It's no big surprise that the upcoming build for Mac OS X 10.5 will have over two dozen fixes included as its first update for Apple's newest operating system. The first build, labeled Mac OS X 10.5.1, will include fixes for many of the Leopard's applications, as well as some corrections to its email features.

The Cupertino-based Mac maker offered software developers access to Mac OS X 10.5.1 build 9B13 to help in the process. Read about the full details after the jump!

Mac owners will be happy to know that the Apple site has just released a free demo of a new plugin for your use, dubbed WiFind version 1.1.

This OS X-based plugin will allow users to see if their wireless network is locked or unlocked, and will also show them their signal strength - easing up the task of finding a good hotspot for their computer's WiFi connection.

This application is designed to work from your Mac's AirPort menu, for OS X10.1 and above. That's all for the moment - stick around in case we pick up other handy plugins in the near future. Enjoy!

Download: WiFind 1.1  demo

Got a Mac with an AirPort card and a Nintendo Wii? Thanks to a tutorial from Steve Clifford, you can now use your Mac's AirPort card to share your internet connection with your Wii. This is good for Mac owners who happen to have the card but don't have a wireless router.

First you'll need to make sure that you're currently connected to the internet through something other than your AirPort card. Also, make sure that AirPort is on and that you have the Wii close by. This tutorial doesn't involve any tinkering with the hardware -- which could void your warranty -- just the settings.

Anyway, here we go:

Step One: Turn on Internet Sharing

1. Go to System Preferences, click on the Sharing icon, then click on the Internet tab.
2. Change the Â?Share your connection fromÂ? pop-up to Built-in Ethernet.
3. Under the Â?To computers usingÂ? section, check the AirPort box.
4. Click Airport Options, and enter an easy name such as wii in the Network Name box.
5. OPTIONAL: Use any password that fits your settings (i.e. 128 bit WEP requires 13 characters).
6. Click OK if youÂ?re on the AirPort Options screen.
7. Click Start in the Internet Sharing panel.

The full tutorial is after the jump!

Two juicy morsels of Apple tidbits comes our way today. According to an AppleInsider report, the next MacBook update won't deliver much in terms of new features. Apparently, Apple's 13-inch wonder won't be benefited with an LED-backlit display until a successive revision later this year. Also, it's unlikely that it would be enjoying the enhancements presented during Intel's Santa Rosa launch.

As for the MacBook Pro update, Apple is said to be focusing on boosting the grade of the MacBook Pro line. Enhanced set of features from Santa Rosa are also expected. If this happens, expect faster front-side bus speeds (800MHz) and second-generation mobile processors.

Now to the other juicy Apple bit - the ultra thin portable department to be exact. Apparently the company is hard at work to produce a sleek design for their MacBook ultra portable for it to cater to the Japanese market. AppleInsider adds that Apple is building the model around an ultra-thin, 13-inch LED backlit display. Here's what AppleInsider knows about the ultra-thin contraption so far:

• 13-inch ultra-thin, LED-back lit display
• No optical disc drive
• On-board NAND flash for faster application launching and boot times
• Built-in iSight webcam
• Thinner and lighter than existing MacBook offerings
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n enabled
• MagSafe power adapter
• Target launch late '07, early '08

If you've got a brand new Apple 802.11n AirPort Extreme (or if you're looking to get one soon), you might have noticed that it doesn't connect with the Xbox 360 - unless you bust out a few tweaks. A recent post on 25experts.com comes to the rescue of gamers who have yet to make the setup work.

There are actually two ways to do this: the easy way, and the safe way. If you don't give a rat's behind about wireless security and all that jazz, this is really easy. Just turn the wireless security feature off and you're good to go. Running an non-secure wireless networks is a bit of a risky move, though, so here's the nifty workaround from 25experts:

In Airport Utility, Option-Click (or alt click on windows keybaords) the radio setting button to get the hidden choices, and select "b/g compatible", NOT "n (b/g compatible), just straight b/g. That will limit each device to 54 Mbps, which is fine.

Next, Option-Click your encryption setting button and select "WPA Personal." Go into the Internet:DHCP settings (I think) and reserve an IP address for your 360 based on it's MAC settings to make sure it gets the same IP all the time. In the NAT options, select that IP as the "Default Host" so as to cause no issues with XBox Live functionality. Restart the Apple Extreme.

After it's up and running, start your XBox 360, go to the last blade of the Dashboard and select your network settings - it should let you select your new WPA-encrypted network and you're good to go.

Try it out and let us know if it works for you. Don't hesitate to leave a comment below.

 

MacNN reports that QuickerTek's Quicky USB Transceiver can now be used with USB-enabled Macs. The Quicky is essentially a network boosting device that, according to QuickerTek, can deliver "up to 10 times more RF wireless power than a stock PowerMac desktop." The extended wireless operating distances can make more networks available to the desktop system, so you can connect to it even while you're in your neighbor's bathroom.

To use it, just clip the Quicky to the top of your Apple LCD screen. It also combines a networking transceiver with an external antenna. Setup requires no special computer skills, and no extra steps are required to utilize the Quicky transceiver.

The Quicky USB Transceiver works with Apple's latest PowerMacs as well as all 802.11 b, g, and n Wi-Fi equipment. This includes Apple's new AirPort and AirPort Extreme wireless devices. Double wireless range at full speed comes with a price though: the Quicky carries a pretty steep US$ 225 price tag.

Remember a few days ago, we had an article about the bug that allows malicious users to control a fully patched OS? Some people may take pride in this, but Apple Corporation certainly doesn't think it's worth glorifying. Especially with MacWorld Expo just around the corner...

In this light, Apple recently released a new batch of security updates for Mac OS X. There are 31 updates, all of which seem impenetrable. Then again, those malicious hackers may see this as just another update. They may even be thinking that it would be easy to circumvent these.

At any rate, the abovementioned bug was the first target of the new security updates. Dubbed as the Apple Type Services (ATS), the security patch zaps the bug by performing what Apple calsl "additional validation". There's also AirPort, an update concerning eMac, iBook, iMac, PowerBook G3, PowerBook G4, and Power Mac G4 systems. Accordingly, this aims to stop attackers in close proximity from sending maliciously-crafted information elements.

The rest of the updates, their descriptions and objectives can be viewed via the Read link below.

According to Apple, "Attackers on the wireless network may cause arbitrary code execution." If you want something without all that messy jargon, Apple is basically trying to say that intruders can commandeer your system over Wi-Fi.

The company just recently released security updates to repair the "hijack" problems, which together affect the AirPort wireless driver in Mac OS X 10 Panther version 10.3.9 and Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.7. Although there are no known exploits for the security weaknesses addressed by the patch, it's better to be safe than sorry.

The three vulnerabilities all have to do with how the AirPort wireless driver uses "frames." An attacker could exploit the flaws buy crafting malicious frames and making it available on a wireless network used by Macs.

The patches come a month after researchers at SecureWorks demonstrated at the Black Hat Security confab how to go about gaining complete control over a laptop. However, according to Apple the patches are not related to the Black Hat presentation, and that the company found the bug themselves. Regardless if Apple's statement is accurate or marketing spin, at least they're dedicated to rectifying their mistakes.

"It's Showtime." Those were the words on Apple's invitation to a press conference they'll be holding on the 12th. No one's really sure what'll be presented, but there's a good chance that it will have something to do with the fabled iTunes Movie Store and new tech developments.

Marco, from marco.org, thinks that it will have something to do with the music service getting a movie upgrade. In addition to its getting more news coverage and speculative information these last few weeks, the movie download business hasn't really taken off: a perfect place to capitalize if Apple can pull it off well.

He cites three problems for the quick deaths of movie download services:

1. High prices.
2. Lack of adequate portable device support.
3. TV support, because not everyone wants to spend the whole day staring at a small screen.

The one thing Apple has going for it now is the AirPort service, which allows users to play music from iTunes to their own stereos: wireless music streaming, you could say.

Now, AirPort is expensive stuff, and it has its limitations, but if the tech is there, it stands to reason that AirPort could also transmit video to televisions or video-enabled iPods as you please. That gives AirPort a whole new feature, and increases the the viability of both AirPort AND a downloadable music service. If this rumor has weight, it's looking like a smart plan (if you can afford it, that is). Keep checking QJ for info on the Apple press conference when it happens.

Around nine or ten days ago, Canadian news outlets covered a story about an iPod causing an airport scare. In it, we are told that a poor passenger accidentally dropped his iPod into the toilet, clogging it. Eventually, suspicion overtook the airplane's staff, prompting a landing and subsequent investigation of the man who dropped the music player and an incursion of the local bomb squad into the airplane to retrieve the "mysterious device."

Well... how is this related to World of Warcraft?

Apparently, a WoW player inadvertently caused the whole scare, and chose to relate his tale on the World of Warcraft forums. The whole story is quite long, so let us sum it up for you.

Basically, he went into the bathroom with his iPod. He left the bathroom and, some time later, flight attendants were going frantic because a toilet was clogged with something. Then he realized his iPod was missing.

Eureka! That's what was clogging the toilet.

Unfortunately, procedures to land the plane had already been called for, as well as the police and the bomb squad. The entire flight was evacuated, and he eventually underwent an interrogation. Eventually, the questioning led to his reasons for being on the plane.

His response? "I was to visit a friend I met on World of Warcraft, Cara." He then had to explain the idea of an MMORPG and a guild to officers, so that it wouldn't be misunderstood as some terrorist threat. The interrogation continued until he was eventually cleared.

Poor guy. All because of a love for WoW and music. On the bright side, he now has the first legendary thread on the new forums. The thread's currently on page 22, so you may want to hurry and read the whole thing before it gets deleted for being too long.