" Apple has distributed via software update a second QuickTime 6 Mpeg-2 playback component. The version is still listed as 6.4 but the info in SW update says:

"This recommended update to the QuickTime 6 MPEG-2 Playback Component restores MPEG-2 playback on affected systems."

It's a fix for the "expiration" problem that people had with the QT playback. (mentioned earlier this week here)
-Josh "

"Just had the 10.3.2 Server update show up in my 'Software Update'. Installed on my Beige G3/300 with XPostFacto 3.0a10 with no problems.
Derek L."

"Security Update 2003-12-19 delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh users.

This update includes the following components:
AFP Server
ASN.1 Decoding for PKI
cd9660.util
Directory Services
fetchmail
fs_usage
rsync
System Initialization

For more information on this update, please visit this website:
http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n61798"

As of appx 9:45 PM Eastern Time (Dec. 19th), that kbase doc hasn't been updated yet for information on this update. (BTW - running repair permissions (from disk utility) showed corrections to the CD9660 files on both machines I updated.)

" 1.03b / 1.04b - 19 December 2003
• Fixed visal glitch with About box
• Added 'carb' resource for GameRanger
• Fixed stability issues when switching maps or loading levels - hopefully for real this time.
• MP app no longer draws the background to the Mac console window improperly on 10.3.x. "

Hi Mike, I've completed testing of the new GigaDesigns Dual processor cards and added them to our benchmarks page
Thanks!
Jamie Dresser
Product Manager & New Product Development
Other World Computing, Inc"

"Hey...
I have a Raid on an Apple supplied Atto UL3D oem scsi board. I Installed the Atto 3.0 driver and the difference is REALLY REALLY noticeable!
I do a lot of pro media and I feel like someone just put a G5 in my 733G4! Ha!
I can't be too scientific because I didn't do a before/after bench test and today I had the most updates in the history of computing (OSX.3.2, QT6.5, etc.!...)
1 example... In Abletons Live audio prog, (which I love but curse every time I use it cause it's not Altiveced and is a cpu hog)
I went from 8 tracks max to 15+!!!! Ooops, maybe it wasn't all their fault?... or their disc access code was less compatible?
(I did do a brief test before my Atto update with Abletons Live earlier after after updating to 10.3.2 and QT 6.5 and the UI etc felt snappier but the track count didn't go up much... Maybe more reboots cleaned up caches, etc? So who really knows where the new speed is really coming from...)

BTW, though Attos readme said I should update the UL3D firmware (but) I cannot because it is an Apple OEM board and does not have a writable firmware chip... (most actually do, but the retail flashers normally won't update an OEM card. the OEM card does not usually have the the ram chips to store parameters that the retail cards have though. The SCSI topics page here has an older article on earlier ATTO OEM card flashing tricks with retail firmware.) I did manage to install the 3.0 driver which was very simple. (Atto is NEVER clear on what works or why with their updates!)
cheers, rrRand"

" Hi Mike, ....feedback on the recent Battery Update from Apple.
I installed all the update for my iBook (12" iBook G4 800) this morning. The iBook was plugged into mains power. When I restarted I unplugged it as I was about to pack it away before heading out for the day. I then got a message stating that the battery was low and I should plug in power. I thought this was rather strange being as it had been plugged in all morning, but it gets even stranger....

So I plug in the power again and it says "3:36 until full", a few minutes later I check again and it says "4:28 until full", mmmm.... strange... I go off to make coffee and return to find it now says "6:57 until full"!!!!

Anyone else have this issue? Is this normal?
Perhaps other users have had this issue since the update?
System Spec:
12" iBook G4 800
256Meg RAM
AirPort Extreme
Mac OS X 10.3.2
-Adman
p.s. It now says "7:24 until full" "

I had another iBook G4 owner (14in model) report very very slow charging after the update - saying it would take appx 5.5hrs at the rate he was seeing.
Update - here's more iBook owner comments on the battery update in reply to the above today:
The author of the iBook G4/800 review here wrote he also saw a similar low battery problem after the update:

" Hi Mike, I thought I'd chime in on the recent reports and updates.
I updated my iBook G4 12" yesterday and also had a weird experience. I updated it on a full charge, plugged in. After rebooting it told me there were only 12 minutes of charge left. (a similar story as the first report above)
I thought I might have been mistaken and the battery might have been lower than I thought, checked the cable of the adaptor etc. After 2 minutes it told me it was going into reserve battery now. I thought, ok, let it drain to 0, then recalibrate it.
it decreased further until 2 minutes remained. stayed there for about 3 hours playing movies until the battery eventually died indeed. clearly this was some kind of bug in the battery and/or the indicator.

Then charged it back up and it said about 1:55 to full charge. This is normal. However, after it got to about 80% charge, things slowed down considerably and the last few percent took about 20 minutes to charge. I assume Apple has changed the charging curve of the battery in order to get more work out of it, since, as I've heard on a TV show recently, the "curve" is vital to how a battery eventually will perform.

The good thing: After having a full charge, I unplugged the machine with the screen set to minimum brightness (not turned off, but one notch above), Airport off and nothing going on and it told me it had a charge of 6 hours and 18 minutes left. That is far more than before the update. With screen on brightest and iTunes playing, I got about 3:48 after the initial calculation. Haven't actually tested it yet though.

Other than that, I sent you an e-mail recently, telling you I'd go to a LAN with the iBook. My experience there was very positive. The iBook is absolutely suitable for playing Quake 3 on an advanced level. No problems with anything but one: Recording a demo while playing in multiplayer caused occasional bad lag spikes for both me and the players playing against me (ie they said I was warping around). Turning that off fixed the problem....
On the 10.3.2 update, I can happily confirm that UT has gotten faster slightly. Haven't tested the other games yet, but I expect an average speed increase of 1-5 FPS, depending on the game and the machine.
G-News "

" I've had no problem with the battery update. But then again, immediately after applying the update, I shut down, booted back up, then calibrated the battery (by running it down).
wayne
(I asked wayne if the charging was slower than previously seen. )
Nope. It fully charged from empty in about 2 hours, which is the same as before the update. "

I'm not sure why some have gotten a low battery warning even though it should have been fully charged (was plugged in all day).

This iBook G3 owner talks about battery life/runtime (not charging rate/time or incorrectly reported low battery after the update)

" I have a 800mHz G3 Dual USB 14.1" iBook and battery life has been an issue ever since the 10.2.7 update. These days I'm lucky to get 3 hours, and it's not an old battery It got a little better with Panther, but I still do not have the 5 hour life I had at 10.2.6 and prior. It makes one wonder if Apple is messing up our batteries with it's changes to the software. If this keeps up, some lawyer will be getting a class-action suit together.
David G. "

Apple wouldn't intentionally do anything like that, but OS X hasn't had a stellar track record for battery runtime from day 1. Over time batteries lose some of their run-time, and usage patterns/settings (energy saver, backlight, HD, etc.) affect runtime also but I'm assuming he's kept the same settings and usage.

I've created a separate page of Battery Update feedback that will be updated with reports from readers.
If any other iBook or PowerBook owners have seen problems with the battery update (or have a suggestion), let me know. (include system/OS details in reports. thanks.)

CDRW Drives:
• IDE Acer CRW1020 (24x20x10) in G4/AGP (OS X 10.3)
  (no native burn support, noted basic function problems after panther update)
  
  Combo DVD+CDR Drives:
• Exp.bay Matshita UJDA750 in Powerbook G3 2000 (OS X 10.3)
  (no native burn support)
• Exp.bay Sony CRX820E in Powerbook G3 2000 (OS 9.2)
  (using modified burn support file)
• IDE LG GCC 4520B (52x24x52x + 16x DVD-ROM) in B&W G3 (OS X 10.3)
  (using burn support mods, no native burn support)
  
  DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
• IDE Pioneer DVR-106 in eMac (OS X 10.3)
• IDE Pioneer DVR-106 in B&W G3 (OS X)
  (native burn support in 10.2.8 and later, FAQ has plugin for 10.2.6.)
  (Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model, Beige G3 MT and B&W G3 Macs)
  
  Hard Drives:
• SCSI Seagate STT336607LW 36GB in B&W G3 (OS 9.2)

You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches). For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)

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