On Thursday Apple released updates to OS X to patch up over two dozen exploits in the OS. Simply open OS X’s software update utility and get the fixes to these holes. For more juicy details, check out AppleInsider’s write-up.
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One of the most popular Linux distributions currently, Ubuntu, has just released version 7.04, named “Feisty Fawn”. I’m looking forward to trying out and reviewing the latest Ubuntu release. Check out the Ubuntu release page for download links.
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Version 2.0 of Mozilla Thunderbird has been released and I’m going to be trying it out later today. Thunderbird has been my graphical, multi-platform, email application of choice for awhile now (a couple years?). I love its simple and clean interface, as well as the search capabilities of it. I use the filtering system to handle marked spam messages that my mail server tags. Since I use IMAP, anywhere I setup Thunderbird, from Mac OS X, to Windows, to all the numerous Linux distributions I have tried, at home and at work, it has worked great for me. I’m slowly migrating most of my personal email use to my Gmail account, but still use Thunderbird exclusively for my work email.
In any case I’m sure the new release has improved on a good thing, so download it and check it out.
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TrustedReviews takes an in-depth look at Intel’s Santa Rosa platform and what it will mean for mobile computing.
Santa Rosa will feature an all new Core 2 Duo chip with a number of enhancements over the outgoing processor. Like the Merom chip before it, the new Core 2 Duo will feature up to 4MB of on-die cache, but there are plenty of other changes. First up, the new chip utilises an 800MHz Front Side Bus, while the outgoing one was limited to a 667MHz FSB. This will speed up overall system performance, although there’s more to the new FSB than just its speed.
You’ll want to check out the entire article over at TrustedReviews.
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[H]Enthusiast takes a look at the BFGTech and XFX GeForce 8600 GTS cards and puts them through the paces.
We found both GeForce 8600 GTS GPU based video cards to provide noticeably higher performance and image quality in every game compared to the ATI Radeon X1950 Pro. In Oblivion we were able to run at a higher resolution with full shadows enabled. With the XFX GeForce 8600 GTS XXX Edition we were even able to turn on full grass. With S.T.A.L.K.E.R. we had an option, either keep the resolution low and play with Object Dynamic Lighting or raise the resolution and use Static Lighting. We found that overall Object Dynamic Lighting makes the game look much better and preferred playing at 1024×768 to use it. With full lighting, shadows and view distances the game was very enjoyable at 1024×768.
The price gap between the 8600 GTS and the 8800 cards is not that great. Based on the article you might want to save up a few extra dollars and go for the higher performing 8800 series.
In any case, check out the full article and draw your own conclusions.
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Everyone’s favorite (ok maybe not everyone’s) open-source image editing and manipulation program has come out with a new release. 2.2.14 was released today. Plenty of bugs have been fixed. I use GIMP a lot in the making and editing of the screen shots of this site.
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After a nice weekend away in Hilton Head, SC, enjoying the nice sun and the company of family and friends, I am back with another review of a BSD-based system. DesktopBSD 1.6 RC2, released April 13, aims to provide a system that is easy to use but maintains the power and functionality of BSD.
My use of BSD goes back a number of years (late 1990’s) and the latest releases of the standard distributions (Free/Open/Net) haven’t changed much since then. The capabilities have increased, but the look and feel of each OS remains pretty much the same. The original three haven’t made many usability strides since then. (I’m sure some BSD die-hards will have something to say about this. I’m sure I’ve missed some major ones, so feel free to enlighten me.)
In any case, it is good to see that others are stepping up to the plate to bring the BSD line more up to date with what the mainstream operating systems are doing. It is not necessarily about eye candy but ease of system use and configuration that is important. Perhaps the BSD camps do not feel it is necessary to have easy to use administration tools and completely ready to use desktop systems from the install, but I do. Clearly the possibilities are endless, considering what the latest Linux distributions have been able to achieve, and what Apple has brought about with Mac OS X (which has a lot of BSD-based code in it).
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Looks like some details are out on the Nokia 6120, as mentioned on Engadget. I’m still awaiting the Nokia N75 which is hopefully due to be released any time now (as it has been for the last 6 months…) I prefer flip phones myself and since the N75 is supposed to be Cingular/ATT branded, I should be able to get it at a nice price. In any case here’s the details for the 6120:
Looks like the pre-tax price will be around $350US and will come out before the end of June. Assuming, of course, that all this information is correct. It looks like a really nice phone, but again I prefer the flip phones myself.
In other news, a new review should be up very shortly!
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From tuaw.com (and confirmed on Apple’s Hot News) comes word that Apple is delaying the release of Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) to October because of moving developers from Leopard to the iPhone to keep the iPhone release date on track.
All I have to say is… WTF. Ok, seriously, the iPhone is causing Leopard to be delayed? The day Steve Jobs announced the iPhone I guarantee I would have bought one that very day. I would have left work early and bought it right then because I was taken hold by the Steve Job’s reality distortion field. $500? Sure… take my money! But after having plenty of time to think about it I really don’t want an iPhone anymore. $500? Hell no! Besides, we all know that the first generation Apple product always performs sub-par compared to later offerings. And no 3G! Sure barely any of Cingular’s customers have it, but that is sure to change very soon. Where I live (Washington D.C. / Baltimore area) is completely 3G and being a power user I would use the 3G-ness constantly.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Apple’s products. I love my iPod nano (thanks Nancy!), I love my MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (and before that my iBook), and I love Mac OS X. But I’m not gonna shell out $500 for a non-3G phone that is the first release.
Instead I am waiting for the constantly-delayed Nokia N75 to become available (yes, I use Cingular). I don’t need a touch-screen and this phone will have all the proven features that I want in my next generation phone. AND it has 3G.
I’m not convinced Apple will hit a home run with the iPhone… yet. It could happen. People underestimated the iPod’s success. And I could eventually get one. But it will not be my next phone. Nokia N75 please come out soon! Cingular and whoever is causing this phone to be delayed (since December!) need to stop this non-sense and get this phone out before it is obsolete. Otherwise I will not be spending my money on that either.
In any case, delaying Leopard for a cell phone seems lame to me. I can’t wait to upgrade to Leopard. But the iPhone can wait.
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Ok, I’m an iPod user and don’t really care at all about the Zune, I’ll admit. In any case, found this article from digg and details of the next version of Zune have been leaked to a Zune Scene editor. Maybe. I’m a little bit skeptical that “the stars aligned” and next thing you know these two guys are talking about Zune 2.0. Just enough details are given and enough withheld that it seems plausible. I’m not trying to say the article isn’t legit, but how many times have “rumors on the internets” and leaks turned out to not be true? In any case, read the article from Zune Scene and decide for yourself.
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