Today, Apple has released software updates for the Mac version of iPhoto and for Aperture. The updates both focus on bug fixes and improvements.
Notably, both apps were given improvements and fixes for Photo Stream integration. iPhoto now has easier image deleting and exporting from Photo Stream, while Aperture has a bug fix related to Shared Photo Streams.
Safari and Java were also updated with improved security (release notes below). Notably, the new update introduces controls to specify which websites can use Java – something that should help prevent malicious websites from exploiting the never-ending stream of Java exploits.
EA confirmed today on its website that the latest SimCity instalment will be headed to Mac this summer with an official release scheduled for June 11. The title will be available exclusively through EA’s Origin platform (in addition to “other online retailers”), but those who have already purchased the PC version of the game will be able to grab the Mac download for free on Origin:
“SimCity is coming to Mac on June 11 and one purchase will give you both the Mac and PC versions. You only need to buy SimCity once to play together across the same servers, regardless of which version you’re playing,” said Lucy Bradshaw, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s Maxis Label. “We didn’t want to make any compromises when it came to the Mac so we created a native version that is optimised for the hardware and OSX.”
Good news if you plan on picking up the Mac version this summer: right now you can get SimCity for the lowest price we’ve seen ever, $32 on 9to5Toys, and then download the Mac version free in June.
EA made a point of noting that the game is not your average port but rather runs natively on OS X with “its entire software renderer was rewritten for OpenGL, ensuring the best performance for the platform.” SimCity will allow players to play online across platforms on the same servers as PC users when it launches and Origin account holders will be able to use the same account on both copies. The game originally got off to a bit of a rough start, with players experiencing major server issues that eventually lead to EA offering refunds and free games to disgruntled users. Read more
Panic was kind enough to allow us a preview of its app, and needless to say, we liked what we found.
The Oregon-based software company is largely known for their OS X FTP client Transmit, but entered the iOS space in April 2011 with the launch of Prompt, their SSH client for iPhone and iPad, followed by their affectionately named web editor Diet Coda this past May. This marks the third year in a row that Panic has released an entirely new app on the iOS platform.
Version 10.0.8 of the ‘Final Cut Pro’ Mac App Store app brings a number of new features and enhancements, many of which focus on improvements for professional users. Among the updates is support for Sony XAVC codec up to 4K, the ability to view “ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec. 709 color and contrast levels,” and a long list of editing fixes, tweaks and enhancements that have been highly requested by pro users.
Apple has now updated its website with the new Final Cut Pro campaign we mentioned earlier. It includes a feature with acclaimed director Tsui Hark and Canada’s largest newspaper The Globe and Mail. The ‘What’s New’ Final Cut Pro product page was also updated to show off some of the new features in today’s update such as support for the Sony XAVC codec.
TNW reported on a new trojan discovered by Russian website Doctor Web that installs adware on Macs running all three of most popular browsers: Safari, Firefox and Chrome. Doctor Web demonstrated that the Trojan.Yontoo.1 plugin can display ads on any site by showing it in action on Apple’s own website.
Many Mac owners still believe that OS X is immune to viruses and trojans. While it’s true the platform is well protected, a large part of the relative immunity enjoyed by Mac owners has simply been down to blackhat economics: when there were many more Windows machines around than Macs, it was less worthwhile for attackers to target Macs. As the popularity of Macs has grown, however, the platform has made an increasingly attractive target.
The trojan cannot install itself and instead relies on tricking users into downloading and installing it.
This particular trojan can get onto your Mac in multiple ways. Criminals have so far used movie trailer pages that prompt users to install a browser plugin, a media player, a video quality enhancement program, or a download accelerator. In other words, the usual schemes we’ve seen on Windows.
Once installed, the plugin sends details of the webpages you visit back to a server controlled by the bad guys and uses that info to insert relevant ads. The Apple example above shows just how slickly this can be done. On a less-familiar site, a visitor could easily see the ad as part of the site.
As ever, the advice here is to only ever download known plugins from the official sites. Never accept an invitation to download anything from a website unless you know it to be a site you can trust. We’d be surprised if many 9to5Mac readers fell victim to this, but if you have family members using your Mac who might not be as careful, Intego VirusBarrier has updated its definitions to include it.
BioShock Infinite: Mac game developers Aspyr announced today that it will be bringing Bioshcok Infinite to the Mac following its release on PC and consoles next week on March 26. It will take Aspyr until the summer to get the third instalment in the Bioshock series up and running on OS X, but the company promised us more details on pricing, preorders, and release dates in the near future. The game follows lead character Booker DeWitt and takes place in the lost, floating city of Columbia. It’s the first title in the series that doesn’t take place under water and also sees the return of the game’s original developer Ken Levine.
Amazon Send to Kindle: Announced by Amazon today, website owners can now add a “Send to Kindle Button” to allow visitors save content directly to Kindle devices and apps. That means that iPhone and iPad users can now use the function on supported sites to send content to the Kindle iOS apps. Some sites such as The Washington Post, TIME, and Boing Boing have already added the button.
Final Fantasy V: The FF-Reunion website is reporting that Final Fantasy V is making its way to the App Store, at least in Japan, by the end of March. The title is said to get the usual overhaul for iOS, but until then you can always play the Game Boy Advance port through an emulator.
Garmin USA version 2.4: Garmin updated its USA version of its iOS app today alongside many other local versions with the ability to play voice instructions through your car’s speakers over bluetooth, a new Map Manager, points of interest from Wikipedia, and much more: Read more
