Nokia N900 Can run Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
Contrary to what most people think, the Nokia N900 is an amazing piece of hardware that can run everything in this world. Don’t believe it? I remind you that this smartphone or internet tablet or mobile computer with phone capabilities can run Windows NT 4, Windows 98, and Debian among other full operating systems. Let’s not forget about Android! I know they’re not really usable, but the device can do it and we have to appreciate hackers. The latest software that can run on the N900 is Mac OS X 10.3.4 codenamed Panther and we’ll have to give full credit to Toni Nikkanen from Finland.
The Finnish-based Maemo hacker used PearPC to install a version of Mac OS X 10.3 and how unfortunate that it’s not usable. The boot took about ninety minutes to load and most of us cannot wait that long for nothing. I’d like to see this OS running faster but I don’t think it’s possible. The Nokia N900 runs Mac OS X because it can, it’s open source so it’s any hacker’s dream to have it. Nokia seems to be doing great on the smartphone market and such things can only improve N900’s reputation.
Full Story: Softsailor
Inside coming MacBooks: Oh, the possibilities
Intel is about to roll out some pretty impressive mobile processors, finally bringing its “Nehalem” Core i architecture to the mainstream mobile space. So, what can we expect from Apple?
First, a little recent history. Apple, so far, has elected not to use the Core i7 quad-core mobile processors announced back in September in its MacBook Pro line. Which isn’t that surprising. The first crop of laptop i7s barely qualify as mobile processors: they have a desktop-like TDP (thermal design power) of 45 watts that wreaks havoc on battery life.
That said, as an example of what an Apple rival has chosen to do, the Hewlett-Packard Envy 15 now offers both the i7-720QM (1.6GHz, 6MB cache) and i7-820QM (1.73GHz, 8MB Cache)–both quad-core Core i7 processors.
Full Story: CNet News
Apple upgrades build-to-order Mac Pros and Xserves
Not six days after we reported on a rumor that the next Mac Pro would run dual Intel Core i9 CPUs, Apple has gone and quietly updated their Mac Pro… with 3.33GHz Quad-core Xeon Processor.
(A meaty smack of the palm on the expanse of forehead above the pineal gland, and then the hand trails downward to shield the eyes, as if from a bright light, leaving only the grim rictus of a man self-repulsed still exposed. “Oh, jeez, thanks, Apple!” the blogger says. “Now I look like an idiot!”)
In addition to offering the new processor configuration, Apple has also expanded the hard drive space, now offering up to 8TB of storage in the Mac Pro, spread evenly between four hard drive bays. And while the quad-core 3.33GHz Mac Pro will add another $1,200.00 to the price of your machine, the 8TB of hard drive space is now standard.
Full Story: Cult of Mac
Apple issues Java update for Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6
If you thought you just heard a disturbance in the Force–as if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced–then take a deep breath and relax: it’s just a pair of Java software updates for Mac OS X.
Apple released the two updates, Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 1 and Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 6, on Thursday. Both include a number of security fixes for the cross-platform technology, with the Leopard update being the heftier of the two, weighing in at 122MB.
The Leopard update, which requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 brings J2SE 5.0 to 1.5.0_22 and Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_17; J2SE 1.4.2 is disabled by default in this update, as it’s no longer being updated. The 78MB Snow Leopard update brings Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_17 as well, and requires Mac OS X 10.6.2.
Full Story: Computer World
Apple tablet rumored to be ’shockingly’ inexpensive
Internet and television personality Alex Albrecht claimed to have insight on the price of Apple’s rumored tablet during the latest episode of Diggnation, which also featured actor John Hodgman from Apple’s “Get a Mac” commercials.
During the course of episode 231 of the Internet-based show, co-host and Web entrepreneur Kevin Rose asked Hodgman, who plays the bumbling “PC” in Apple’s commercials, if he has any inside information on the tablet. “I don’t know anything about it,” Hodgman said. “You think they’d tell me?”
Rose then turned his attention to Albrecht, and insinuated that the co-host had privately revealed supposed information on Apple’s long-rumored touchscreen device. After pestering from Rose, Albrecht eventually conceded: “I was shocked at how cheap the price point is going to be.” He declined to reveal anything further.
Full Story: Apple Insider
Apple finally lets you check out iTunes store without installing iTunes
Apple may control one of the most popular digital music and video stores on earth. But that’s really not saying much, since there are still millions of people who haven’t installed iTunes on their Mac or PC or who can’t install it on their Linux computer. And for all of those people, clicking on a web link that’s supposed to take you to to the iTunes listing for a song, video, or iPhone app is an exercise in frustration, since what you end up looking at is a web page telling you to install iTunes.
But that’s finally changing. Apple has launched a new service called iTunes Preview that lets you browser the iTunes catalog on the web. It also lets users copy a link from the iTunes client and paste it onto the web. When you click on that link, instead of going to a page telling you that you can’t proceed without installing software, you’ll be taken to a listing on Apple’s web site.
Full Story: DownloadSquad
Video tour of Apple’s Mac OS X Snow Leopard surfaces online
Those eager to see Snow Leopard in action can now see it through an unofficial but detailed series of videos detailing the upcoming Mac OS X release.
The tour, built out of a series of YouTube videos from MyAppleGuide, shows some of the key changes made to the operating system in the WWDC build released to developers earlier this month.
So far, the six clips on hand tackle core interface features like the updated Finder, Preview, Stacks, System Preferences and the overhauled interface of QuickTime Player X.
Full Story: Apple Insider
Week in Apple: Snow Leopard news, iPhone OS 3.0 review, AT&T concessions
One would think that this week, leading up to the launch of the iPhone 3G S, would be entirely taken over by iPhone news. As a pleasant surprise, that turned out not to be the case. Although our review of iPhone OS 3.0 topped the list and there were tidbits about early iPhone 3G S pricing and MMSes through AT&T, there was also news about upcoming changes in Snow Leopard, the Psystar lawsuit, and Safari 4. Read on to catch up:
Hands on review: iPhone OS 3.0 chock full of changes: iPhone OS 3.0 is out and it runs on all generations of iPhone and iPod touch. Ars reviews the OS and takes a look at what’s in store. If you’re not planning to buy a shiny new iPhone 3G S, you may find yourself quite satisfied with your 3G iPhone running the new OS.
Font changes coming to Mac OS X Snow Leopard: One Mac developer has discovered a few interesting changes to fonts that are coming to the next version of Mac OS X. Apple is planning to say goodbye to a long-time monospaced friend of Mac developers.
Good news and bad news regarding the new MacBook Pro: The good news: the new MacBook Pro’s battery life is amazing. The bad news: the internal SATA seems limited to 1.5Gbps. Given that the battery life runs more than eight hours, though, that’s bad news we can live with.
Full Story: arstechnica
Snow Leopard Gives Last-Gen MacBooks Multitouch
The conversation about Snow Leopard’s compatibility with older hardware has been dominated by complaints that it won’t support PowerPC—something we’ve all known for months. But Snow Leopard will have some mixed implications for more recent hardware, too.
First, we have a possible bonus feature for last-gen MacBook users. According to Snow Leopard’s “Enhancements and Refinements” page:
“All Mac notebooks with Multi-Touch trackpads now support three- and four-finger gestures.”
This seems to mean that older MacBooks, which only supported two-finger scrolling, will be brought up to speed with the latest in awkward finger-swiping technology. It sounds strange that Apple would leave capabilities like this unlocked for so long, but as hackers discovered months ago, that’s pretty much what they did.
Full Story: Gizmodo
Two new pieces of Mac malware surface
Two new pieces of malware for Apple computers have been found in the wild according to security firm Sophos.
The first, Tored-Fam, is a worm that spreads via email attachments and is simply a variant on the well known Tored family of malware that has been in circulation since last year. The worm collects email addresses and attempts to forward itself on.
Analysis if the worm’s source code by Sophos suggests it is being used to build a Mac botnet dubbed Raedbot. This is being assembled by a malware writer dubbed Ag_Raed, who is based in Tunisia. The second piece of malware is a Trojan called Jahlav-C which is embedded in an apparent pornography site online. It masquerades as an Activex video codec that needs to be downloaded in order to run the site’s content.
