Apple

Apple has released a firmware update for the MacBook that promises to fix the problem of unrecognised clicks on the glass trackpad. The issue of unresponsive trackpads was brought to light by Mac users on the Macworld Web site and Apple's forums.

When Apple released the new notebooks in October, one of the new features was a completely redesigned trackpad. The multitouch glass trackpad has a 39 percent larger tracking area than before and the entire trackpad will act as button, rather than having a separate button like the previous notebooks.

"As Apple has increased its share of the computer market, hackers have become more interested in developing exploits for its software vulnerabilities. Like Microsoft, Apple must issue security patches from time to time, but the two companies have very different distribution approaches for their security fixes," Jim Offner reports for MacNewsWorld.

"'Software update' is common parlance among regular computer users," Offner reports. "More than likely, an 'update' is a 'patch' -- a code modification designed to protect against the latest virus, worm or other security threat."

Ripoff merchants iUnlock-iPhone have put out a press release celebrating “groundbreaking 3G capabilities” and raising hopes of a true iPhone 3G unlock, but a quick perusal of its press release and website shows it’s all just a scam to pilfer US $24.95 out of your pocket and steer you away from the iPhone Dev Team’s free software.

In this release, dated the 13th of November, iUnlock-iPhone trumpts that is has made “groundbreaking developments in its iPhone unlocking software, which will allow owners of 3G iPhones to enjoy similar freedoms as those with older models.”

Apple on Friday added anti-phishing protection to Safari, the last major browser to receive the feature that blocks known identity-stealing sites. The company also patched 11 security bugs in the program, the bulk of them specific to the Microsoft Windows version.

According to the consistently reliable iPhone Hellas, the iPhone OS 2.2 update will appear even sooner than we all expected. Barring any sudden plan changes, the iPhone Hellas people are saying the upgrade will be available on November 21. The new feature list remains unchanged from the previous beta versions, so the question here is: Would they add copy and paste by surprise?

With Black Friday sale information from rival PC vendors beginning to leak online, experts at Barclays Capital say they expect Apple to counter the promotions with a more aggressive than usual one-day sale, offering deep discounts on a number of Mac models.

The Friday immediately following the US Thanksgiving holiday has long been known as "Black Friday," as it represents the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season, or the day when retailers hold massive sales in hopes of steering their (red) losses into (black) profits.

Apple may be searching for ways to make the MacBook Air even lighter.

AppleInsider reports that the company is investigating using materials enhanced with carbon fibers in some of the parts on a future MacBook Air. Given the time and energy Apple poured into the latest redesign of its notebooks, developing a new unibody chassis milled from a single block of aluminum, it's unlikely that the entire chassis would be replaced anytime soon.

Apple, the maker of Mac computers, iPhone and iPod digital audio player, has opened its online store here. The Malaysian Apple Online Store went live this morning at 8am, according to a statement from Apple, and is accessible at store.apple.com/my.

Just like at conventional retail stores, customers visiting the online store can now purchase Apple’s complete line of Mac desktop and notebook computers, iPods, software, cases and accessories for iPod, iPhone and Mac, gift vouchers and refurbished Macs and iPods, among other items.

The Chinese-language Commercial Times said Monday that both Apple and Asustek have recently reduced orders for notebooks that will be manufactured this quarter by 20 to 30 percent.

Quanta, which shares MacBook assembly duties with Foxconn, will absorb the impact of the cuts, according to the paper, which did not provide figures on how many units the company had initially ordered.

Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) used to rule its niche world and will continue to do so, with lots of room to grow.