Ever since I updated to OS X 10.5.1, Leopard’s first update, things just keep crashing. It’s not just one or two applications like Microsoft Office applications, but other well behaved programs such as MarsEdit and by beloved 1Password. Prior to install the update, all these applications worked flawlessly and never gave up a final breath until I closed it. Now, I’m getting crashes left and right. Some applications refuse to even stay open for any usable amount of time unless I reboot. Ugh, what’s going on, Apple? This update seems so horrible.
I haven’t seen or heard others complaining about this update, yet, so maybe it’s just me. Thinking this, I did a format and install of Leopard off the DVD and then migrated by Carbon Copy Cloner image of my previous 10.5.1 install. Since this only sucks up preferences and applications along with user documents, stability should be better if not return to normal. Nope, same old problem the minute Software Update informed me of 10.5.1 and I accepted its offer to destroy, er, upgrade my operating system.
So, buyer be ware.
Apple releases its much awaited update to Tiger, OS X 10.5, or, Leopard, today. With over 300 new features and improvements, many are excited to slap the cat onto their Mac today. I know I am. But I’ll have to wait until Tuesday when it arrives from Amazon.
While Leopard isn’t Earth shattering, it also didn’t take six years to produce like Microsoft’s Vista, the Redmond-based computer software giants update to Windows XP. Again, unlike Vista, Leopard isn’t just eye candy with annoying security pop-ups with little else to offer than maybe five different version in which to chose from.
No, Leopard isn’t going to woo most like the iPhone, but it will do things better, more securely, and improve on other lack-lusting applications such as iCal. Interesting tid-bits is that there will be a new screen saver, “Word of the Day”, for all to watch when their Mac goes idle. A new font, Braille, is included and no, I don’t know if you put your finger onto your screen if you’ll be able to “read” it. The Danes will also get a built-in spell checker for their language. Wikipedia is now also fully integrated into Dictionary. Now you’ll be able to access the free online encyclopedia with the Apple look-and-feel.
One of my favorite and most missed feature of UNIX and Windows is X-Mouse. This lets the mouse constitute what is the active window. So you may have Mail.app open and in the foreground and Safari in the background to the left. If something is selected in Safari, say a word, in UNIX or Windows (with TweakUI installed) you could simply move the mouse to Safari, without clicking on it, and select Command+C, for copy, and then go back to your e-mail and paste the word into a message. Well, Leopard kinda has this with scrolling background windows. You’ll be able to scroll a window that is not the forefront with your mouse without clicking on the window. So maybe OSX 10.6 will have true X-Mouse in it.
If you’re interesting in seeing what else is this new cat, take a look at Apple’s Guided Tour of Leopard. You can also hone down on each of the 300+ features at Apple’s site as well.
Apple Stores to release the feline at 6:00 PM local time nationwide tonight.
Ergonis Software and TidBITS Publishing Inc. today announced the release of the free TidBITS AutoCorrect Dictionary for Typinator.
The latest update to Typinator from Ergonis Software gave the program the capability to correct typos and misspellings as soon as they’re entered. To help users get started immediately, Ergonis provided dictionaries of more than 800 common mistakes in each of English, German, and French. Now Typinator has become even more useful with the addition of the public domain TidBITS AutoCorrect Dictionary in English, which enables Typinator to correct over 2,300 additional mistakes on the fly.
TidBITS publisher Adam C. Engst said, “The original public domain list of mistakes and their corrections comes from Micah Alpern; we enhanced and formatted it for use with the unsupported auto-correction capability in Eudora, where I’ve become addicted to it.
When Typinator 2.0 added auto-correction, we worked with Ergonis to convert it appropriately and import it into Typinator, making
Typinator a fixture on all my Macs.”
Christoph Reichenberger, CEO of Ergonis Software, said, “With the new version 2.0, Typinator is no longer just a typing assistant that
speeds repetitive typing tasks, but also becomes a system-wide auto-correction tool that automatically corrects typing errors and
misspelled words. We’re pleased to distribute the TidBITS AutoCorrect Dictionary with Typinator because it quadruples the number of errors that Typinator can correct, making Typinator even more valuable to our users. Installation is as easy as downloading the package and double-clicking it, and best of all, it’s free!”
Visit Ergonis Software’s Web site at
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the release of Adobe(R) Digital Editions 1.0, a new software application built from the ground up for acquiring, managing and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. Available as a free download for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) and Macintosh systems, Adobe Digital Editions software transforms the digital reading experience and offers new creative possibilities for publishers.
Leading publishers, online retailers and channel partners have announced their support for Adobe Digital Editions today. By using a new export feature built into Adobe InDesign(R) CS3, publishers can easily create new Adobe Digital Editions-ready content, helping to significantly reduce cost and conversion time. In addition, with versions for mobile platforms and reading devices also planned, Sony has committed to embed Adobe Digital Editions technology into its portable reader product line.
“Adobe Digital Editions will revolutionize how publishers deliver eBooks and other digital content and how consumers experience it,” said Rob Tarkoff, senior vice president, Corporate Development at Adobe. “The combination of Adobe Digital Editions, InDesign CS3 and a new generation of hardware from innovators like Sony shows that digital publishing is front and center for content owners — and millions of readers who are looking forward to innovations in the delivery of their favorite works.”
“We’re excited to work with Adobe to pioneer new applications for eBooks and other digital documents,” said Ron Hawkins, vice president of portable reader systems marketing at Sony Electronics, Inc. “This collaboration will give us the opportunity to expand our offerings to a larger audience and new markets, allowing individual consumers, businesses, and other customers to take advantage of the portability and ease of use of Sony’s Reader products with a wider spectrum of content.”
With native support for Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and XML-based publications, Adobe Digital Editions already works seamlessly with more than 150,000 commercially published titles. Using Adobe Digital Editions 1.0 readers will find that content automatically re-flows, adapting to different screen sizes and support for Adobe Flash(R) software promises to enhance digital publications through the integration of rich audio and video.
Features and Enhancements
The public beta of Adobe Digital Editions generated more than 300,000 downloads in less than six months and user feedback influenced the feature set. Adobe Digital Editions now enables users to annotate content through bookmarks, highlights and text notes. The library view offers advanced organization with multiple bookshelves. A slick new user interface enhances zooming and the overall reading experience, while support for the new IDPF Open Publication Standard (OPS) for XHTML-based re-flowable eBooks, guarantees a seamless viewing experience.
The Adobe Digital Editions 1.0 download is less than 3MB and leverages Adobe Flash Player technology to enable quick installation as part of the content download. The integration with Adobe Acrobat(R) 8 and Adobe Reader(R) 8 applications allows users to install and launch Adobe Digital Editions automatically within these industry standard products.
Apple showed off it’s upcoming operating system, OSX 10.5 (code named Leopard,) today in front of a crowd of 5,000 in San Francisco at WWDC this morning. CEO Steve Jobs showed off a slew of new features including a revamped Finder. New to Finder is a Dock that reflects icons images and holds a new feature called Stacks (picture). Finder has also changed its window to look more like iTunes complete with Cover Flow. With the ability to view any file without opening it in its native application, Quick View will be another killer application in Leopard many will talk about in the new Finder. A favorite of mine is better network browsing that even includes the ability to browse other Macs over the Internet via a .mac account.
With too much to list here of the new features in Leopards 200 plus pack, Apple has secretly put all the details on it’s undisclosed new site which most likely is just waiting for a switch over. But see it now thanks to SvenOnTech.
I use LogMeIn for all of my clients PCs but have actually had to drop some of them from my companies support services when they moved to a Mac due to the lack of OSX support. Well, I’m happy to say, LogMeIn now offers a preview release of its superb remote control software for the Mac! Working on both PowerPC and Intel chips, LogMeIn will allow you to log into any Mac from any Mac or PC with an Internet connection. From within your browser, you’ll be able to click, drag, and type on your remote Mac’s screen. Help friends, family, or clients with computer issues by logging into remotely or connect to your Mac and edit files while away from your Mac. All for free.
I’ve already installed it on a Mac and tested the remote control feature from my Windows XP PC in Firefox as well as from my MacBook Pro’s Firefox browser. Like any other PC I’ve worked on, the Mac version worked like a charm. All features supported on the PC are replicated on the Mac, too.
Users will be able to install LogMeIn for free on any Mac by simply creating a free user account. Monthly subscriptions are offered as well which gives you features that IT departments thirst as well file transfer and printer use for a smaller monthly fee.
Thank you, LogMeIn for bringing your awesome software to the Mac! Now lets fix the screen redraw problem in the Java Viewer for the Mac! 
I’ve used Windows pretty much as my primary operating system since 1996 to mainly pure frustration. Having used OS/2 Warp for five years prior to that and working on Sun workstations for the same amount of time, I knew there was better than Windows. But, you head to the slaughter house with the rest of the cows, right? Now it’s not like Microsoft didn’t get anything right about Windows. There are some really nice things about it I like, such as network browsing (why must we have a Connect button for network devices Apple?!) and application switching via ALT+Tab. I really like being able to see all of my windows in the application switcher list and not just the main application. Having to go to Entourage and then selecting its window manager to get to an open window is silly and filled with extra clicks. In Windows, I just select the opened message window and presto, it’s on my screen. Now I have the same convenience with Witch!
Authors, Many Tricks, have put together an incredible app switcher with Witch. It may have dropped the S and ER in switcher for its name but nothing was dropped from the feature set. For starters, from within Witch, you can select an open window and then minimize it. You can also maximize minimized windows as well. Other tricks include the ability to even close minimized windows as well as telling Witch to ignore certain windows altogether. Like Apple’s app switcher, you can use your mouse to make a selection from the list as well.
With a lot of customization allowed to Witch, you’d think this application would cost you at least $10. Maybe even $19.99. But the folks as Many Tricks just ask for your love…and a donation. Impressive.
I’ve been enjoying the Windows-like application switcher on my Mac for the past day now and can tell you, I am very thankful for Witch. I think you may be, too.
We’ve told you about our love for the Gas Widget before and now to our relief, Gas 3.0 is out. Just in time for the summer price hike! (Don’t keep being disappointed by the link in the old version that brings you to a forgotten “coming soon” page.)
Our friends at Interdimension have gone all out on this release with the ability to show all grades at once along with pasting an icon of the logo of the station in the top left of the sign. Each grade is color coded to visually notify your eyes of how old the price is that your viewing. Another nice feature is the ability to view all or just certain grades you prefer. For myself, I only show diesel for my truck and regular for my wife’s SUV (that is surely to be replaced by a diesel vehicle as soon as financially possible.) Once you’ve found a station that meets your needs, click on the stations name and address and up it comes in your browser with Google Maps with the stations location. Sweet.
Check out the list of the new features as listed on Interdimension’s page:
- Recently granted direct access to GPW database provides faster, more accurate results
- Multi-grade viewing mode allows you to see all the prices applicable to you at a glance
- Gas gauge. Simply input your tank size, average mpg, and tank level to see an estimate of the cost to fill your tank, the mileage remaining, and a value rating for the selected station calculated with respect to the local average price for the sort grade
- Spotter tab links directly to your spotter page (you must have cookies enabled)
- Vastly improved network efficiency combined with intelligent caching saves bandwidth
- Dramatic improvements to overall stability and robustness
- Re-introduction of grade up/down arrows (single grade mode) and support for up/down keys to change sort grade (both single and multi-grade modes)
- Support for labeling widget instances, so that you can easily tell the difference between prices for stations near “Home” and “Work”, or “Yours” and “Your Wife’s”, for instance
- Fixes a bug which causes right and left arrow keys to jump to every other station
We’re sure you’ll love this widget as much as us, so if you do, tip the boys that are behind this great software helper and donate to the cause.
The Internet is a great thing and so are Macs. Together, the “i” in iTunes and iPhoto can now really take advantage of that Internet with giving you access to your photos, music, and files (the iMac part) on your Mac from any other computer in the world.
With the new beta of Share, you’ll be able to create a secure user account (or more) that gives specified access to certain items or all of them as you deem worthy. This means, when you go to a friends house and say, “Hey, have you ever heard that song about the balloons by They Might Be Giants?” and when your buddy says, “No,” you’ll be able to log onto your Mac and play “Where Do They Make Balloons” by those crazy guys right there from your iTunes collection.
Showing off your weekend at Bernie’s is a piece of cake as well as is grabbing that Word doc you forgot to put on your thumb drive before coming over for the BBQ now with Share!
Now Share is in beta, so things may not work as planned (no, your Mac won’t blow up,) so give it a try. If you like it, then get in on the 50% price reduction during the beta stage or pay $19.99 when it goes gold.
Many Mac users probably don’t realize that their Mac OS X has built-in capability to be remotely controlled from another Mac anywhere in the world. With Apple’s Remote Desktop, controlling anyones Mac is as easy as few clicks of approval on the host Mac. But…it’ll cost ya. $300 (minimum.)
Now, for those who do have a desire to control other Macs in their household of family members Macs in another city to assist in some technical support but wish to avert the high price, there is an alternative. A free product called Chicken of the VNC gives you the power of Apple’s product at the great rate of free. Add in HamachiX and now you’ve got free secure remote desktop control!
If you’re looking to control Macs in your local network, say work or home, then you can get the even easier Teleport. With a double click of Teleport and a firewall rule addition, you’ll be in remote control business.
Now, if you’re looking for in depth instructions and a bit more detail on these apps, then take a look at the great write up over at 5thirtyone. Derek does a fine job explaining this all and it’ll surely help you better understand these fine free applications.