The first update to Snow Leopard, OS X 10.6.1 has just been released by Apple. It seems that it’s mostly bug fixes, which is hardly surprising considering that the OS was just released a couple weeks ago. But one odd thing about the update is just how small it is for some users: 9.8 MB, to be exact.
Again, that is just for some users. Others are reporting it weighing in at a still small 75 MB (this usually depends on what system you have). But plenty, including myself clicked update and got the download in record time as it was under 10 MB. Snow Leopard itself, of course, made headlines for its svelte size, as Apple was able to trim gigabytes off of OS X Leopard’s footprint. → Read More
As most Mac users have undoubtedly read over the past few days, there are some pieces of software that are a bit buggy with the latest version of OS X, Snow Leopard, which was released on Friday. Applications that have been having issues include the developer builds of Chrome and Chromium for OS X. While these versions are obviously still not complete yet, there are more and more people using them as they had been becoming increasingly stable and usable under OS X Leopard. And today, Google rolled out a bunch of bug fixed to keep it purring along in Snow Leopard as well.
Specifically, version 4.0.203.4 of the Dev channel build of Chrome fixes a host of problems, ranging from text being garbled to favicons no longer working. Find the full list of changes here. → Read More
Classy, Apple. Tell people running 10.4 that they need to buy the $169 box set when the $29 upgrade will work just fine. That’s the Apple philosophy in action, isn’t it? As long as you’ve got an Intel-based Mac, $29 is all you need to get Snow Leopard on your computer. And don’t let Apple tell you otherwise. → Read More
iSync 3.1.0, to be shipped with Snow Leopard, has struck another blow against Palm. What is it this time? They’ve removed Palm HotSync support, relegating thousands of Centro, Treo, Zire, Tungsten, and Palm Pilot users to the darkest corners of Obsoletia. When will this arms race end? → Read More
Are you ready for Windows 7? Remember, you need go out and get a really nice computer with a nice monitor and lots of hard drive space – basically you’re going to have to get a Mac. Don’t worry, though. It’s easy to switch.
Parallels is essentially a virtual machine that can run almost any version of Windows. The $100 software and hardware solution lets you drag everything from your old Windows PC to your Mac and then run almost all your apps natively under OS X. Viola! → Read More
You’re telling me Snow Leopard isn’t a major update? Well affix your chapeau to your pate, sir, and go forthwith on a long walk off of a short fjord! The most important feature in Snow Leopard has been revealed and it’s a doozy. → Read More
The elusive Snow Leopard upgrade for Mac OS X is now officially available for pre-order at the Apple Store. It costs $29 and will ship out this Friday. So after all the hoopla last week about whether or not it’ll ship this month or next, the answer is “pretty much this month but maybe by the time it gets to your house it’ll be next month.” That is all. Please proceed to the Apple Store to buy it. I don’t even have a Mac and I’m going to buy it just to tell everyone I have it. Total street cred, there. Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard [Apple Store] → Read More
The Apple store had been down for quite a while today, and lo and behold when it was reinstated Mac OS X Snow Leopard became available to mankind – that is to say you can now pre-order a copy. The major update to OS X, aka 10.6, will start shipping next Friday August 28, as had been rumored by websites like Macenstein and MacRumors since last Thursday. → Read More
We’re a few weeks away from the official release of Snow Leopard and I’m here to tell you things are really heating up in the realm of Exchange Support, OpenCL, and being able to click on an icon to make all of its windows appear.
Sorry. I’m just a crank. Every time Apple comes out with a new version of OS X I expect bells, whistles, and dancing dogs. This is an incremental upgrade, as we described it back at WWDC, and it’s a strong one. However, it’s not nearly as exciting at first blush – at least visually – but it does give countless IT guys some serious tentpole action especially considering built-in Exchange support.
This review is based on the purported Gold Master, 10A432, the version that will be shipped to stores world-wide this September. It may or not be the official final version but I’ve been using versions of Snow Leopard for about two months now. → Read More
There’s been talk the past couple of days that the latest developer build of OS X Snow Leopard, 10A432, has been designated the “Golden Master” version, meaning it’s ready for prime time. Multiple sources are now stating it is. So now the question is: When will it be released?
Amazon put Snow Leopard up for pre-order a few weeks ago with the following note: “Please note: Official release date has not been announced by Apple, though they have indicated this product will be released sometime in September.” September is also the timetable that Apple gave at its WWDC event in early June. But with the GM version already out there, there are whispers that Apple may have beaten that goal. Friday, August 28 is the day Daring Fireball’s John Gruber is hearing, and he has a very good track record of being right about such things. → Read More
What’s the story with OS X updates? Seriously, it’s beyond comprehension. This one (10.5.8) only resolves around a dozen bugs and security issues (this or that not displayed right, general stability improvements in specific programs) yet tips the scales at a mammoth 274MB. And this isn’t the first one like that! What could possibly be taking up all that space? → Read More
Apple has just pushed out the newest update to its OS X Leopard (10.5) operating system, with 10.5.8. This could potentially be the last Leopard update we see before Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) is released to the public sometime in the next couple of months.
Amazon already has Snow Leopard available for pre-order, with a ship date expected sometime in September, though it warns that date is not set in stone: “Official release date has not been announced by Apple, though they have indicated this product will be released sometime in September.”
The new OS seems to be getting more buzz for its price (29.99) than its features. The emphasis with Snow Leopard is optimizing Leopard, to make OS X run smoother and faster. Remarkably, it will also have a smaller footprint than its predecessor, saving over 6 GB of hard disk space (though that does likely have a lot to do with the fact that it will only run on Intel processors). → Read More
Everybody’s favorite OS X update, Snow Leopard, is hurtling in our direction, and Amazon has either been given the go-ahead to (or just gone ahead and) opened up pre-orders. They have caveats for both date and which update package to get.
We’re all pretty pumped about the update; the major new features should make OS X better than ever. With Windows 7 right around the corner, I’m thinking both my PC and my Mac are going to a little bit more awesome by the end of the year.
Various links inside. → Read More
Here’s a quick look at App Expose in Snow Leopard, a feature I was really looking forward to. It’s quite cool and works like a treat in the latest update. There are also a few improvements to the contextual menus in the dock but this is the only major UI improvement I saw.
Sorry for the sound quality. I was trying something new. But the most important stuff is there. → Read More
With so much being said about Google’s new Chrome OS being a direct attack on Microsoft, naturally some of the gaze is now going to shift towards what it means for Apple, which makes the second most popular OS in the world. Here’s what it means — For its products, very, very little. For its board of directors, potentially a lot more.
While some have already talked about this a bit, I think main points have been missed. First, the obvious point: When Chrome OS launches next year it will be aimed directly at a market Apple is not in: Netbooks. Yes, Apple is likely to launch a tablet computer of some kind in the future, maybe next year, but that is not a netbook. That will be a touchscreen device that will undoubtedly run some kind of special flavor of the iPhone OS or OS X or a combination of the two. And I would bet that it will have stand-alone apps like the iPhone. That is not what Chrome OS is about. → Read More
Seeing as though Snow Leopard is only $29, this just-announced $9.95 update program doesn’t have quite the same impact that it might otherwise have. Still! The deal is that if you buy a Mac on or after June 8, Apple will send you a Snow Leopard DVD when the operating system comes out this fall. → Read More
Now this is the hack of the weekend or the hoax of the weekend. Some intrepid hackers have run what appears to be iPhone OS 2.x on a “multi-touch” monitor with accelerometer support. I’ve found a few examples of monitors that could potentially pull this off but I haven’t been able to pin down a model number. However, because iPhone OS is basically a Linux Mach kernel it should be bootable on Intel hardware – at least in an emulator – all of this is feasible. → Read More
Today, at its WWDC keynote, Apple publicly unveiled the majority of its new operating system, OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for the first time. As promised, the majority of the changes are under the hood, where things are tighter and should purr.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Snow Leopard is that saves 6 GB space versus OS X Leopard. That’s half the footprint, and that’s pretty crazy in a world where updates are typically much larger than their predecessor. → Read More
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