WWDC: Leopard Features? Xserves and Mac Pros?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

As WWDC 2006 approaches, rumors continue to appear about what we could see at the developer's conference.

MacOSXRumors claims to have reliable information about Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) which will be demoed at the expo.

Previous rumors from the rumor site claimed collaborative features, and virtualization support. This time, the site claims that Leopard will incorporate virtual desktops, improved file syncing, and improved spotlight performance.

Meanwhile, an unconfirmed Page 2 report claims that the Intel Xeon (Woodcrest) will find its way into Apple's new Xserve and top-of-the-line Mac Pro. Meanwhile, the lower-end Mac Pros will use the recently released Core 2 Duo (Conroe) chips. Other hints include a Merom update to the current line and new Leopard features, including some 3d effects.

WWDC kicks off on August 7th, 2006 with Steve Jobs providing the Keynote address.

[Stridder44]

Core 2 Duos in the MacBook Pros!!! Come on you know you want to damnit....


Also what's this Im hearing about 3-D effects in Leopard?

[whenpaulsparks]

i seriously effing hope it's more than improvements to file sync'ing, spotlight, and virtual desktops. that's pathetic. we need a revolutionary OS revision.

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by whenpaulsparks

i seriously effing hope it's more than improvements to file sync'ing, spotlight, and virtual desktops. that's pathetic. we need a revolutionary OS revision.

Whatever are you talking about? Innovations such as Automator have changed my life. Food taste better. Music sounds better. The wife wants sex all the time now (Im not even married!!)

[PeteyKohut]

No Woodcrest arcoss the board in the Mac Pros? BOO HOO!!! I hope the new monitor rumor is true. I am eyeing up a nice 23" monitor to go along with my new (Woodcrest based?) Mac Pro.

[michaelrjohnson]

Originally Posted by whenpaulsparks

i seriously effing hope it's more than improvements to file sync'ing, spotlight, and virtual desktops. that's pathetic. we need a revolutionary OS revision.

"Revolutionary" was the switch from OS 9 to OS X. It's unrealistic to expect that for 10.5.

But I agree, I'm hoping for more in terms of UI enhancement and consistencey, along with increased functionality in the OS and it's native apps.

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by PeteyKohut

No Woodcrest arcoss the board in the Mac Pros? BOO HOO!!! I hope the new monitor rumor is true. I am eyeing up a nice 23" monitor to go along with my new (Woodcrest based?) Mac Pro.

A Conroe is fine too? If we get a nice lower priced Conroe tower. I have a weird feeling we're not going to see the Quad G5 go away yet.

[SteveRichardson]

pretty please merom in MBPs?

[peharri]

Apple's never shown any signs of being keen on Virtual Desktops so I'm not sure where that's coming from, especially as the "Hide/show" feature of NEXTSTEP that ended up in OS X is, arguably, slightly more useful anyway.

If they do have it, I hope it's like the Amiga's screens, with desktops opening and closing automatically rather than being permanently open. They need to be self-managing, and designed to make computing easier to understand. Traditional "multiple desktops" are a powerful feature, but I don't think they aid understandability.

[fabsgwu]

Here's hoping for Core 2 Duo iMac's, MacBook (Pro and non-pro). The battery saving/performance qualities of the Core 2 Duo are really exciting

As for Leopard 10.5, I hope there's some major advancements in the Finder, i.e. better and more preview options. And as for Spotlight, there's definitely a lot of room for growth, i.e. internet history ala Google Desktop.

I really like what Eric Patterson did with the Faux Leopard screenshot contest, see here: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/app...asm-190146.php

[Analog Kid]

Originally Posted by peharri

Apple's never shown any signs of being keen on Virtual Desktops so I'm not sure where that's coming from, especially as the "Hide/show" feature of NEXTSTEP that ended up in OS X is, arguably, slightly more useful anyway.

If they do have it, I hope it's like the Amiga's screens, with desktops opening and closing automatically rather than being permanently open. They need to be self-managing, and designed to make computing easier to understand. Traditional "multiple desktops" are a powerful feature, but I don't think they aid understandability.

Yeah, I have the same feeling. I like virtual desktops myself, but they're going to be hard to make intuitive.

I thought I'd heard something about Apple Remote being integrated into Leopard-- can't remember where though... Maybe they're getting the two concepts confused? Maybe I am?

[MacVault]

Originally Posted by whenpaulsparks

i seriously effing hope it's more than improvements to file sync'ing, spotlight, and virtual desktops. that's pathetic. we need a revolutionary OS revision.

I was just going to say the EXACT same thing! You said it perfectly, whenpaulsparks! That's right, I don't want to see Steve Jobs demo some new Spotlight/Sherlock. I want to see revolutionary, fricken awsome, Vista-crushing, earth shaking features, a totally revamped and polished GUI, Enterprise features, etc. Come on Apple! Don't dissapoint me!

[boncellis]

Originally Posted by Analog Kid

Yeah, I have the same feeling. I like virtual desktops myself, but they're going to be hard to make intuitive.

I thought I'd heard something about Apple Remote being integrated into Leopard-- can't remember where though... Maybe they're getting the two concepts confused? Maybe I am?

More integration of the remote into the OS would be cool, if that's true. Leave it to Apple (or Nintendo, I suppose) to configure an ordinary remote to function in a previously unexpected manner. If Apple could create a seamless way to surf the internet with the remote (motion sensor perhaps) I think it would steal even more thunder from Vista, whenever it comes out.

[SteveRichardson]

actually screw merom in MBPs. I want a new enclosure AND merom. Somehow fit a DL superdrive in there.

and some kewl new stuff. that way you can just put core 2 duo chips in everything else.

[bradc]

I don't understand why you guys think that the Conroe isn't good enough for the 'Mac Pros'. The Conroe is an exceptionally robust processor. The lab I work in just received a Conroe powered workstation and it is doing wonders for us. Although I plan on buying a Quad 'Mac Pro', I'll be pushing the system to its limits in calculations&computations that run for days. I highly doubt most Mac Pro users would want to pay for Woodcrest when all they need is Conroe.

[shelterpaw]

Originally Posted by MacVault

I was just going to say the EXACT same thing! You said it perfectly, whenpaulsparks! That's right, I don't want to see Steve Jobs demo some new Spotlight/Sherlock. I want to see revolutionary, fricken awsome, Vista-crushing, earth shaking features, a totally revamped and polished GUI, Enterprise features, etc. Come on Apple! Don't dissapoint me!

I doubt there will be a silver bullet feature that will blow away vista, but overall improvements will take OS X to the next level.

[pianoman]

Originally Posted by SteveRichardson

I want a new enclosure AND merom. Somehow fit a DL superdrive in there.

i'd like to see some new enclosures, too. a DL superdrive might be pushing it...

i'm sure there's more to it than a revised spotlight, improved file sync'ing and virtual desktops. this is apple we're talking about. let's get realistic about our expectations while remembering this is a developer's conference and not a consumer product showcase.

[brepublican]

Throw the Core 2 Duo into the iMac. Then we'll talk.

[nagromme]

Originally Posted by PeteyKohut

No Woodcrest arcoss the board in the Mac Pros? BOO HOO!!! I hope the new monitor rumor is true. I am eyeing up a nice 23" monitor to go along with my new (Woodcrest based?) Mac Pro.

What's wrong with having lower/middle-cost Mac Pros, as long as we ALSO get the Woodcrest you dream of? (And me... but with Kentsfield due this year now--quads-on-one-chip--I may just wait for that.)

All these rumors sound good to me--I hope even half of them are true (even if they happen later than WWDC).

Originally Posted by MacVault

I want to see revolutionary, fricken awsome, Vista-crushing, earth shaking features, a totally revamped and polished GUI, Enterprise features, etc. Come on Apple! Don't dissapoint me!

Earth-shaking revolutions are fun--I'd love that too--but you can't count on that, and OS X is a great OS already. I always seem to appreciate each release's hundred LITTLE improvements most of all.

[dizastor]

New widgets!

yep. they spent 18 months working on widgets. Nothing else.

Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard
"Chock full o' widgets"

[spicyapple]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

Previous rumors from the rumor site claimed collaborative features, and virtualization support.

MacOSXRumors claims a lot of rumors, don't they? It's already been debunked that Apple will be supporting virtualization.

With just a few days away until WWDC, we're grabbing at straws!

[brepublican]

Originally Posted by SteveRichardson

Somehow fit a DL superdrive in there.

I dont understand why people keep insisting on virtually outdated technolgies.

The new standard is Blu Ray. Get with the program

[BlizzardBomb]

As long as the Mac Pros with Conroe are smaller, then I won't complain.

[MacsRgr8]

Originally Posted by PeteyKohut

No Woodcrest arcoss the board in the Mac Pros? BOO HOO!!!

I thought a Woodcrest in Single CPU (Dual Core) is similar to the Conroe in performance...

So, IMHO, a Woodcrest (Xeon...ugghh ugly name, that), is only usefull if you are going to use Dual Dual Cores (like the Quad G5).

Or am I missing something here...

[brepublican]

Originally Posted by dizastor

New widgets!

yep. they spent 18 months working on widgets. Nothing else.

Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard
"Chock full o' widgets"

Nice! Hopefully, they have the long awaited Wendy's Menu one... Do what tastes right. Do Wendy's