Apple has recently unleashed an iTunes repair tool for Vista users. The fix basically repairs permissions for important files required by iTunes to play your iTunes Store purchases.

Apple further mentioned that iTunes 7.0.2 may work with Vista but they are already preparing to address a number of iTunes compatibility issue in the next release of the software. Here are the known compatibility issues with iTunes 7.0.2 and earlier versions:

• iTunes Store purchases may not play when upgrading to Windows Vista from Windows 2000 or XP.
• iPod models with the "Enable Disk Use" option turned off may be unable to update or restore iPod software, and make changes to iPod settings.
• iPod models configured to Auto Sync and have the "Enable Disk Use" option turned off may require being ejected and reconnected to resync.
• Ejecting an iPod from the Windows System Tray using the "Safely Remove Hardware" feature may corrupt your iPod. To always safely eject an iPod, choose Eject iPod from the Controls menu within iTunes.
• Cover Flow animation may be slower than expected.
• Contacts and calendars will not sync with iPod.

If you want to get the iTunes repair tool or if you wanna know more about it, click on our read link below which will take you to Apple's official website.

Homebrew developer for the PSP, winnydows, has released an updated version of his video converter application XviD4PSP. Let's say that you just got a PSP and this app intrigues you but you don't know what in the world it does, we'll hook you up with some info.

Basically, this is a program that converts videos for your PSP, iPod and PC. For you to maximize this app, you should have Windows Vista or Windows XP SP2 intalled, and Microsoft Framework 3.0 ffdshow build by clsid. To avoid redundancy, you could always refer to our earlier coverage of this app or to winnydows' website which you can access via the link below. With all that said, here is the lengthy changelog for version 4.046.

Changelog:

• For compatibility with non standard windows themes all text dialogs forced set to black an white.
• In help menu changed links to home page and support, added links to Donate and Check updates.
• In Corrector form added more input framrates - 15.000, 24.000, 30.000.
• Decoder selection now sticky.
• Files for formats MP4 PSP 2.80 and iPod with framerate 23.976 now converted to 24.000 - it fix sync lost on PSP and iPod.
• Files for iPod with framerate 23.976 now converted to 24.000, not to 29.970.
• Now if framerate changed not very much used more fast and quality convertion mode - Assume. Else used ConvertFPS.
• Fixed manual D2V import on systems with Windows Vista.
• Added check for InputPath = OutputPath.
• To menu settings added links for ffdshow settings - Video decoder configuration, Audio decoder configuration, VFW configuration.
• Added AVS script checker. No more messages "Unsupported format: [DIB]". Now script error will be added to log.
• Now if you don`t have selected codec installed, problem will be found in log and will recomend solution.
• In main installer added Framwork installation check.
• In main installer added few AviSynth versions.
• Now XviD not used for decoding YV12 any more and may be removed from system. For decoding YV12 now used Helux YUV.
• XviD removed from main installer.
• Helux YUV added to main installer.
• Mencoder updated to 21682.
• Updated patches for Athlon and Pentium III.
• Now for AVI and DIVX files AVISource default decoder. It fix gray flicks.
• Now for all files anilized Delay information. It fix lost sync after encoding files with internal Delay set.
• Now files decoded over directshow without framerate information. May fix sync lost on exotic files.
• To Settings form added option "Fix gray flicks" - let fix gray flicks with DirectShow decoding. Option trim 20 first frames.
• Maximum bitrate for PMP formats enhanced to 256.
• x264 updated to 614.

Download: [XviD4PSP version 4.046]

Apple fans everywhere must be cringing at the thought, but numbers compiled by Net Applications (the net statistics people) show that the Mac OS market share has fallen to 3.71% as of August, from a high of 4.55% last December. While the numbers were miniscule to begin with - as is the dip - the worry is that it's reversing the earlier trend that saw a growing interest in the Mac Operating System as an alternative to Windows.

The dominant OS in PCs today just so happens to be Windows XP, and it may stay that way for a while. However, the numbers may be rendered moot with both Apple and Microsoft launching the latest versions of their respective operating systems, OS X (a.k.a. Leopard) and Windows Vista, but the numbers do send a clear signal to Apple's accounting and advertising arms: hope that their MacAd campaign pays off big-time.

The Unofficial Apple Blog's David Chartier managed to get Microsoft Windows Vista running on his MacBook Pro in both a copy of Parallels Desktop and Boot Camp, and he has graciously made a tutorial on how to do the former.

According to him, Vista runs OK in Parallels Desktop. Just plain OK, as opposed to "'really well' or 'it made an un-switcher out of me'." Mr. Chartier also reports that it doesn't seem to fully support high-end graphics cards yet, so it's still a no go on all of the fancy 3d effects, or what he calls "Translucent Everything TechnologyÂ? (TET)", that Vista boasts.

Click on the 'read' link below for the full walkthrough on setting up, installing, and running Vista on an Intel Mac via Parallels Desktop. The walkthrough also includes some things to watch out for as well as just how far the more-or-less Beta-status Vista software can be pushed.

"Redmond, start your photocopiers", "Redmond, we have a problem". Just some of the jib-jabs that Apple has thrown at the MS camp over the years, actually to be really specific, these statements were seen on Apple posters during the 2004 annual developer's conference in San Francisco, when its Tiger operating system was unveiled and its fiercest rival, Microsoft, was working on its next-generation Windows operating system, Vista, known then as "Longhorn.''

Now, with the delayed release of the Windows Vista and the unveiling of the Leopard this August at the World Developers Conference, it won't be surprising if Apple is again up to some serious psychological war - in the form of posters, sidecomments, taunting and all that. Which makes me think, what other blows could Apple dish out to the Bill Gates camp?

And if you think MS is ignoring these, no they aren't. According to Greg DeMichillie, senior analyst with Directions on Microsoft, "there will be another round of, 'Why can't Microsoft get Vista out?' which Microsoft would just assume not happen...It's a bit of an embarrassment for the company". It seems that Apple's well-honed and innovative marketing strategy could be the tech version of a slow striptease. With that, let's see what other tricks and wisecracks Apple has for MS.

We earlier featured some articles pitting Microsoft's Windows Vista with Apple's Mac OS X. That's highly unsurprising at all since the two companies have been each others' competition for a long, long time now. And both companies are bringing their best features forward in this battle for OS supremacy.

Which brings us to this junction. Apparently, Microsoft chose to install the the awaited Windows Vista to an Apple contraption - specifically on a MacBook Pro. Not only did they install the Vista, they also installed the Microsoft Office 2007 in that MacBook.

The MS people most likely want to demonstrate how powerful their upcoming OS and application suite is. Apparently, the presentation of Windows Vista and Office 2007 for a group of bloggers at Microsoft HQ in Diegem, Belgium just recently.

Good strategy I should say since MS would definitely take advantage for it ensures that MS would make some profit out of adamant and hard core Mac users. I could literally hear the MS block saying, "beat that Apple"! Let's see what Apple has up its sleeves.

Gina Trapani of LifeHacker.com has tried out the publicly-available Windows Vista Beta 2. After a few hours of trying out the latest Windows OS, the same thought keeps on coming to her mind, "Wow, that's a lot like the Mac."

Trapani gives us a side-by-side look at the Mac and Vista OS where we will see the similarity between the two. To quote, "From the emphasis on searching and not browsing (Spotlight) to the Windows Sidebar (Dashboard) which runs Gadgets (Widgets), to the built-in Windows Calendar (iCal), the similarities are striking."

Now is it just a Mac bias speaking or does the latest Vista build reflect a Mac OS-esque look? Look at the images and decide for yourself.

Mac OS X Finder vs. Windows Vista Explorer

See the rest of the comparative images after the jump!

A brave and point-blank review from Computerworld's online editorial director, Scot Finnie, was recently published. In his article "Visual Tour: 20 Things You Won't Like about Windows Vista", he clearly believes that the Apple Mac OS X is miles better than the one from Bill Gates' camp. His criticisms about the Vista could be likened to those of acerbic AI judge, Simon Cowell, everytime a contestant gives a lackluster performance.

In his article he says that, "it boils down to this: The software giant is favoring security and IT controls over end-user productivity. Don't get me wrong, security and IT manageability are very good things. But some of the people actually using the Beta 2 Vista software describe their experience as akin to that of a rat caught in a maze..."

He continued to critic the Vista saying that "the same is true of what Windows XP calls Display Properties. By default, the main menus (you know, File, Edit, View, etc.) are turned off on Windows Vista folders, Internet Explorer 7 and several other programs and utilities that come with Vista. Listing 20 things you won't like about Windows Vista was unfortunately all too easy. The question is: Why couldn't Microsoft see this coming?" Ouch!

The beration didn't stop there. He also said that the Vista lacks a "gotta-have it feature", the kind that endear Mac OS X to its users. And don't think that Mr. Finnie is just an Apple geek and is therefore biased about this topic. According to him, "after more than 15 years reviewing Windows operating systems, I didn't just suddenly begin hating Microsoft or Windows. (Although I have to admit, OS X is looking better and better of late.) Windows Vista has plenty of good aspects to recommend it. In a future article, Computerworld will make plain the many good things about Windows Vista. When the product ships, we'll also make some final recommendations on the new operating system."

To read the full review, click on the 'Read' link.

Microsoft isn't just yet ready to unveil Windows Vista but they want us to be hyped about it, hence, the Get Ready campaign. The said drive rides on the wheels of Upgrade Advisor - a downloadable tool used to help people determine just how Vista-ready an existing PC is.

The "Vista-capable" program allows machines that meet a minimum set of requirements to tout themselves as able to run the new Windows. That means your machine should have at least 800MHz processor, 512MB of memory and a DirectX 9-capable graphics card to fit into that category.

While "Premium Ready" are able to take advantage of higher-end features, such as Vista's Aero graphics, it must come equipped with a 1GHz processor, 128MB of graphics memory, 1GB of system memory, a 40GB hard drive and an internal or external DVD-ROM drive.

Ironically, the ultra-compact Mac desktop computer, Mac Mini, is the most suitable to run Window's Vista. According to the Upgrade Advisor, with its 1GB of memory, it is already Aero-ready so long as modest hard drive space is devoted over to the Windows partition.

So are you ready for Vista? Mac Mini sure is.

An engineer from Apple Computer pointed out that we should not put much hope on easily running Windows on Intel Mac.

Although the Mac fans have been hoping that the incoming Windows Vista would be able to run on a Mac easier than the Windows XP, since Vista will be introducing the support of EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) besides the normal BIOS support, Apple Senior Software Architect Cameron Esfahani said he only know that the EFI will be present only in 64-bit versions of the Windows Vista. However, the current Intel Macs are all equipped with 32-bit Intel CPUs. Also, he pointed out that the implementation of Mac's EFI doesn't have much legacy support for the Windows system.

Apple won't stop users from trying to run Windows on Macs, but users should not put any hope on Apple's support on this. And on the other hand, Microsoft has stated that the initial release of the Windows Vista won't have EFI support at all.