And finally, Apple did something I was expecting to get for “free” as an update to the version 2 of Aperture but it isn’t.
Aperture 3 got released and comes with the features that were missing and many others.
Want to learn more? Visit Apple’s Aperture page and take a look at the 200 new features by clicking here.
For anybody missing the ability of Address Book.app to send SMS messages (Apple Kbase article), which was present in 10.4 but removed in 10.5 and has been missing ever since, there is now a free plugin I’ve written to provide some of the missing functionality.
It adapts the SMS sending code from the emitSMS Dashboard widget into an Address Book action plug-in, which should be compatible with 10.5 and 10.6. Unfortunately, SMS receiving and dialing numbers via Bluetooth aren’t supported, so it doesn’t replace everything Apple removed in the Leopard version of Address Book, but it should provide a little more ease of use.
Just download the plug-in (96KB), expand the zip file, and then drop it in /Library/Address Book Plug-Ins. You can find more instructions and usage notes on my site.
iTunes 9.0.1 provides a number of important bug fixes, including:
• Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.
• Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.
• Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.
• Fixes a problem syncing Podcasts in playlists to iPod or iPhone.
• Fixes a problem sorting albums with multiple discs.
• Addresses an issue with the Zoom button not switching to Mini Player.
• Improves application syncing for iPod touch and iPhone.
• Genius is now automatically updated to show Genius Mixes.
iTunes 9 comes with many new features and improvements, including:
• An improved look and feel, including a new Column Browser for easily browsing your artists or albums, movies, TV shows, and more.
• iTunes Store has a brand new look, with improved navigation for quick and easy exploration.
• iTunes LP and iTunes Extras create unique experiences that feature exclusive interviews, videos, photos, and more — available with select album and movie purchases on the iTunes Store.
• Home Sharing helps you manage your family’s iTunes collection between computers in your home. iTunes can automatically transfer new purchases, or you can choose just the items you want.
• Genius Mixes are created for you by iTunes and play songs from your library that go great together.
• iPod and iPhone syncing now allows you to organize your iPhone and iPod touch home screens directly in iTunes. Syncing is now also more flexible, allowing you to sync individual artists, genres, or TV show and Podcast episodes.
• iTunes U items are now organized into their own section in your iTunes library.
• Sync with iPod nano (5th generation), iPod classic (Fall 2009), and iPod touch (Fall 2009).
• iTunes 9 also includes many other improvements, such as HE-AAC encoding and playback, more flexibility with Smart Playlists rules, simpler organization of your media files inside an iTunes Media folder, and more.
What a great day for an iTunes 9 update: 09/09/09!
New interface, new icons, new buttons, iTunes 9 comes with a fresh skin (NB: the missing part of the iTunes window is probably a bug in SL’s screen captures).
The main new features of iTunes 9 are:
Available from your Software Update menu.
“One of the new additions to iTunes is said to include Blu-ray support which lines up nicely with a recent AppleInsider report about Apple integrating Blu-ray into their new iMac line-up,” the report states.
“Something else that will most likely make a bunch of people happy is that we’ve been told iTunes 9 will finally include the ability to visually organize and arrange your iPhone and iPod touch applications.
Something that wasn’t so clearly described was some kind of Twitter/Facebook/Last.fm integration. Maybe broadcasting what song you’re playing to your friends?”
BGR says the Twitter/Facebook/Last.fm stuff from its tip was more vague, but you can imagine that if such features were integrated it would involve tweeting out or updating your Facebook status with what song you are listening to. It’s possible that for Last.fm, iTunes would build-in support for logging what songs you are playing, something which Last.fm currently does through its own software.
Read the rest of this entry »
Apple released the next — and potentially last — upgrade to its Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system Wednesday afternoon, bringing minor tweaks before the debut of Snow Leopard in September.
The latest update to Leopard includes security fixes, improves Bluetooth reliability, and upgrades Safari to version 4.0.2. It is available for Mac users via software update, or a 274MB file for download from Apple. The combo update is also available at 759MB.
“The Mac OS X v10.5.8 Update is recommended for Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard users and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac,” reads an Apple statement.
The list of fixes for Leopard are as follows:
Many times requested, a lot of friends and iChat buddies and Twitter friends want to have this result: 
The tutorial starts after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »
