Mac OS 10.6.3 build 10D548 seeded to developers
Some news from the Mac development realm today: OS X 10.6.3 build 10D548 was released to developers last night.
From the seed notes:
Included in this update:
- Performance improvements for 64-bit Logic
- Addresses compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
- Includes changes to QuickTime X that increase reliability, improve compatibility and address security.
- Improves printing reliability and compatibility with 3rd party printers
- Respects the DNS server ordering as specified in Network Preferences
- Addresses an issue that causes background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail when scrolling
- Resolves an issue that prevented files with the # or & in their names from opening in Rosetta
- Resolves an issue that prevented files from copying to Windows shares
- Resolves an issue that caused machines using BTMM and the Bonjour Sleep Proxy to wake unexpectedly
Focus Areas
- AirPort
- GraphicsDrivers
- iCal
- QuickTime
- Printing
But the biggest news?
Known Issues
– none
Which means we might see it sooner rather than later.
Nehalem Mac Pros take 20% performance hit when playing audio?
You hardcore Mac workstation users might want to cut the music when it’s time to start rendering your big projects if the latest Ars tale is to be believed. According to the story, Mac Pros exhibit a strange behavior when using iTunes, Quicktime or keeping USB audio interfaces plugged in:
The problem manifests as what has been described as excessive increases in power use and processor core heat when playing songs in iTunes, watching videos via Quicktime, or even when keeping USB or FireWire-based audio interfaces plugged in and active. While hardware monitors only report a small percentage of processor use, it can still cause performance decreases of up to 20 percent for other tasks.
The problem only affects all 2009 Nehalem-based Mac Pros. Strangely, booting affected Mac Pros into Windows 7 also eliminates the problems, leading one user to suspect the issue is related to power management kernel extensions.
A young hacker involved in the hackintosh scene believes the problem is related to the driver that controls newer features of the Nehalem Xeons, including SpeedStep and Turbo Boost. He generated a hacked power management kernel extension that disabled these features, which eliminated the high heat and power draw issues while playing audio. With SpeedStep disabled, however, the CPU drew more power at idle.
It might be best to wait for Apple to release a software update patch for this one, however. In the meantime, listen to your iPod.
Steve Jobs graces the cover of the Economist
Just saw this for the first time just now. It and the accompanying story are a bit over the top.
What's it like to work for Apple at a big event?
Here’s a little interview with former Apple Senior Systems Engineer Edward Eigerman on what it is like to work at Apple and go to an Apple event without knowledge of what your own company is about to do.
Interesting perspective to say the least (Bloomberg lady compares to terrorist org!?). Eigerman now works as a technology consultant in the New York area. He is principal of Eigerman Consulting, Inc.
3.33GHz Octo-core Mac Pros showing up on eBay
Advertised as faster than Apple’s and “sealed in the box”, someone is selling some pretty speedy Mac Pros on eBay. They’ve likely bought the Intel 8 core 3.33GHz Nehalem chips and transplanted those chips into a base model Mac Pro. Then “sealed” them in the box.
Still. If you need the fastest Mac around
Apple posts Virtualization firmware updates for Mac Pro and XServes
Apple today posted two updates for its early 2009 Mac Pros and XServe.
Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.4 (1.96MB)
XServe EFI Firmware Update 1.2 (1.81MB)
- Improves compatibility with virtualization products utilizing VT-d
- Improves system reliability during the boot process
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