In short: Apple TV, Mac OS X 10.4.9, AirPort Extreme update

Apple TV processing

Apple on Monday evening began charging the credit cards of some of its online store customers who had placed pre-ordered for its $299 Apple TV wireless media hub back in January.

The move is typically a telltale sign that product shipments are about to commence. It also offers corroborative evidence to an exclusive report from AppleInsider published Monday, which noted that manufacturing ramp of the set-top boxes would begin this week.

Although it has begun to charge customers for Apple TV orders, Apple has not yet updated ship and arrival estimates associated with those orders. As of Tuesday morning, early adopters of the device were still quoted a ship estimate "by March 20th" with arrival "by March 23rd."

Mac OS X 10.4.9

Meanwhile, yet another pair of Mac OS X 10.4.9 builds trickled their way down to developers' hands on Friday.

The new pre-releases, recognized around the web as Mac OS X 10.4.9 build 8135 (PowerPC) and 8P2137 (Intel), are reportedly hindered by just a single known issue related to reappearing updates in the system's Software Update technology.

Those people familiar with the distributions claim the latest seeds also include a couple of additional bug fixes related to Sync Services and Keychain, and the .Mac preference pane.

AirPort Extreme Update 2007-002

Apple on Thursday made available for download a 6.5MB AirPort Extreme Update 2007-002 that is recommended for all Intel-based Macintosh computers and improves compatibility with AirPort Extreme base stations and networks.

The company said the update includes all the content from the AirPort Extreme Update 2007-001 and also addresses a security issue that could potentially allow attackers on the wireless network to cause system crashes.

In addition, the update improves compatibility for the MacBook Core 2 Duo and the MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo when using certain third-party access points configured to use WEP Open System security.