On Tuesday, Apple released Mac OS X 10.4.5, an update to Mac OS X Tiger. Although the update offers a number of fixes for both Power PC and Intel-based Macs, the most noteworthy update is a fix Apple says solves a pesky video problem with its Front Row remote-controlled media software.
In the release notes for the update, Apple says the update "eliminates some potential video redraw issues when using Front Row on Intel-based Macs."
Consumers had complained of "video tearing" in which lines appeared in between graphic images while using Front Row and other applications. Apple said last week it was looking into the issue.
The OS update also fixes a number of other issues, including a bug that prevented streaming media from working properly behind a firewall on the new iMacs. Among the other improvements listed by Apple, Safari no longer quits unexpectedly when deleting America Online mail messages via AOL Webmail.
Apple introduced the Intel-based iMac in January. On Tuesday, the company also announced it had started shipping the MacBook Pro in the US, its first Intel-based laptop.
Analyst Shaw Wu of American Technology Research noted the video fix in a report on Wednesday.
"What caught our attention is that this update fixes the well-publicised video glitch with Front Row software on an (Intel-based) iMac...in line with our expectation that this would be a software fix and not a hardware component problem that many feared would require a recall."
