Secunia reports another Mac OS X Mach-O Universal Binary Memory Corruption that could lead to a potential vulnerability. It is classified as "less critical":
Mac OS X fails to properly handle corrupted Universal Binaries, leading to an exploitable memory corruption condition with potential risk of kernel-mode arbitrary code execution. This particular vulnerability is caused by an integer overflow in the fatfile_getarch2() function. Local unprivileged users can abuse this issue with specially crafted Mach-O 'Universal' binaries.
If the vulnerability can lead to unprivileged users exploit, it still requires getting physical access to the machine.
Accellent is a "proof of concept" allowing you to watch HD video on non-officially supported hardware. It is based on a reverse engineering of the IDCT hardware acceleration APIs found in Mac OS X.
If the application is still a beta version (Release v0.3.1), a reader from
Xlr8yourmac has successfully played a MPEG 2 video in 1080p format on a G4 1.33GHz-based Mac, without saturating the CPU. This software can currently only decode the video signal, but the main goal is to integrate it to another already existing application, named
iTele.
For sure Mac mini G4 could then be a perfect and cheap system for HDTV at home.
More information can be found hereafter:
http://www.defyne.org/dvb/accellent.html
Apple has, for a long time now, been the only brand offering a good-looking but relatively expensive 30" LCD display. The high price was linked to the small production of such panels and the requirement of specific graphic cards.
But with the release of new GPUs this dominance by Apple may well be history. Indeed, new actors are now present, although specifications are almost identical (probably the same LCD panel manufacturer), prices vary noticeably: Apple and Samsung $1999, HP $1799 and finally Dell, well-known for its low price $1699. In addition, Dell model is really HD-ready thanks to its included HDCP.
For Apple, maintaining its LCD offerings up to date means renewing the line up very soon while incorporating new and future specifications in order to keep the lead for large LCD display models. It might come as soon as January with a 40"+ Apple Cinema display. It will of course be of interest for HD video editors, while increasing resolution will also be beneficial for all users with Leopard as the future Mac OSX version will be
resolution independent.
A journalist from
Chicago Sun-Times has published an article about the Zune, entitled: "Avoid the loony Zune". After testing Microsoft-branded digital music player for one week, his conclusion is quite straightforward:
"Yes, Microsoft's new Zune digital music player is just plain dreadful.
...
Companies such as Toshiba and SanDisk (with its wonderful Nano-like Sansa e200 series) compete effectively with the iPod by asking themselves, "What are the things that users want and Apple refuses to provide?"
Microsoft's colossal blunder was to knock the user out of that question and put the music industry in its place.
Result: The Zune will be dead and gone within six months. Good riddance."
Despite the already reported painful installation process, his analysis is not biased by comparison with the iPod, and it clearly shows that Microsoft did not think about the user interface, the ease-of-use, etc. Even compatibility with MS software and Media Player are not complete.
We think Apple needs competition to push Cupertino to bring new features and regular evolution to its iPod models, but serious competitors will probably be named SanDisk or Sony rather than Microsoft.
What could save the Zune? Pirates and hackers. The website
Zune Scene has published a procedure to unlock the Zune, despite MS claims to protect Music Majors with its home-made DRM. They have also found a way to use the Zune as a standard USB mass storage, while adding .jpg to any files turn them into free-exchangeable files via the WiFi functions (And Microsoft aims to give lesson about security in IT world...)
Last but not least, if a friend offers you a Zune for Christmas you could put it on eBay, but you could also use it on your Mac with the application
XNJB.
Here are 2 photos of the future flagship GPU from ATI/AMD, code name R600. Its expected availability should be around Q2 2007.
This physically large GPU will be engraved at 80nm and will probably bring a new record of transistors/chips, currently owned by nVidia with its G80, featuring 681 millions!
Rumors around this R600 report a potential memory bandwidth of 512 bits.
With such GPUs, it will be possible to play games at full resolutions and rendering settings on a 30" display.
