" I have a 15" Macbook Pro Core Duo 2.16 GHz with the Matshita DVD-R UJ-857 drive. I also have a "special" stack of several pristine (no smudges, scratches, or other blemishes) audio CDs that would not mount prior to the superdrive firmware update. Wonder of wonders, they all mount and play fine now.

I did get a curious message from the firmware updater that my drive was not updateable after the reboot.
Did not check my firmware revision prior to the update but it is HAEA now. (Sure it's not "HBEA"?-Mike) The MSHWFimware log is not particularly informative in this regard.
-Chris "

Earlier reports follow.

" I'm using a Macbook Core Duo 2GHz and haven't seen any problems with the optical drive before the update, but I'm sending you the system profiler info on the drive before and after the firmware update
Matshita UJ-857
Firmware version HBE4 before update, HBEA after update.
hope this helps, Jose "

Another reply from a MacBook Pro C2D owner w/Matshita UJ-857D:

" I updated my MacBook Pro 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo with the "superdrive firmware update 2.1". It updated my Matshita DVD-R UJ-857D from firmware KCV9 to KCVB.
The upgrade updated the DVD support from the original "DVD -R, -RW, +RW, +R DL" to "DVD -R, -RW, +R, +RW, +R DL".
Before I had some problems with some DVD+R disks, such as BENQ 4X DVD+R (the problem was mainly reading them). Now, it reads them fine but I am still having problems with windows burned DVD+R disks. Burning speed of a 4X DVD+R media was 2X before the update. Now it is still the same.
Other than that it doesn't seem to have any problems yet.
cheers, Alejandro "

I've created a separate page on this update that includes the above and later feedback.

• Final Cut Pro 6.0.1
• Motion 3.0.1
• Color 1.0.1
• Compressor 3.0.1
• Soundtrack Pro 2.0.1
• Pro Applications Update 2007-01
• About Pro Application Update 2007-01
• Final Cut Pro 6.0.1: Incorrect AVCHD clips may be transferred

(Thanks to Matt for the heads-up.)

" About SuperDrive Firmware Update 2.1
The SuperDrive Update improves readability of certain CD media. The updater application will be installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder. Please follow the instructions in the updater application to complete the update process.

System Requirements:

Mac OS X 10.4.4 or later

MacBook Pro Core Duo (15 -inch 1.83GHz, 2.0GHz, or 2.16GHz)

MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (15 -inch 2.16GHz or 2.33GHz)

MacBook Core Duo (13 -inch 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz)

MacBook Core 2 Duo (13 -inch 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz) "

No details on specific drive model(s) affected and I didn't dig into the pkg for it, but a reader did:

" Looking inside the updater, looks like the updates are:

(LG) HL-DT-ST DVDRW GWA4080MA
AE38 -> AE39

(LG) HL-DT-ST DVDRW GWA-4080MB
BE38 -> BE39

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ857
HAC1 -> HAE4

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ857
HBE4 -> HBEA

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857D
KBV9 -> KBVB

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857D
KCV9 -> KCVB

regards, Andrew "

According to some later feedback, there's also a HAE4 > HAEA Matshita UJ-857 update.
If your drive is updated, let me know the details (brand/model) and if you'd seen any problems previously and any improvements after the update. Thanks. (See above for initial reader feedback.)

" Bought the latest Buffalo N-finiti (WZR2-G300N, $99 at Circuit City), not the dual band one, but the N-version. Web site says it supports Draft N version 2.

I have a mixed network (802.11N and 802.11G clients) with a N-enabled macbook pro and 3 windows notebooks. (Performance (and range) is reduced if any device on the network isn't 802.11N mode-Mike)
I don't have a good test suite but I did go to speakeasy.net and ran their tests (I have comcast cable). After I installed the router I had a really slow connection with my Macbook Pro 802.11n with WPA/TKIP encryption. Speakeasy showed only 650kbps upload and download. I also have an 802.11a access point. When I connected to it I had download of 15-18Mbps and upload of 1.5Mbps.
I switched the encryption on the buffalo tech router to mixed WPA/WPA2 TKIP/AES. This time the speakeasy test using 802.11n matched the 802.11a results of 15-18Mbps download, 1.5Mbps upload.
(2 story house with a basement. Router centrally located in the basement, tests from upstairs bedroom and 1st floor kitchen with consistent results in both locations)
At least I'm matching the 802.11a results.
-Ken S. "

I've added this to the previous catch-all page on 802.11n here.

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Yesterday's news had links to iPhone reviews at WSJ and NYtimes.

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