Ever since a few WoW patches ago, many of us Mac users have been, honestly, suffering with much lower framerates than we should be seeing, given the hardware we're on. Fortunately, it looks like the just-released 10.5.2 system update will give a lot of help in that department, along with many other system fixes. Tipster Jason went from 27.5 FPS to between 45 and 60 FPS on his iMac after installing 10.5.2 and the Leopard Graphics Update (which also just came out today and requires 10.5.2), and our own Adam Holisky went from 30 to 50 FPS on his own first-gen Intel iMac. I didn't have the presence of mind to test my WoW before updating, but it's certainly running silky smooth now on my MacBook Pro. Go now, good Leopard-using readers, and run your Software Updates (always a good idea to back up before major updates, though). Those of you who have updated, are you seeing performance benefits?

The New York Times has an article up about Microsoft's latest attempt at figuring out mashups-- squeezing the data from one piece of software into another, and World of Warcraft gets an interesting mention. Apparently students at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts are working on how to put WoW player data into Facebook accounts.

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I was one of the lucky few that was able to copy my character and log onto the public test realm over the weekend. Playing more than I probably should have, I was able to check out all the new daily quests and snap screenshots of much of the new content. In the midst of my frenzied trek around Outland and the Isle of Quel'danas (the new zone that hosts the upcoming dungeons), I made certain to check out the two new PvP daily quests mentioned in the patch notes. These are not the new Battlegrounds Daily PvP quests that are being introduced with the same patch, but all new quest options for World PvP objectives.

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It was a madhouse this week on the podcast-- not only did we have Marcie Knox and Turpster on with me, but we also had our first guests ever, Johnny and Rob from Unforgotten Realms. Things were crazy, but we did get to talk about:

• Patch 2.4, and our predictions for when it will hit the live realms
• The most exciting parts of the patch notes (can you believe what they did to Old Blanchy's feed pouch?)
• Johnny and Rob were able to set the record straight on their roleplaying guild on Sentinels (and I stand corrected-- they are absolutely not "anti-RP")
• And if you are a raider, you'll love this week's show-- both Rob and Marcie let loose on exactly what they think about the high-end game


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var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Weighted_companion_cube_comes_to_WoW'; Here's a little something to brighten up your Monday. Sharp-eyed tipster Aikiwoce spotted this dead ringer for a certain object that rhymes with "freighted D'Artagnan noob" outside the Stormwind gates, presumably as part of the "Love Is in the Air" holiday that kicked off today. I love Blizzard and their cultural references. Has anyone else seen something interesting?

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Sure, there's a new zone, including a 5-man dungeon, a raid, and a truckload of loot in patch 2.4. But what about the important stuff? It turns out we're in for a few UI changes as well. Every time Blizzard improves their interface it builds my admiration for them more, because the truth is they don't have to -- we have some fantastic Add-On developers in the community. However, incorporating must-have changes into the default UI is good for all players, and I'm glad they do it.

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We've written about Totemus before here on WoW Insider-- even though it does a lot more than just time your totems as a Shaman, that's mainly what I used it for. Not only did it provide me with a visual representation of what my current totem situation was like, it also gave me a heads up whenever my totems were failing, reminding me to put them down again. But of course since that's mostly what I used it for, I may not have a need for it after patch 2.4-- along with the other UI changes, Blizzard is going to be putting a totem timer into the default UI.

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Blizzcon isn't the only Blizzard event where you can catch the latest from the studio that brought us the Warcraft and Starcraft games. Blizzard has just announced that tickets will soon be available for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational.

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Yes indeed, odds are that if you talked to a Shaman this weekend about patch 2.4, you got pretty much the same feeling that the video above conveys: Shamans, especially enhancement Shamans, aren't really thrilled about what we got out of the patch. We've been hoping for (finally) buffs, including an update on how Blizzard is going to deal with our totem and mana problems. We were hoping for shields to get reinvigorated and redesigned. We were hoping to see big changes to the class, and instead we got... a new Stormstrike icon, and a totem timer?

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Have you ever wondered what to do with your spare battleground marks? You've got all the PvP mounts and are well stocked up on potions. It looks like in patch 2.4 you will be able tot urn them in for honor. Our friends at MMO Champion posted a screenshot of the new repeatable battleground quest. To complete the quest, just bring the quest a mark of honor from each of the four battlegrounds and they hand you honor. The first time you complete the quest you also get about twelve gold along with the honor. Each subsequent turn-in is worth 319 honor, no gold.

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The patch notes for World of Warcraft's PTR 2.4 were released a few days ago, but let's not forget the patch is still under development. As with any patch still under development, there are still a few bugs to squash out of the system.

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With patch 2.4, there's a lot of eager eyes cast towards the Isle of Quel'danas and the Sunwell. But what about elsewhere? Silvermoon City is not the only place to see some big shakeups. There's a new flavor to Shattrath City as well, as the Aldor and the Scryer begin to work together to take down Kil'jaedan the Deceiver.

A lot of familiar faces, as promised, have shed their former Aldor and Scryer ties to join the Shattered Sun Offensive, and it's bought some new activity to the capital of Outland that you'll want to check out before you go running back to Azeroth to look for a Magister's Terrace group.

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If you, like me, are willing to spoil the living heck out of patches before they drop, just generally like watching boss fights to try and work out what they're doing, or are in any way intrigued by a dragon hitting a bear in the face, this is the video for you.

Without spoiling, all I can really say is it looks like a really interesting fight, and the lore nerd in me is itching to see how this inclusion of out-game media (the Sunwell Trilogy manga) into WoW proper will continue once things like the movie hit. Will we see characters from the comic book?

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Perhaps one of the biggest challenges of being a gamer girl is learning to deal with rampant sexism, without becoming defensive. Just like racism, sexism should not be tolerated, but how do you address it without making the problem worse? Smurphy from Burning Blade brought this up in the forums. Nethaera's response was to shut the thread down before a dialog could really begin on the subject.

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var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/No_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King_until_July_at_least'; Blizzard today announced their fourth annual Worldwide Invitational tournament, featuring competition in all their current major games: Warcraft III, Starcraft, and of course WoW. It'll be held in Paris on June 28th and 29th. This is the first European engagement for the ongoing series. There will also be the usual excitement for a Blizz even, including developer panels, music, and "hands-on play" of both Starcraft II and Wrath of the Lich King.

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Citigroup analyst Brent Thrill has predicted a bright future if the Activision/Vivendi merger pushes through.

Thrill has estimated that the merged company has the potential of earning as much as US 1.39 billion in 2009, a full 15 ahead of guidance figures.

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Whether it's through donations of money or items, taking to the streets with your running shoes, shaving off your hair, or purchasing items at a markup or from fair trade companies, almost everyone contributes to charities in one way or another.

Here at WoW Insider, we like to highlight the efforts of gamers everywhere who choose to support their charities in creative new ways, allowing them to reach out to the gaming community to engender participation.

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Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership.

The past 12 months have been some of the toughest for raiding guilds since WoW went live. When The Burning Crusade launched, the PvE path was riddled with speed bumps: lengthy, complex attunements; massive consumables requirements; subpar loot rewards; fast, punishing trash respawns; luck-based encounters . . . I could go on and on. In comparison, the PvP path was smooth sailing: get your 10 Arena games in and you'll eventually get all the loot you want with no additional farming to cover consumables or repair costs. Run the battlegrounds for the other slots at your leisure and convenience. As a result, raiding guilds have taken a beating as more and more players have thrown in the towel. Gradually, Blizzard has undone most of those speed bumps (while making some of the top-end PvP a little more exclusive). Now, in patch 2.4, it looks like they're really getting serious about bringing guilds back into the 25-player dungeons. They're increasing the amount of gold and loot tokens bosses drop and lifting the attunements for Mount Hyjal and Black Temple. If that wasn't enough, they're also bringing Heroic badge rewards up to par with Black Temple/Season 3 Arena gear.

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Valentine's Day is coming on February 14th, and I'm in the mood for love -- machinima love, that is! Over the next few days, I'll be showcasing Valentines and love-themed machinima. If you've created a video ode to that special NPC in your life, let us know!

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We've know for a while thanks to screenshots and data from World of Raids that M'uru was the long-expected Dark Naaru boss of the Sunwell. As a lore fanatic and Blood Elf fan, I wondered how they'd explain his disappearance from Silvermoon and his reappearance at the Sunwell, so when tipster James let me know something was up in Silvermoon on the test server, I had to head out immediately and see for myself. He was right: M'uru is no longer in the not-so-secret chamber below the Paladin's guild headquarters in Farstrider Square in Silvermoon City, nor is Lady Liadrin, the founder and matriarch of the order.

Instead, I found the Blood Elf Magisters who had formerly contained the Naaru kneeling or sitting on the floor, or standing in a woozy, stunned daze. Magister Astalor Bloodsworn was the only one who talked, cursing Kael'thas and his Felblood troops for stealing away M'uru, and saying that Lady Liadrin had gone to look for a new source of power for the order.

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After a wild night of server issues, I decided to log onto my account page and try to copy my warrior over to the PvE test server. Lo-and-behold, after a few tries, the copy request went through! Horray!

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Player Rainheart of the Khadgar server sends in this harrowing screenshot. It is the faction vendors on Sunwell Isle on the European Public Test Realm. Although level 1 Blood Elf Priests can make it to the L70 island, they can't seem stay alive long enough to enjoy it.

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It's that time of year again: Love is in the Air in the capital cities of Azeroth. From now until the 15th, that sweet and sinister holiday where you show your affection to your fellow citizens and your faction leaders is upon us. Be sure to visit your local Innkeeper for a supply of perfume, cologne, and Love Tokens, and see if you can finally capture Qwee Q. Peddlefeet this year, or at least get that dress you've always wanted.

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Blizzard Community Manager Tyren for MMORPG World of Warcraft has posted an update over at the game's official forum site regarding the character copy feature for the Public Test Realms or PTR.

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The world server is apparently going up and down, and many servers are experiencing connectivity issues. Blizzard lists the realms that are not working well at the start up screen. But as I'm finding out over on Anvilmar, the problem has spread there too.

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