Always nice to welcome a new high-end application to Apple's computing platforms, and this one’s going to be highly useful to video and broadcast pros - Autodesk is bringing its high-end finishing product, Smoke 2010, to the Mac for the first time.

Autodesk is this week previewed the Mac OS X version its Smoke finishing and editing system (c.$15,000) to professionals in film and video attending Japan’s InterBEE exhibition this week. It is understood that beta testers had been aware of the newly-revealed Mac support for some time, but had been sworn to secrecy under non-disclosure agreements.

Smoke finishing effects software is a comprehensive creative editorial system. It delivers the visual effects capabilities and high performance.

Apple has updated its Boot Camp drivers, software which enables Intel Macs to boot up into Windows XP and Vista.

Boot Camp users must source their own copy of Microsoft Windows to employ within Boot Camp.

The 23.87MB update doesn’t introduce support for Windows 7, which Apple has promised will be made available to users in a future release. Instead, according to tech notes accompanying the release:

“This update addresses issues with the Apple trackpad and turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used. It also includes support for the Apple Magic mouse and wireless keyboard. It is intended only for use with Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows Vista running on a Mac computer using Boot Camp.”

Requirements

We received word this morning of what could be a brand new phishing attack that’s in circulation at present - an email which purports to relate to a recent Apple retail transaction and asks for details of any recent orders. The email (image above) also carries a stuffed file. This contains an ‘exe’ file which will only launch on a Windows machine, as with all such phishing trips, be advised not to click on any attachments from sources you don’t know/trust.

Google has confirmed its intent to deliver a beta version of its Google Chrome browser for the Mac by the end of the year, and expects to deliver the software in December.

“As I’m sure you know, we generally don’t comment about timelines for releasing specific features or products. But we’ve been quoted a few times saying Chrome for mac should be out by the end of the year,” Google told MG Siegler at TechCrunch.

The company also confirmed the version that ships will be a public beta. This follows numerous recent updates to the developer-only alpha versions of Chrome for Mac, which in their most recent iterations have been pretty much bug-free.

The only major element of the browser that isn’t fully implemented right now appears to be the Bookmark Manager, but the software already imports bookmarks from Safari and Firefox.

In other news from Google, YouTube has announced that from next week it will be adding 1080p support to its video playback options, effectively realising true high-def on its video sharing service.

Slightly eclipsed by the release of 10.6.2, Apple last night also released important security updates for older OS X systems and introduced new software for its newly-introduced Wireless Keyboard.

Wireless Keyboard Update 2.0 requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later to be installed and switches on the special features of the keyboard. It’s a 10.95 download that is available here.

Apple also introduced several flavours of essential security update, with versions available for Server and desktop Macs. Apple advises the new software includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.

The upate addresses 43 specific issues in Mac OS X v10.5.8, 10.6, 10.6.1 and Mac OS X Server v10.6 and 10.6.1, many of which could lead to arbitrary code execution and allow an attacker to take control of a computer.

Apple just released 10.6.2 so go hit that Software Update (unless you are on a Atom-based Netbook that is).  500MB later, how are you rolling?  Snappy™?

Also, Apple released an update for the Apple Wireless keyboards released last month and security updates for older systems.  From Apple's notes:

The 10.6.2 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes for:

We’re quite interested in Lexmark’s new Web-ready printer. The 4.3-inch colour touchscreen it carries, WiFI support and integration with MobileMe, the iPhone and iPod touch alongside the capacity to gather Apple RSS feeds intrigue us.

Interact ($199) is an all-in-one (AIO) inkjet printer, one of eight new wireless AIOs the company announced last month. It prints, faxes and scans, uses Lexmark's new Vizix print and ships with a three-year warranty.

For iPhone/iPod touch photo printing users must download the free LexPrint App from the App Store. Also interesting, MobileMe compatibility means you can access photos stored on the online service directly from the printer, using the touchscreen.

A slight upgrade for music makers out there, Apple has introduced WaveBurner 1.6.1, an update to the component application included within Logic Studio.

The upgrade resolves a number of niggles which had been impacting users of the CD mastering and authoring tool. Musicians use this to produce demo discs, premasters, Red Book–standard CDs, and Disc Description Protocol (DDP) files.

Sundry matters updated within this release include:

Update: Firefox has also (coincidentally?) released their 3.6 beta today.

Verizon FiOS Mac customers might be interested in this one: Verizon is now offering a conduit for your iPhoto and iTunes to work through your FiOS DVR.  You need to have reasonably recent versions of Mac software and a FiOS DVR.  It is sort of like a (more) crippled AppleTV.   Want more information?  The nice young lady below will explain it to you as if you were a two year old:

Verizon doesn't explain whether or not iTunes videos will work, or maybe it did and we couldn't listen to the whole thing.

[Via Engadget]