTunes can also transfer song dependent data like "My Rating", "Last Played", "Play Count", album artwork, etc. iPod.iTunes can be used for: keeping files and playlists on different Macs and iPods up to date; doing a full restore of songs, videos and playlists from iPod; reversing the accidental deletion of songs, videos and/or playlists in iTunes, if these are still on your iPod; transferring an iTunes library from one Mac to another via the...

Despite the smaller screen, web video viewers stick around longer on mobile devices than they do on the desktop, according to data from MeFeedia (http://www.mefeedia.com), media search website that features videos, TV shows, movies, and music among other material that target the male demographic of age ranging 18-35. MeFeedia analyzed the habits of 125,000 unique mobile visitors to its site since July 1 and found on average, iPad users are sticking with videos for five minutes, Symbian users are sticking around for 4.1 minutes, Android users are lasting three minutes, and iPhone users last 2.4 minutes. "While those numbers sound rather small, in the world of web video, they're pretty good," notes "Silicon Alley Insider" (http://macosg.me/2/ko). In March, TubeMogul reported the average video view time was below two minutes, which means video viewing on mobile devices is higher, and in the case of the iPad significantly higher."

Twelve South (http://www.twelvesouth.com) has introduced Compass, an US$39.99 compact folding stand made exclusively for the iPad. It's designed to hold the iPad in two different modes. In the upright easel mode, Compass displays iPad in both portrait and landscape positions. The work mode positions iPad at an angle for typing. Adding to the convenience, Compass folds down to the size of a candy bar for easy portability. Silicone feet prevent it from slipping or scratching whatever surface it’s placed upon. Made of heavy gauge steel, the stand is purportedly easy to set up. Simply unfold the three legs, flip open the iPad supports, and it’s ready for use. To switch to work mode, flip open the secondary leg and lean it on a work surface to use. The stand can be used even if iPad is in a case like the Apple iPad Case.

A group of media and electronics companies have announced an agreement on an all-formats system called UltraViolet for digital downloads. The single standard will allow the consumer to purchase films to be viewed on any device -- a computer, smartphone, game console, Blu-ray player, and television. Backed by 48 companies, including film studios such as Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony and Fox, and tech firms like Microsoft, Toshiba, Panasonic as well as Intel and Comcast, the consortium, called the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) covers the spectrum of entertainment, software, hardware, and retail companies. The only holdouts are the Walt Disney Company, which has developed its own system called KeyChest, and Apple, according to "The Independent" (http://macosg.me/2/kl). Whether they will participate in the future is unknown. UltraViolet, a universal file format, could launch by the end of the year or in 2011, after the system is tested with an unnamed retailer. According...

Apple is poised to become the world's biggest buyer of semiconductors in 2012, as it rides the wave of strong demand for its iPad and iPhone, according to the iSuppli research group (http://www.isuppli.com). Apple s expected to steadily move up the rankings in chip spending, fueled by the success of the iPad and iPhone, which "have garnered tremendous sales on a scale unequaled by rival devices," according to a report by iSuppli. Apple, shares of which were up 3% in early trades, is expected to spend $12.4 billion this year, making it the third biggest chip buyer, behind HP and Samsung, notes "MarketWatch" (http://macosg.me/2/kk). However, the company is on track to surpass Samsung for the No. 2 spot in 2011, when Apple is projected to spend $16.2 billion. H-P is expected to be the top chip buyer with $17.1 billion.

During a conference with the press and analysts on Tuesday to discuss Apple's latest financial results, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said that the Mac is doing better than the industry average for computer sales -- and still has lots of room for growth. Cook also said that the iPad market is "very big" and could cannibalize PC sales (though it doesn't seem to be hurting Mac sales at all). In fact, Apple hopes the iPad will, like the iPod, have a "halo effect" and actually increase Mac sales. "Our guts tell us that the iPad market is very big, and if it turns out that iPad cannibalizes PCs, that's fantastic for us because there is a lot of PCs to cannibalize," Cook says. ""Historically, the iPod created a halo for the Mac and, in fact, as the iPod volumes took off we saw a dramatic change in Mac sales. So, could that happen on iPhone and iPad? We'll see." He adds that the Mac has lots of room for growth. Though it's outgrown the market for the past 17 quarters, the Mac...

Wulven Game Studios is working on Shadow Era (http://www.shadowera.com/), their upcoming collectible trading card game for the Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and Android systems. It's due this fall and is inspired by the more strategic trading card games. The initial download will be free while players will be able to earn new cards through gameplay or purchase additional booster packs. Packs of 15 cards will be able to buy for US$0.99, using in-game gold, or by completing special "trial offers" from SuperRewards. Shadow Era is inspired by the more strategic trading card games, bringing the traditional printed cards into into the digital realm and adding a rich backstory and RPG elements, according to the folks at Wulven Game Studios. You'll build a deck from a total of 200 unique cards and complete missions against the Shadow Warriors, or battle against other players to gain experience, and win new card packs each time you level up. The core card game features two enemy Heroes battling, and...

Tension Software has updated Cronette (http://pomola.com/products_cronette/cronette.html), a Cocoa task launcher for Macs and Mac servers, to version 1.3.1. It fixes a bug that in some situations can produce a wrong task execution order. Cronette lets you specify tasks to be launched automatically by the Mac. It can be used on unattended Mac Servers or also on regular Mac workstations for tasks to execute during the night or for recurring tasks to be performed on a regular basis. It provides different type of launch tasks: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. Any task can be specified to launch different type of execution: open applications or documents from disk; open different type of URL; execute different type of actions: restart, shutdown, sleep; sending a message to the log; execute a complex UNIX command. Cronette costs US$30 for a single user license, though version 1.3.1 is a free update for registered users. A demo is available for download. Cronette requires Mac OS X 10.5 or...

Panasonic (http://www.panasonic.com) has announced the LUMIX DMC-LX5, a compact digital camera sporting an ultra-bright F2.0 ultra-wide-angle 24mm LEICA DC Vario-Summicron lens. Its 24mm wide angle lens offers extraordinarily large viewing space and now the optical zoom is extended to 3.8x(90mm) making the LX5 even more versatile, according to David Briganti, senior product manager, Imaging, Panasonic. In addition to the newly-designed lens, the LUMIX LX5 features an image processing engine that combines technologies resulting in professional-quality photos, especially in low-light situations, he adds.Like its predecessor, the LUMIX LX5 features a 10.1-megapixel CCD, but it has an expanded dynamic range by increasing the sensitivity and the saturation. In addition to capturing high-quality still photos, the LUMIX LX5 can record HD videos in AVCHD Lite, a format that allows almost doubling the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. Creative...

When ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com) first examined the media tablet market, neither Apple’s iPad nor any other multinational-branded tablet had been released. Six months later, the firm has revisited its forecasts, almost tripling the original estimate to reach about 11 million tablets expected to ship by the end of 2010. Its long-term estimates, however, remain basically unchanged. "Our forecast of 11 million media tablet shipments in 2010 is based both on the broader availability of the iPad and on the delayed introduction of competing products," says ABI Research principal analyst Jeff Orr. "Assuming that competing tablets from other vendors do arrive in the second half of the year as expected, we believe that the iPad will account for a significant portion -- but not all -- of the projected 11 million units. To capitalize on the usual fourth quarter sales boom, other tablets need to reach retailers’ shelves by early September." Orr suggests that the media tablet...

Cakewalk has released the free Rapture / Rapture LE 1.22 and Dimension Pro/Dimension LE 1.5 updates. They're compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard") and Windows 7. The Rapture/Rapture LE Update is a available as a free download for registered customers along, with a comprehensive list of what is included in the update at: http://www.cakewalk.com/support/kb/reader.aspx?ID=2007013167 . The Dimension Pro / Dimension LE Update is a available as a free download for registered customers along, with a comprehensive list of what is included in the update at: http://www.cakewalk.com/support/kb/reader.aspx?ID=2007013166 .

Mozilla has released SeaMonkey 2.0.6 (http://www.seamonkey-project.org/), an update of the app thta combines Firefox and Thunderbird. The new version offers security fixes. SeaMonkey runs on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux systems. It uses the same internal platform as Firefox 3.5.4 now. Due to this change SeaMonkey is now much closer to Firefox as far as user profiles, add-ons and functionality of user interface elements are concerned.

For the fiscal 2010 third quarter that ended June 26, Apple shipped 9.4 million iPods, compared to 10.2 in the same period a year-ago. However, according to the latest info from the NPD Research Group, it still accounts for over 70% of the US market for MP3 players -- as it has for years. In fact, as Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer points out, the iPod is the top selling MP3 player internationally and growing in popularity in almost every country. Oppenheimer says that the iPod touch is going strong with sales growing 48% year-over-year. With its growth, the iPod ASP [average selling price] is up. The iTunes Store generated approximately US$1 billion in revenue, growing 25% year-over-year. Over 225,000 apps are now available -- with more than 11,000 just for the iPad, Oppenheimer says. Over five billion apps have been downloaded from the Apple App Store. Speaking of the iPad, Apple shipped 3.27 million iPads to customers in 10 countries through the end of the June...

For those of you who have forecast the impending demise of the Mac, well, forecast again. Fo the fiscal 2010 third quarter that ended June 26, Apple shipped 34.7 million Macs, beating their previous-best ever quarter by over 100,000. That's year-over-year growth of 33%, compared to 22% growth for the market overall, based on the latest stats by the IDC research group. Apple Chief Operating Office Office Tim Cook said that most Mac sales were still in the consumer market, but that there are signs it's gaining group in the business and enterprise markets. Apple saw double digit Mac growth in all geographies, lead by the iMac and the MacBook Pro. The company's computer sales outgrew the global market in both desktops and laptops. There were record Mac sales in the US education arena, despite continued budget restraint issues, says Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer. If you do the math, you'll see that the Mac accounts for 28% of Apple's revenue.