Macenstein

WTF? All iApps now have a “0” popularity score

Hmm… well, we know at least 290 people must have downloaded that… Remember how we got those first quick stats about Super Monkey Ball, where we learned it had sold 3927 copies in the first couple hours after the leaked iPhone firmware came out? That’s because Apple includes a “popularity” counter below each app that allows you to see just how many people have downloaded each app (this is not viewable via the iTunes version of the app store, just... Read More

And the iPhone activation problems begin…

Those of us who managed to live through the painful debacle that was the last iPhone launch (my activation took 5 days, thank you very much AT&T) may be interested to know that Apple may not have learned all its lessons from AT&T’s mistakes. According to faithful Macenstein reader Dave, Apple is having some slight technical problems at its Ann Arbor, Michigan store activating the new iPhone 3G for customers. “Word from Ann Arbor, MI: an Apple rep came out... Read More

Why so “critical”, Microsoft?

Let’s do a little free-association exercise. When you hear the words “Microsoft” and “critical update“, what do you think of? I know personally, my first thought is “OMFG another Microsoft security exploit!“. Given this knee-jerk reaction I assume I share with many, why do you think Microsoft would label the latest Office Mac update 12.1.1 “Critical”? A quick scan of the 153 MB update shows a bunch of bug fixes, but unless... Read More

I think my Software Update is a little confused…

That’s either one hell of a secure Camera Raw update, or the most photo-centric Security Update I have ever seen. (A restart set things straight).  Read More

OMFG DON’T USE SAFARI!!!!!

TUAW reports on a zero-day exploit in the Safari browser which can potentially cause the the unintentional downloading of files and applications to a users drive. Like any exploit, the people who discovered it claim it is OMG-critical, and are begging Apple to jump on a patch. Apple says they are aware of the problem, and will get to it when they are good and ready. I’m not sure what the danger is in files being downloaded, other than the inconvenience of a cluttered desktop... Read More

Turns out the latest “Mac security hole” does Windows

You play with FireWire, you’re gonna get burned… Remember that “critical” Mac OS security exploit we told you about last week? Well as it turns out, it isn’t just a problem for the Mac. Windows XP is apparently vulnerable as well, and Windows users may actually have more to worry about than we Mac geeks. Read More  Read More

MSN Messenger once again discriminating against .Mac users

Well, it looks like Microsoft is once again discriminating against .Mac users who want to use MSN Messenger. You may recall that back in September people with “@mac.com” e-mail addresses who tried to login in to Messenger were forced to change their e-mail to something else like, oh I don’t know “hotmail” in order to receive messages. Well, faithful Macenstein reader Brethil tells us that for the past 10 days, history is repeating itself. Apparently... Read More

My iPhone loves STP and Toad the Wet Sprocket

For about the past 4 months or so, I have noticed some somewhat bizarre syncing behavior with my iPhone. No matter what files I am syncing, adding, subtracting, the iPhone will always recopy 2 songs that (in theory) are already on there. The song “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots, and “Hold Her Down” by Toad the Wet Sprocket will always be “updated”, even if nothing has changed (play count, artwork, rating, etc.). For example, both these songs... Read More

Apple choosing iTunes Movie Rentals over its Professional customers

Is QuickTime 7.4 the worst QuickTime update Apple has ever released? That’s a tough question. It certainly has produced the most problems for me personally. I have mentioned before that I am an Adobe After Effects user. It’s how I feed my family, and pay for my house. Having a working copy of After Effects is a close third behind food and water on my short list of things I need to survive. Unfortunately for me, and many other professional users, Apple’s newly... Read More

OS X 10.5.2: Trouble in “virtual paradise”?

Faithful Macenstein reader dolfke writes us with a warning to Second Life users hoping to test out the latest 10.5.2 Leopard build. According to dolfke, 10.5.2 breaks SL functionality in a big way. “sl launches, then the general connection screen, where one can introduce name and password, then connect … sl loads, but when connecting to inworld, the last stage before coming onworld, all stalls, beachball, then CRASH …all 4 versions, Beta grid, normal program,... Read More