A well-timed security update never hurts.

On Wednesday, Apple released its Java 2013-004 update for its Mac OS X 10.7 and 10.8 operating systems. The update, a 64 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Java for OS X 2013-004 supersedes all previous versions of Java for OS X.

- This release updates the Apple-provided system Java SE 6 to version 1.6.0_51 and is for OS X versions 10.7 or later.

- This update uninstalls the Apple-provided Java applet plug-in from all web browsers. To use applets on a web page, click on the region labeled “Missing plug-in” to go download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle.

- This update also removes the Java Preferences application, which is no longer required to configure applet settings.

The Java 2013-004 update requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.7 to install and run. If you’ve installed this new update and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

Never doubt a good update.

On Tuesday, Google released version 27.0.1453.116 of its Chrome web browser. The update, a 50.4 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- [249335] Medium CVE-2013-2866: Clickjacking in the Flash plug-in.

This build also has fixes to the following issues:
- Multiple flash movies on one page not playing [Issue: 243290].

- Arc rendering bug in canvas [Issue: 243996].

- Select box with Multiple option fires Onchange event on scroll [Issue: 244406].

Google Chrome 27.0.1453.116 requires an Intel-based Mac with Mac OS X 10.6 or later to install and run. If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

This might come in handy.

On Tuesday, Apple released Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 16, a security update that stands as a 69.48 megabyte download and offers the following fixes and changes:

- This update enables website-by-website control of the Java plug-in within Safari 5.1.9 or later, and supersedes all previous versions of Java for Mac OS X v10.6.

- This release updates the Apple-provided system Java SE 6 to version 1.6.0_51 for Mac OS X v10.6.

The update requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later to install and run.

The updates can be located, snagged and installed via the Software Update feature built into the Mac OS X operating system.

If you’ve tried the updates and have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

Sometimes the upcoming case designs give it away.

Per AppleInsider and Macotakara, case makers in the Far East have begun to produce accessories they hope will fit a new low-cost iPhone model from Apple, featuring a slightly thicker design and rounded edges.

The appearance of a case alleged to fit a new iPhone would suggest that schematics for such a device, legitimate or not, are in the wild.

The case designed by Japan’s MGM Corp. shows rounded edges, and a slightly thicker frame than the iPhone 5. It includes space for a rear-facing camera with flash, as well as volume buttons and mute switch on the left side.

According to the report, the case for the low-cost iPhone is about 2 millimeters thicker than a similar accessory designed for the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 case also has squared off edges, while the low-cost iPhone case has rounded sides.

Rumors have persisted throughout 2013 that Apple plans to build a new, low-end iPhone model that could be used to target customers who prefer not to sign a new service contract. Currently Apple does not serve the low end of the smartphone market, where the most industry growth is being seen.

In recent weeks, reports have claimed that suppliers are now shipping parts for such a device. One alleged part claimed to show a plastic rear shell with rounded corners allegedly intended for the device.

Market watchers believe Apple could sell a low-cost iPhone for US$399 without negatively affecting the company’s margins. It’s also been suggested the device will be available in an array of colors, taking a cue from the company’s iPod lineup.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

This was a weird thing that popped up, but it’s hard to argue with the Emergency Alert System.

Per The Mac Observer, wireless carrier AT&T began pushing an update to iPhone users over the weekend that adds support for Wireless Emergency Alerts. The WEA system sends text messages to smartphone owners alerting them to physical threats like earthquakes and tornados, man-made disasters, AMBER Alerts, and Presidential alerts.

The update is being pushed to the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5, and doesn’t require any action on the user’s part since it’s delivered over the air. Once installed, alerts will appear as special text messages and are delivered based on your location. For example, if an AMBER alert is issued for a missing child and you’re in the same city, you’ll see the notification.

The update is free, and since it’s a carrier-supplied update, it won’t appear in iOS 6′s built-in Software Update feature.

The Sprint network grows.

And that’s generally not a bad thing.

Per iMore, wireless carrier Sprint has announced a major expansion of its LTE rollout, adding coverage to 22 more cities today, bringing the number of markets with access to Sprint’s high-speed network up to 110. The new cities are as follows according to the company’s press release:
- Baton Rouge, La.

- Centralia, Wash.

- Clarksville, Tenn.

- Corsicana, Texas

- Dalton, Ga.

- Dunn, N.C.

- Fond du Lac, Wis.

- Gainesville, Fla.

- Henderson, N.C.

- Kingsport, Tenn.

- Lansing/East Lansing, Mich.

- Longview, Wash.

- Miami, Fl.

- Napa, Calif.

- New Orleans, La.

- Palatka, Fla.

- Raleigh, N.C.

- Sebring, Fla.

- St. Cloud, Minn.

- St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Mich.

- Tampa, Fla.

- Warsaw, Ind.

An additional 13 cities, including Ann Arbor, Laredo, and Corpus Christi, are scheduled to receive coverage “in the coming months”. Sprint stated that their LTE network would be available to 200 million people by the end of 2013, a number mostly theoretical, as many of them would undoubtedly be customers of Sprints competition. The expansion shows that Sprint is serious about their LTE rollout, no matter who may buy the company.

If you’re in these new expansion areas and have Sprint as your wireless carrier, please let us know about the performance in the comments.

Adobe’s Creative Cloud is now out, in the wild and pretty spiffy.

Per 9to5Mac, Adobe recently introduced big updates and new features to just about every app in the CC suite, including updates to its design apps like Illustrator, a new Kuler iPhone app, revamped web tools such as Dreamweaver and Edge Animate, and updates to just about every other app it makes. On Tuesday, Adobe finally made the massive Creative Cloud update available to all users and is also offering a number of promotional discounts as well.

“We’ve added a ton of new innovation to all our CC desktop apps like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. These apps include new features that increase productivity, streamline the effort to build mobile content and showcase some stunning new imaging and video science. And in addition to the traditional areas of innovation these apps are now connected to the powerful publishing and community features integral to the Creative Cloud experience,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media, Adobe. “And with even more great updates coming to Creative Cloud throughout the year, we can’t wait to see the incredible work our customers are going to deliver.”

Normally US$50/month (US$30 for existing CS customer), you can currently get up to 60% off to upgrade from a Creative Suite product to a Creative Cloud membership with special introductory pricing of US$29.99/month. There’s an additional US$20/month off for signing up for Creative Cloud for Teams.

Adobe is apparently considering the release of a photographer’s bundle, as the company sent out a survey asking users their thoughts on a US$10/per month Photoshop offering or US$30/per month for access to the entire suite. The catch is it would only last for three years with users able to “keep a permanent CS6 copy of either at the end.”

If you’ve tried the new Creative Cloud suite or have any feedback to offer, please let us know in the comments.

Late Thursday, Parallels released version 8.0.18494 of its Parallels Desktop virtualization software. The new update, a 336.4 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Use Parallels Desktop with OS X 10.9 Mavericks Developer Preview (experimental support).

- Work with Parallels Desktop on new MacBooks Air (Mid-2013).

Parallels Desktop 8 retails for US$79.99 and requires a 64-bit Intel-based processor, Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later, 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended to run Windows 7), at least 700 MB of space available on the boot volume for Parallels Desktop installation and 15 GB of available disk space for Windows.

If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, let us know in the comments.

In the wake of the recent “Prism” privacy scandal, wherein technology companies were accused of indiscriminately sharing customer data with government agencies, Apple has recently offered the following response:

“Two weeks ago, when technology companies were accused of indiscriminately sharing customer data with government agencies, Apple issued a clear response: We first heard of the government’s “Prism” program when news organizations asked us about it on June 6. We do not provide any government agency with direct access to our servers, and any government agency requesting customer content must get a court order.

Like several other companies, we have asked the U.S. government for permission to report how many requests we receive related to national security and how we handle them. We have been authorized to share some of that data, and we are providing it here in the interest of transparency.

From December 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, Apple received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data. Between 9,000 and 10,000 accounts or devices were specified in those requests, which came from federal, state and local authorities and included both criminal investigations and national security matters. The most common form of request comes from police investigating robberies and other crimes, searching for missing children, trying to locate a patient with Alzheimer’s disease, or hoping to prevent a suicide.

Regardless of the circumstances, our Legal team conducts an evaluation of each request and, only if appropriate, we retrieve and deliver the narrowest possible set of information to the authorities. In fact, from time to time when we see inconsistencies or inaccuracies in a request, we will refuse to fulfill it.

Apple has always placed a priority on protecting our customers’ personal data, and we don’t collect or maintain a mountain of personal details about our customers in the first place. There are certain categories of information which we do not provide to law enforcement or any other group because we choose not to retain it.

For example, conversations which take place over iMessage and FaceTime are protected by end-to-end encryption so no one but the sender and receiver can see or read them. Apple cannot decrypt that data. Similarly, we do not store data related to customers’ location, Map searches or Siri requests in any identifiable form.

We will continue to work hard to strike the right balance between fulfilling our legal responsibilities and protecting our customers’ privacy as they expect and deserve.”

Stay tuned for additional information as it becomes available.

There shall be additional iPad offerings in the great white north.

Per Engadget, Canadian wireless carriers Rogers and Telus will start selling cellular LTE versions of Apple’s iPad and iPad mini in the near future, while Wind Mobile has already started sales of nano-SIM cards to bring unlocked models of the iPhone 5 to its network.

Both Rogers and Telus made the announcement on Friday in posts to their respective websites, saying that customers will be able to buy the iPad and iPad mini from carrier stores in the “coming weeks.”

The rival companies both have webpages dedicated to the iPad, with information and images mirroring Apple’s own site. Particular plan specifics were not released, but each carrier said it would continue offering no-contract data plans.

As for Wind Mobile, the wireless provider is now selling iPhone 5-compatible nano-SIM cards for US$25, allowing owners of unlocked devices to switch over to the company’s network. Wind is not an official Apple wireless partner, making the move similar to what T-Mobile did in the U.S. when the iPhone 5 first launched in 2012.

The smaller carrier’s network tops out at HSPA+ and does not support LTE, meaning iPhone 5 users will have to decide whether the carrier’s lower priced plans are worth the trade.

If you’re up around Canada and have any feedback to offer on this, please let us know in the comments.