Late yesterday Apple released an update to its desktop operating system. This update, dubbed OS X Lion 10.7.4, features several minor bug fixes as well as a security update addressing the FileVault password security issue. This issue made users’ passwords vulnerable by storing them in plain text format. Here’s what the update addresses in Applespeak:

The 10.7.4 update is recommended for all OS X Lion users and includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac including fixes that:

For information on the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222.

As always, we recommend you download and install via the combo updater instead of using Apple’s Software Update built into the Lion OS. Sure, it takes a bit longer and is a bit more effort, but in our experience, it usually yields better results.

It didn’t do it as fast as the iTunes store did for IOS apps but still, this milestone is pretty impressive. What am I talking about? Well, according to Apple, its Mac App Store has has now served more than 100 million downloads to eager customers who appreciate not having to buy a boxed product.

”In just three years the App Store changed how people get mobile apps, and now the Mac App Store is changing the traditional PC software industry,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, in a statement. “With more than 100 million downloads in less than a year, the Mac App Store is the largest and fastest growing PC software store in the world.”

See, pretty impressive. With numbers like these you have to wonder what exactly Apple has made from this? Like the iOS store, you can bet the company gets a percentage and, if rumors are to be believed, a pretty decent one.

Not bad Apple, not bad. At least we don’t have to worry about you going out of business like we used to back in the 90s. Let’s keep it that way, okay?

Click through for the full press release from Apple about this milestone.

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Well, that didn’t take very long, did it? Today Apple released an update to its operating system for Macs which brings it to version 10.7.1. The 10.7.1 update is recommended for all users running OS X Lion and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:

• Address an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when playing a video in Safari
• Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out
• Improve the reliability of Wi-Fi connections
• Resolve an issue that prevents transfer of your data, settings, and compatible applications to a new Mac running OS X Lion

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4764.

We’re going to try it right now on a few of The Flickcast’s Macs. We’ll let you know if we run into any issues. Meantime, if you take the plunge, let us know how it goes in the comments.

I don’t know about you out there at other companies but we here at The Flickcast are a diverse group located in several different locations across the U.S., Canada and more. One of the ways we keep in touch and get things done is with the great innovation called Skype.

We’ve been using it for quite some time and are pleased to report that it has been updated to version 5.3 for Mac OS X. The update adds support for Apple’s latest OS X Lion operating system as well as HD video chat. Users will now be able to send and receive HD-quality video using their built-in Mac webcams or other HD-capable cameras external cameras. Nice.

According to Skype, HD will work best for those with internet connections that can maintain at least 1.5Mbps upload/download throughput. So those of you on dialup are out of luck. And really, why are you still on dialup anyway? Time to move on. The software is compatible with with OS X Leopard and later versions of Apple’s OS.

It’s gold baby! That’s right, the next version of Apple’s flagship operating system for Macs has just gone Gold and been seeded to developers.

The next version, known as OS X 10.7 Lion, is now at build number 11A511 and the download is available immediately on Apple’s developer website. Of course, that’s only if you’ve paid your $99.00 to be an Apple OS X developer. If not, no Lion for you — at least not yet.

Due to this being the GM and barring any major glitches with it, we should expect it to be the final version before the update is released in the wild for everyone.

That launch will be sometime next month with the update being available in Apple’s Mac App store. It will cost $29.00, which seems pretty reasonable.

Even if you’re not a professional fim or television editor, you’ve probably heard of Apple’s pro editing software Final Cut Pro. It’s become quite popular with editors over the years and has been used on projects ranging from Cold Mountain to True Grit and The Social Network.

Now, as of yesterday, Apple has released a brand new version of the software, dubbed Final Cut Pro X, to a mixed and often hostile reaction from some users. It is currently available in the company’s Mac App Store and priced at $299.99. The companion Motion and Compressor apps are $49.99 each.

Even though FCP X is a completely new version of the editing app with many improvements, it has still drawn criticism from users for the features and capabilities Apple has seemingly removed including XML support and the lack of backward compatibility with previous versions of the software.

Some of the new features include the Magnetic Timeline, clip connections to link effects/title elements to primary footage, raw video keyword tagging and improved content management tools. In addition, the app is now 64-bit, entirely Cocoa, fully parallel and all-around faster (it now leverages the GPU for effects and can render in the background).

An update to the software offering more of the “pro” features users were hoping for is expected from Apple in the coming months. In the meantime, it might be advisable to wait before upgrading or buying the new software — especially if you’re used to FCP 7 and its features.

Click through for the full press release from Apple. Final Cut Pro X is available now in Apple’s Mac App Store.

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In a move that was somewhat unexpected Apple confirmed today that CEO Steve Jobs will appear in person at the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference next week to unveil Apple’s newest shiny goodness. According to the company, Jobs and other Apple executives will finally unveil iOS 5, the highly anticipated software update iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Among the enhancements expected to be come with iOS 5 are widgets (thank goodness) and a completely revamped notification system. During the event, Apple will also give details on its new iCloud, which is expected to be a suite of cloud-based services including a music streaming service backed by major record labels.

Apple also said it will provide new details surrounding Lion, the eighth major release of the Mac OS X operating system. However, the company made no mention of the highly anticipated iPhone 5 (or other hardware) or if Jobs will talk about it at the event. Perhaps they thought the WWDC Stevenote was already packed enough?

Click through for the full press release from Apple. The WWDC Keynote takes place at 10 AM Pacific on June 6th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco..

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We know, we know, Apple announced all this new cool stuff yesterday. Sadly, we were having some technical problems here at the site yesterday and we didn’t get a chance to bring you the news about what the company announced. So, in the interest of thoroughness, here’s what Apple had to say. Get your credit cards ready.

First up is the new version of Apple’s Mac OS X operating system. This version, known as OS X 10.7 or Lion, sports the following new features and enhancements:

• Multitouch gesture support
• App Store: Mac apps available in a centralized location with a payment system, 1-click purchasing, customer reviews, screenshots, etc
• Launchpad – app home screens for OS X
• Full-screen apps
• Auto-save and auto-resume within apps
• Mission Control: unification of full-screen apps, Expose, Spaces and Dashboard

Lion will launch this coming Summer, though no specific release date was provided. The Mac App Store will be available within 90 days, however, as an addition to Snow Leopard.

Next, let’s turn to Apple’s suite of applications called iLife. As expected, the suite was updated to give us the new iLife ’11.

Here’s the specs:

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