The new MacBook Air gets torn down (and not built up again), Thunderbolt is striking some machines with lightning, and the machine will no longer go Ping. The remainders for Tuesday, June 12, 2012 are not dead yet.
MacBook Air 13” Mid 2012 Teardown (iFixit)
If you’re wondering what’s powering the MacBook Air update from yesterday’s keynote, iFixit has already taken to their screwdrivers and spudgers and tore down the 13-inch model. While you can ooh over the MagSafe 2 connector and ahh over the new flash controller, we imagine what will wow you the most is that Apple is rotated the “Assembled in China” sticker on the Broadcom BCM 943224 a whole 90 degrees!
Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2 Causes Boot Failures (TidBits)
Whoops. It appears that Apple’s new Thunderbolt Software Update, which is supposed to bring support for the new Gigabit ethernet adapter, is causing some Macs to fail to boot entirely. Which is Apple’s way of reminding you that if it had wanted you to have Gigabit ethernet on your MacBook Air, it would have given it to you.
Apple’s Ping to End With a Thud in Next Release of iTunes (AllThingsD)
The tragic story of Apple’s music-based social network will be documented next year in a Lifetime TV movie, Goodbye, Mr. Ping.
Product News:
Growl 1.4 – The open-source notification framework for Mac has been updated to version 1.4, bringing a major overhaul to the applications tab, separates the Rollup controls into their own tab, and makes major improvements to networking. There are also minor improvements to UI and a handful of bug fixes. Free.
Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 9 – Apple’s updated Java for Snow Leopard, bringing it to version 1.6.0_33 and improving security, reliability, and compatibility. This update configures Java not to run applets automatically in browsers, but lets you click to enable the plug-ins. It also adds a number of bug fixes and security enhancements. Free.
Java for OS X Lion 2012 – Apple has updated Java for Lion to version 1.6.0_33, adding enhanced stability, compatibility, and reliability. This update will disable applets from running in browser; they can be enabled by double-clicking the “Inactive plug-in” region in the browser. It also brings enhancements and security fixes. Free.
Moom 3 – Many Tricks has updated its window-organization utility to version 3, adding the ability to move and zoom windows by snapping them to screen edges. You can also now undo Moom actions, and take advantage of a new custom control, Zoom to Fit. $10 for new users, free upgrade. (On sale for $5 until end of June.) Note that this is the last Mac App Store update for Moom with new functionality; further feature updates will appear only in the direct-sale version, due to Apple’s sandboxing rules.
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) Software Update 1.0 – This update for Apple’s new, non-Retina MacBook Pros includes fixes for graphics stability, external display capabilities, and USB 3 device support. Free.
iPhoto Library Upgrader 1.0 – Apple has released a new utility, iPhoto Library Upgrader 1.0, which is required for users of iPhoto 5 or earlier who wish to upgrade to the current version of iPhoto. Free.
AirPort Utility 6.1 for Mac – Apple’s updated its AirPort Utility to version 5.6.1, which brings bug fixes, support for managing the new AirPort Express, and the ability to configure IPv6 on Apple’s base stations. It’s compatible with Mac OS X 10.7.3 or later. Free.
AirPort Utility 5.6.1 for Mac – Apple’s updated its AirPort Utility to version 5.6.1, which brings support for managing the new AirPort Express. It’s compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.7 through 10.6.8. Free.