One of the biggest rules about maintaining the security and integrity of your computer is not to access unfamiliar and questionable websites - yes, including those websites that a certain broadway production song proclaims that the Internet is for. While you may have the latest in computer security programs, malicious entities such as Trojan Horses can still slip past our defenses and wreak damage - and it only takes a case of mistaken identity, as the guys over at Intego have found out, having discovered a malicious piece of code that victimizes Mac OS X users.

So just what is this little bundle of bad news all about? A new Trojan Horse was found lurking in several naughty websites, one that tricks you into giving it full access to your Mac by pretending to be a video codec installer and asking for your unit's administrator password.

Should the user be tricked into doing so, the Trojan Horse will then successfully infiltrate the system and mess around with things inside quite a bit. Before we go too much into the technobabble, let's just say that this is a very bad thing, and would have you giving out your private details to people you would not even give your calling card to.

What's to be done, then? Well, to protect yourself from this potential threat, Intego suggests running Intego VirusBarrierX4 with its virus definitions kept up to date. Of course, there's also the deal about never clicking any website link that deems suspicious, even if you've got a hankering for the adult stuff.

Apple is already basking in the success of OS X Leopard's launch, but it's not all roses for those who upgraded to the latest version of Mac OS X. A poster from Gizmodo encountered a rather pesky problem while in the process of trying to create a back up with the Time Machine application, but managed to come up with an easy solution.

He was trying to format the disk for backup use, but the disk was still in FAT32 system - the file format for Windows PC - even after formatting, rendering it useless for OS X Leopard. After making a few calls, he was able to make out a solution, all of which are thoroughly outlined and explained in case you encounter the same kind of problem.

Check out how to fix the disk formatting problem in the Read link!

While surfing around on the web we found a very interesting article from Gizmodo.com detailing ten things that a buyer needs to know before switching to the Mac's Leopard OS. While we've been pouring over the feature list of Apple's new operating system (and every other new application that comes out) we realize that not everyone would actually enjoy doing that so we though we'd share this handy little guide to our readers.

The guide pointed out some important points such as Leopard will work on older machines and that the new operating system doesn't use much more RAM than Tiger OS. However, people who plan on upgrading should keep in mind that some of their applications may not be currently supported by Mac OS X Leopard, which means that you might want to check with the different developers to see if your current programs will work.

All in all, the Mac OS X Leopard is a pretty good operating system, and one that heavy Mac users should consider picking up. If you want to read the full guide, don't hesitate to click on out Read Link.

For all the new features Apple has advertised the new Leopard Mac OS X will be sporting, here's a feature that will not be included in Apple's spiffy new OS: the synching of iPhone's Notes with Leopard's Mail application.

Apple has apparently retracted a previous statement on its 300 page features section after mentioning that the new Leopard OS X will be able to sync with the iPhone Notes. If you take a look at the image below, you'll notice the last line omits the clause about iPhone's Notes compatible with the Leopard.

 

It's still not sure whether this is a mere clerical error on Apple's part or they decided to just cut the previously announce feature short altogether. Notes synching from a user's iPhone to their Mac or PC would have been a convenient way to store notes for reference and the like.

So until Apple decides to shed a little more light on the matter, I guess this means people will have to stick to using Post-Its to remind themselves to pick up their new Leopard OS X when it finally ships out today.

The Gold Master retail version of Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard was reported to have undergone a visual makeover for the OS X dock, an often-unused 3D shelf even at Apple. Perhaps Apple's been listening, or they simply didn't like the waste of viewscreen real-estate, so they've readopted a simplistic 2D shelf appearance for Mac OS X Leopard build 9A581.

This news came from an update via developer seeds for Build 9A581, and the new dock sports a 2D facelift of common OS GUI docks. There was no feedback on additional visual effects for the dock, but as long as it's no longer the older 3D dock that caused partial peripheral distractions. What was confirmed, however, is that the dock can keep the same visual style even when docked at the bottom of the screen.

October 26 still remains as Apple's release date for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard in North America, and this probably would be one of some last-minute updates to 10.5 as the days crawl slowly to Leopard's lift off. More on these developments as we come across them.

iPod owners will be happy to know that crispSofties has recently released a new build for the iPod.iTunes tool for your Apple iPod. For the guys asking what this does, it synchronizes your iPod and computer, and evaluates the source for songs, videos and/or playlists (either from your machine or from the iPod) and only adds these.

And unlike the iPod's default auto-update function, iPod.iTunes doesn't delete content in its target, and can  transfer song-dependent data like My Rating, Last Played, Album Artwork, and more. This latest build is now at version 3.6.1 - we'll post a sample of the current changelog to give you an idea about what's been improved:

• Version 3.6.1
• For slower Macs with large iTunes libraries some functions have higher timeout values.
• Version 3.6
• iPod.iTunes has now the ability to update itself, as soon a newer release is available. This is done with one single click, making it much more easy to update the application. So I can release more often fixes/changes as soon they are done. If an update is available, you are presented by a list of the changes between your current version and the new version.
• Connecting/disconnecting iPods: No need to relaunch iPod.iTunes any longer to recognize an iPod.
• Synchronization to iPod: A possible "No more space left on iPod"-message (when there was space) will no longer appear.
• Mac OS 10.3.9: Fixed a possible problem regarding the recognition of the iTunes library file.
• Some fixes regarding the program flow.
• Various smaller changes in the user interface (mostly message texts).
• Version 3.5.2
• Compatibility for iTunes 7.4.2
  

Before you download this tool, keep in mind that iPod.iTunes reportedly does not work on either the iPod shuffle or the iPod Touch. There are two version available: One if for Mac OS X 10.3.9 to 10.4.10, the other is for Mac OS X 10.2.8 to 10.3.8. The downloads are available at the crispSofties site, via the read link.

Computer solutions providers have reported that preorders for the Apple's Mac OS X Leopard have doubled, as compared to the release of the previous OS Tiger. The supposed culprit? Overall dissatisfication of the consumers over Windows Vista.

"More than anything, it has to do with the biggest growth coming from 'switchers' - people switching from the Windows platform," said Chirs Gore, a marketing director for Macforce, an Apple specialist.

The release of Apple Leopard was actually scheduled for last Spring, but was pushed back to this month to make way for the iPhone. Computer suppliers said that the delay didn't affect the expected sales of the Mac OS, however.

Other suppliers reported having a hard time ordering stocks of Leopard, while the rest of the solution providers are excited about the unveiling of Apple's newest OS, with some even giving out computer mice covered in leopard skin-prints.

Apple just officially announced that Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard has been completed and will be released on October 26 across North America. The launch will kick off at exactly 6 p.m. local time in all Apple retail stores.

For those who plan on picking up this product, Apple stores will be giving away free Leopard shirts to the first few customers. If you happen to be buying a new Mac on the day itself (or even before launch), you will be getting an OEM DVD containing the new operating system as well.

Before this, there have been rumors that Mac OS X 10.5 will be delayed, but it looks like Apple has stayed true to its word and will be launching it during the expected time frame. Hopefully, the new operating system lives up to all the hype.

Even with the release date of the new Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 already finalized, rumors still abound surrounding this highly anticipated operating system. 

TheStreet.com's informer Scott Moritz revealed a juicy little tidbit about Apple releasing a little added bonus alongside the new operating system - a brand new 13-inch laptop installed with the Leopard.

According to Moritz, the aluminum-clad laptop will have an ultra-portable, sleek new design similar to the MacBook Pro and will have Leopard built-in into it. If this is true then Apple may have the perfect package of hardware to go along with the much awaited software everyone has been talking about lately.

Considering the hefty requirements and the numerous features the new OS X will be sporting, we're crossing our fingers that this new laptop will solve any hardware trouble the new operating system might have. In the meantime, you can access the video with the "insider information" through the Read link below.

 

The cat's out of the bag, folks. Apple has just sent out a press wire announcing that their much-awaited Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard is now being readied for sale this Friday, October 26, at an expected retail price of US$ 129. Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 is further expected to host a total of 300 new features - we've listed some of the more interesting ones below:

• Stacks: A new way to easily access files from the Dock
• Redesigned Finder: Lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
• Quick Look: A new way to instantly see files without opening an application
• Spaces: A new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
• Time Machine: An effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac.
• Improved Parental Controls
• The complete Boot Camp release: Previously available only as a beta, making it possible to run Windows natively on Intel-based Macs
• Web Clip: Bringing anything that a user wants from a web page to Dashboard as a live widget
• New Photo Booth features: helping users create animated iChat buddy icons or fun effects and backdrops with still or video images
• An enhanced Dictionary with Wikipedia built in: Allows users to access up-to-date information
• A newly updated iCal with multi-user calendaring based on the new CalDAV standard
• An updated version of Front Row, making it even easier to play music or watch movies, TV shows and photos on a Mac using the ultra-simple Apple Remote.
  

Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 will require at least 51 2MB of RAM, and is designed to run on any Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or G4 (867 Mhz or faster) processor. Set your calendars, and double-check with your resident Apple stores.