Apple just released Aperture 2.0.1,. This is great and all, but is it so hard to tell me exactly what was fixed?! Descriptions like these are so insulting and simply not useful at all:
The Aperture 2.0.1 Update addresses issues related to performance and overall stability. It also fixes a number of other minor issues. The update is recommended for all Aperture 2 users.
Come on Apple, some of us actually care what specific fixes we can expect from upgrading.
Update: Seems I spoke too soon. Apple has now posted a link to the Aperture 2.0.1 Update page, which has a link to page with more details about the changes found on 2.0.1.
The update includes fixes that impact the following areas:
- Upgrading libraries from earlier versions of Aperture
- Publishing .Mac Web Gallery albums
- Preview generation and deletion
- Creating and ordering books
- AppleScript support
- Keyboard shortcut customization
- Appearance of metadata overlays in the Browser, Filmstrip, and on light tables
- Watermarking of emailed photos
- Highlight Hot and Cold Areas
It also fixes a number of other minor issues, some involving the following areas:
- Loupe
- Smart Albums
- All Projects View
- Straighten Tool
- Filmstrip
- Drag and drop import
- Thumbnail generation
- Import window
- Export plug-in reliability
Like many out there I waited it out. I decided I wasn’t jumping in with both feet with a first-rev 10.5 Mac OS, especially since I had already compiled a list of applications, plug-ins and extensions that would not work with Leopard. I had already purchased my copy of Leopard (using my iPhone $100 store credit), so I had to exercise some self-control.
When 10.5.1 came out I was tempted to upgrade, but since the list of programs that I wouldn’t be able to use had not shrunk enough for my taste, I decided to wait a little longer. As I read more about all the problems that were still unresolved with 10.5.1 I decided that 10.5.2 might be a much better time for me to make the transition.
While Apple worked on 10.5.2 third-party developers were going crazy with Leopard updates to their software, and my list of incompatible programs kept shrinking. Finally I was left with just one key application I just couldn’t live without: SuperDuper! But after a new Leopard-compatible version of SuperDuper! came out on 02/05/08, and Mac OS 10.5.2 on 02/11/08, I was all over it. That same night I bit the bullet and upgraded to Leopard. Of course, I did one last SuperDuper! backup before starting the upgrade process…just in case.
It all went without a hitch and after running it for the last 10-days or so I have to say I’m very pleased with it. It does seem to run much smoother than Tiger, and at times it sure feels faster. I’m yet to explore all the new features (spaces, time machine, back to my mac, etc), but I’m really enjoying the snappiness of Mail and Spotlight searches.
Update: I started running out of disk space all of a sudden (after clearing about 8GB of old files and email attachments to give my drive a little breathing room), and noticed that spotlight was busy indexing. It didn’t take long to see the spotlight index was growing out of control, so I had to delete it and let it start over from scratch. I did this by adding my hard drive to Spotlight’s “Privacy” tab, and removing it after a few minutes. I now have 14GB of free space, go figure!
Even though I was dead wrong about its release a the 2008 PMA, it was indeed being “held back” until the release of Mac OS X 10.5.2. Apple released the 10.5.2 last night, and shockingly enough released Aperture 2.0 this morning. Coincidence? I think not!
Aperture 2.0 seems like one solid release that addresses most (if not all) the requests that have been topics of heated debates on the message boards. A true “upgrade” (not a mere “update”), just as promised by Joe Schorr (Sr. Product Manager, Photo Applications at Apple) on his Apple discussion board posting back in 01/30/08. With over 100 (I’m just now reading #5, only 95 more to go!) new features it is sure to not disappoint all those who have been waiting for what seems to be an eternity for this upgrade.
The other great thing about Aperture 2.0 is that Apple has lowered the price by $100 to $199, making this one of the most affordable prosumer applications they offer. Obviously this is meant to make it much more attractive than Adobe’s Lightroom, which still retails for $299.
Those of you out there who recently purchased Aperture 1.5 (between 01/01/08 – 03/14/08) you can upgrade to Aperture 2.0 for only $9.95. I think Apple should make that a free upgrade since you already paid $100 more than the new version costs, but that’s just my opinion.
The 2008 PMA photography show starts tomorrow, January 31st, and seeing I’m so good at predictions (NOT!) here’s what I see happening by tomorrow:
- Mac OS X 10.5.2
- Aperture 2.0 (or at least 1.6)
My reasons for thinking this is happening are simple and obvious, mixed with a whole lotta hope. Here are the facts:
So there you have it. There are some seriously pissed-off Nikon D3/D300 users out there and Apple has been rather mum about the whole thing, suspiciously mum if you ask me. I find it hard to believe that Apple simply doesn’t care, nor do I believe Apple would bother going to the 2008 PMA with nothing new to show.
I’ll be extremely surprised, and disappointed, if neither of my predictions come true by the time the show opens its doors tomorrow morning.
I just received the following instant message from my wife:
Larsen just informed me that he no longer picks his nose. Also, if he accidently picks a booger, he puts it back in his nose. Good grief!!
That’s my boy! 🙂
Came across this while at the Wendy’s website. I’m not a NYC customer, but when you see a button that reads “For NYC Customers” you can’t help but click…right? At any rate, I clicked and…
Special notice to inquiries originating from New York City:
We regret that Wendy’s cannot provide product calorie information to residents or customers in New York City. The New York City Department of Health passed a regulation requiring restaurants that already provide calorie information to post product calories on their menu boards — using the same type size as the product listing.
We fully support the intent of this regulation; however, since most of our food is made-to-order, there isn’t enough room on our existing menu boards to comply with the regulation. We have for years provided complete nutritional information on posters inside the restaurant and on our website. To continue to provide caloric information to residents and customers of our New York City restaurants on our website and on our nutritional posters would subject us to this regulation. As a result, we will no longer provide caloric information to residents and customers of our New York City restaurants.
We regret this inconvenience. If you have questions about this regulation, please contact the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and refer to Health Code Section 81.50.
Wow!
I don’t have any elaborate predictions about new products, so I’ll keep this simple.
Although I think it is highly probable that the rumors of a lightweight (MacBook Air?) are true, I’m more interested in the future of the MacBook Pro line. Yes…small and light portable computing is very cool, and so are fast desktop machines and whatever the new iMac case of the year may be, but what I most care about most is about the power-user laptops.
So here is my prediction:
- New MacBook Pro case design: I mean, it has been WAY too long since the current aluminum design has been around. Not that it needs to change, but this is Apple we are talking about.
- Metal is out: I believe the metal case for the Pro line may be a thing of the past. Metal looks great, but for those who do not baby their laptops this means a dented laptop isn’t a matter of “if” but “when”. I have seen way too many of these aluminum casing laptops dented to the point they will not even properly close. I think some other material (plastic, carbon fiber?) may replace the aluminum as the new shell for the MacBook Pro line. Wouldn’t plastic be better for increased wireless range (think WiFi and Bluetooth)? Wouldn’t plastic handle a bump or a short fall better than metal?
So there you have it. As obvious as prediction #1 is, I’m yet to really read many people even talking about the possible fate of the MacBook Pro line. Is everyone simply focusing on what this new product might be, and 3G iPhones?
I finally got tired of not have any content whatsoever on my personal website. And for those of you keeping track, yes… it has been at least 8-years since my last update. What can I say, it takes quite a bit for me to get “fed up” with anything.
So, in an attempt to make is stupid-easy for me to update whatever content I want to put here I have installed WordPress and turned this pointless website into a pointless blog (one thing at a time, OK?).
Do I expect updates to happen more often? Yes, at least more than ZERO a year (don’t quote me on that). Under-promise and over-deliver. See, I did learn something in the last 8-years!
Does anybody care? Probably not, but I’m so not worried about that. Sometimes one needs an outlet to bitch, rant and/or vent, and in some rare occasion even share something useful with the world. We’ll see how it goes this time around.