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Updated Thursday, August 05 2004 @ 02:16 PM PDT
Today's Featured Article
 Late-Breakers
Editorial: Apple, if you remove a software update, explain
Yesterday (Wednesday) we covered Apple's removal of the recent iPhoto Update 4.0.2, which had just been released two days earlier (Monday). As of Wednesday afternoon, all mentions of the update had been removed from the Apple website, and links (1, 2) to the update resulted in a "Page Not Found" error. Apple has thus far provided no explanation as to why the update was removed.
This isn't the first time Apple has released a software update only to "recall" it days or weeks later with no explanation. Such actions leave Mac users who have already installed the update wondering what was so wrong with the software that it needed to be pulled from distribution -- and whether or not their newly-installed software is safe to use.
If it's necessary to pull an update from distribution due to problems, Apple should by all means do so as soon as possible. However, instead of removing all traces of the update and acting as if it never existed, Apple should retain the update's Web page and/or Knowledge Base article and use them to provide information on the status of the update. It doesn't matter if the update was pulled for a minor issue (e.g., a cosmetic error in the About box) or a major one (a bug that can result in data loss); users who have already installed the update have a right to know why the software is no longer available, whether or not it's safe to use, and when to expect a "fixed" version.
20 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 11:23PM by jonsaw
Late-Breakers
Apple releases iPhoto Update 4.0.3
This afternoon Apple released iPhoto Update 4.0.3 (initially only through Software Update, although we suspect it will soon be available as a Web download, as well). The "documentation" -- and we use that term loosely -- is identical to that of the released-then-pulled iPhoto Update 4.0.2:
iPhoto 4.0.3 addresses minor issues with Smart Albums and European books, and provides notification when new versions of iPhoto are available.
We suspect this version fixes whatever problems necessitated the recall of the 4.0.2 Update, although we don't know what those problems were, since Apple didn't provide any explanation for removing that update. If you installed version 4.0.2, it would probably be a good idea to install version 4.0.3. If you haven't yet installed either update, the usual update caveats apply.
UPDATE: Apple has posted a Web download of the update.
11 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 11:11PM by jonsaw
Late-Breakers
PowerBook G4 case warping (#7): Not limited to 15"; repair issues; how to keep cool
We continue to receive a steady stream of reader reports of PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) cases "warping" as they heat up -- sometimes temporarily, but often permanently. Tom Sykes provides a typical testimonial:
"My 1Ghz PowerBook G4 is approaching 1 year of age and has always run hot. Presently the body will not sit level (cold or hot) -- the rear left corner sits up about 1/16 of an inch when the three other corners are touching a level surface. The lid is worse. Holding down the upper right (as it is open) corner against the base, the gap between the left front corner of the lid and lower case is 3/16-inch. When the laptop is hot, the effort needed to push the lid into the latched position is what I would consider to be excessive. When the latch button is pressed to open the lid, the lid springs up dramatically about 5/16 of an inch. However, when cold, very little pressure is needed to close the lid.
"The computer has not been subjected to any physical abuse (dropped or bumped) and when transported is always in a closed position. I have not noticed any malfunctioning of the screen image or hinge action but I cannot help but think that the excessive heat is not doing the computer any good."
Not limited to 15" models We previously commented that, based on reader reports, it appeared this problem rarely affects 17" models (presumably because the increased surface area of the 17" model results in lower heat levels). However, since then we've received a few sporadic reports of 17" PowerBooks being affected. For example, reader David Knuth writes:
"I own a 17" PowerBook and just recently had the case repaired for having warped to where the machine wobbled on the desktop, and after receiving the repaired machine back, had it warp again within 5 days. I am now currently working with Apple to try and get my machine repaired again.
"I am not alone, either. I have read several letters from PowerBook 17" owners who have had various segments of their machines warp, and further, know at least two other users personally who have had their machines replaced by Apple for the same issue."
Problems getting PowerBooks repaired/replaced We previously covered difficulties some users are having in getting Apple, or Apple dealers, to repair or replace affected PowerBooks. We continue to receive reports of such issues. Alan Malakoff writes:
"I have the warping problem with a 15" PB. [I complained that occasionally it would open itself up.] My local repair shop said that there was nothing that he could do."
Keeping cool A number of readers have suggested ways to keep affected laptops cool during use. Active-cooling stands (those with built-in fans) generally work very well at lowering laptop temperatures, but even just keeping the PowerBook elevated -- so air can circulate around it -- is quite effective. (Stands such as Griffin's iCurve have the added advantage of raising your PowerBook to a better viewing height when using an external keyboard/mouse.) Reader Matthew Davidson offers more general advice:
"This sounds simple, but people with heat issues should (when convenient) try to raise the machine up a few inches from the floor or table and have the supporting apparatus make as little contact with the bottom of the machine as possible. It is a plus if the material that is in contact with the bottom of the machine conducts heat well."
If you're experiencing heat-related "warping" issues with your Aluminum PowerBook G4, drop us an email at Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
4 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 12:13PM by Allan Marcus
Late-Breakers
Click Wheel (4th generation) iPod: Sudden resets (#3); static issues (#5)
Sudden resets On Monday we began covering reader reports of spontaneous "resets" while listening to music on new iPods-- the music will suddenly stop playing and the iPod will reset, displaying the Apple logo on the screen. Readers continue to submit confirmations of this issue. Although Apple's technical support personal claim this is "normal" behavior with "active" iPod use -- and the problem does appear to be common among readers who use their iPods while jogging, running, etc. -- most readers who have submitted reports have indicated that the problem occurs even with sedentary iPods. For example, Michael Fryd notes:
"I also have a problem with my 4G 40GB iPod. On a long plane flight the unit will crash after an hour or so. The unit is completely non-responsive; blank screen, and no response to button presses. The solution is to hold the combination that resets the unit. Then it boots normally and works for a few more hours."
Similarly, Grant Tompkins writes:
"I was in my car listening to music when it suddenly stopped. I thought the battery had run out but it had been fully charged the night before. After looking i saw the black Apple logo and waited for it to reboot and everything was fine. That's the only time it's happened and i hope it's the last. Also, scrolling through menus at a consistant speed is interrupted by the lack of input by the click wheel after it wakes up. It generally becomes fine after a few seconds, but still strange."
To be clear, the specific behavior we're investigating is different from resets when jogging/running/etc., which appear to be fairly common. (As a side note, although Apple claims that this behavior is to be expected during active use, a number of readers have expressed frustration with such assertions, considering that Apple markets the iPod as a player for "active" users, even touting the ability to jog/exercise during use.)
Older iPods also affected Reader reports demonstrate that this issue isn't limited to the latest iPod models; since we started coverage, we've received a significant number of reports from readers involving all iPod models from the first generation through the latest Click Wheel versions. Reader Mark Weikert's report is representative:
"I have had this same issue happen on my [2nd-generation] 10Gig iPod. I will be playing a song and it just stops. By the time I check it (get it off my belt clip), I see the Apple logo while it's restarting. It is different songs every time and has happened at least 2 dozen times. I have also had issues with the iPod just locking up in general, forcing me to manually reset the iPod. Again, no similarities in songs or play lists. It's completely random. I have tried restoring several times with no luck. The issue happens about once a week with an average of 2 hours of the iPod playing every day."
Static We continue to receive reports of "static" -- audible through headphones -- when the iPod is accessing its hard drive. (In general, the better the headphones, the more apparent the static.) Reader Brent Green, who submitted a few useful comments earlier in the week, provided a follow-up report that includes detailed measurements of the static phenomenon:
"I had a 40G 4G iPod with the audible feedback in the headphones when the hard drive is caching. The noise is very clear in both the left and right channels. I picked up another 4G 40GB unit yesterday in hopes of finding one without the problem. Unfortunately, this one is also affected. I was curious to find that with this iPod I could only detect the noise in the left channel.
"I downloaded a little spectrum analyzer program from the Internet and ran the audio output from each iPod into the line-in on my PC's soundcard. With this software I could clearly see the bump in noise intensity when the hard drive would cache the iPod's RAM. I could also measure the difference between the two iPods. While playing music with the volume all the way down, I would typically register ~-80dB when the hard drive was inactive. With the first iPod, I would get bumps to -50dB when the hard drive was active. With the second, the sound would only bump to ~-65dB.
"I could also visually see a difference in the frequencies measured. The first unit would get a bump at 2.5kHz when the hard drive first started up. There was a general elevation between 2.5kHz and 8kHz during the entire hard drive access. When the drive shut down, there would be a spike at 8kHz. With the second unit, there was no initial spike of any kind. Overall, sound intensity would still increase between 2.5 and 8kHz, but less so than the other unit. Then at the end of the hard drive access, there would again be a spike at 8kHz.
"All of this really proves nothing new, except that this really isn't a black and white issue. Rather than iPods being either affected or not, it seems that there may be a range in severity of the problem. Due to this nature, it is possible that the problem is common, with some iPods being 'better' and therefore less bothersome."
3 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 07:21PM by Jeremy Krall
Late-Breakers
PowerPoint 2004: "Insufficient memory" message
Reader Stephen Pribut reports a memory issue with PowerPoint 2004:
"I have 1 gig of RAM on an [Aluminum PowerBook G4]. I am running the latest Panther update. PowerPoint 2004 is giving me an 'insufficient memory' notice when working on a 125 slide presentation. No problems in Windows. And the bulk of this presentation has worked fine in the previous version of PowerPoint. The only thing new is 6 slides created in Keynote and exported to PowerPoint format. I have not ever seen an 'insufficient memory' notice in any other OS X program."
1 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 07:29AM by jimw3@cox.net
Late-Breakers
Apple pulls iPhoto 4.0.2 Update: no explanation given; reader reports of problems quitting
(Originally posted Wednesday afternoon, 8/4/2004.)
Earlier this week Apple released the iPhoto 4.0.2 Update, which purported to "address minor issues with Smart Albums and European books, and provide notification when new versions of iPhoto are available."
As of earlier today (Wednesday), the iPhoto 4.0.2 Update is no longer available on Apple's servers -- the latest version is 4.0.1. Apple has provided no explanation as to why the update was pulled, nor would users even know that it was previously available, as all references to the update have been removed.
Problems reported We've received a few reports from MacFixIt readers that after installing the iPhoto 4.0.2 Update, iPhoto takes an inordinate amount of time to quit, or refuses to quit at all. For example, Keshav Pathak writes:
"I have been using iPhoto extensively for several months and was running version 4.0.1, which ran flawlessly. I have around 2000 photos catalogued. I downloaded the 4.0.2 updater through Version Tracker and installed it [on a 15" G4 PowerBook 1.25Ghz with 768MB Ram and Mac OS X 10.3.4] Now while iPhoto launches just fine, when I try to quit the application, I get the spinning beach ball and the 7 times that I have timed it, iPhoto took an average of 14 seconds to quit. There hasn't been a single instance when it quit [normally]."
Download links still work Several readers have pointed out that if you have the URL to the 4.0.2 Update file, you can still download the update, even though it's no longer mentioned anywhere on Apple's website. However, we advise against installing the update, for reasons that should be obvious after reading this story.
13 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 03:06AM by rupert_burrows
Odds and Ends:
Odds and Ends: Acrobat 6 printing problems; Safari incompatible with UPS online shipping; Knowledge Base updates
Adobe Acrobat 6 printing problems Reader Rob White reports an issue where accessing certain options in the Print dialog causes Acrobat 6 to quit:
"I am having a bug issue in Adobe Acrobat Professional 6.0.1 that is repeatable on several late model G4/G5 Mac systems I own or work on (2003 17" iMac G4 1GHz, 2004 17" PowerBook G4 1.33GHz, and Power Mac G4 dual-2GHz). In my home office, I print to a Xerox 6250DP duplexed color laser printer and at work to a variety of HP and Xerox duplexed printers. Whenever I try to print a PDF and access the advanced features from inside the Print window to turn on duplex printing...Acrobat suddenly quits. No warning, no indication of what is wrong, etc. Others around me also experience the same issue when trying to access the advanced feature set, so it's not unique to my setups."
Safari incompatible with UPS online shipping In another example of a site with which Apple's Safari browser is incompatible, a MacFixIt staff member found that he couldn't create a new shipment/shipping label via UPS' online shipping system. After emailing UPS Technical Support, he received the following reply:
Thank you for your interest in UPS. We have received your e-mail requesting technical support. Unfortunately, the Safari browser is currently not supported with UPS Internet Shipping. I apologize for the inconvenience. We have been working to provide Safari support, but at this time, it is not a supported browser. If you wish to view the list of recommended system configurations, please visit [link].
New/Updated Knowledge Base Articles
2 comments Most Recent Post: 08/05 11:36PM by jonsaw
Mac Musings
mac.column.ted: Moving on up: The new iPods
[Plus: Macworld Expo: past and future]
by Ted Landau
This another two-topic column. The first part considers the merits of replacing a perfectly working second generation iPod for one of the new fourth generation models. I consider some other iPod issues along the way -- and even throw in a music-related mention of the AirPort Express. The second part continues my reflections on Macworld Expo following the event that ended last month in Boston.
Moving on up: The new iPods
I replace my Macs about every 3 to 4 years. As I have two Macs, a desktop and a PowerBook, it actually works out that I am replacing one or the other of these Macs at a rate of every 1 to 2 years. For many Mac users, upgrading this often is not essential. But if you use a computer as much as I do, it is almost essential.
In contrast, when I got my first iPod (a second generation model a few years ago), I did not anticipate ever having to replace it. Okay, if Apple came out with a completely overhauled model, one that could edit appointments and addresses like a PDA, or one with a color screen that could allow you to upload games, like a Nintendo GameBoy -- yes, I would want and likely get a new one. But as long as the iPod remained primarily a music player, I figured I would keep mine until it broke -- or at least until the battery failed to hold a charge. I was certainly not going to get a new iPod just to get a new built-in game or to take advantage of a redesigned location of the iPod's buttons.
A couple of weeks ago, I plunked down the cash for a new fourth generation iPod. Even though my current iPod still works great and the battery still holds its charge.
So where exactly did my logic go astray? In several ways:
First, the introduction of the iPod Dock together with the redesign of the shape of the iPod meant that I was increasingly getting shut out of the newer peripheral devices for the iPod. True, many peripherals still come in two versions, one for the "classic" iPod and one for the newer design. But some do not. And the ones designed for the older iPods are harder to find (you certainly won't find them in an Apple Store!). Especially limiting are peripherals that only work with the updated hardware and software used in the latest models. For example, if I wanted to use Belkin's Voice Recorder or Media Reader, my old iPod would not do.
An additional incentive to get a new iPod is the new software features exclusively available with the new iPods. When Apple first came out with iPod Software 2.x for third-generation iPods, the feature I most coveted was to be able to create an On-The-Go Playlist directly on the iPod. I figured Apple would soon come out with an upgraded version of the software that would provide that option for my trusty old iPod. No such luck. The original iPods are still stuck at version 1.x of the software -- and it only gets updated to accommodate features that are in Apple's interest to provide - such as to ensure compatibility with iTunes Music Store purchases. Only if you have a third generation model can you get the features available in the 2.x version of the software. With the fourth generation models, iPod Software 3.x adds multiple On-The-Go Playlists and a one-click Shuffle Songs option. I would not hold my breath waiting to see these features appear in any older iPod models.
read more (1817 words) 3 comments Most Recent Post: 08/04 08:03AM by ted1
Utilities Updates
Utilities Updates: Tri-BACKUP; PSU Blast Image; Print Selection Service; HP DeskJet; Mozilla/Firefox; Spanner
Tri-BACKUP v4.0.2 is a backup and synchronization utility. This version adds a new log window, several minor options, and interface improvements.
PSU Blast Image Config v2.0b14 is a utility, aimed at network/lab administrators, that allows you to restore system disk images. This version is compatible with OS X 10.3, supports international date/time formats, allows image restores over HTTP, improves speed, and provides a number of other improvements.
Print Selection Service v1.0 is a Services plug-in that adds a Print Selection command to the Services menu. This is the initial release.
HP DeskJet v2.5 is an updated printer driver for HP USB DeskJet printers. This version "improves printer connection reliability and stability, as well as print speed and print output improvements."
Mozilla v1.7.2 is the third-party Web browser. This version includes a security update that fixes several vulnerabilities.
Mozilla Firefox 0.9.3 is the Mozilla-variant Web browser. No change notes were provided.
Spanner v0.7 is a utility to "assign custom launch or quit actions to any application on your drive. As well as AppleScript and key emulation support, special actions include activation and deactivation of hot corners and sound." This version is the first using the name "Spanner."
New & Noteworthy
New and Noteworthy: Users wish Jobs well; IBM touts Linux on Power Mac G5; Architectural history of PowerPC on Apple
Mac users wish Jobs well Wired News covers widespread "get well" wishes from Mac users to Apple CEO Steve Jobs: "News of Steve Jobs' cancer operation has Mac news sites seeing record traffic, forums are bulging with unprecedented numbers of postings, and Apple is being swamped with messages of sympathy." More.
IBM touts Linux on the Power Mac G5 An IBM developerWorks article discusses the advantages of using Yellow Dog Linux on Apple's Power Mac G5 hardware: "For many Linux users, the best reason to buy an Apple Power Macintosh G5 machine will be, quite simply, the well engineered, high-performance, and reasonably priced machines available from Apple." More.
Architectural history of PowerPC on Apple arstechnica has published Part I of their "architectual history" of the PowerPC processor on Apple computers. Although the author's introduction includes some (unnecessary) backhanded digs at Mac users, the article itself is informative. More.
Previously on MacFixIt:
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