Development

In OS X, user passwords are encrypted and then are stored in files called "shadow files" which are placed in secure locations on the drive. Based on system permissions, the contents of these files can then only be accessed and modified by the user, or by administrators provided they first give appropriate authentication. This means that only the user can change its password, or if needed, then an administrator can do this by first authenticating.

Unfortunately, recent discoveries have shown that in OS X Lion this security structure is not intact, and any user on the system can … Read more

For many years, the market for personal computing equipment was dominated by the Wintel "duopoly." But no more.

In practice, Wintel wasn't so much two companies scheming together as it was a marriage of convenience pairing two dominant technologies: Microsoft's Windows operating system and Intel's x86 processor family.

It wasn't an exclusive relationship. Microsoft always had Advanced Micro Devices and flirted with chip designs such as MIPS, Alpha, and PowerPC in the early days of Windows NT. And Intel encouraged other operating systems, notably Linux. But the marriage stayed largely intact as the two … Read more

Last week Apple released a security update to address the DigiNotar root certificate vulnerability, but in doing so revealed that the company may no longer support PowerPC-based Macs, at least when it comes to security updates. Unlike previous security updates that have supported Leopard and even Tiger, Apple's latest update requires OS X 10.6 and OS X 10.7, and this means that users running OS X 10.5 will not be able to update their systems.

If you have an early Intel-based Mac that is running Tiger or Leopard, then the only way to ensure you can … Read more

Apple stepped up the development of the upcoming OS X 10.7.2 update and released a new beta build of the OS to developers for testing on Sunday. The main focus of the 10.7.2 update is support for Apple's iCloud service, which is Apple's successor to its MobileMe online services and offers a more "Cloud-based" array of options for syncing documents and online purchases as well as managing their use on multiple devices you own.

Until now Apple's iCloud services have been a separate installation for OS X developers and testers, but with this latest update, Apple has included iCloud built into the OS as MobileMe has been in past versions of OS X, and as iCloud is intended to be in its final release.

The OS X 10.7.2 update is anticipated by many Lion users not only because of iCloud, but also in hopes that it will address some outstanding bugs that have cropped up with the initial 10.7.0 release. These include black screens when waking from sleep and when performing some graphics manipulations, shifting application windows and Finder items, touchy HDMI output when using adapters, and even a potential security flaw with handling LDAP-based authentication on enterprise networks.

Apple did issue a quick 10.7.1 update a few weeks ago that included new video drivers to address some graphics problems in Lion, but this small update was released relatively quickly and was likely already in the works before 10.7.0 was released, to address known problems.

In addition to developing iCloud support in OS X, Apple is also working on implementing support for it in various applications, including its iWork and iLife programs. As a result, when OS X 10.7.2 is released, expect there to be numerous updates available for other programs as well. In all, 10.7.2 will be a significant update that is likely due out any day now, so be sure you maintain a full and restorable backup of your system in anticipation of its release.

Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us! Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.… Read more

The HP TouchPad is now capable of running Android with full use of the touch screen, thanks to the technical team at TouchDroid.

Hard at work porting Android over to HP's discontinued but much-in-demand tablet, the TouchDroid techs were able to create the necessary drivers to coax Android 2.3.5 to run on the TouchPad and let people tap into the touch screen.

Unveiling a video (also seen below) showing off the team's progress, a TouchDroid developer demonstrated how he could fluidly and smoothly tap and move his finger around a TouchPad running Android with no delays or skips. He even demoed Android's multitouch feature, moving five fingers and then ten fingers across the screen.

Though TouchDroid is currently using Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread on its demo tablet, its ultimate goal is to support the current flavor of Honeycomb or even the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich on a TouchPad. The team seems to be making quick progress as a little more than two weeks ago, its developers were still trying to drum up a TouchPad that they could use for testing.… Read more

The battery in the iPad 3 will reportedly be thinner and lighter than the one in the iPad 2, according to a report in Taiwan Economic News, suggesting that the new tablet may also see a thinner, lighter design or other improvements.

Citing "institutional investors" as its sources, the Taiwanese news site reported yesterday that the new battery will not only be thinner and lighter but offer a longer life than the iPad 2's battery. The new battery will also need to meet higher standards for quality and reliability, which means that Apple's cost for it … Read more

Hundreds of Android enthusiasts and developers from around the country are watching the calendar, anxiously awaiting the first weekend of October. The reason? It's not the Nexus Prime and the debut of Ice Cream Sandwich, although that would certainly be welcomed. No, these Android faithful are anticipating the arrival of the second annual Big Android BBQ.

Taking place over three days, the Big Android BBQ has become the unofficial gathering of the Android-loving masses. The event is hosted by multiple Android blogs and developer forums and has garnered sponsorship from the likes of Verizon, Samsung, LG, and Texas Instruments. … Read more

Apparently a major security hole has been found in OS X Lion systems that are set up to accept authentication through LDAP servers, where users may be allowed to log in to the system without providing a password. For networked systems that uses LDAP-based authentication for managing users and restricting network resources, this may be a fairly severe security risk.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a technology that handles access to directory services on a network, with one of its uses being to deploy network user accounts to PCs on a network. The technology is extensively deployed by IT … Read more

Anyone who picked up a $100 HP TouchPad at the recent fire sale may eventually be able to run Android on their new tablet.

The crew at CyanogenMod, which creates customized builds of Android for mobile devices, has succeeded in porting over a version of Android that can run on HP's now discontinued tablet.

An open letter and video from CyanogenMod posted on the RootzWiki Web site yesterday show that developers have so far been able to run a Cyanogenmod version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread on an HP TouchPad.

The video reveals the Android OS booting up and launching into a home screen and then displaying icons for a few apps. Though the developers seem to be making progress, one major feature still missing in action is touch-screen support. In the video, CyanogenMod is controlling the tablet through a remote console.

But the narrator of the CyanogenMod video acknowledges that "these are just the very first steps and there will be more progress soon, I hope."… Read more