Apple has released an update to iTunes that addresses a number of bugs that have cropped up in the program since the original 10.4 release. The latest 10.4 release brought Lion-specific enhancements to the program, including full-screen capability, but early adopters of the latest version ran into a few problems with playback and the management of items in their media libraries. The iTunes 10.4.1 update released today addresses some of these issues.

According to the iTunes 10.4.1 download page, the latest version fixes the following problems:

1. Fixes a problem where the media keys on some third-party keyboards work inconsistently with iTunes.
2. Addresses issues with adding artwork to songs and videos.
3. Resolves an issue that may cause iTunes to become unresponsive when purchasing an HD movie.
4. Fixes a problem where iTunes may take longer than expected to open after waking your Mac from sleep.
5. Addresses issues with VoiceOver support.

The update should be available through Software Update as a ~12MB download, but can also be downloaded through the iTunes 10.4.1 update page (around 77MB in size). The update should not require a restart after installing.

As always, be sure to fully back up your system before installing the update, though as a bug fix release with no major new features I expect this update should go smoothly for most people. Nevertheless, it is best to be safe and have a Time Machine or Clone backup that you can use to quickly restore your system if a problem with the update arises.

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Originally posted at MacFixIt

Matching Firefox's new rapid-release development cycle, Microsoft's Internet Explorer team has downsized the traditional congratulatory cake it sends to its browser rival.

The new cake arrived last week to Mozilla upon shipment of Firefox 6. Jonathan Nightingale, director of Firefox engineering for Mozilla, posted a photo of the cake on Flickr.

Under the rapid-release program, new versions of the browser ship every six weeks, which means the change in features from the earlier version is correspondingly smaller. No doubt Microsoft--which is still using the big-change, infrequent-update approach with IE--was poking fun at the new release philosophy when it sent the diminutive cake.

The first IE cake I noticed was for shipping Firefox 3 in 2008, but there have been others since then. Each bears the same message: "Congratulations on shipping. Love, the IE Team."

In looking back over the history, though, I noticed that Firefox 5--which gave an early taste of the rapid-release program when it arrived three months after Firefox 4--also received a cupcake. Evidently shrinking the congratulatory baked goods already is the new tradition.

Originally posted at Deep Tech

The HDHomeRun Prime is a new CableCARD TV tuner that plugs into your home network router. The HDHomeRun app piggybacks on that, letting you watch, pause, replay, and even record live TV right on your iPad. It's pricey, limited, and a little buggy, but it works.

Just to clarify, the app requires an HDHomeRun Prime, which sells for $249.99. I'm in the process of reviewing it, and so far it's fabulous. The app costs $17.99, which definitely seems steep, but for the moment there's nothing else quite like it.

After running the initial setup of the HDHomeRun Prime on my PC, I installed the app on my first-gen iPad. It immediately detected the tuners, and in seconds I was watching live TV. And I found I could continue watching it even while another live show was playing on my PC. (The Prime provides three tuners, so I still had one to spare.)

The app offers basic DVR functions: pause, 8-second rewind, and 30-second skip. You can record whatever you're currently watching, but you have to stay on that channel; HDHomeRun can't take advantage of more than one tuner (meaning you can't record one show and watch another). Thankfully, you can turn your iPad off or switch to another app and it'll continue recording.

However, that's where the DVR options end. You can't schedule recordings, and the app shows only a basic channel guide--you get no actual program information. That definitely limits some of HDHomeRun's appeal; you're effectively stuck with flipping channels to see what's on.

Specifically, SD channels, as the app doesn't support HD. Likewise, it can stream only those channels that have the embedded "copy freely" flag from the cable provider. I'm on Comcast; most of my channels are so flagged. But AMC isn't, so I can't watch, say, "Mad Men." Your mileage may vary depending on your service. (It would be nice if developer Elgato Systems offered a free lite version so users could test the waters before spending $18.)

SD looks OK on the iPad; it's a far cry from HD, but good enough for casual viewing (and a perfect match for the iPad's 4:3 aspect ratio). The bigger issue is consistency: in my tests, full-screen video suffered from frequent bouts of pixelation and the occasional freeze (especially after rewinding or quick-skipping). Sometimes the video would just disappear entirely, replaced by a "no content" message.

So, is it worth buying an HDHomeRun Prime just to get the HDHomeRun app? Probably not. But if you do decide to buy one--and I think it has the makings of a killer product--the app is pretty nice to have. Basically, it turns your iPad into another TV, one you can carry from room to room.

Originally posted at iPad Atlas

Apple has brought support for Japan's earthquake notification service to iOS 5 beta, 9to5Mac is reporting.

According to the blog, Japanese iOS users will be able to turn the notification system on from their mobile devices. If an earthquake hits, users will be alerted with a notification giving them information on the earthquake.

Japan launched its notification system in 2007. When tremors or earthquakes are measured, the service sends notifications out through an online system. As more information is gathered, including the earthquake's epicenter, that data is also pushed out.

The notification system is a key part of Japan's emergency response service, since the country is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. In March, Japan fell victim to a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the damage from which was made significantly worse by tsunamis that it unleashed.

Related stories:
• Japan reels from earthquake, nuclear crisis (roundup)
• Major quakes hit Japan; tsunami warning for U.S.
• Online resources for Japan quake info

Immediately following the earthquake, the communications systems across Japan were in a state of disarray. Early reports suggested cell networks were locked up due to overwhelming use, causing many folks to turn to Facebook and Twitter to check on loved ones and get more information.

However, through it all, the country's notification system held up. Time magazine profiled the event earlier this year, saying that it took just seconds for the service to alert factories, schools, and citizens' mobile phones that an earthquake had hit.

With support for the notification system in iOS 5, Apple's iPhone will finally join the many other mobile devices in Japan that support the service. Previously, iPhone owners were required to download third-party applications to have access to the notification system.

Whether similar notification systems will be offered by Apple elsewhere around the world is unknown at this point.

Apple is expected to launch iOS 5 to the public in September.

Apple did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

Originally posted at The Digital Home

Trend Micro overhauled its security suites last year to great success. The company changed everything about the programs, from introducing a cloud-based detection engine on up through an interface with fast transitions and even the name, rebranding the suites as Trend Micro Titanium. Available exclusively today from CNET Download.com, this year's Titanium Maximum Security 2012 (download), Titanium Internet Security 2012 (download), and Titanium AntiVirus Plus 2012 (download) offer far fewer and far less dramatic changes, but they do include some improvements that ought to keep the suite competitive.

In addition to last year's Smart Protection Network, which forms the heart of the Trend Micro's cloud-based detection by creating a real-time, always-updated database of user security encounters, two new engines have joined the fold. One is designed to detect and remove the "fake antivirus" malware, also known as ransomware, that plagues many. The other stops botnets that might've infected your computer.

Value-added enhancements cover both the useful, like bundling one free license for Trend Micro's SmartSurfing for Mac, and the gimmicky, like a selection of new interface skins for the Windows version. Does anybody spend so much time in their security suite that they want to skin it?

There's SafeSync for storing files online and syncing them among your various devices, and Trend Micro considerately gives you a decent 10 GB to play with if you buy Titanium Maximum Security. Titanium Internet Security users get 2 GB. You also get a local encrypted vault for file protection. There's a PC optimizer that cleans your Registry and temp files, and deletes browsing history and cookies. Of course, your browser does that, too.

One excellent "extra" is mobile security. Titanium Maximum Security 2012 comes with free licenses for iOS and Android security apps, which offer lost phone tracking, antivirus, and SMS blockers. The Trend Micro toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer warns you about malicious links posted to Facebook and Twitter, as well as search, although there's no support yet for Google Chrome.

When it comes to benchmarks, Trend Micro 2012 was frustratingly uneven. Its Quick Scan was the fastest CNET Labs has tested so far this year, with the slowest of the Titanium suites coming in at more than 400 seconds faster than the second-fastest suite, and they also had the lightest touch on computer shutdown times. However, Titanium had the biggest impact on system boot times, with the Titanium suite that was fastest at boot still adding 20 seconds more than the next-slowest competitor. In the era of security suite-free Windows 7 computers that often take no more than 30 to 40 seconds to boot, and tough competition from Macs and Chromebooks that can boot in 20 to 30 seconds, doubling a computer's boot time is unacceptable.

Third-party labs that look at the efficacy of virus detection and removal found Trend Micro 2012 equally uneven. While scoring high on threat detection and blocking, and earning low false positive scores, the Titanium suites did not do well on infection removal.

Price-wise, Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security retails for $79.95; Titanium Internet Security retails for $69.95; and Titanium AntiVirus Plus retails for $39.95. These prices skew towards the higher-end of security suites, and are in the same ballpark as Kaspersky and Norton. However, online deals can often be found for cheaper.

Basically, Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security's a good, solid security option if you've got a nice, shiny new computer and you don't want anything to happen to it, see? But if you've got either an Android or an iOS device, the free mobile security is a sweet cherry on top to have.

Confirming months of rumors, an app store, much like Apple's App Store for OS X, has officially been listed among the features Microsoft is working to include in Windows 8. The revelation came last week from Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky in a Building Windows 8 blog titled, "Introducing the team." Among a list of teams associated with building the forthcoming operating system was, you guessed it, "App Store." Read up on all the details here.

In other news, Mozilla pushed Firefox 6 out the door last week, updating the vast majority of its users to the browser's latest stable build. The new version is competitively fast, sports a new minimalist look, and includes some excellently executed features such as support for Mozilla's new Add-on SDK and GPU hardware acceleration. If you haven't updated already, you can check out our review and download the new build here.