OS X

New Apple accessories for desktop computers appear in FCC listings, likely headed for release later this Summer. Today we're seeing two wireless devices, on Apple mouse, the other an Apple wireless keyboard. The keyboard has not had a refresh since 2011 while the mouse (also known as the Magic Mouse) has not had a refresh since the year 2009. It's about time for that to happen. Inside these devices is no longer the Bluetooth 2.1 (BCM2042 inside) they originally came packed with, but Bluetooth 4.2 with Bluetooth LE Low Energy.

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Apple has released an OS X system update for Yosemite users, bringing the version up to 10.10.5. While the update addresses a number of small bugs, its primary focus is fixing the recently discussed DYLD privilege escalation security exploit. The vulnerability has the potential to allow malware to get root access to a Mac, which is why concerns were raised last week that Apple may not be issuing a fix until the release of OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Fortunately the company has followed through on its promise, releasing the patch right away.

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Apple has released a new update for its Boot Camp software, which allows users to install Microsoft's Windows operating system on a partitioned hard drive and take advantage of a dual setup, according to a new document on the company's Support page. Bringing Boot Camp up to version 6, the update's main new feature is support for 64-bit versions of the newly-released Windows 10. The update is being released as a standard OS X system update, however it's gradually rolling out to users.

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With this week's news about a pair of malware threatening the security of OS X, it's starting to become a bit concerning that Apple's platform is losing its place as a "virus free" environment. Nonetheless, the company is planning to release a patch for the bug "as soon as possible," reports The Guardian. The patch is said to come in the form of a security update included in a OS X 10.10.5 update.

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One of the big features for Windows 10 is the arrival of Cortana, Microsoft's voice-powered virtual assistant, to the desktop. Prior to Windows 10, Cortana was limited to Windows Phone devices, however, with the release of the new operating system, the Siri-like assistant will be coming to Mac's OS X. Parallels, the popular virtualization software that allows the use of Windows within the native OS X environment, will launching a new version specifically with support for Windows 10 and the ability to summon Cortana at any time.

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Mac developers have already had a taste of OS X El Capitan, and today Apple is releasing the public beta. The brave and the curious can as of today install a pre-final version of El Capitan onto their Mac to get an early glimpse of what the updated platform brings, complete with things like split-view multitasking, supercharged search in a much-improved Spotlight, and big changes in Mail and other apps.

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Apple's third beta software has been delivered to developers for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac computers with iOS 9, Watch OS 2, and OS X 10.11 El Capitan. This is the third wave of software updates to developers working with the software suite for all Apple developers before full release later this year. This update brings the iOS 9 to software build 13A4293f, El Capitan to software build 15A216g, and WatchOS 2 to software build 13S5293e. Developers will get these updates as early as this afternoon - ie immediately over the air.

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Square Enix may have just launched its biggest update to Final Fantasy XIV, but what could have been an almost perfect release has been marred by performance issues on a single platform: Macs. Now while this may sound almost like the situation with Warner Bros. and Batman: Arkham Knight for PCs, Square Enix is doing something differently and, to its credit, perhaps more satisfying. Producer Naoki Yoshida has provided a rather detailed account of the blunder that happened and, unusual in this business, has taken sole responsibility for the fiasco.

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Following a limited alpha way back in 2012, the Android emulator BlueStacks has officially arrived on Mac OS X. Previously only available on PCs, the free software lets users run any game or app for Android on their Mac, will full support for using a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad. But not only that, the developer say they've managed to make BlueStacks App Player take advantage of Apple's flagship hardware features, such as Retina displays and multitouch gestures.

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Hidden deep within the code for the newest Beta of Apple's OS X El Capitan rests a mention of a Bluetooth remote. This remote control could be for a lot of things - Apple's even gone so far as to release remote controls for its laptops in the past. But what's most likely, and what makes the most sense given Apple's schedule of releases, is this device being a remote for an Apple TV. This remote could very well be the first mention of a remote that could control all manner of Apple devices, too.

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This week Apple released three big updates to their Beta software to developers for multiple devices. This includes Apple's OS X 10.11 El Capitan Beta for developers, build 15A204h, as well as updates for mobile devices. For iPhone and iPad, iOS 9 Beta 2 has been seeded. Apple's second WatchOS 2 Beta has also been seeded for the Apple Watch. All of these updates are accessible by hitting the "Software Update" button in each respective developer-signed device. To access Apple WatchOS 2's update, the user must have iOS 9 Beta installed on their connected device.

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OS X El Capitan isn’t a big of an overhaul update as Yosemite, but there are plenty of new features and design elements that keep a smile on my face. There’s a lot to be said for “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” and that’s exactly what Apple has done. In El Capitan, it’s all about performance and experience, and that could pay real dividends not only for power-users, but for mainstream users wanting to squeeze the most out of their Mac.

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