Apple releases OS X 10.6.6, Remote Desktop updates

Apple has released OS X 10.6.6, which is the update for OS X that brings the widely anticipated Mac App Store to OS X users. The update primarily adds support for the store, but also includes a number of security and stability fixes for OS X.

Mac App Store support now allows for the following features (See this recent CNET story for more information on the new Mac App Store):

• Discover Mac apps: Browse featured apps, top charts, and categories, or search for something specific. Read detailed app descriptions and user reviews, and flip through screenshots.

• Buy and install: Easily purchase apps with your iTunes account. Apps install in one step and are quickly available from the Dock.

• App updates: The Mac App Store keeps track of all your purchased apps and notifies you when free updates are available.

The update is available via Software Update for users with OS X 10.6 installed, and can also be downloaded as a delta or combo updater from the following pages:

Mac OS X v10.6.6 Update Delta (143.59MB)
SHA-= 299d22132bebdab229be531e169d65a88f4736c9

Mac OS X v10.6.6 Update Combo (1.06GB)
SHA-= 868768cbc88db1895161f74030e98e8ce2303151

Mac OS X v10.6.6 Server Update Delta (143.5MB)
SHA1= 2f202fcbe27fa54ddd2fb8aaa5b4aa9b055301e2

Mac OS X v10.6.6 Server Update Combo (1.15GB)
SHA1= 3d051d91a8ffe4d25b95378eb7385e94a64fc71c

A version 10.6.6 of Mac OS X Server is also available, which, in addition to the fixes and enhancements in the client version, addresses a DNS resolution issue.

As always, be sure to fully back up your system before applying this update. Use either a system-cloning tool or Time Machine and make a full restorable backup before applying the update.

We also recommend you follow our guidelines for preparing for an OS update to ensure the update goes as smoothly as possible.

If you have problems with the updater not opening or acting oddly, Apple is including SHA checksums with all updaters. To verify the checksum, open the Terminal, type "shasum" followed by a single space, drag the downloaded update DMG file to the Terminal window, and press Enter. The SHA checksum will be calculated for the file and you can compare it with the ones provided by Apple.

In addition to the OS X update, Apple has released an update for its Remote Desktop software, bringing the latest version to version 3.4. The update is released to address software update compatibility with the newly released OS X 10.6.6 and its new Mac App Store. The update should be available via Software Update, but is also available as a standalone downloader from the following locations:

Apple Remote Desktop 3.4 Client (4.25MB)

Apple Remote Desktop Dashboard Widget (1.31MB)

Apple Remote Desktop 3.4 Admin (53.13MB)

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