After months in beta, Apple has finally released the OS X 10.8.4 update for Mountain Lion. The OS X update is available now for download via the Mac App Store, and brings major improvements throughout Mountain Lion, including Wi-Fi connectivity and Microsoft Exchange compatibility, Safari bug fixes, a fix for an issue that prevented users from making FaceTime calls to non-U.S. numbers, and other enhancements.

Apple has unveiled their next software update for Mountain Lion, as the OS X 10.8.4 beta has been pushed to developers registered in Apple’s developer program. This developer build is labeled 12E30, and Apple has requested that developers focus on graphics, drivers, Safari, and WiFi.

Apple released OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 on Thursday. I downloaded and installed the update last evening via Software Update, and that went reasonably smoothly except that my first attempt at a (mandatory) restart after the App Store app’s prompt still yielded OS 10.8.2.

Apple has released OS X 10.8.3, the latest update for Mountain Lion, which also includes Safari 6.0.3. In addition to bug and security fixes, it includes the ability to scan an iTunes card using your laptop’s camera instead of manually entering the code.

A friend of mine—a longtime and formerly ultra-enthusiastic Mac fan—recently summed up his frustration with the direction Apple has taken. He still uses Apple computers because, he says, he’s too lazy to learn a new system, but he detests the “ecosystem” model Apple has constructed around the iOS and, increasingly, OS X as well.

One big difference between Mac and Windows users, especially over the past dozen years, has been the proportion of Mac-users willing to (and even enthusiastically) stay upgraded to the latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system. This was true even back in the days when full version upgrades cost $129.95 as opposed to $19.95 for the current cutting edge OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.

Brad Miser’s new “Teach Yourself Visually MacBook Pro” is something a bit different from the mainstream, and in a good way. Instead of following the usual formula of mainly descriptive text supported by screenshots, photos, and graphics, the book’s central theme is its pictorial and graphic material, with just a short, descriptive paragraph or two introducing each topic, then letting the pictures tell the story supported by bulleted point captioning.

With tips on an eclectic array of OS X topics ranging from organizing your workspace to strengthening your computer’s security, Master Your Mac will show you how to tweak, customize, and control your Mac. And since many of the best tools for unlocking your Mac’s potential don’t come with OS X, as noted above, Cone gives you the skinny on the best third-party apps to fix those everyday Apple annoyances and make your computer do things your way.

NetMarketShare’s desktop Operating System Market Share metrics for December 2012 show Windows’ overall market share gaining a quarter point, with OS X and Linux logging modest share losses on the month. Over in the mobile/tablet category, the iOS lost a point in December, despite the successful iPad mini and 4th Generation iPad releases, and iPhone 5 shipment volumes picking up.

If you’re looking for a hard copy manual that covers OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion in depth, Galen Gruman’s latest edition 826-page OS X Mountain Lion Bible is for you. But Mountain Lion Bible isn’t dull reading. A veteran tech journalist and magazine editor, Galen Gruman is a skilled writer who knows how to keep narrative flowing in a way that engages readers.

Apple has released a new developer beta for OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.3 to registered Mac Dev Center members. The new build was identified as 12D43. Apple has stated the new software contains no known issues and is advising developers to focus on AirPlay, AirPort, Game Center, graphics drivers, and Safari.

NetMarketShare’s desktop Operating System Market Share metrics for November 2012 show Windows’ overall market share dropping a fifth of a point despite the Windows 8 launch, with both OS X and Linux logging modest share gains on the month. Over in the Mobile/Tablet category, the iOS gained more than a point in November, presumably on the strength of the successful iPad mini and 4th Generation iPad releases, and iPhone 5 shipment volumes picking up.