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!
If 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
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.
Leopard is right around the corner, should you update?
(Credit: CNET)With all of this week's hype surrounding Mac OS X Leopard, some can't wait for the upgrade. In fact, some people are claiming that the follow-up to Tiger will become the most popular and user-friendly operating system ever created. And while I have a hard time accepting that notion before the operating system is even released, I believe Leopard will change the operating system landscape for quite some time. Unfortunately, it won't change things in the way I had hoped.
In a New York Times article over the weekend, CEO Steve Jobs was quoted as saying that he was excited for the release of Leopard and is quite happy with the current timeline Apple operating systems are on. Most notably, Jobs mentioned that he likes releasing new operating systems "every 12 to 18 months" so Apple can "polish and polish and improve and improve."
But it is here that I must disagree with Jobs. Why do we need a new operating system ever year or so? If my current operating system works quite well, do I really need another new operating system just to add some new features or capabilities? I certainly don't think so.
Through the cover of improvements, Jobs is pointing out one important fact about operating system updates--it's all about the money. Apple is a public company that relies on maximizing shareholder value. Can it do that if it leaves Tiger in place and upgrades it every so often to make it even better? Not a chance. Operating system upgrades have nothing to do with improvements and everything to do with revenue.
Regardless, Leopard is on its way and unfortunately, it will be replaced by Apple just when we get comfortable using it. Operating system upgrades are usually quite problematic for most people. More often than not, some of your favorite programs won't work and peripherals will be relegated to the junk bin until a new update is released to work with the new operating system. Of course, Apple claims the transition will be relatively painless, but can we be so sure? If you ask me, you may want to update any and all products now and make sure you have a backup in place--you never know what might happen.
But alas, we are here to discuss whether a Leopard upgrade is worth it. Of course, the mileage on my opinion may vary and some may definitely find use in some of the new features, while others will scoff and hold on to Tiger. Besides that, I obviously can't discuss the 300 new features in Leopard, but wanted to share some of my thoughts on the most important new upgrades. And in the end, offer my thoughts on whether you should upgrade. As for me? I've already ordered Leopard and will install it on just one of my Macs. The others will run Tiger until they die.
... 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.
(Credit:
Apple)
After much speculation, Apple has confirmed that the next version of its Mac OS X operating system, "Leopard," will hit stores on Friday, October 26, at 6 p.m.
The company has stated that Leopard, which was delayed this spring due to the high-profile iPhone, includes more than 300 new features in comparison to its predecessor, Tiger.
Among these are an improved "dock" interface for easy access to applications, more robust parental controls, the Time Machine automatic-backup service and a redesigned Finder interface.
The operating system is set to cost $129 for a single-user license and $199 for a five-user "Family Pack" license.
In addition, Apple also plans to launch the Leopard version of its Mac OS X Server in conjunction with the standard version of the operating system. Included in this release of the Unix-compliant server software are a host of new features, including Podcast Producer, for automatically publishing audio to iTunes or the Web; Wiki Server, for collaborative Web site work; and iCal Server, for enterprise calendar management. The new OS X Server is set to cost $499 for a 10-client edition and $999 for an unlimited-client edition.
Apple's home page has been updated with a Leopard countdown clock. The online store is now accepting preorders--and meanwhile, the next iteration of the legendary Apple rumor mill is already rolling.
SAN FRANCISCO--With Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference just around the corner, CNET News.com made its traditional trek over to Moscone Convention Center to make sure the Cupertino crew didn't need any help setting up.
Apparently, not, as a helpful security guard was quick to remind us that our presence was neither requested nor appreciated (his words were less diplomatic and more of the threatening variety). Thankfully, Apple has chosen a venue made up almost entirely of glass, so we were able to snap some pictures from outside the convention hall (see attached gallery).
The focus of the hanging banners (at least the placeholder ones on display now) appears to be Mac OS X Leopard. The most interesting of the huge black signs contains a universe of OS X and Mac icons. Many are familiar ones, like those for Aperture, Automator, iPhoto, iChat and the like. But a few look like they might be new. Any readers out there with better eyes or insight want to speculate?
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