MacHELP

Apple has apparently discontinued the G4-based Mac mini, as it is no longer available via the online Apple Store. However, many Apple Retail locations and other resellers (both online and brick-and-mortar) may still have stock on hand for a limited time.

The original G4-based Mac mini was introduced in January 2005.

Apple has released the iPod Hi-Fi, an integrated iPod dock and speaker system. The Hi-Fi features two 80mm speaker drivers and one 120mm woofer, in an enclosure that’s resin-sealed to prevent vibration. It can run off AC or DC power, features an Apple infrared remote control, and measures 17″ x 6.6″ x 6.9″. The iPod Hi-Fi is available immediately for $349.

Apple has released the Intel-based Mac mini systems, available today.

The base model, featuring a 1.5Ghz Intel Core Solo processor, 512M RAM, 60G SATA hard drive, DVD/CDRW “Combo” drive, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth, remote control, OS X 10.4 “Tiger” and Apple Front Row software, is priced at $599. A higher-end model with a 1.67Ghz Intel Core Duo processor, 80G SATA hard drive, and 8x “SuperDrive” DVD burner will sell for $799. The new models now have four USB 2.0 ports, SPDIF and analog audio in/out, and Gigabit Ethernet.

Adobe finally today announced Photoshop Elements 4.0 for the Macintosh. The new version will be available in early March for Mac OS X 10.3 and 10.4 and can be pre-ordered at a cost of $90; however, it will not ship as a Universal Binary due to time constraints.

Equinux has released version 3.0.4 of iSale, their tool for managing eBay auctions. Version 3.0.4 is a Universal Binary (runs on both Intel and PowerPC Macintosh systems) and has been localized into German and French.

The new version also includes more design templates and extends various features like the Amazon and eBay import plug-in, enhanced picture handling and Google Map integration for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Belgium. iSale 3.0.4 is a free upgrade for all iSale 3 customers, and upgrades from previous versions start at $14.90.

Equinux today announced version 4.6 of VPN Tracker, adding support for Intel-based Macintosh systems and compatibility with NetGear FVS338/FVX538 and Linksys BEFVP41 routers and VPN gateways.

The 4.6 update is free for all registered users of VPN Tracker 4.x.

Apple has released the Mac OS X 10.4.5 Update.

This Update is recommended for all users and includes general operating system fixes, as well as specific fixes for the following applications and technologies:

-Address Book, AppleScript, Automator, Dictionary and Font Book

-iCal, iChat, DVD Player, Mail, Preview, Safari and Stickies

-Disk Utility, Keychain Access, Migration Assistant, Software Update

-usability of Dashboard and widgets

-viewing of QuickTime streaming media behind a firewall

-time zone and daylight savings for 2006 and 2007

-RAW camera support, including updated ATI and NVIDIA graphics drivers

-sharing using AFP, SMB/CIFS, NFS and FTP file sharing protocols

-reliable access to Open Directory, LDAP and Active Directory services

-VPN connections to Cisco servers when using NAT

-AirPort and Bluetooth wireless connectivity

-compatibility with third party applications and devices

-previous Mac OS X updates and standalone security updates

Apple has announced that MacBook Pro orders are shipping, with 2.0 or 1.83Ghz Intel Core Duo CPUs replacing the 1.67 or 1.83Ghz models at no additional charge. Customers now also have a 2.1Ghz Intel Core Duo CPU “build-to-order” option available for systems purchased through the Apple Online Store.

Apple has released Logic Pro 7.2, the Universal Binary version of the music software product.

Radical Breeze has announced the release of Footlights 2.0, their video playback and conversion application for Mac OS X. Version 2.0 has a new thumbnail movie view and realtime playback effects. In addition, all features of Footlights 2.0 are now completely free except for video exporting – which can be obtained by upgrading to Footlights Pro for $14.95. The upgrade to Footlights Pro is free for existing Footlights users.

The Darwine Project has released version 0.9.7 with native x86 Mac support. Darwine allows Darwin and Mac OS X users to run Microsoft Windows applications on top of OS X.