Some users who are trying to install OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 or iTunes 12.2 have discovered the Mac App Store will freeze, with an endless spinning wait cursor and the updates never showing up. Investigating further reveals that a process called ‘softwareupdated’ simultaneously goes haywire and consumes 99% CPU for an indeterminate amount of time if left unattended. If you encounter either of these issues when trying to install the aforementioned updates, there are several possible resolutions to this, but you’ll have to temporarily circumvent the App Store in either case.

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Mac users on OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 and OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 will find two important software updates available to them, labeled as Security Update 2015-005 and Mac EFI Security Update 2015-001. The updates include patches and fixes to significant potential security issues and are therefore recommended for all Mac users running Mavericks and Mountain Lion to install. For Macs running Yosemite, the OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 update includes the same set of security fixes, and a separate update is not required.

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iTunes 12.2 is available to download for Mac OS X and Windows users. The update predominately focuses on the inclusion of the Apple Music service and the Beats 1 Radio station, and arrives separately from the freshly released OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 update and iOS 8.4.

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Jailbreak fans who updated to iOS 8.4 may be excited to learn that TaiG has released an updated version of their jailbreaking app to work with the latest version of iOS for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Apple has released OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 for Mac users, the update offers significant bug fixes and improvements to Mac OS X and is recommended for all users running OS X Yosemite to install.

One of the most notable bug fixes with OS X 10.10.4 is the removal of the ‘discoveryd’ networking process in favor of a return to ‘mDNSResponder’, which aims to improve the the performance, reliability, and stability of networking components in OS X for Wi-Fi and local networking. Additionally, OS X 10.10.4 includes updates and bug fixes for Photos app and iCloud Photo Library, and several other smaller changes as well. The complete release notes for OS X 10.10.4 are included below.

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Apple has released iOS 8.4 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. The version most prominently features the inclusion of a redesigned Music app with the Apple Music service, a streaming music and radio feature with a separate monthly fee. iOS 8.4 also includes a few minor bug fixes and improvements to iBooks and the operating system itself, complete release notes for iOS 8.4 are repeated below.

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The Apple Watch allows apps to be installed onto the device, but unlike the iPhone, iPad, or Mac, there isn’t really an App Store specific to Apple Watch with the traditional ‘get’ and ‘buy’ download buttons. Instead, installing apps onto Apple Watch is handled through the paired iPhone, which makes sense given that most Apple Watch apps rely on data and connectivity through the paired device.

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The modern versions of Mac Mail app support an easy to use image and PDF annotation feature called MarkUp. MarkUp allows users to quickly perform annotation tasks like drawing on an image, adding a note, or even adding a signature, it’s essentially the Preview apps editing tools suite but available instantly in Mail for Mac OS X, meaning you won’t have to leave the app and re-save a document to use it.

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This weeks featured Mac office setup is the triple-display workstation of a Software Development Manager Craig H.

Let’s dive right in to learn more about the hardware and apps put to use:
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Apple has started production of the next generation iPhone models which are to be equipped with Force Touch screen features, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Force Touch is able to detect differences in the amount of pressure placed on the display, offering different interactions as a result.

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Updating an Apple Watch to a new version of watchOS is very easy, but if you’ve never done it before you may find it to be different from other Apple devices like updating iOS and Mac OS. The primary difference is that updating WatchOS is not done on the Apple Watch itself, instead, it’s started on the iPhone that the Apple Watch is paired with. Beyond that, it’s incredibly simple and you should find it familiar.

Like all other hardware, maintaining updated system software is recommended to maintain new features, optimal performance, and stability, so let’s learn how to download and install updates to Apple Watch.

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Apple has added two new videos to their “Shot on iPhone 6” marketing campaign, both featuring movies which utilize the slow motion capture ability of the iPhone camera.

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Many people and professions rely on week numbers to plan events and schedule their time, particularly on a longer term yearly basis. By default, the iOS Calendar app does not show week numbers, but a simple settings change can make it so week numbers appear in the Calendar app of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Kernel extensions, called kext for short, are modules of code that are loaded directly into the kernel space of Mac OS X, able to run at a low-level to perform a variety of tasks. Most kexts are part of the core Mac OS X system software, typically hardware device drivers, but some third party apps will install a kext as well.

Sometimes, advanced Mac users and systems administrators may need to manually load or unload a kernel extension. Because kernel extensions are often critical components of MacOS, this is only appropriate for users who have a specific reason to be modifying whether a kext is loaded or unloaded into the MacOS X kernel space. Inappropriate modification of kext behavior can render Mac hardware useless or inaccessible, and can also prevent Mac OS X from functioning at all, so do not attempt to change any kernel extension without a compelling reason and understanding of what it’s usage is.

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One of the more interesting health features on Apple Watch is the ability to measure the wearers pulse as a heart rate in beats per minute, which you can see directly on the Watch itself, and also graphed over time on the iPhone through Health app. Monitoring heart rate is a pretty neat feature for fitness buffs obviously, but it’s valuable for really anyone who is health conscious too. You’ll also discover that measuring heart rate can offer some insights into how your lifestyle, diet, and behavior impacts your body in ways you may not have known before.

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Apple has released the second developer beta version of OS X El Capitan 10.11 to Mac users who are part of the registered Apple Developer program.

The updated build arrives as 15A204h and is officially labeled as OS X El Captain Developer Beta 2 1.0, separately, a second beta version of OS X Server 5.0 is also available.
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A group of Chinese developers known as “TaiG” has released a jailbreak for iOS 8.3. The jailbreak is untethered, meaning it can boot and reboot freely without the assistance of a computer, and installs on any iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad which is running iOS 8.3.

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Apple has released the second beta version of iOS 9 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. The new beta build is 13A4280e and can be downloaded as firmware through the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update on a device currently running the prior iOS 9 beta through Settings > Software Update.

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