Apple issues AirPort Extreme, Mac Pro EFI updates

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Not content with its Inkwell technology, Apple has started a search for a handwriting recognition engineer to improve Mac OS X and, potentially, the iPhone. Also, the company has issued separate updates for AirPort Extreme on Tiger systems as well as newer Mac Pro workstations.



Apple seeks handwriting engineer for Mac OS X, iPhone



The listing for a position at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, spotted by Mac Rumors, asks for a veteran programmer of neural net code and pattern recognition who preferably has experience with writing in Apple's Cocoa programming interface.



A successful candidate would primarily improve the main operating system, Apple says in its description. However, this and future developments may branch out to include both the iPhone and "other applications," according to the company.



Handwriting technology has mostly been left untouched in Mac OS X since the launch of version 10.2 Jaguar in 2002, when the Mac maker added its Inkwell technology for pen tablets.



Apple doesn't list specific goals in its posting, but is known to be rapidly expanding the amount of research conducted into touchscreen technology beyond that already found in the iPhone and iPod touch.



The company recently filed a patent application for a next-generation surface that would allow curved input areas capable of recognizing a user's grip on a pen, and is still slated to introduce a multi-touch handheld later this year that would support more advanced commands than those found in the two devices already on the market.



AirPort Extreme Update 2008-001 for Tiger



Apple has issued a software update (1.3MB) for the AirPort Extreme hardware on systems running Mac OS X Tiger.



The update is said to improve the reliability of wireless connections for Intel-based Macs running version 10.4.11 or later.



Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.3



Also released is an EFI firmware patch for early 2008 Mac Pro systems (1.76MB).



The refresh improves the stability of the newer computers and requires Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.2 or newer.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    msnlymsnly Posts: 378member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Not content with its Inkwell technology, Apple has started a search for a handwriting recognition engineer to improve Mac OS X and, potentially, the iPhone. Also, the company has issued separate updates for AirPort Extreme on Tiger systems as well as newer Mac Pro workstations.



    Apple seeks handwriting engineer for Mac OS X, iPhone



    The listing for a position at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, spotted by Mac Rumors, asks for a veteran programmer of neural net code and pattern recognition who preferably has experience with writing in Apple's Cocoa programming interface.






    I told you guys that their would be handwriting recognition on the iPhone!



    Booyah haha
  • Reply 2 of 17
    Apple needs to issue some EFI updates for older macs, like the ones where startup keys don't work with the aluminum keyboard. That, or fix the keyboards.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    Applied the update to my Mac Pro. It didn't blow up. :P



    Here's hoping it doesn't reboot after sleeping ever again.
  • Reply 4 of 17
    cubertcubert Posts: 728member
    And the obligatory "EFI lets the government spy on us" comment from the tin-foil-hat-wearing member of the crowd in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....
  • Reply 5 of 17
    mmmm



    EFI TOOK YER JOBS!
  • Reply 6 of 17
    msnlymsnly Posts: 378member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cubert View Post


    And the obligatory "EFI lets the government spy on us" comment from the tin-foil-hat-wearing member of the crowd in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....



    Mines aluminum so, sorry I can't make that comment

  • Reply 7 of 17
    tofinotofino Posts: 697member
    No 'MacTablets are coming' posts?
  • Reply 8 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tofino View Post


    No 'MacTablets are coming' posts?



    Just yours, so far, it seems.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    Steve-O prolly just wants a guy to sign his checks for him.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cubert View Post


    And the obligatory "EFI lets the government spy on us" comment from the tin-foil-hat-wearing member of the crowd in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....



    I've not seen that here.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    Applied the update to my Mac Pro. It didn't blow up. :P



    Here's hoping it doesn't reboot after sleeping ever again.



    My machine reboot after sleep previously



    No longer does that. That makes me happy.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    blingemblingem Posts: 94member
    "other software"

    omgomgomgomg, apple is making more software! This is definitely newsworthy!
  • Reply 13 of 17
    mbene12mbene12 Posts: 42member
    Just updated to the 1.3 EFI on my new MacPro and now the mouse is totally borked. On max tracking it is very slow and jerky. Everything else seems to be working at normal speed graphically such as scrolling and 3d but the mouse is definitely broken It is sooooo painful watching the pointer limp and shudder across the 30" display.



    Did a PRam zap and mouse seems to work ok now. Was a little scary though after the PRam zap it couldnt find the mouse at all, but after about 5 or so minutes and a couple times of pulling the batteries out of the mouse it found the mouse and is back to working.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    mmm fresh cheese for the rumour mill... nom nom nom nom nom
  • Reply 15 of 17
    I hope the firmware update enables hardware virtualization... bought a mac pro recently for a vmware host, and was disapointed it couldnt use Intel Hardware Virtualiztion because Apple dont enable it in their bios...



    g
  • Reply 16 of 17
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I dunno, but handwriting recognition is such a drag compared to good old reliable keyboard input. I used the handwriting recognition on the Palm for a while but give me real keys any day... too much wasted motion.
  • Reply 17 of 17
    mrtotesmrtotes Posts: 760member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tofino View Post


    No 'MacTablets are coming' posts?



    Should be ready by MWSF09!
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