Earlier this week we spoke with security researcher Charlie Miller, who plans to detail a possible method that could allow a hacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on an iPhone. He noted that his method would need to be combined with an exploit of a known vulnerability in the iPhone OS to get the code to execute. The good news for iPhone OS 3.0 users is that Apple has addressed 46 potential security vulnerabilities with the 3.0 update.
It’s that time of year again, when Intel does its seemingly annual rebranding ritual in an effort to “simplify” and “clarify” its sprawling product line. This year’s rebranding is significantly more comprehensive than last year’s effort, and let’s hope it’s more successful.
Apple is positioning the next major revision of Mac OS X, aka Snow Leopard, as an “enhancement and refinement” of Leopard. We have detailed a number of these enhancements and refinements last week as part of our WWDC coverage, but several more have shown up on the radar recently, including some not even mentioned by Apple. Here’s a run-down of a few we’ve found scattered across the ‘Net.
While millions of iPhone and iPod touch owners are attempting to download and install the iPhone OS 3.0 update launched earlier today, it appears that the servers that run iTunes are being slammed beyond capacity. A similar problem happened last year with the iPhone 3G and iPhone OS 2.0 were launched on the same day.
The one-word summary for iPhone 3.0 should be “subtle.” But don’t go thinking that subtlety means boring—the changes that come with Apple’s latest mobile OS are plentiful and hidden in many corners of the device. Apple previewed iPhone OS 3.0 to the world in March of this year and again in June at WWDC 2009, but there’s no greater experience than playing around with the software and discovering all the surprises yourself. We did just that with iPhone OS 3.0 and discovered that while the cool big changes may get all the press, there are also numerous updates to smaller details should be anything but ignored.
Those who have recently purchased Macs won’t have to continue cursing at themselves for not putting it off until after Snow Leopard is released later this year. Apple has published info on its Snow Leopard Up-to-Date program, which details how qualifying Mac owners can get a copy of Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) for free—plus $9.95 shipping and handling, of course.
Here’s a shocker (not): a new report from the New York Times says that Sun is canceling Rock, its forthcoming high-end server chip. Ashlee Vance, who generally has solid sources at Sun, claims that after five years in development, Rock has met an “unceremonious end.” (Actually, I’m not sure I believe this. I bet there was at least a little ceremony, like maybe a few engineers sharing a moment as they took down a breakroom poster of Dwayne Johnson that had clever cartoon speech bubbles glued to it.)
Several US senators are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission review the now-popular exclusivity agreements between wireless carriers and handset manufacturers. In a letter sent this week, four Senators voiced their concern over exclusivity agreements and their limitations on consumer choice, and asked the FCC to “examine this issue carefully” to determine whether such agreements should be allowed. The letter was signed by Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Several US senators are requesting that the Federal Communications Commission review the now-popular exclusivity agreements between wireless carriers and handset manufacturers. In a letter sent this week, four Senators voiced their concern over exclusivity agreements and their limitations on consumer choice, and asked the FCC to “examine this issue carefully” to determine whether such agreements should be allowed. The letter was signed by Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
The new MacBook Pro models introduced at last week’s WWDC, particularly the 13″ and 15″ models, have a number of hardware changes. FireWire coming back to the 13″ model? Good. SD card slot? Mixed. The non-changeable battery? Though some are up in arms about the change, a battery that can last as long just over eight hours might bring them around. Oddly, though, some users are reporting that SATA performance for the new systems may have somewhat of a downgrade.
