It comes as no surprise that a healthy percentage of Apple consumers buy the products for the way they look. But for those of you less interested in the sleek white boxes and black rectangles, and more interested in the software, then perhaps the Psystar Open Computer is the way to go.
The Psystar computer (which looks like a pretty generic tower) comes installed with Apple's Mac OS X Leopard and functions exactly how you'd expect an Apple to function, but for hundreds of dollars less. In Monday's Daily Debrief, my first question for CNET News.com reporter Tom Krazit was how has Apple not caught on to the small, Florida-based company that's finding ways to get around the licensing agreements. And that's exactly why. They're small and they haven't sold enough machines to waken the sleeping giant. Not yet, at least!
Google's Vidnik lets users take videos, trim them, and upload them to YouTube.
(Credit: Google)Google has released basic software called Vidnik that lets Mac OS X users record video with a Webcam or built-in camera, trim its length, add tags and a title, then upload it to YouTube.
The software also can be used to upload other videos to the company's video-sharing site, and other editing software can be used on the videos taken by Vidnik, David Phillip Oster of Google's Mac team said in a blog posting.
The software is among a host of Mac applications the company has produced. (Another interesting one is Visigami, which lets people search for images on Flickr, Picasa, and Google Images and use the results as an animated screensaver.)
Google has an increasing stable of software that runs on people's computers--Google Desktop is one good example--and is working on mobile phone applications, too, through its Android project. But don't be confused by all this attention to what's known as client software: the company's higher priority is to make the Internet the application foundation of choice.
Linus Torvalds woke up on Mars today (or maybe it was Oz), and had this to say about Windows Vista and Apple's OS X:
I don't think they're equally flawed. I think Leopard is a much better system. On the other hand, (I've found) OS X in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for. Their file system is complete and utter crap, which is scary. I think OS X is nicer than Windows in many ways, but neither can hold a candle to my own (Linux). It's a race to second place.
I guess when you're famous you can say inane things and get away with it. Yes, Linux does some things better than Mac OS X and Microsoft's Windows Vista on the desktop (security, maybe), but let's be honest: the Linux desktop is "utter crap" compared to either OS X or Windows when it comes to the thing that matters most: usability.
If normal people can't use it, it just doesn't matter how beautifully architected it is. Sorry, Linus. Everyone has to be wrong sometimes. This is your turn to shine.
That said, I found his comments on whether Google is a good open-source citizen much more illuminating:
... Read moreIf what The Register writes is even remotely true, the writing is on the wall for Microsoft's desktop dominance. What does it say? "Game over."
The Register is reporting that Apple may be coding Leopard to run Windows applications natively (meaning, no need for Parallels, Boot Camp, etc.). It's a wild guess at this point, but the clues are there:
Leopard's PE (Portable Executable--a way of encoding executable files) support was uncovered by one Stephen Edwards, who'd been working with Wine, the open source version of the Windows application programming interface (API). He found that Leopard's Dynamic Linker (Dyld) will try to load a PE file. Soon after, Leopard's hunt for DLLs referenced by the PE file appeared as further evidence that the presence of PE support may not simply be a hang over from Apple's use of the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI).... Read more
Apple on Monday released QuickTime version 7.3, addressing seven security vulnerablities for QuickTime 7.2 and earlier. Some of the flaws are serious and can be exploited by luring a victim to a Web site that contains a malicious crafted image or movie. The patches include both Mac OS X and Windows. A month ago, Apple patched another serious flaw within QuickTime for Windows. The latest version is available through the built-in software update feature of QuickTime or from the Apple Downloads site.
QuickTime (image description)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-2395. According to Apple, "a memory corruption issue exists in QuickTime's handling of image description atoms. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted movie file, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." Viewing a maliciously crafted movie file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." Apple credits Dylan Ashe of Adobe Systems for reporting this vulnerability.
QuickTime (Sample Table Sample Descriptor (STSD) )
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-3750. Apple says "a heap buffer overflow exists in QuickTime Player's handling of Sample Table Sample Descriptor (STSD) atoms. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted movie file, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." Viewing a maliciously crafted movie file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Apple credits Tobias Klein of www.trapkit.de for reporting this vulnerability.
QuickTime (Java)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-3751. According to Apple, "multiple vulnerabilities exist in QuickTime for Java, which may allow untrusted Java applets to obtain elevated privileges. By enticing a user to visit a Web page containing a maliciously crafted Java applet, an attacker may cause the disclosure of sensitive information and arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges." Untrusted Java applets may obtain elevated privileges. Apple credits Adam Gowdiak for reporting this issue.
QuickTime (PICT image processing I)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-4672. Apple says "a stack buffer overflow exists in PICT image processing. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted image, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." A user opening a maliciously crafted PICT image may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Apple credits Ruben Santamarta of ReverseMode.com working with TippingPoint and the Zero Day Initiative for reporting this issue.
QuickTime (PICT image processing II)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-4676. According to Apple "a heap buffer overflow exists in PICT image processing. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted image, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." A user opening a maliciously crafted PICT image may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Apple credits Ruben Santamarta of ReverseMode.com working with TippingPoint and the Zero Day Initiative for reporting this issue.
QuickTime (QTVR)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-4675. Apple says "a heap buffer overflow exists in QuickTime's handling of panorama sample atoms in QTVR (QuickTime Virtual Reality) movie files. By enticing a user to view a maliciously crafted QTVR file, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." Viewing a maliciously crafted QTVR movie file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. Apple credits Mario Ballano from 48Bits.com working with the VeriSign iDefense VCP for reporting this issue.
QuickTime (color table)
This patch affects users of QuickTime 7.2 on Mac OS X v10.3.9, Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later, Mac OS X v10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP2, and addresses the vulnerability in CVE-2007-4677. According to Apple, "a heap buffer overflow exists in the parsing of the color table atom when opening a movie file. By enticing a user to open a maliciously crafted movie file, an attacker may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." Apple credits Ruben Santamarta of ReverseMode.com and Mario Ballano of 48Bits.com working with TippingPoint and the Zero Day Initiative for reporting this issue.
Leopard is Apple's best-looking operating system yet, from its breezy Cover Flow file browsing to the starry-looking Time Machine backup. It's no wonder visual artists love Macs.
But how well does Leopard work for blind users?
"[Vision-impaired] people who use Macs are mostly in the category of, "My boss says we have to use Macs," or "I'm a teacher and that's what I'm stuck with,"" said Crista Earl, director of Web operations at the American Foundation for the Blind.
Among 10 million visually impaired people in the United States, at least 1.5 million use computers, according to the American Foundation for the Blind. To serve this population, Windows machines have traditionally offered more baked-in features and compatibility with third-party software and devices than Macs.
Earl, who is blind, only uses computers running Microsoft Windows. She edits documents in braille and relies upon a screen-reader application to "read" text and links aloud in Internet Explorer and other programs.
However, to serve users such as Earl, Apple has made 17 Universal Access enhancements within Leopard.
Leopard is the first operating system that can be installed using a braille display. It also supports the forms of braille used both for reading and editing. There are enhancements to the VoiceOver tool, which reads aloud text on a page in a male or female voice. Users can now move VoiceOver's preferences from one Mac to another, so they don't have to waste time configuring each new machine. In addition, VoiceOver can recognize misspelled words and jump to chunks of a Web page instead of forcing a user to wait while it reads one word at a time.
Earl said these changes are a step in the right direction, and she hopes to check them out on a friend's Mac. Mac OS X also offers some advantages over Windows for people with limited vision, such as the capability to display the screen in black and white.
"I don't mean I'd give up my Windows computer," she said. "I have work to do. It's gonna take a lot from the last time I saw VoiceOver."
Accessibility features from any vendor are usually more frustrating to use than advertised, Earl added. Part of the problem is that instead of integrating essential tools within their operating systems, Microsoft and Apple have left it up to third parties to fill in the gaps with extra, paid software.
For example, the screen readers within Windows and Mac OS X pale next to applications like JAWS or Window-Eyes. Earl wonders why the tech giants don't just buy one of the better tools, then weave it into their operating systems.
"One of the reasons things haven't gotten very far is that the companies making screen readers are constantly fighting the next battle," Earl said.
Blame the ever-evolving nature of Web site designs. Once screen-reader makers figured out how to make Adobe Acrobat accessible, for instance, Adobe Flash rendered Web pages mute to blind users. Now that more Flash sites work with screen readers, the AJAX coding of the Web 2.0 era poses new challenges.
Both the challenges in making accessibility tools and the market for them are poised to expand. More young people are suffering repetitive stress disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, while aging Baby Boomers grapple with diminished vision, hearing, and mobility.
People whose hands and arms suffer keyboard fatigue, or worse, can use speech-to-text software that types what they speak. For them, Windows builds in voice-activated dictation and commands. Leopard enables voice-activated commands only. The rich Dragon NaturallySpeaking from Nuance runs only on Windows. For Macs, the equivalent ViaVoice (or iListen, which I haven't tested) are considered less robust.
I find each of these dictation applications awkward to use. Just spend an hour with one for a few laughs as it garbles your speech.
Nevertheless, hardware and software manufacturers appear to be paying more attention to the needs of an affluent, aging population.
"A newcomer to visual impairment tends to expect, rightly, for things to be a whole lot easier than they are," Earl said. "That pressure of lots of disappointed users might make things better for everybody."
Leopard--the future of the OS market.
(Credit: CNET Networks)As many of you are aware, I think Windows Vista is a blunder. And with its annoying UAC system and horrifically slow operation, it won't take long before the majority of home users agree with me. If the recent figures showing Mac OS X is already gaining market share is any indication of the future, look for Leopard to outsell Vista by a staggering margin.
Simply put, Mac OS X Leopard is one of the most significant operating system achievements we have witnessed in years. Not only does it add functionality that Microsoft could only have dreamed of, it does so in a snappy environment that doesn't annoy you with pop-ups asking for permission or all of those security threats we have come to know (and hate) in Windows.
But my belief that Vista will soon bow to Leopard goes far beyond the operating system itself. In fact, the major reason Vista will succumb to Mac OS X has little to do with Apple, but quite a bit to do with Microsoft's current focus. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, one thing is abundantly clear: Microsoft fears Google and is doing everything it can to become the Google slayer instead of competing in its core business--software.
The company is on a slippery slope, and to be quite honest, I don't think it can get off too easily.
... Read moreDon Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
Over the course of this weekend, I will be covering just about everything you ever wanted to know about Leopard. From its installation (this post) through my final impressions, this weekend will be dedicated to all things Leopard here on the Digital Home. So without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy some Leopard.
As I write this, I'm currently running Apple's newest OS--Mac OS X Leopard. And while I will fill you in on some of my thoughts in the posts following this one, I can tell you, without a doubt, that Leopard (so far) is a fantastic OS.
Packaging
Doesn't Apple know how to package products? Whether it's the 24-inch aluminum iMac (the puppy I'm writing this on) or this OS, Apple's packaging never ceases to amaze me. It's simple, elegant, and great looking--everything we should expect from packaging.
It may be a small thing to some, but I'm always interested in how well packages look. If the packaging is ugly and little time was dedicated to it, it has to make you wonder: was the same nonchalance given to the product?
Installation
Installing Mac OS X Leopard is as simple as five clicks. First, you insert the disc into your machine, and a dialog box will ask you if you would like to install the new OS. From there, you need only to press Restart and let the OS do the rest. Next, the system will reboot and you will begin the process or verifying the contents on the disc. If you want to let that happen, expect to spend an additional 20 minutes waiting. If not, press skip--you should be fine.
Once the disc is verified, you need to go through a few menu pages which basically ask if you're ready to install the OS. Once complete, wait a good 45 minutes, and you're ready to go.
First impressions
Upon booting the operating system, you're immediately shocked by the desktop image more than anything else. After looking at a blue background for so long, it was nice to see an entirely new design. Next, you'll notice that the Apple at the top left of the screen is not blue anymore -- it's black.
But perhaps the most interesting change is the Dock. Instead of the old (somewhat ugly, now that you see this) design, the new Dock is fantastic. It has a reflective bottom and sports a blue light to tell you which programs are open, instead of the familiar arrow. So much attention was given to this feature that when the icons jump up and down, the reflection moves with it.
Speed has not been an issue at all. That said, I'm running a relatively new Mac with all the fixins. But based on what I've heard, performance is stable and smooth across all Mac iterations.
Another oft-ignored inclusion is Apple's decision to include a link to your Documents folder on the Dock. Once you click on this, it immediately brings you to an attractive screen that is filled with icons showing you a thumbnail of what each of the documents looks like.
Mail has been upgraded significantly, and I can finally say that it's every bit as useful and organized as any other e-mail application out there. I've already included some RSS feeds into the app and have added some reminders of what I need to get done with the help of the "To-Do" option. So far, it's superb.
Finally, my new favorite application on Mac OS X is Spaces. As someone who uses a slew of programs at any given time, just having the ability to quickly (and easily) switch between programs is a welcome addition. So far, I'm using it only in its default 2x2 setup and decided to use F5 as the indicator button allowing me to switch between windows. Simply put, it works beautifully.
So there you have it--installation and first impressions for some of Leopard's most interesting new features. Trust me, this is only the beginning. Keep checking back (or subscribe to the RSS) all weekend so you don't miss a beat of my Leopard coverage.
Next up: Time Machine.
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
Here, kitty kitty kitty! Rain-soaked Apple nerds wait for Leopard.
(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET Networks)NEW YORK--On Friday afternoon at the hour that Apple launched its latest operating system, Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, it was pouring rain in Manhattan. It was also windy and chilly. That didn't stop several hundred people from lining up outside the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue to get their hands on the new software, huddled underneath Gore-Tex jackets and umbrellas.
"It's the cult," commented another reporter who had also been covering the water-saturated event.
The line for Leopard appeared to be divided fairly evenly between rabid Apple fans and shoppers who'd figured they could stop by and pick it up quickly--and indeed, come launch time, the line moved fast as customers were ushered into a gauntlet of Apple Store employees (much like the iPhone launch in June) and directed straight to the cash registers when the doors opened at 6 p.m.
"It's a happening," said first-in-liner Bob Greenlees, a twenty-something student at the nearby Cardozo School of Law, when I asked him why he'd bothered to wait amidst inclement weather for an operating system that could easily have been pre-ordered online and delivered to his front door. "It's one of those things. It's Apple, it's Fifth Avenue, it's a flagship store. And it's an opportunity to be in line for something without waiting for three days."
Greenlees, after posing for a photo with his new purchase, said that he was going to go straight home and install it. He'd been in line since about 2:30 p.m.
The line went to the corner and around the block to the intersection of 58th Street and Madison Avenue.
(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET Networks)"I came for the free t-shirt," said Steven Miranda, a Manhattan College student who was ninth in line. The Apple Store was offering t-shirts to the first 500 people who showed up, and for hardcore Apple fans, those shirts were a coveted prize. I asked Miranda and his friends whether they agreed with Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg's assertion that Leopard was "evolutionary, not revolutionary."
"Compared to Vista, it's revolutionary!" chimed in one Apple fan who was just ahead of Miranda in line. Indeed, the Microsoft-taunting was hardly under the radar. One person in line was wearing a t-shirt that bore the Windows logo along with the caption "Hasta la Vista."
For the two hours prior to the Leopard launch, the normally 24/7 Fifth Avenue store had been closed in preparation--my personal theory is Apple closed the store for a longer span of time than it needed to, to assure that an adequate queue would form in anticipation, but I'm sure Apple's not about to confirm that to me.
In addition to Leopard t-shirts, buyers were also treated to free umbrellas as they were ushered into the store. Nice move, Apple. "Keep the Leopard dry!" an Apple Store employee shouted. "Cats don't like water!"
But that raises a very serious question. Now that Apple has let Leopard out of its cage, following in the tracks of Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger, the big question is--which cat's next?
My money's on Ocelot.
NEW YORK--At about 1 p.m. EDT in midtown Manhattan, I overheard a group of suit-clad thirtysomething men talking as they waited to cross Madison Avenue.
"You know, leopards are solitary animals," one of them said. The other three or four continued musing on the characteristics of the large exotic felines, and I figured that it was actually part of a conversation about Apple's latest operating system, which launches Friday at 6 p.m. I thought, wow, if fratty midtown office types are talking about Mac OS X 10.5, there must be a huge line of fanboys at the Apple store!
Wrong. There was almost no sign of a major product launch at the 24-hour Apple store on Fifth Avenue, besides a few signs and posters announcing Leopard's advent. The store was still a mob scene, of course--in that touristy shopping district just south of Central Park, it always is. But there was no buzz factor like there had been with the crazy iPhone launch in June.
Apple Store customers try out Leopard at the Fifth Avenue store in NYC.
(Credit: Caroline McCarthy/CNET Networks)Apple retail employees told reporters that the store would be closed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for preparations, and that when the doors finally opened, there would be "demos all night long."
For an idea of what the scene might be like, they told the press to look up the Japanese launch of Leopard the previous night, which apparently had eager buyers lined up around the block. Then, clearly uncomfortable about saying too much, they said to contact company public-relations representatives instead and encouraged the press to test out the new operating system--it was already installed on all the demo computers at the store.
A few minutes later, reporters were informed that Apple retail employees had just been told not to speak to the press any more, until Leopard's launch at 6 p.m.
Meow.
