Do Not Track Tool Added To Safari
Cupertino has made some new additions to Safari in Mac OS X Lion since we last seen it. Apple has added a “do not track” tool within the web browsing software to secure users better online, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The tool is included within the latest test release of Lion, a version of Apple’s Mac OS X operating system that is currently available only to developers. The final version of the operating system is scheduled to be released to the public this summer. Mentions of the do-not-track feature in Apple’s Safari browser began to appear recently in online discussion forums and on Twitter.
Updates for iOS/Safari 5
Upon speculations prediction, Apple has released iOS 4.3.2 for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. The update brings several fixes to the software including a fix for the iPad in which FaceTime would freeze and become responsive after previous use. It also addresses an issue with Verizon iPads were users were unable to connect to the Verizon network after turning off network connectivity. The CDMA iPhone is still in 4.2.x and received a separate update, update 4.2.7.
This update contains improvements and other bug fixes including:
- Fixes an issue that occasionally caused blank or frozen video during a FaceTime call
Web-Apps Saved To Home Screen Anchor Safari Performance
It seems as though that if you save web application on the Home Screen of your iOS device, the speed attribute of the site seems to be hampered compared to if you navigate to the web-app directly in the Safari web browser, according to The Register. It’s not yet determine whether the issue is just a bug in the iOS software or a deliberate move made by Cupertino to channel people to the App Store, which would seem unlikely.
Adobe Introduces “Wallaby” Flash to HTML5 Converter
A while back during the height of the Apple/Adobe Flash fiasco, Adobe demonstrated a new software that could convert Flash video into HTML5 format, allowing for optimal performance on mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad. At the time of the demo, Adobe didn’t guarantee that the software would hit public beta. However, Adobe has launched a prerelease to the software dubbed “Wallaby”.
Apple Releases Java Update for Leopard and Snow Leopard
Apple this week released a pair of Java updates for both Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard. The update administers patches that remedies some vulnerabilities in the software as well as increasing reliability and compatibility of the software.
“- Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 4 (74. 81 MB, Requires Mac OS X 10.6.4)
Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 4 delivers improved compatibility, security, and reliability by updating Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_24.
- Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 9 (119.83 MB, Requires Mac OS X 10.5.8)
Adobe Releases Flash 10.3 Beta with Preferences Integration
With the “Wallaby” release made this week, Adobe has also released the beta version of Flash 10.3. The new software introduces new features like enhanced privacy and setting controls that integrate with System Preference.
- Integration with browser privacy controls for managing local storage
Users now have a simpler way to clear local storage from the browser settings interface – similar to how users clear their browser cookies today. Flash Player 10.3 integrates control of local storage with the browser’s privacy settings in Mozilla Firefox 4, Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and higher, and future releases of Apple Safari and Google Chrome.
Mac OS X Lion’s Safari has WebKit2. Performance Greatly Enhanced.
Developers have noticed that Apple has decided to start using WebKit2 in Mac OS X Lion’s Safari. Described as a new API layer, the new Safari is faster and more secure than ever. WebKit was announced in 2010 and since then, a number of companies have used the standard in their own projects, including Google.
“WebKit2 is a new API layer for WebKit designed from the ground up to support a split process model, where the web content (JavaScript, HTML, layout, etc) lives in a separate process from the application UI. This model is very similar to what Google Chrome offers, with the major difference being that we have built the process split model directly into the framework, allowing other clients of WebKit to use it.”
Safari Exploit Pokes Its Head Out Again
Earlier in the year, a security expert by the name of Jeremiah Grossman discovered a nasty little security hole in Apple’s Safari web browser that gave hackers the potential to invade Macs and obtain personal information from the AutoFill feature of the software. Apple responded that they were aware of the situation and have been already cooking up a fix. Shortly after that announcement, Cupertino released a security update to the software. All seemed well and good after that point, that is, until now. Jeremiah has found yet another exploit in the software, however, this time around it requires the user to input a certain keystroke for the exploit to become affective.
Apple Releases Safari 5.0.1 With Extensions
Apple has released an update to Safari that enables the public release of the Extensions feature along with the corresponding Extension Gallery. The Extension feature allows users to add functions and features from third party developers that can allow them to complete a variety of tasks. This feature not only adds another dimension of versatility to the Safari web browsing, it also exposes further ability and power behind the HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript web standards as one of the most premium web development tools.
Safari Security Hole in Autofill Function
New information about a potential security risk in Safari was presented this week by the Register. According to the group, there is a security exploit in the AutoFill function of Safari that could possibly allow malicious infiltration of personal data from the Address Book service within the Safari web browser. Security research Jeremiah Grossman follow-up with a demonstration of the exploit on his blog to show users what exactly someone with malicious intent can obtain from this security hole.
