Apple has released Mac OS X Security Update 2008-05 which solves an industry wide flaw of the BIND DNS Server software that allows exploits for spoofing attacks. The updates also include security fixes to CarbonCore, CoreGraphics, OpenLDAP, OpenSSL, PHP, rsync, QuickLook among others. So get your Mac patches up now via Software Update.

Apple has also released a minor release to iTunes. There is not much info available but “iTunes 7.7.1 includes fixes to improve stability and performance.” As usual, get your fix via Software Update.

LG announced that its BD300 Network Blu-ray Player will be available in September. Announced earlier this year in January in a partnership with Netflix, this is the first Blu-ray player that allows Netflix members to stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix’s library of more than 12,000 titles directly to the TV.

LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will play high-definition Blu-ray discs, up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p and instantly stream Netflix movies. It will be “well under $500″. Netflix members is able to use the provided remote to browse, read synopses, rate movies, make selection right on the TV screen, and fast-forward/rewind video streams. Streaming of Netflix movie will begin as little as 30 seconds.

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Jonathan Ive, the British-born designer who’s the Senior VP of Industrial Design at Apple, will be one of the subject in Gary Hustwit’s “Objectified”, a new documentary about industrial design. Jonathan Ive is the other Apple guy we like, if you’ve not already aware, he is the award-winning ‘it’ designer behind many Apple products such as the iMac, the iPod, and the iPhone.

“Objectified” is Gary Hustwit’s second documentary, after the critically acclaimed “Helvetica” debut, which is a documentary about typography and graphic design. So what is “Objectified” about?

It’s a look at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets. It’s about the people who re-examine, re-evaluate and re-invent our manufactured environment on a daily basis. It’s about personal expression, identity, consumerism, and sustainability. It’s about our relationship to mass-produced objects and, by extension, the people who design them.

“Objectified” is set to premiere in early 2009, it is definitely something worth looking forward to. Visit Objectified movie website.

Via Silicon Alley Insider.

Not sure if it is released to coincide with Adobe Lightroom’s major upgrade announcement, but Aperture 2.1.1 update is now available. It is a x.x.1 point update which normally means a bug fix release. The description from Apple:

The Aperture 2.1.1 update addresses general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and resolves a number of other minor issues. The update is recommended for all customers using Aperture 2.
Important Note: Aperture updates available via Software Update or the Aperture Download page can be used only to update full versions of Aperture. They cannot be used to update Aperture Trial software, currently Aperture 2.1.

The update is available via Software Update or Aperture 2.1.1 download site, which require you to sign in with your Apple ID for the download.

Adobe has released the major upgrade to its Photoshop Lightroom professional digital photography processing and workflow software. Following the module based structure of its predecessor, Lightroom 2′s new enhancements include radical advances in non-destructive localized image correction, streamlined search capabilities, improved Photoshop CS3 integration, 64-bit software for improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images, ability to manage and organize images over multiple hard drives, and dual-monitor support.

Lightroom 2 is the first Adobe application to support 64-bit on Mac OS X. It has been in public beta since April and many of its features are in response to users request.

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(Updated on Aug 05, 2008 – Added the record for the fastest film to cross $400 million.
Updated on Aug 31, 2008 – Added the record for the fastest film to cross $500 million.)

Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” shatters many North America box office records. Let’s keep track of all its record-breaking numbers at the box office:

• Largest number of opening with 4,366 theatres. The previous record is 4,362 theatres for “Pirates of The Caribbean: At World’s End” in 2007.

• Biggest midnight preview with $18.5 million, topping the previous high of $16.9 million for “Star Wars: Episode III — The Revenge of the Sith” in 2005.

• Single-day box office record with $66.4 million on its opening day. The previous record is $59.8 million set in 2007 by “Spider-Man 3″.

• Highest weekend box office record of $155.34 million. The previous best is $151.1 million for “Spider-Man 3″ in May 2007.

• IMAX records: biggest midnight preview at $641,508; record opening day at $2,590,581; highest three-day opening weekend at $6.3 million; record per screen average at $67,036; record number of engagements for 94 IMAX screens.

• Fastest film in history to break $200 million in 5 days. The previous record is 2004′s “Spider-Man 2″ which took 8 days to reach the mark.

• Biggest non-holiday Monday at $24.5 million.

• Highest second-weekend record of $75.6 million, better than the $72.2 million by “Shrek 2″ in 2004.

• Fastest movie in history to cross $300 million in just 10 days. The previous record holder “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” took 16 days to make $300 million in 2006.

• Fastest movie to cross $400 million in just 18 days. The previous record holder “Shrek 2″ took 43 days to make $400 million in 2004.

• Fastest movie to cross $500 million in just 45 days on Sunday August 31. It is the second movie beside Titanic to cross $500 million. Titanic hit $500 million in 91 days.

Warner has announced that they will bring the highly anticipated The Matrix trilogy films on Blu-ray with ‘The Ultimate Matrix Collection’ box set on October 14. The seven-disc set will include the three Matrix films in 1080p VC-1 with Dolby TrueHD soundtrack, ‘The Animatrix’ movie which is in 1080p HD for first time, In-Movie Experience picture-in-picture commentaries for all three films, Digital Copy of the first film ‘The Matrix’ and 35 hours of extras supplement materials.

This is a ‘catch-up’ title for Warner which released the Matrix films on HD DVD in May 2007. Warner released two box sets for the HD DVD version: ‘The Ultimate Matrix Collection’ and ‘The Complete Matrix Trilogy’. Warner has not announced if there will bring ‘The Complete Matrix Trilogy’ set to Blu-ray, which is a lesser set containing only the three Matrix films. There is also no info on whether Warner will release the movies individually on Blu-ray.

You can pre-order ‘The Ultimate Matrix Collection’ Blu-ray for $90.95 at Amazon.

Google yesterday released its new product Knol to the public, allowing anyone to contribute knols to the website. Knol is called ‘a unit of knowledge’ by Google and is defined as ‘an authoritative article about a specific topic’. Google announced Knol on December 13, 2007, it is a brain child of Google vice president of engineering Udi Manber.

Knol focuses on articles’ authors and their credentials. There is no anonymous editing of knols, as you will need to sign in with your Google account. Knol has been portrayed as a Wikipedia killer, however knols are not collaboratively written in the same way as Wikipedia articles, knols are moderated by their authors. The tone for Knol is more formal, judging from the several knols currently on the website.

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TiVo subscribers can now use their remote control to buy products seen on TV shows. TiVo announced that they have teamed up with Amazon to enable TV viewers to purchase products on the TV ads or related to their favorite TV shows without leaving their couch.

Scott Merlino, senior manager of business development at Amazon.com, said, “Teaming up with TiVo enables TV advertisers to break free of traditional shopping channel limitations and reach a specific, targeted audience regardless of which network or show they are watching. Now, a record label can merchandise and sell a new artist’s CD on a show where the music is featured, or a publisher can merchandise an author’s book during a talk show when the author appears as a guest”

TiVo’s Universal Swivel Search allows users to search in Amazon for targeted products for their favorite shows. Users can purchase the product immediately or add it to their Amazon shopping cart for later checkout. Purchases will be secured with a PIN associated with the user’s Amazon account.

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Apple today released updates to its iLife ’08 applications iWeb, iMovie and iPhoto.

The updates can be obtained via Software Update on your Mac OS X, or download from Apple’s website:

          <br />
          <ul>
          <li><a href="http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/iweb204.html">iWeb 2.0.4 (35MB)</a></li>
          <li><a href="http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imovie714.html">iMovie 7.1.4 (38MB)</a></li>
          <li><a href="http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/iphoto714.html">iPhoto 7.1.4 (74MB)</a></li>
          <li><a href="http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ilifesupport83.html">iLife Support 8.3 (10MB)</a></li>
          </ul>

          <p>iLife Support provides system software components shared by all iLife '08 applications. In general, the updates "address general compatibility issues, improve overall stability and address a number of other minor issues” according to Apple. iPhoto 7.1.4 updates contains new holiday greeting card and postcard themes for use with Apple print products.</p>

          <p>This updates also replace all references of .Mac in iLife applications to MobileMe.</p>