New owners of the latest Air and Mac mini will find fixes for issues related to flickering screens, booting problems when the power cord is attached, and slow running SD cards. Specifically, Apple says the update will:

• Address an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when playing a video in Safari
• Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out
• Improve the reliability of Wi-Fi connections
• Resolve an issue that prevents transfer of your data, settings, and compatible applications to a new Mac running OS X Lion
• Resolve an issue where MacBook Air may boot up when MagSafe Adapter is attached
• Resolve an issue causing intermittent display flickering on MacBook Air
• Resolve an issue that causes the SD card slot in Mac mini to run at reduced speed with SD and SDHC media

If you have Lion, but not on one either the Mac mini or the Air, you’ll get a separate update that only pertains to the first four issues listed above.

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Back in July, users started posting on support forums and message boards about audible clicking and beeping noises being made by the faster, optional 7200RM drives. While the update seems intended to fix these issues, reading Apple’s official blurb, it would seem like resting easy might actually be a tad premature. Apple Support claims that it “reduces certain infrequent noises.” Just “reduces?” We’ll have to wait and see what effect the update actually has, but it doesn’t sound to me like it will provide a total fix.

The other update released yesterday affects a wider selection of Mac owners. It’s a Bluetooth firmware update designed to eliminate connectivity issues with Apple-branded peripherals (didn’t 10.5.8 address the same issues?), including the Mighty Mouse and the Wireless Keyboard. It also includes bug fixes — standard practice for any Apple update. Mac owners who have computers that include Bluetooth on a built-in Broadcom chipset will be prompted to install this update.

So far, I’ve installed the Bluetooth update on my Mac mini, and it does indeed appear to lessen the frequency of “Connection Lost” messages related to my Apple Wireless Keyboard. I don’t use a Mighty mouse for reasons of extreme dislike, but if you’ve got one, let us know how performance is affected by the new update, if at all. Both fixes are available now via Software Update.

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Just over a month since Safari 4.0.2 made its way into Software Update, Safari 4.0.3 has arrived for Mac and Windows. The update weighs in at 40.5MB and will require a restart.

In addition to the boiler plate “improvements to stability, compatibility and security,” Safari 4.0.3 purports to address:

• Stability improvements for webpages that use the HTML 5 video tag
• Fixes an issue that prevented some users from logging into iWork.com
• Fixes an issue that could cause web content to be displayed in greyscale instead of color

Additionally, security content includes several fixes relating to visiting a “maliciously crafted website” where unexpected arbitrary code execution hijinks may ensue. For those like myself who use Top Sites, without this update it is possible for a “malicious website to promote arbitrary sites into the Top Sites view through automated actions.” This could be used to facilitate a phishing attack, or possibly get you in trouble with a spouse if porn thumbnails starts showing up in your Top Sites.

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Speed, stability, compatibility — that’s the mantra from the Mac Business Unit for SP2, which will be released today at 10:00 a.m. PDT.

Besides bug fixes, general improvements include faster launching of applications, as well as better performance within, like scrolling in Word and calculation speed in Excel. PowerPoint users will now be able to create motion-path animations, as well as define their default theme.

A new tool, Document Connection, provides Mac Office users improved access to documents through Microsoft SharePoint and Office Live Workspace. Safari 4 is now supported for accessing the browser-based services. According to Microsoft, file-sharing and document fidelity are the most important features for Mac Office users.

“There’s never been a better time to try Office 2008 for Mac — with SP2 we are not only delivering on top customer requests mid-cycle, but also taking a first step in bringing Microsoft software plus services to Mac users,” said Mike Tedesco, senior product manager for MacBU at Microsoft.

Unfortunately, those waiting for the return of Visual Basic for Applications will be disappointed. While the MacBU is planning on restoring VBA, that won’t be happening until the next release of Mac Office, for which no date has been announced.

The free update, around 300MB, will be available at Mactopia, as well as through Microsoft’s software autoupdate.

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Apple has released version 4.0.2 of Safari for both OS X 10.4 and 10.5 (but not Snow Leopard), as well as Windows XP, Vista and 7 beta. The 40MB update is available through Software Update and download via Apple’s web site.

The release notes, cryptic as usual, state the update improved “the stability of the Nitro JavaScript engine and includes the latest compatibility and security fixes.” A Knowledge Base article states that 4.0.2 addresses two vulnerabilities: cross-site scripting attacks and arbitrary code execution. Both of these vulnerabilities require visiting “maliciously crafted web sites,” but nonetheless are excellent reasons to update. Of course, the Mac version requires a restart, as updating Safari updates WebKit and the associated frameworks.

Those hoping for other changes, like a return of page loading progress in the address bar, or the refresh button going back to the left of the address bar, will be disappointed. Top tabbers, those who preferred the short-lived experiment of tabs being in the title bar, are also going to be displeased. It’s time to let go. Upgrading from the Safari 4 beta has to happen sooner or later, and what better reason than better security?

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For a release that just “fixed bugs,” I find it difficut to believe that the motivation behind the SMS (if it was from Apple) is not more related to a security issue than Apple’s desire to ensure iPhone users are well-informed.

Apple also released a MacBook Air update (full disclosure: this one I did not install as I do not own an Air) which fixes issues with video playback and processor core idling. Apple makes note that third-party software that modifies processor operating characteristics such as frequency and voltage is not supported and should be removed before installing this update.

However, Apple is not the only one gettin’ busy with the late-summer updates:

• Adium 1.3 – So, while this technically was released on Monday, August 25th, I could not let this slip away for a whole week. The Adium team did a phenomenal job in the betas and 1.3 sports Facebook chat support, enhanced MSN support (including personal messages), a much improved “contacts” interface with excellent Address Book support and significantly enhanced searching. A definite must-install.
• NewsLife – 1.2.1 – I gave NewsLife (yet another RSS reader) a try this week, since I’m a sucker for shiny, new toys. It did not import the OPML groups from NetNewsWire, but does support grouping of feeds. Mouse tracking in the article list window kept working even with the Preferences dialog having focus (bug? feature?). It’s a clean, simple app that is charging ~$15.00USD for something you can get for free in many other ways, but it may have a visual & functional style that appeals to you. Requires OS X 10.4 or 10.5, PPC/Intel
• NetNewsWire – 3.1.7b4 – Speaking of RSS readers, NNW fixed an issue with a startup crash and some proxy compatibility problems and tweaked some UI color indicators for clippings and unread items counts. One of the more interesting updates, though, is the inclusion of an AppleScript command to evaluate the JavaScript for the current page. Most users will probably not find that useful, but it was a feature asked for and provided by NNW users. Gotta love the community! NNW is free and requires OS X 10.4 or 10.5; PPC/Intel
• AppleScript, Interface Builder & Xcode Project Spotlight Importers – Whether you like or loathe Apple’s built-in filesystem search interface, you have to give a nod to the Google Toolbox folks for helping out budding Mac developers by creating some handy importers. The AppleScript Importer imports source and description from AppleScript .scpt and .scptd files, the Interface Builder Importer imports custom class names, bindings, outlets, actions and localizable strings from .xib and .nib files and the Xcode Project Importer imports file names and project comments from .xcodeproj files. (I’d appreciate comments from Apple developers who have real projects and sources they can toss at these as my tests worked, but I hardly have an extensive personal library). Free, but check the web page for compatibility.
• Transmission – 1.33 – This most excellent torrent client for the Mac (and other platforms) fixes a security issue as well as some other bugs. You probably missed this if you are an infrequent user, but as school season is upon us, you may want to ensure you keep this app as up-to-date as possible. Not that I’m suggesting you kids are sharing files as opposed to attending classes. It’s all for Linux distributions. Gotta get those Linux distributions… Transmission is free (open source, actually), OS X 10.4/10.5 & Universal.

Let me & other TAB readers know what you’ve been checkin’ out by posting a note in the comments!

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• Flow – 1.0.3 – Nick wrote about around this time last year but the app is far from vaporware and actually manages to put a fressh look and feel on the task of network file transfers. The app interface is actually well thought out and highly usable. It has support for FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and .Mac (a.k.a. MobileMe), has a pretty useful built in text editor (they obviously had web authors & programmers in mind), amazingly robust QuickLook support and the ability to make desktop bookmarks (droplets) for any file. Version 1.0.3 adds Amazon S3 support (when it’s up), bookmark importing from old school apps like Transmit and Cyberduck and bumps to speed, reliability and file editing. Leopard only & 29.00USD.
• CrossOver Games – 7.1.0 – Having used other CrossOver products, this was something that I wanted to try, especially having yet-another semi-virgin system to work from (with much reduced disk space as a result of migraing back to the original 160GB internal drive). While Wine-based gaming is nowhere near the same experience as the real thing (apps designed and written for OS X), CrossOver makes it possible to play games not yet ported and reduces the costs for switchers with large game libraries. I can confirm a working Half Life 2 for this post and will be continuing to experiment with it. This version incorporates the full Wine 1.0 release and fixes many game compatibility bugs. OS X 10.4 & 10.5 Intel-only.
• iLife (iPhoto / iMovie) & iWeb Updates – Apple release a bucket of bits including iLive Support 8.3 (stability improvements), iPhoto 7.1.4 (new greeting card & postcard themes and bug fixes), iMovie 7.1.4 (compatibility & bug fixes) and iWeb 2.0.4 (compatibility & bug fixes). Software Update should catch this, but you can grab the updates manually.
• MarsEdit – 2.2 – My blogging tool of choice issues a full dot release update with AtomPub support, customizable image markup (for fine grained control of image display) macros, a significant speed boost & five other additions. Compatible with OS X 10.3.9 through Leopard, $29.95 USD.
• BibleXpress – v1.01 [iPhone/iPod Touch] – BibleXpress puts the full text of the Bible on your iPhone in an app with a great interface and multiple translations. Version 1.0.1 is not for the squeamish as it has some bugs but adds enough much-awaited new translations – including the ESV (English Standard Version), NASB (New American Standard Version) and LBLA (La Biblia de Las Américas) – that it may be worth the quirks. Free upgrade or $29.99 (pricey, but mostly due to license fees for use of the translations).

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• VirtualHostX – 1.0.11 – A handy little app that lets you configure Apache virtual hosts (Apple-install or “MAMP” stack) via a GUI (as opposed to gnarly config files). Works with 10.4 & 10.5 and provides the ability to backup & restore configs. This update fixes a DocumentRoot bug and includes the author’s new OpenFeedback Cocoa framework which allows for submitting bug reports & feedback from inside apps. Well worth the $7.00 USD if you work with web sites on your Mac.
• TrailRunner – 1.7v240 – Summer is a great time to kick-start your fitness routine and TrailRunner is a great way to gauge your progress. This update enhances the track merge functionality, enhancements to the Workout History view and weblog publishing features, new compatibility with the Nike+ Sportband (no need for the iPod version) and the ability to integrate with nikeplus.com to retrieve workout, goal and competition data. Leopard-only, but free!
• Bee Docs Timeline – 3D Edition – 2.1.3 – Primarily a bug-fix release to this timeline-designer. Full version cost is $65.00. Leopard-only.
• Adium X – 1.2.7 – The best, multi-platform chat client for OS X had two updates which, when combined, fixed numerous bugs including ones in XMPP, ICQ and MSN compatibility. 10.4/10.5 & free!
• TrueCrypt – 6.0 – This awesome security/encryption tool added parallelized encryption/decryption on multi-core processors (operations are now “n” times as fast according to the number of processors or cores). Other enhancements include an improved volume format and the ability to create hidden volumes. 10.4/10.5 & free!
• Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection – 2.0 – Microsoft finally updates their Mac RDC client with an improved OS X look & feel and a ton of features. 10.4/10.5 and free!
• MacFuse – 1.7.1 – Mostly bug-fixes to this free tool which allows your Mac to use all sorts of other filesystems. 10.4/10.5
• Apple Time Capsule & AirPort Base Station – 7.3.2 – If the blinky, yellow light did not coax you into finding out what was going on, note that there is a very slight point update to the firmware on these Apple WLAN devices that fixes issues with poor throughput, the inability to connect to devices, some AirTunes dropout issues, and errors with “double NATting”.
• Stanza – 10.0 Beta – This is an interesting e-book reader that supports a large number of formats and exporting numerous devices including the iPhone. 10.4/10.5 and beta (check site for pricing)
• Shatner Facts – 1.0 – For some reason, I couldn’t resist this rather silly little widget. Everything you wanted (or never wanted) to know about William Shatner. If you download this, post your favorite bit of Shatner-trivia in the comments. 10.4/10.5 compatible and (of course) free.

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• VMware Fusion 2 Beta – this popular virtualization tool adds enhanced graphics & printing capabilities plus more diverse import options
• OpenOffice.org 3.0 Beta – one of the most comprehensive (only?) open source office suites adds native OS X Aqua support plus many enhancements to importing files, charting & layout viewing plus new spreadsheet collaboration options
• Transmission 1.20 – a full-featured BitTorrent client which has added support for https tracker connections, IP blocking via Bluetack Level 1 blocklist, better support for mutli-tracker torrents, faster UPnP startup port mapping, statistics resetting and updated Dock badge images
• CoverStream 2.0 – the application that brought CoverFlow to your Desktop has dramatically reduced its memory and disk footprint while also increasing speed twofold and adding new filtering & browsing features along with support for Apple Remotes and integration with Last.FM
• Parallels Desktop 3.0 Build 5600.0 – that other virtualization tools which has fixed many bugs and included support for Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 & XP SP3
• OmniGraffle 5.0.1 beta 1 – the drawing tool for OS X smashes a slew of bugs & crashers
• OmniPlan 1.5.1 – this simple & efficient project management tool has also smacked a ton of bugs, enhanced AppleScript support and enhances security (the app is now code signed)
• Audacity 1.3.5 – this great, open source audio tools gets even better with the ability to record onto the end of existing tracks, updates to suppotig libraries, enhanced user interface elements and many bug fixes
• NetNewsWire 3.1.6 – the “gold standard” in feed readers fixes a nasty memory leak
• Vidnik – a new tool from the fine folks over at Google that lets you use the built-in camera on your Mac to create movies and upload them to YouTube
• Ascent 1.9.2 – this amazing GPS-enabled cyclist/runner/hiker application adds support for new devices, better track manipulation functionality and enhanced drag/drop features
• GPSBabel 1.3.5 – a handy GPS “Swiss Army knife” squashes bugs, adds support for new devices, enhances the user interface and improves document support/compatibility

Full disclaimer: I either regularly use these apps and updated them or deliberately gave them a go this past week. I’m always on the lookout for new toys/tools, so drop me a note if you release new stuff!

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