All those iPhone 4S and Siri fans who can't put the intelligent assistant down due to their love of her dulcet tones will be more than happy to find out that you can give your Mac Siri’s voice, yes, make your Mac sound just like Siri! When Apple launched OS X Lion; they introduced a large array of new features, with one of the main ones being the inclusion of Nuance powered speech technology.
While Quake 4 has been around since 2005, recently creators Bethesda - of Skyrim fame - decided to re-release the title for those who may have missed out the first time around. Although the purpose of a re-release is often to add HD visuals or update and improve the game, in this case, there weren't any - much to the bemusement of Quake fans. Still, those left somewhat disappointed may be pleased to learn that the OS X version has just hit the Mac App Store, costing $19.99.
Ecamm's PadSync aims to make transferring files to and from an iPad as easy as it should have been all along. Getting files onto, and off of, the iPad is still more difficult than it really should be. Apple's method of handling the whole thing via iTunes just isn't as clean as we would like, and having to sync an entire iPad just to get a Word document onto the device is just plain crazy in anyone's book.
Just as the Flashback Trojan for Mac was being dealt with by OS X users across the world, a new version of a backdoor Trojan for Apple's operating system capitalizes on an exploit in Microsoft Word in order to spread.
While Macs have been notorious for being impervious to viruses - at least in terms of perception, while they were vulnerable, far more viruses were produced for Windows than OS X - their reputation for impeccable security is certainly being questioned now. Flashback, malware built to grab private information such as passwords entered in by users in applications, has evolved over time into a very dangerous piece of malicious software. In its beginnings, it required user interaction - through a dodgy looking Adobe Flash Installer - to lodge itself into one's Mac.
Apple has today pushed out an update for OS X which it hopes will close hole that allowed the Flashback Trojan to infect over half a million Macs. The update, named simply Java for OS X 2012-003, comes after over 600,000 Macs were infected by the Flashback Trojan at its peak, leaving third party developers to put together various apps for diagnosing and then cleaning infected systems.
The Flashback Trojan has caused quite a bit of panic among Mac users, having managed to infiltrate two thirds of a million computers worldwide. Apple has been working tirelessly to try and halt any further escalation, while those in the know have provided way for those affected to check and remove the problem from their stricken Mac.
If you are worried that you may have fallen foul of the FlashBack Trojan, there is now an incredibly easy way to check your system after a new app was released for just that task.
If you are one of the many people who believe that a Mac is incapable of falling prey to viruses and Trojans, then it is probably the right time for you to rethink your stance on the situation. In fact, if you are the type who panics easily, then you may want to read on with great interest and take note.
With so much interest in Apple as a company and in their product ranges, it really shouldn't come as a surprise anymore that new introductions and range refreshes can't really sneak in under the radar. With that said, the latest Apple rumor relates to their iMac range and focuses on the speculation that the company could be introducing the Ivy Bridge powered machines in June or July of this year.
