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Everyone go straight to Apple’s Software Update program and get your copy of Leopard updated! (>Software Update)  Today Apple released an update to their current OS, Leopard.  I’m going t ogive you a quick rundown of the new features of the new update.  Engadget.com has a great break-up of the new update, which i will post here.

From Engadget.com (all credit goes to their authors)

General

• Includes recent Apple security updates.
• Resolves an issue with saving and reopening Adobe Creative Suite 3 files on a remote server.
• Includes additional RAW image support for several cameras.
• Addresses an issue that may result in a partially installed X11 application.
• Improves L2TP VPN client reliability.

AirPort

• Addresses AirPort reliability issues with 5GHz networks.
• Addresses AirPort issues that may result in slower performance in Logic Studio or MainStage.

iCal

• Improves overall iCal reliability for meeting requests, cancellation notices, delegation, and syncing with iPhone.
• Resolves an issue that prevents deleting an iCal event without notifying the creator.
• Addresses an issue in which events in all calendars affect availability. A checkbox now enables information-only calendars to be transparent from free/busy lookups.
• Resolves a UI issue preventing delegated calendars from showing up as a separate window.
• Addresses an issue with copying and pasting attendees from one event to another.
• Resolves an issue in which iCal may not delete events after a specified time interval, even when set to do so in iCal preferences.
• Addresses an issue in which To Dos cannot be marked private.

Safari

• Addresses a potential performance issue when loading secure web pages.
• Resolves issues that may be encountered when accessing secure web pages with client certificates that reside on a smart card.

Spaces and Exposé

• Addresses an issue in which switching from a space with a Finder window keeps the Finder as the active application instead of the application residing in the destination space.
• Fixes an issue in which dragging an application from the list of application assignments in Spaces System Preferences does not assign the application to the desired space.
• Resolves an Exposé issue that may result in only a subset of windows being shown.

Go now and update with Apple’s updater and post your thoughts about this update in the comments section.

I thought it was about time I post some applications that I have found really usefully but aren’t very well known. Have a read, add to them and let me know what you think in the forums.

1. Sofa Control
All Mac’s come with a standard Apple remote, however the Apple remote won’t always work with all your applications. I found Sofa Control solves that problem. It allows me to use my Apple remote with applications that aren’t usually supported, such as: VLC, Microsoft Powerpoint, Firefox, Google Earth & more than 40 others. Its a great little application that lets me take control of my Mac from a distance. Sofa Control uses a specialized Front Row inspired user interface that allows the user to switch between documents and applications with ease and simplicity. At $15 its a pretty sweet investment. Sofa Control Homepage

2. Caffeine
Do you often find yourself in a situation where you need your Mac’s screen to stop dimming, but cant be bothered changing your default settings constantly. Caffeine is a program that wakes up your mac. Maybe your watching a Youtube video or spinning around the globe on Google Earth. If you not touching the keyboard your screen is most likely (especially if your using an unplugged macbook) going to dim. Click the little Caffeine icon at the top of your menu bar and hey presto, problem solved. Caffeine is a free app, one of those ones that really comes in handy when you least expect it. Download it here: Caffeine Homepage.

3. Perian
Perian is less of an application and more of a plug-in. Once installed Perian allows you to pretty much watch all the unusual video codects in Quicktime. Everything from Avi, Xvid, Dvix, & FLV to MKV & H.264. Its for those Mac users who love to use official Apple applications and products wherever possible. However, if you like using VLC then you probably wont ever need this. Perian is also a free download and available at the Perian Homepage.

4. Zipeg
If your downloading a lot of compressed files from all over the place Zipeg is probably your kind of application. Zipeg unlike Apples standard extracting application supports more than the usual amount of compressed file types. It will pretty much extract anything you throw at it. Its also a great compression tool if you’ve got something that you want to send. Its also looks great and is really easy to use! Download it free at the Zipeg homepage.

5. XNJB
For those of us that don’t have or use iPods XNJB is really the only application that lets us connect our non-Apple mp3 devices to our Macs. Its mainly made for Creative mp3 players but I’m pretty sure it may work with other mp3 players as well. At the moment the program is pretty under-developed but there is really no other options. If you’ve found one let me know. Until then check it out at the XNJB homepage. Oh and its also free!

Well that’s it for now. Hopefully you’ve learnt something new today Mactropolis Citizens. I’ll be doing more of these posts soon, so keep your eyes pealed.

Yes, Telstra will begin selling the iPhone 3G on July 11, joining both Optus and Vodafone. Telstra is the first of the three to reveal any Australian pricing for the iPhone. While there’s no full details yet, Telstra has given us more information than we’ve seen from anyone else.

On a 24-month contract from $30, the 8G iPhone will be available for an upfront cost of $279, or $399 for the 16GB version. On plans above $80 a month, there’s no upfront charge for the phones. Still $80 a month means that you’ll be paying $2000 over the course of the contract.

Telstra has two obvious starter advantages in the marketplace: the extensive coverage of its Next G network, and the ability to offer free WiFi access in all its hotspots (which include McDonald’s and Starbucks outlets as well as Qantas lounges).

Time will tell how it compares to the other networks pricings…

[via LifeHacker]

Bundled with the new iPhone SDK 8 beta release that Apple shipped out to developers the other day was the pre-release of iTunes 7.7. It seems that iTunes 7.7 will be a requirement for the new iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 firmware.

According to the readme file inside the new iTunes Beta, iTunes 7.7 will allow iPhone and iPod touch users to download a free application that can remotely control iTunes on their mac’s. It is said that this will most likely work via a home network wi-fi connection. Reportedly, this free application will be available in the App Store upon the 2.0 firmware release.

Could we see Apple allowing a similar feature through Apple TV soon? Or even Airport Express Capabilities?

The 8th beta version of the iPhone SDK is now available. This is great news for iPhone Developers around the world! This latest beta release 8 (build 9M2199a) is compatible with the final iPhone )S 2.0 release…and it requires an Intel-based Mac on OS X 10.5.3 or later.

So what’s new in this release? In the release notes Apple noted:

“Beta release 8 is compatible with the final iPhone OS 2.0 release and must be used to build and sign any iPhone OS application to be submitted to the App Store. As a reminder, you must be a member of the iPhone Developer Program to submit apps…We encourage developers to apply to the iPhone Developer Program for access to additional support resources, as well as access to a certificate that enables development directly on an iPhone or iPod touch.”

To get your copy login to the iPhone Dev Center and take advantage of all the development resources available (You’ll need to register as a developer first!).

For more information on the iPhone Developer Program and the Mac Developer Program, click here.

We have just made our third drawing in the ‘Join the Forums, Win an iPhone 3G Contest!!!

Congratulations to member Nightfall4 on winning the third $25 iTunes Gift Card! We will give out one more gift card next Friday before the big drawings on July 11th!

There are still LOTS of prizes waiting to be won…1 more iTunes Gift Card, 5 copies of iPhone RingtoneMaker, and of course, 2 new iPhone 3G’s!

If you haven’t joined the contest yet, you better register. It’s free and only takes a few minutes to enter.

Enter our Join the Forums, Win an iPhone 3G Contest >

After much waiting and anticipation, Canadians can now sink their teeth into some hard data from Rogers on their iPhone 3G pricing plans. All of the new plans are going to require a 3-year contract, and they will include visual voicemail, free evenings and weekends, and unlimited WiFi at all Rogers and Fido hotspots.

Plans are starting at $60/month for 150 minutes of voice and 400MB of data… and top out at $115/month for 800 minutes of voice and up to 2GB of data.

*sigh*, still no unlimited plan for Canadians.

Official plan pricing from Rogers:

Rogers will also be offering 2 voice ‘value packs’ with popular features. The $15 value pack includes caller ID, Who Called, Caller Ring Trax, 2,500 Sent Text Messages and 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes. The $20 value pack will include Caller ID, Who Called, Caller Ring Trax, 10,000 Sent Text Messages, 2,500 Call Forwarding Minutes and 6PM early evening calling.

I’m really starting to get sick of the ridiculous data charges up here in Canada. Was really hoping the iPhone would usher in a new, reasonable, ‘unlimited’ data era up here. Guess I’m wrong so far. It’s time for Canadians to bend over and take what Rogers is giving them.

Read the press release here >

Read more on iPhone Data Plans at Rogers Wireless >

The new motion picture ‘WALL-E’ is out in theaters today, and I’ve read a few reports that ‘WALL-E’ is a mac. When he boots up, there’s the ever familiar Mac ‘dong’… or is it ‘ding’… or is it more of a ‘hummm’…. You know what I mean. So hard to put into words

Also, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive is said to have consulted on the design of WALL-E’s love interest in the movie ‘EVE’… and WALL-E himself is said to carry around a clunky first gen iPod.

One shouldn’t be surprised if there are many design cues reminiscent of Mac design. Steve Jobs owns 7% of Disney stock, and sits on their board of directors (Disney owns Pixar). Naturally I’m sure he has some pull.

At any rate, thought this was a bit interesting. If any of you out there go check out the movie be sure to leave comments here on what you saw. Can you confirm or deny that WALL-E is a mac!?

Are you the one in your group of friends that has to have their technology before anyone else?

Engadget reports that Vodafone NZ will open their doors at 00:01 (12:01AM) on July 11th for the launch of the iPhone 3G. In California that would be Thursday, July 10th at 5:01PM.

Get your plane tickets ready for New Zealand (this could be viewed as a bad decision, seeing that you would be stuck with New Zealand’s Vodafone service, which doesn’t work in the states) to get your iPhone 3G fix before anyone else in the US and Canada…and the rest of the world for that matter.

All I can say is good luck to all those that will be waiting in line a week ahead.

[via Engadget]

Being the resident Australian here at Mactropolis I feel its my duty to post Australian Apple News.

For those of us who use the iTunes store and have noticed the lack of TV shows in the iTunes store…you might have noticed some new additions the other day! Quietly, Apple has added a whole heap of local and overseas TV shows to our store. Everything from heavy-hitters like Lost, Desperate Housewives & Prison Break to Australian favorites like Sea Patrol II and Summer Heights High. The cost about $2.99 per episode to download and as usual can be viewed on iPods, iPhones or on a Apple TV.

Apple’s iTunes Store is the first company, in Australia to legally buy a wide range of TV shows, after signing deals with Australian networks ABC and the Nine Network, and US networks ABC Studios, Disney Channel and MTV.

Does this mean that iTunes rentals may be coming to the Australian iTunes Store? Although this service was added to Canadan and the United Kingdom stores earlier this month, there is still no word on when it will drop in Australia.