SPECIALS OF THE WEEK | 06/19/09 – 06/26/09

A few weeks ago, we posted an article about a critical security vulnerability in Java on Mac OS X. Morgan Aldridge wrote “It’s a couple of vulnerabilities that can be taken advantage of to run commands outside of the browser as the user that launched the browser.” Read the original post “by clicking here.”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/java-vulnerability-on-mac-os-x/

The vulnerability was discovered in August 2008 and was patched by Sun and other developers several months ago. When Apple didn’t move on the issue, a former Apple engineer named Landon Fuller released a proof of concept exploit that could, in his words, allow “malicious code to escape the Java sandbox and run arbitrary commands” that would “result in untrusted Java applets executing arbitrary code merely by visiting a web page hosting the applet.” Read about this “by clicking here.”:http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/code/macosx/CVE-2008-5353.20090519.html

It’s taken a month since Fuller publicized this issue, but Apple has finally released updated versions of Java for both OS X 10.5 Leopard and OS X 10.4 Tiger.

To install this update, either run Software Update (under the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac’s screen), or download the patch directly from Apple:

“Click here to download the Java for Mac OS X 10.5.”:http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_for_Mac_OS_X_10_5_Update_4

“Click here to download the Java for Mac OS X 10.4”:http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_for_Mac_OS_X_10_4__Release_9

Click the following links to read Apple’s related security documents for “OS 10.5 Leopard”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3632 and “OS 10.4 Tiger”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3633

FYI, for long-term Safari web browsing security, we suggest that Safari users leave the ‘Open “safe” files after download’ option in Safari preferences permanently disabled. Other vulnerabilities could remain in Safari’s handling of “Safe” files if someone figures out how to to trick Safari’s understanding of “Safe” files. While that scenario is rather far-fetched, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

*1. Cut and Paste.* Finally. Cut and paste of text on the iPhone works well, and is implemented in a way that could also work well on any touch-screen based computer.

*2. Notes Sync.* As many have said, it was silly/bizarre that this wasn’t supported on earlier versions of the iPhone OS. Notes is useful now!

*3. Shake to Undo/Redo Typing.* If you are typing something and wish to erase it and start over, all you have to do is deliberately shake your iPhone and it will be erased. If you want it back, simply shake again. I admit, the tactile experience of erasing a mistake by shaking it away is great. I wonder if Apple borrowed this idea from Etch-a-Sketch?

*Honorable mention:* swearing is now allowed on the new iPhone. Rod Blagojevich must be very happy.

This week’s Featured Special is a little esoteric for many users, but we have an amazing price and it’s worth sharing. Right now we have some Apple refurbished Quad-Core 2.8GHz Xserves loaded with 6GB RAM and an 80GB drive module, for only $2299.99. Since these are Apple refurbished, they have a full one-year factory warranty and are eligible for “AppleCare.”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/73809

They include the innovative and easy to use Mac OS 10.5 Leopard Server (unlimited clients).

For a school, small business, or home business, the Xserve offers amazing technology at an excellent price! Also, our team of technicians and Apple consultants can help you set it up.

There seems to be a bunch of rain in the forecast for the next several days. The garden loves it (and so do the weeds) but motorcyclists don’t. I may have to just buck-up and do a rain-or-shine ride over to Laconia for the last day of Bike Week, but this could also be a good opportunity to do some chores before Grace gets back on Sunday. I think I’ll have to see what new cool iPhone 3.0 apps are released, too!

Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes.

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team
_Don, Kali & Ed_

_Dear Friends,_

My strawberries are not quite ready, but over in the Champlain Valley with the milder weather and longer growing season, fresh local berries are now available. Those strawberries you get in the winter sure look like strawberries–I mean they are red and have that little green stem–but the resemblance ends there. The winter berries bred for shelf life taste more like straw than berry, while the fresh early summer berries emit a strong strawberry smell and taste so good that I could eat a hundred of them!

Grace and I are planning our annual 4th of July bash after the Warren parade and a key element is strawberry daiquiris (both virgin and with rum). We go through a few cases of strawberries on that day and my hands are usually red from berry juice by the end of the day.

The big news this week is the release of iPhone OS 3.0 software and the iPhone 3G S. The upgrade for the iPhone is free, while the upgrade for the iPod touch costs $9.95. Everyone with an iPhone here downloaded the 3.0 software minutes after its release at 1PM ET on Wednesday and the improvements are truly notable.

I’ve probably only scratched the surface, here are the Top 3 features that have caught my eye:

*1. Landscape Mode*
I have short, stubby fingers and the iPhone keyboard is a bit of a challenge. With 3.0 I can now use the landscape keyboard which simply feels more natural and has bigger keys. Not only that, but viewing Mail in landscape mode is great!

*2. Find My iPhone*
I have a MobileMe account and tested out the Find My iPhone feature. You have to set it up in the preferences but once set up, you can locate the phone from anywhere that you can run MobileMe. You can also execute a “Remote Wipe” command that will erase your data but I didn’t test that one. The location is not that precise but it will tell you if you left it in another town.

*3. Auto Login to AT&T Hot Spots*
I rode my motorcycle up to Burlington last night to check out a motorcycle for a friend who is just starting to ride and decided to go to the movies afterward. When I got out around 10PM, I grabbed a bite to eat and my iPhone showed a couple of Wi-Fi hotspots. One was a locked site, but a signal from a nearby AT&T cell phone store was visible, so I tried to access that.

Once I had gone through the cumbersome two-step process to sign in the first time (did you know you get free access to over 20,000 AT&T hot spots with your iPhone AT&T contract?), the next time I logged in the process was automatic, so there’s no need to enter your phone number or click on a link from a SMS message. I noticed that the redesigned Wi-Fi login page was much better as well.

For more favorites as well as a full review of the 3.0 software, read on below.

The iPhone and iPod touch are amazing devices with many useful but hidden or undocumented features. Discovering these hidden features and having “ah ha” moments is part of the fun of owning an iPod touch or iPhone. It’s equally fun to share your iPhone tips and tricks with other iPhone owners, because you get to share their “ah ha” moments.

Most of the “hidden” iPhone features I know came from the following websites. They are worth checking out — you’ll almost certainly learn something new.

Here are some of my favorite websites for getting more from these devices, as well as uncovering some of their hidden features.

* “iPhone Alley has some great, easy to read tips and tricks.”:http://www.iphonealley.com/tips

* “iSmashphone.com also has some great iPhone / iPod touch tricks”:http://www.ismashphone.com/2008/08/iphone-tricks.html

* “Here’s a recent iSmashphone article about How To Use The Best 40 Features of iPhone 3.0”:http://www.ismashphone.com/2009/06/how_to_use_best_40_features_of_iphone_3.html

* “From iPhone J.D., some favorite iPhone shortcuts”:http://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2008/11/my-favorite-sho.html

* “Macrumors has a list of more than 100 hidden features in the iPhone 3.0 upgrade.”:http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=715629

* “Another list of hidden iPhone 3.0 tips.”:http://pcworld.about.com/od/phones/iPhone-3-0-Update-10-Hidden-F.htm

* “Tuaw.com often has useful iPod touch / iPhone information.”:http://www.tuaw.com/tag/iphone/

* “Of course, there is always Apple’s iPhone page, which has everything from basic to advanced tips. “:http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#basics.introduction