Briefly: 10.4.5 fixes Front Row issues, MacBook Pros in stores
The Mac OS X 10.4.5 Update released yesterday fixes some issues with Apple's Front Row software running on Intel iMacs. Meanwhile, the company's first Intel-based notebook computers are already arriving in retail stores across the country.
Mac OS X 10.4.5
Commenting on the release of Mac OS X 10.4.5 in a research note released early Wednesday morning, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said, "What caught our attention is that this update fixes the well-publicized video glitch with FrontRow software on an Intel-based iMac Core Duo, in-line with our expectation that this would be a software fix and not a hardware component problem that many feared would require a recall."
After installing the update on a 2GHz iMac Core Duo, AppleInsider correspondents said the entire system became significantly more responsive. As noted in our review of the 2.0GHz iMac Core Duo, Front Row suffered from an unresponsive interface and overall sluggishness. With Mac OS X 10.4.5, these problem seems to have been resolved. Now, every input from the infrared remote is recognized by the machine, and load times seem much more reasonable, even with the stock 512MB of RAM, these correspondents say.
Meanwhile, visual artifacts affecting interface elements in Mac OS X have been an ongoing issue for owners of iMac CoreDuo models with a 256MB ATI Radeon X1600 video card. The Mac OS X 10.4.5 Update has been unable to rectify this problem completely.
"So far, we've only noticed them in Safari, but that was a focal point for many visual bugs prior to the update," correspondents said. "When scrolling, some images randomly become scrambled, sometimes leaving so-called artifacts outside of the image container. It's not clear if the update will prevent other video glitches, but, to our disappointment, the most annoying bugs remain."
MacBook Pro
Also in his note released Wednesday, Wu said that his proprietary checks with industry and channel sources indicate that Intel's microprocessor yields have improved, enabling Apple to ship more high-end Core Duo systems.
"In addition, our checks indicate that MacBook Pros are in stock at key distributors and many Apple stores while others are en route to fulfill pre-orders," Wu wrote.Â*"We continue to believe that Apple's fundamentals remain sound and arguably among the strongest in technology, but negative investor sentiment and its weak technicals may indicate further share price downside."
Absent of technicals, for longer term fundamental investors, Wu says he would take advantage of the pull-back to build and/or add to Apple positions.
Mac OS X 10.4.5
Commenting on the release of Mac OS X 10.4.5 in a research note released early Wednesday morning, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said, "What caught our attention is that this update fixes the well-publicized video glitch with FrontRow software on an Intel-based iMac Core Duo, in-line with our expectation that this would be a software fix and not a hardware component problem that many feared would require a recall."
After installing the update on a 2GHz iMac Core Duo, AppleInsider correspondents said the entire system became significantly more responsive. As noted in our review of the 2.0GHz iMac Core Duo, Front Row suffered from an unresponsive interface and overall sluggishness. With Mac OS X 10.4.5, these problem seems to have been resolved. Now, every input from the infrared remote is recognized by the machine, and load times seem much more reasonable, even with the stock 512MB of RAM, these correspondents say.
Meanwhile, visual artifacts affecting interface elements in Mac OS X have been an ongoing issue for owners of iMac CoreDuo models with a 256MB ATI Radeon X1600 video card. The Mac OS X 10.4.5 Update has been unable to rectify this problem completely.
"So far, we've only noticed them in Safari, but that was a focal point for many visual bugs prior to the update," correspondents said. "When scrolling, some images randomly become scrambled, sometimes leaving so-called artifacts outside of the image container. It's not clear if the update will prevent other video glitches, but, to our disappointment, the most annoying bugs remain."
MacBook Pro
Also in his note released Wednesday, Wu said that his proprietary checks with industry and channel sources indicate that Intel's microprocessor yields have improved, enabling Apple to ship more high-end Core Duo systems.
"In addition, our checks indicate that MacBook Pros are in stock at key distributors and many Apple stores while others are en route to fulfill pre-orders," Wu wrote.Â*"We continue to believe that Apple's fundamentals remain sound and arguably among the strongest in technology, but negative investor sentiment and its weak technicals may indicate further share price downside."
Absent of technicals, for longer term fundamental investors, Wu says he would take advantage of the pull-back to build and/or add to Apple positions.
Comments
Just curious about who & what's being bought and sold here.
It's irresponsible for AppleInsider to claim that "visual artifacts affecting interface elements in Mac OS X have been an ongoing issue for owners of iMac CoreDuo models with a 256MB ATI Radeon X1600 video card", implying that all owners are affected. This is plainly not true. I've not had a single problem in any application (not even FrontRow), and I have a 20" 256MB model.
Edit: Add URL to original posts
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
Why are Shaw Wu's research notes released to the general public? Call me ignorant, but isn't someone paying for this information, and why would it benefit the employer of this researcher to "leak" it to the general media?
Just curious about who & what's being bought and sold here.
All firms that do analysis, release the basic information from their research. What they don't release is the report itself, which contains much more detailed analysis, with the numbers that companies in the business need to make their decisions.
Originally posted by Mike Moscow
Mac Book Pro in stores already? is that only the 2.0 GHZ model? I'd be pissed if some screwball off the street got an 1.87GHZ before I did, seein' as how I ordered mine upon being announced
Ditto here (ordered 2 hours after announcement) -- and I am getting the 2.0GHz model. My ship date was moved from Feb 15th to Feb 28th after the upgrade. Now I hear that it's going to be in stores? What's the point of letting people pre-order if you can get it in stores sooner?
Originally posted by auxio
Ditto here (ordered 2 hours after announcement) -- and I am getting the 2.0GHz model. My ship date was moved from Feb 15th to Feb 28th after the upgrade. Now I hear that it's going to be in stores? What's the point of letting people pre-order if you can get it in stores sooner?
I think that part of the problem is (if there really is a problem) that shipping machines to the stores is not a difficult arrangement.
But changing the orders of many thousands of people takes more time. Chances are that they will be shipped somewhat sooner than that date, and that it's a worst case. That's happened before.
But, I do empathize with you about the delay.
It's in a good cause though.
Originally posted by melgross
I think that part of the problem is (if there really is a problem) that shipping machines to the stores is not a difficult arrangement.
But changing the orders of many thousands of people takes more time. Chances are that they will be shipped somewhat sooner than that date, and that it's a worst case. That's happened before.
But, I do empathize with you about the delay.
It's in a good cause though.
I don't think so. The orders aren't technically changing. Its the same model number and all. Its just they're changing the underlying chip. So, basically, I think when Apple announces 'they're shipping', they're really saying "we've just started up the factory, the first one is finally out the door". And its not like Apple decided yesterday "Hey, let's increase that GHz". Its more likely due to supply dynamics than anything else.
I can't believe the delay is because they have to update the order system.
Originally posted by Louzer
I don't think so. The orders aren't technically changing. Its the same model number and all. Its just they're changing the underlying chip. So, basically, I think when Apple announces 'they're shipping', they're really saying "we've just started up the factory, the first one is finally out the door". And its not like Apple decided yesterday "Hey, let's increase that GHz". Its more likely due to supply dynamics than anything else.
I can't believe the delay is because they have to update the order system.
I think it could be, at least partly, due to that. They now have to give people the chance to change their order. Remember that this is not an absolute. You can either go up, (or down, at least for the new 2.0GHZ model). Apple has to give these people some grace time before their orders are shipped out.
If they ship them out immediately, you just know that some people will complain that they didn't want the 2.0GHZ model for $2,500, they really DID want the 1.83GHz model, now at $1,999. same thing about the 2.16GHz chip. We've already had one guy start a whole argument here about his wanting his company to upgrade his machine to 2.16GHZ, and how they couldn't. so he is blaming Apple instead of his company's lousy ordering system.
A few days delay will give people the time to send the change orders in.
Originally posted by melgross
A few days delay will give people the time to send the change orders in.
I understand that, but I have another problem. I changed the delivery location based on travel plans and the original ship date. Now I have to change it again based on the new date and hope they don't ship it early. It's really tough for people on the move to have the shipping date change on them like this. Not to mention I was happy about the fact that I could have it shipped somewhere with less tax.
Originally posted by AppleInsider
"So far, we've only noticed them in Safari, but that was a focal point for many visual bugs prior to the update," correspondents said. "When scrolling, some images randomly become scrambled, sometimes leaving so-called artifacts outside of the image container."
Are they sure this is limited to the new Intel Macs? This sometimes happens to me in Safari on my iMac G4 running Panther.
Originally posted by auxio
I understand that, but I have another problem. I changed the delivery location based on travel plans and the original ship date. Now I have to change it again based on the new date and hope they don't ship it early. It's really tough for people on the move to have the shipping date change on them like this. Not to mention I was happy about the fact that I could have it shipped somewhere with less tax.
That's always going to be a problem. Can't you have it shipped to someone who will hold it until you get back? The tax thing is different, of course.
Originally posted by melgross
That's always going to be a problem. Can't you have it shipped to someone who will hold it until you get back? The tax thing is different, of course.
Nope. What I think I'll do is hold off changing the shipping location until about 3 days before I leave here. That should give enough time so that, if they ship before then, I'll be able to get it where I am now. And if they ship after that time, then even if I miss the shipment, I should still have time to pick it up wherever it's being held before it's sent back. It's just made things somewhat complicated for me having the shipping date change.
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
Why are Shaw Wu's research notes released to the general public? Call me ignorant, but isn't someone paying for this information, and why would it benefit the employer of this researcher to "leak" it to the general media?
Just curious about who & what's being bought and sold here.
Think of his quote as PR. As another poster already stated, yes, there are entities that are paying for the full reports, but the basic info quoted is free.
Originally posted by Chagi
Think of his quote as PR. As another poster already stated, yes, there are entities that are paying for the full reports, but the basic info quoted is free.
Thanks for the tip, Mel and Chagi...