It seems a little strange that there has been so much talk in regards to other Apple products, and hardly any mention of Mac OS X 10.9. There have been a few discussions here and there, but not as much as we would have assumed. We recently looked at the updated Mac OS getting Siri, but we now have some more news.

If rumors are true than some of the Mac OS X 10.9 features will include some enhancements, improved speed and far better efficiency thanks to a little help from iOS. Which is a little surreal as some of the team working on Apple’s desktop operating system had to be pulled off because Jony Ive and his team were running behind schedule with the release of iOS 7.

OS X 10.9 will feature various Finder application enhancements, which will include tags and tabbed browsing modes. According to the source, Safari will also be getting some much needed improvements, such as enhanced page loading, increased speed and far better efficiency to the backend.

Previous OS X updates saw overhauled UI, but it seems as though the Mac OS X 10.9 user interface will be subtler, although the use of Siri (if true) could be a reason behind this. Sticking with the iOS theme, there’s a possibility that the new desktop software could borrowing more features from Apple’s mobile OS, such as multitasking, which will be more of a benefit when running several apps.

When will Mac OS X 10.9 release date be? The past two updates were released in the summer, a month after WWDC, so we expect Apple to stick with this release schedule. Although, with some of the team having to work more on iOS 7, OS X 10.9 could see a delay this year.

When Apple first announced Siri we believed that it would be the best thing to come from the company in years, and for the first few weeks it was. However, as time has gone on several issues have arisen, such as the fact that it was seen as a novelty because of its limitations. Thankfully there have been several updates to make this tool even better, and for the most part Apple has been successful, although we hope to see major advancements with iOS 7.

Knowing that Apple is fully behind Siri there has been talk in the past that the service will be making its way to the desktop, and a recent job listing for Siri for Mac OS X 10.9 has reinforced this rumor. Having a personal assistant on an iMac or even a MacBook Air and Pro would be a logical step because the potential would be far greater than it is on an iOS device, although it is far easier to type on a Mac.

In the job listing seen here it’s clear to see that Apple is looking for a Siri UI Engineer and there are several indications that it will be to migrate the service into OS X, so it’s not a question of if it will happen but when.

Several readers have said in the past that Siri would only work on a 2013 iMac because of hardware limitations, but how can this be true if Apple can get Siri to work on iOS devices with less powerful hardware?

There’s also the question if Siri is actually useful at all because as I said above, it’s something that is not used anymore?

Meet the Mac Flashback Trojan that some people confuse as a Mac Virus – most people might like to categorize the Flashback as a virus, although it’s really a Trojan horse and shouldn’t be able to hurt other computers directly but should be taken seriously, especially if you still consider your Mac computer untouchable. While Mac OS X is less of a target when compared to Windows software, it’s also becoming more popular, which means an increase in malware targeting Mac users.

How to check for Flashback Trojan on Mac and ways to remove the infection – some reports claim that over half a million Mac users have been infected by the Flashback Trojan (aka BackDoor.Flashback.39), and the good news is there are ways to check if you have it and also some good sources that show users how to remove the Trojan.

Our recommendation is to skip the tools and first click update within Mac OS X, which should give you an update titled “Java for OS X Lion 2012-002“, although this name would change depending on the software you have installed. Our update was 66MB in size for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 7, which is well worth an install and recommended by Apple (read an article on Apple’s support website), so install that as soon as possible and before looking for system checkers. If you still want to use a tool to check your computer for this Flashback Trojan, then you can do so on Dr Web.

Are you worried about an increase in malware on Mac OS X? You can also read a full guide on how to remove the Flashback malware from OS X here.

Let’s start with a quick recap, firstly you can find out everything you need to know about iOS 5 here, as we predicted the update went live at the time mentioned in this post. Getting the update is simple, you can’t install it over-the-air, so load up iTunes, connect your iDevice and click “Check for Updates”.

As for OS X Lion 10.7.2 this will arrive via Software update, you can find out all about the delightful new features this update will bring here, however with so many different software and hardware configurations out there, don’t be surprised of you experience some teething issues.

We would love this to become the central point for any iOS 5 or Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 update problems, this may allow us to help you fix the issue you encounter, or at least point you in the direction of known problems and potential fixes. So feel free to list any imperfections which you have spotted during the update process, or perhaps post update – remember to list which device you are using.

So far, us and some acquaintances have installed both iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion without any problems, we hope it goes as smoothly for you….

First for owners of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch we have Hyperspace Pinball 1.1 by Gamieon, Inc. The game combines the classic pinball format but with the best from classic arcade shooters all in one app. Players have to try and save the world from invading aliens by using the pinball flippers to destroy them with an alien smashing light ball.

There are twenty levels for players to test themselves with, and Game Center integration included. You will need a steady hand and good aim to defeat the attacking aliens. Users will find three levels of difficulty and great graphics and game play. Hyperspace Pinball 1.1 is available worldwide on the App Store for only $0.99/£0.69.

A game that is available for users of the Mac is Pinball Tristan 1.0, and is another title that has received favorable reviews from users. Available to download via the Mac App Store the game has the retro feel and look of the classic arcade pinball machines. Users are provided with colorful 3D tables that have glittering lights and sounds. It will bring all the excitement of playing pinball to your Mac, and can be played in full screen mode.

There are several game techniques to master such as the nudging function and pass flip. The game is suitable for all ages to enjoy and will have you playing for ages. Hit the Mac App Store for more information and to download.

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood 1.0 that was originally developed by Spellbound Entertainment is now available for OSX Lion. There are versions in English, French, and German as you take on the role of Robin Hood as well as his merry men. Players can also be Friar Tuck, Little John, or Will Scarlet as they take on the infamous Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy Gisbourne.

This is a real time strategy game as you take the battlefield against the likes of nasty Prince John Lackland. During the game you will enjoy the great English landscape of 1190 with massive castles and comical characters.

Your first mission will have you taking control of Robin Hood as you attempt to free your comrades, but you will have to be smart and fast. There are over thirty non-linear missions with five different castles that are visited at night and day times. You will even experience different weather conditions as you take the role of nine characters.

Users can take control of their hero’s sword in battle with an innovative fighting system, and a variety of tactics can be used to gain victory. Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood 1.0 is available worldwide on the Mac App Store for $19.99.

As noted over on the us.battle.net website, all players need for the free-to-play StarCraft II: Starter Edition is a connection to the Internet and a Battle.net account. Those who sign up for the StarCraft II: Starter Edition will be allowed access to the first four missions of the game’s single-player campaign, including Mar Sara 1-3 and a choice of either Dr. Hansen’s first mission or Tychus’s first mission.

It will also provide them with access to the first two Challenge Missions: Covert Ops and Tactical Command and the terran race in Single-Player vs. AI and Custom Games, as well as access to custom maps such as High Orbit, Shattered Temple, Discord IV and Xel’Naga Caverns. Any achievements or campaign progress they earn while playing the Starter Edition will be automatically saved onto their Battle.net account.

This of course means that if players then choose to upgrade to the full version of the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty game, their achievements and progress will carry over. The custom game and multiplayer maps could be cycled from time to time. In addition, Starter Edition players will also be able to view their profile, ladder and achievements pages.

StarCraft II: Starter Edition players will only be able to play up until the 4th campaign mission, and most of the Challenge Missions will be unavailable. They won’t be able to use versus, co-op matchmaking, chat channels, most custom maps and the party system either. Although there are only 4 maps available at this stage, another will be made available soon.

Will you be signing up for the free-to-play StarCraft II: Starter Edition?

From what we can see some people are seeing an error which reads “invalid serial number” when attempting the upgrade to OS X Lion, one Twitter user (see here) suggests that this is a known database problem which Apple is working on, if you are affected you should try again in a few hours. One comment we read says “Anyone else getting “Invalid serial number” when going through the upgrading process at http://www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate?”, since then 19 people have replied, which suggests that it is not an isolated problem and should definitely be something Apple should be taking notice of.

We searched Twitter and Apple Discussions for some sort of official comment on the situation, however we did not find anything, we did spot a pattern and it seems as if people who bought their Macs more recently are more likely to be affected. You can check out a thread which talks about this particular issue over at Apple Discussions, people complaining about the problem reveal that they bought their Macs in June or July of this year. This suggests that Apple needs to update its database with serial numbers of recently sold Macbooks etc, perhaps this will resolve the issue.

We searched Twitter for recent tweets containing the term “serial number” and saw lots of reports of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion upgrade problems, it doesn’t seem to be affecting one particular model, in fact we have seen reports suggesting that the MacBook Pro and standard Macbooks are affected by this annoyance, that said we have seen no reports of iMacs being affected.

If you have experienced a serial number-related problem whilst upgrading to OS X 10.7 Lion we would love to hear from you, therefore feel free to answer any of the following question in the comments section below. What Mac are you trying to update? Did the problem resolve itself over time?

If you remember mid 2009 quite well you may recall that Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard required a Mac which featured an Intel processor, which made it the first OS X version to not support the PowerPC architecture, this is the case with Lion, however it also requires a 64-bit CPU. The good news is that any Mac purchased brand new from 2007 onwards should be compatible, however if you bought your Mac new in 2006, or perhaps purchased a used Mac which was manufactured in this year there are a few things you need to check.

The first thing you should do is to select “About this Mac” from the Apple menu, here processor information is shown. What you are looking for is “Core Duo”, “Solo” or “PowerPC” in the processor’s name, if you see this your Mac is not compatible with OS X 10.7 Lion, however don’t get “Core Duo” and “Core 2 Duo” mixed up as the latter will support the upcoming OS X version. If you see “Xeon”, “Core i3″, “Core i5″ or “Core i7″ your Mac should run Lion.

If you check out Cnet’s article you can see another way of checking to see if your Mac is compatible, this requires you to go into Terminal, enter a certain command and then check your Mac version via what Terminal shows, check out this link for full details.

As you can see the baring factor is whether or not your Mac features a 64-bit CPU, however according to OSXDaily you also need at least 2GB of RAM, OS X 10.6.6 or later, at least 4GB of free disk space (more recommended) and the Mac App Store installed. For those of you who do not have the Mac App Store installed you can find out how to get this here.

You can find out all about Mac OS X 10.7 Lion here, as you can see Apple clearly state that it will arrive in July, this means that at the time of this post it is a maximum of 12 days away, however many experts suggest that it will almost certainly arrive within the week.

Is your Mac incompatible? If so, will you buy a newer model?

Let’s start by saying that when such a substantial update is released there are bound to be some problems affecting a relatively small amount of users, this is exactly what happened with Snow Leopard and most people found that updating printer software and drivers resolved most issues, so this time round don’t worry too much if you printer no loner works after the update as it could be easily resolved.

We have no reason to believe that any printers will suffer problems, however given the fact that HP printers experienced problems last time round we thought that we would try and help you out with ideas for simple fixes rather than you rushing out to buy a new model.

Firstly you may find that if you printer no longer works after installation re-installation of the device may resolve issues, firstly delete the printer by going into System Preferences and then selecting “Print and Fax”, here you will be able to delete the printer, which means that you will be able to re-install it from scratch. Simply unplug the printer and then plug it back in (if USB), you may find that OS X Lion installs your printer automatically, however if it does not or perhaps you have a wireless printer you may want to install the printer using the disc which was provided with the printer. If you find that this either does not fix the printer or perhaps will not run on OS X Lion, don’t worry though as there may be a simple solution.

Many peripheral manufacturers will release new driver downloads and software which makes their existing devices compatible with newly released operating systems, however you must remember that this is not an obligation and it is up to the companies as to whether they do this. If your printer ends up being incompatible it may be worth downloading the latest drivers to try to resolve the issue, the following links will take you to the applicable company’s driver download page (simply enter or find your printer model and then attempt to download the latest drivers). Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark.

If you experience any problems with your peripherals after installing Mac OS X Lion let us know in the comments section below and our writers and readers will do our best to resolve the issue, it will also give us some insight as to which models are incompatible with the Apple’s latest OS X version.