Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - What, Where, When, Why & How much

[WorldTravel26]

Just me ranting

So, Microsoft has their next OS, Windows 7, available for download now for thousands and thousands of PC users to try out. Why can't Apple release Snow Leopard in the same fashion?

I love Apple to death, and wouldn't trade my Mac for the world, but seriously, why can't we devoted Mac users get a chance to test out Snow Leopard before it's release?

Sorry, it's just me ranting! I know this has never been Apple's "style", but perhaps it's time they followed Microsoft's lead for a change!

 

[MikhailT]

So, Microsoft has their next OS, Windows 7, available for download now for thousands and thousands of PC users to try out. Why can't Apple release Snow Leopard in the same fashion?

I love Apple to death, and wouldn't trade my Mac for the world, but seriously, why can't we devoted Mac users get a chance to test out Snow Leopard before it's release?

Sorry, it's just me ranting! I know this has never been Apple's "style", but perhaps it's time they followed Microsoft's lead for a change!

Mainly because they want to reserve all the secrets for the Steve Job's keynote. It's their way to generate hype which is pretty damn effective.

They have a large number of developers who beta tests for them.

I do think Apple should do public demos but consider the large number of Mac users just want stuff to work, they probably don't want to risk installing betas and messing around with it.

 

[t0mat0]

Mainly because they want to reserve all the secrets for the Steve Job's keynote. It's their way to generate hype which is pretty damn effective.

They have a large number of developers who beta tests for them.

I do think Apple should do public demos but consider the large number of Mac users just want stuff to work, they probably don't want to risk installing betas and messing around with it.

Bearing in mind he's not officially back till the end of June. So we have yet to find out who's doing the keynote - Schiller MC, with the others?


Speaking of - There's a cracking thread here on WWDC -collecting links to threads about WWDC, to have a central place for information...

Windows 7 is like a Dr Pepper OS "Try it, you might like it" / "What's the worst that could happen?" If you read the Engineering WIndows 7 blog - they make it pretty clear it is still a Release Candidate - and it's NOT to be used without backing up, and preferably to use on your non-primary PC. it is better than Vista from what I've seen.

It's a bit of a bit shareware with kill date built in gambit - desparation from Microsoft? I'd admit it's a great tactical move.


3G Wireless WAN support
Appleinsider article here

"people familiar with the company's plans say Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard will incorporate new support for native WWAN hardware."

Reports of the System Profiler application including WWAN reporting under its network information section. The System Profiler
"is used to compile hardware information; if Apple were only reporting information on third party USB 3G WWAN peripherals, something that Mac OS X already supports, those reports would continue to be included with other USB devices."

It "breaks out WWAN support on the same level as other technologies that are available from Apple, directly built into Mac hardware models, including the ubiquitous Bluetooth and AirPort as well as hardware interfaces that are only available on specific Mac models, such as the Fibre Channel and SAS of the Xserve and Mac Pro."

"the fact that WWAN support is being included in System Profiler of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard may provide the most concrete evidence yet that the 3G Wireless WAN support Apple is reportedly testing could arrive as early as Snow Leopard, which is expected to publicly debut at WWDC and become available to users shortly afterward. That said, all of the evidence pointing to native 3G hardware turning up in versions of Mac notebooks this year remains fairly anecdotal."


Nvidia
Q1 Earnings call today after the bell.

In 2004, Nvidia and Intel signed a licence so that Nvidia could make Intel chipsets, and Intel could make chipsets with Nvidia's SLI technology (allowing computer makers to put 2 or more graphics cards (/chips?) in a single PC).

Going back last 12 months there were problems.

Intel filed a suit against Nvidiam saying they don't have a right to create and sell motherboard chipsets supporting Nehalem (Core i7) processors.Intel's Nehalem processors have an integrated memory controller unlike previous processors, and Intel say Nvidia doesn't have a licence to design for this.

In March, Nvidia filed a countersuit, alleging Intel broke contract by refusing to grant them a chipset license on Intel microprocessors (future, and Nehalem).

Nvidia wants to be allowed to terminate its own contracts with Intel.

In our countersuit, we assert our belief that we are licensed to build chipsets for Intel processors. In a pair of agreements signed in 2004, we negotiated for rights to build chipsets. In exchange, Intel obtained a cross license to our valuable patents. Today, Intel is using technologies that we invented in their integrated graphics chips. And they will soon integrate NVIDIA patented technologies into their CPUs and upcoming Larrabee.

With Nvidia Chief Executive Jen-Hsun Huang saying:

we will use this as a platform to shout from the highest mountain why Intel is so afraid of ION – this is the era of visual computing, and the GPU has become the soul of the new PC. And customers deserve better than Intel’s graphics.

So the CPU maker and the GPU maker for Apple's computers are in court against each other, over Nehalem, and Intel's crappy integrated graphics, and throw the toys out of the pram behaviour about Atom and Nvidia's use of them to create Ion - a superior product to Intel's, from current benchmarks.

Nvidia's Head of PR - Derek Perez's take:

The PC has become a GPU-based platform as much as a CPU-based platform, and Intel is trying to delay that inevitable shift. They're trying to do everything they can to slow that down and it's because they recognize the importance of the GPU.

Did this have an effect in Intel's shift in it's old roadmap to a changed one in February this year seemingly pushing 32nm Westmere from Q1 2010 to Q4 2009 "production readiness"? A chip that integrates graphics onto the same chips as the CPU - Will be interesting to see what the benchmarks are for it in comparison with an equivalent TDP CPU and Nvidia GPU... Arrandale will support being able to switch between discrete and Integrated graphics processing. Whether it could do both together? Maybe this is Intel cutting it's losses, and having a competitive position for AMD's Fusion.

But just being able to turn Intel's Integrated graphics, if they're bad, is a start. Not like they take up too much space.

In the OLD roadmap, on the right hand side of the picture you can see Auburndale and Haven dale in the Mobile Performance / Mainstream and Desktop performance/Mainstream.

Auburndale and Havendale were leaked as delayed, then cancelled in ~March.
http://www.dailytech.com/Intel+Repl...rndale+With+32nm+Die+Shrinks/article14225.htm

 

[erikistired]

Mainly because they want to reserve all the secrets for the Steve Job's keynote. It's their way to generate hype which is pretty damn effective.

They have a large number of developers who beta tests for them.

I do think Apple should do public demos but consider the large number of Mac users just want stuff to work, they probably don't want to risk installing betas and messing around with it.

the problem is that windows 7 is actually kinda nice, and fun to play with. they have customers like me who aren't cultists, and just enjoy using computers. while i'm not selling my macbook pro quite yet, i am falling a little bit for windows 7. i doubt they are going to lose a mass of customers or anything, but it might be time to follow that lead a little bit and let us taste the good.

 

[MikhailT]

the problem is that windows 7 is actually kinda nice, and fun to play with. they have customers like me who aren't cultists, and just enjoy using computers. while i'm not selling my macbook pro quite yet, i am falling a little bit for windows 7. i doubt they are going to lose a mass of customers or anything, but it might be time to follow that lead a little bit and let us taste the good.

I totally understand and there's no need to sell your mbp for W7, it'll run smooth and fast on MBP. It ran very smooth on my Dell Mini 9 with 1GB, imagine how nice it'll be on your MBP. That's the awesome thing about having a Mac, you can always run Windows and also experience with latest version of OS X when it comes out.

We know there'll be a public demo in June at WWDC, plenty of time before the release of W7 (latest rumor point to Oct). It should give enough time for people to consider to stay with mac or move to W7.

Apple will lose some people to W7 no doubt, that's just life. They have contingency plans for everything including W7.

 

[MikhailT]

Bearing in mind he's not officially back till the end of June. So we have yet to find out who's doing the keynote - Schiller MC, with the others?

Speaking of - There's a cracking thread here on WWDC -collecting links to threads about WWDC, to have a central place for information...

Windows 7 is like a Dr Pepper OS "Try it, you might like it" / "What's the worst that could happen?" If you read the Engineering WIndows 7 blog - they make it pretty clear it is still a Release Candidate - and it's NOT to be used without backing up, and preferably to use on your non-primary PC. it is better than Vista from what I've seen.

It's a bit of a bit shareware with kill date built in gambit - desparation from Microsoft? I'd admit it's a great tactical move.

I don't think he'll be back in June nor the end of June, latest reporting is that he is still too weak right now (he missed the meeting for his own house to be destroyed) but it would be a totally nice surprise if he did show up. Most likely they'll go with Paul Shiller or the iPhone dude, he did a nice job with iPhone 3.0 Preview.

 

[Brammy]

(he missed the meeting for his own house to be destroyed)

He missed the meeting where he is trying to get a dilapidated property he owns destroyed -- he's running up against a historical committee that wants the property preserved. This wasn't the house he lives in.

From what I read, the entire process pisses Jobs off and likely used his illness as an excuse to not have to waste his time.

 

[TheSpaz]

Snow Leopard's New User Interface

This is just speculation but I really, really, really hope that Snow Leopard gets rid of Aqua completely and goes with the smooth sleek look of MobileMe's web interface. I'm really digging the rounded corners and toned down colors. I'd be so happy if Snow Leopard looks like MobileMe's web interface. I noticed that it looks kind of like iTunes as well. The only thing the web interface is missing is the iTunes-style scroll bars (for obvious reasons).

Aqua needs to go away. It was flashy back in 2001 but, it's just not cool anymore. It looks out of date and it's getting boring to me.

Please don't shoot me down for this, but I kinda like Windows Vista's Aero interface. It's really slick. Not that I want Apple to do the same thing as Microsoft, but I think a refreshing interface would be, well... refreshing.

Cheers!

 

[t0mat0]

This is just speculation but I really, really, really hope that Snow Leopard gets rid of Aqua completely and goes with the smooth sleek look of MobileMe's web interface. I'm really digging the rounded corners and toned down colors. I'd be so happy if Snow Leopard looks like MobileMe's web interface. I noticed that it looks kind of like iTunes as well. The only thing the web interface is missing is the iTunes-style scroll bars (for obvious reasons).

Aqua needs to go away. It was flashy back in 2001 but, it's just not cool anymore. It looks out of date and it's getting boring to me.

Please don't shoot me down for this, but I kinda like Windows Vista's Aero interface. It's really slick. Not that I want Apple to do the same thing as Microsoft, but I think a refreshing interface would be, well... refreshing.

Cheers!

Did you read the Ars Technica review of Leopard? Author makes that point (amongst others - is good to read a critical technical review). Apple seems to by stealth, slowly modifying apple.com to a more iTunes like look (and getting rid of the Aqua leftovers).

John Siracusa's review HERE

"It [10.5'S look] also clashes a bit with the mostly unchanged buttons, scroll bar thumbs, and other standard controls that retain their shiny blue appearance. The old "Aqua" window looks (any of them) were definitely a better fit....I was ready for an all-new look in Leopard; I was ready for Aqua's successor. That Leopard doesn't provide that is a disappointment, but hardly a sin

What do you suggest to refresh the interface? Given that 10.6 could rely on a GPU a bit more to do more swish/snazzy/intensive graphics...


Unlike Quartz GL, Apple has actually provided a pretty clear message to developers about resolution independence. There have been sessions at the past few WWDCs about how to prepare applications to run properly at scale factors above 1.0. The real hold-up has been Apple itself, however, which doesn't quite have resolution independence working correctly across all of Mac OS X's GUI frameworks. Also, the exact details of how resolution independence will interact with the various APIs have changed as recently as WWDC 2007.

Core UI framework showing signs of ramping up for resolution independence.

LLVM - low level virtual machine, an open-source project - "The best way to think of LLVM is right there in the name: it's a virtual machine, but one that models something quite low-level, more like a CPU than a traditional virtual machine that models an entire PC."

In Leopard, LLVM is used in what might strike you as an odd place: OpenGL.


When a video card does not support a particular feature in hardware (e.g., a particular pixel or vertex shader operation), a software fallback must be provided. Modern programmable GPUs provide a particular challenge. OpenGL applications no longer just call fixed functions, they can also pass entire miniature programs to the GPU for execution.

Prior to LLVM, Apple implemented software fallbacks for all of this using its own custom JIT compiler for programmable GPUs. Apple wrote native code for each primitive operation (e.g., a dot product). These chunks are then glued together at runtime to produce the CPU equivalent of the mini-program intended to go to the GPU.

Why model something so primitive? Who wants to write code that targets a virtual CPU? Well, compilers, for one. The idea is that you produce code in LLVM's platform-neutral intermediary representation (IR) and then LLVM will optimize it and then convert it to native code for the real CPU of your choice. This conversion can be done ahead of time, producing a traditional executable, or you can ship the platform-neutral byte code as-is and let LLVM compile it just in time (JIT).

Why bother with the LLVM middleman? Why not let the compiler produce native code on its own? That's what most compilers do. Unfortunately, they do so with varying degrees of quality. The aim of LLVM is to provide a set of modular compiler components that anyone can use, in order to concentrate the optimization efforts currently spread among many different compilers into a single project, thus the use of a platform-neutral intermediary representation.

Think of it as a big funnel: every sort of code you can imagine goes in the top, all ending up as LLVM IR. Then LLVM optimizes the hell out of it, using every trick in the book. Finally, LLVM produces native code from its IR. The concentration of development effort is obvious: a single optimizer that deals with a single format (LLVM IR) and a single native code generator for each target CPU. As LLVM gets faster and smarter, every single compiler that uses LLVM also gets better.
...

Don't be misled by its humble use in Leopard; Apple has grand plans for LLVM. How grand? How about swapping out the guts of the gcc compiler Mac OS X uses now and replacing them with the LLVM equivalents? That project is well underway. Not ambitious enough? How about ditching gcc entirely, replacing it with a completely new LLVM-based (but gcc-compatible) compiler system? That project is called Clang, and it's already yielded some impressive performance results. In particular, its ability to do fast incremental compilation and provide a much richer collection of metadata is a huge boon to GUI IDEs like Xcode.

I know this LLVM subsection is quite a digression, but even if it's only used in a limited capacity in Leopard, LLVM is quite important to the future of Mac OS X. Indeed, it could also be important to the present of the iPhone and other OS X platforms...

I'm not sure how the iPhone supports all the visual effects used in its interface, but it's not unreasonable to imagine that Core Animation, OpenGL, and an LLVM-based software fallback are crucial to getting this all to hum on a platform with a relatively weak GPU and CPU. And did I mention that Apple recently did some extensive work on the LLVM ARM backend? You know, ARM, the CPU used by the iPhone. Yeah, the pieces sure seem to fit.

The Finder remains a truly conflicted application..The Leopard Finder's saving grace may be that the increased responsiveness and new features are likely to overshadow all other issues.

Dock takes a bit of a deserved beating (visually comprehending what a folder is e.g. differntiating between a very similar/same picture for a folder for folders like Home, Applications, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Movies), show in finder icon for a fan being at the top annoyingly etc. Wnating a "view as window option" for those not enamoured with fan

The benefits of the Dock are obvious and well established. Many of its weaknesses are actually strengths for beginners and users with less complex needs. But as the boneheaded changes to the Leopard Dock amply illustrate, there's one persistent fact that makes the Dock's failings stand out: you have to use it.

Hopefully a hack like polling via Apple Events to simulate Dock icon badges for unread message counts can be replaced by Apple's version of this.

Time Machine - does it need a CCC/Superduper function too? (Just a reminder of the stats Apple commented on:
Only 4% backup regularly -

Time Machine's backup format also means that it's not possible to boot from a Time Machine backup volume. Instead, you must boot from a Leopard install DVD and restore the Time Machine backup onto a new volume. If, like me, you feel better also having a bootable backup around, an application like SuperDuper is still necessary.

10.5 listed >300 changes
Text to speech - "Apple really needs to significantly update the core engine, not just add new voices."

Conclusion:

As I've learned more about Leopard, it's become increasingly clear where, exactly, those two-and-a-half years of development time went. Leopard is absolutely packed with improvements. It seems that not a corner of the OS has gone untouched.

The stage is set for Mac OS X 10.6 to triumph beyond the bounds of its ancestors. In the meantime, it's the Mac development community's opportunity to shine. Whether it reigns for two and a half years, like Tiger, or even longer, I'm looking forward to my time aboard starship Leopard.

 

[TheSpaz]

Did you read the Ars Technica review of Leopard? Author makes that point (amongst others - is good to read a critical technical review). Apple seems to by stealth, slowly modifying apple.com to a more iTunes like look (and getting rid of the Aqua leftovers).

What do you suggest to refresh the interface? Given that 10.6 could rely on a GPU a bit more to do more swish/snazzy/intensive graphics...

It doesn't have to require heavy GPU to be snazzy. I just like the buttons and style of the MobileMe interface. It's very modern looking and looking at Aqua next to it just makes Aqua seem so old and outdated.

 

[MikhailT]

I agree with the statement that Aqua needs to go away. With the whole OS as it is, bright blue is too contrasting with the current interface. The navy blue or the one in iTunes and MobileMe should replace it.

It is like having win3.1 icons and some of its scrollbars inside Windows Vista or 7, that's how I feel about Aqua.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

On the other hand, I really don't care for iTune's scroll bar. It's like, "Let's see how ugly of a blue we can make, and then put it somewhere where people have to stare at it every day."

 

[t0mat0]

Snow Leopard's Boot Camp to include HFS+ Windows Drivers

Macrumors post

MacRumors has learned that Apple's Boot Camp utility under Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard will include Windows HFS+ drivers, which will allow Windows installations to read Mac OS X HFS+ formatted partitions.

Boot Camp is Apple's software package that allows customers to boot Microsoft's Windows operating system on their Intel Macs. The Boot Camp package includes the necessary Windows drivers to support each Mac's hardware. Windows, however, does not routinely recognize Mac formatted hard drives and is unable to read or write to them without special drivers. The newest version of Snow Leopard's Boot Camp appears to include these special drivers to allow read access to Mac data even under Windows.

The move should make it easier for customers to switch between Windows and Mac operating systems by allowing files to be more easily transfered back and forth. Up until now, customers would have to rely on third-party utilities such as Mediafour's MacDrive to accomplish the same task.

Read-only so Windows' problems don't spill over? Peace called attention to something a few days ago.

Apple Dev Forum Snow Leopard discussions for Select/Premier program devs

Tuaw says it's just happened, a commenter says it's happened since early March.
Apple's loosened up, regarding conversation about 10.6 by creating a Snow Leopard discussion forum for developers. Interesting to see, being that Apple doesn't usually let talk on future versions of things happen too much. Forums only available to "the developers who receive seed releases (those in Apple's Premier and Select developer programs)"

Snow Leopard - "No new features" but 100s of new Accessories?

Apple is going to allow external accessories to interface with iPhone, iPod through a framework called "External Accessories"
(Let's call it EA framework) (16min into the 3.0 announcement). They can integrate via Dock connector or wirelessly over Bluetooth. This connectivity will apparently "support many of the standard protocols implemented on the iPhone in addition to proprietary protocols developed and implemented by third party accessory developers."

Macs have Bluetooth, and will get BT 3.0, iPhone will get 3.0. The connector is being opened up, and Apple is increasing the efforts through the "Made for iPod and Works with iPhone program". So why can't Apple open up app purchases on the iPhone up to the Mac? The iPhone seems to be being strategically placed as

Some possible accessories:
EyeFi And Wifi memory stick could interact with iPhone - upload/download pics/video
Media Flo by Qualcomm
GPS dongle
Telewhoknowswhatics
Barcode reader - I'd imagine an API will come, but will be possible

Licensed developers get the tech specs describing the required connectors & components, along with detailed documents on the communication protocol used to interact with iPhones & iPods. Do we know if those on the program got told by Apple this was coming, prior to the 3.0 announcement? How long have they had with this? If we could find out who's on the program, we'd have a very good idea as to who was coming out with accessories soon.

Why does this matter? Because if Apple could get the iPhone to wireless sync app info when within range to a linked Mac, that would be huge. "There's an app for that" would become - "there's an accessory and an app for that". KA-CHING

 

[MikhailT]

There are so many possibilities with EA framework, it is not even frigging funny how powerful it can become and how much money it can bring in for Apple.

We already saw the medical aspect with the diabetes monitoring app, no doubt blood pressure tool will come out. The app will take care of all the details and make it easy to graph information for the users and to share the info with the Doc, sync the info with an advanced medical app on the Mac for more advanced analysis and so on.

Hell, I bet there'll be a weight scale just so they can sell it for some cash, include a weight app that'll tell people their BMI, Body Fat, how to lose weight, and a chart showing the weight loss trend in 6 months/1year/5 year. I bet people would be more motivated to do that since many people love to see graphical interactive information.

 

[t0mat0]

Where's the puck heading?

Just to link this in some tenuous way to SNow Leopard - OS 3.0 will provide extensive Bluetooth capabilities. Peer to Peer data sharing may well include Macs, not just other iPhones. We're going to see tethering. It might provide wireless sync. I don't like the phrase "Jesus phone" and soon it won't be the saviors preferred mobile, it'll be a darn useful gateway to / controller of sensors, accessories. Potentially.

There are so many possibilities with EA framework, it is not even frigging funny how powerful it can become and how much money it can bring in for Apple.

We already saw the medical aspect with the diabetes monitoring app, no doubt blood pressure tool will come out. The app will take care of all the details and make it easy to graph information for the users and to share the info with the Doc, sync the info with an advanced medical app on the Mac for more advanced analysis and so on.

Hell, I bet there'll be a weight scale just so they can sell it for some cash, include a weight app that'll tell people their BMI, Body Fat, how to lose weight, and a chart showing the weight loss trend in 6 months/1year/5 year. I bet people would be more motivated to do that since many people love to see graphical interactive information.

The interesting thing being that there may well be apps that the accessory can work with - Just going through my apps:

• Photos - wirelessly to ATV to TV for pictures
• Skype, Fring - BT headset for VoIP calls
• iTalk - To a wireless microphone
• Trails, RK Pro - Cyclometer, Heart Rate monitor, altimeter (Maybe even rival prducts like Garmin?!) (Geez Nike, JUST DO IT)
• Weightbot - could link with scales
• NightCamera/Camera - Link to a slave unit attached to a flash - the accessory would be cheap as chips - would mean you could do great shots with flash
• Instapaper - print out the saved webpages for you
• Papers - (Pity pubmed isn't a barcode!)
• AirSharing - wireless USB dongle/memory stick / Any memory card ala eye-Fi
• iPlayer - Broadcast iPlayer to your TV
• Ayy stock taking app - BT barcode scanner

I really hope Apple provides a bar code reader as an API - to turn on the cam, get the barcode, and the push to the app - could be very useful

The iPhone can become even more about
an information exchange
an automated record keeping system
A true gateway to sensors

Hence the need to know what the limitations are - only 1 sensor at a time? Distance of BT, power usage? Could you get PNS from a sensor? Or sensor that stores info then syncs when app used? Is it BT all the time? Or can you switch to 802.11n for distance?

As for the healthcare angle - I'm wondering if Apple's talked to the FDA - It's getting close to needing to. Maybe if they bring out a tablet it will be FDA compatible?

If you could make generic family of wireless sensors
Temperature, Wind, Light, Movement, You've got lots of uses - security, weather, stock levels.

If Apple told companies in advance (and it's possible - gut feeling) - then the next iPhone will be more software, and the next can bespoke hardware...

About the Core Location in Snow Leopard - looking at the iPhone - The map view - what's to stop it being about a physical store or location - what about finding a product, within a shop? Would make a crazy cool iConcierge app - Or Amazon app
- Scan a product - be told it's cheaper at Tesco down the road. Or that there is a decent 9/10 rated wine in the Tesco at the moment, with a picture of the bottle.
(We await Gary Vaynerchuck's input on this...)

Anyway - back to 10.6

TRIM - http://windowsitpro.com/article/art...state-disks-ssds-and-why-is-it-important.html

 

[MikhailT]

What do they need FDA for? It's the hardware that connects to the iPhone that needs FDA compliance not iPhone. Maybe I am missing something.

Anyway, back to 10.6. I wonder if they will include TRIM support for SSDs as it may soon become one of the most important tool for SSDs.

 

[t0mat0]

10A355 build seeded

And with China getting iPhones, China also gets Chinese handwriting recognition specifically for multi-touch capable Macs

The Chinese handwriting tech in the iPhone seems to have been incorporated into Mac OS X.
It's specifically enabled on multitouch capable Macs.

(Would they use a stylus to do this?

This opens up the usage of the trackpad to a writing space.

25 Oct 2008 10A190
04 Dec 2008 10a222
04 Feb 2009 10A261
06 Mar 2009 10A286
02 Apr 2009 10A314
23 Apr 2009 10A354
09 May 2009 10A355



A new seed of 10.5.7 came too - 9J61

 

[tongteh]

i didn't read through the whole thing, but my guess for the price really depends on windows 7 as well.. since win 7 created such a big hype, it would be fair to say win 7 price will affect mac os x 10.6

 

[designgeek]

So much information! This is the only "Waiting for" thread I actually like. I'm so excited for it!

 

[MikhailT]

i didn't read through the whole thing, but my guess for the price really depends on windows 7 as well.. since win 7 created such a big hype, it would be fair to say win 7 price will affect mac os x 10.6

Apple's price almost always been 129$. W7 will be probably the same price as it was for Vista, $200-300$ for Home Premium. So getting the upgrade OEM price, it might be 130-150$ for W7 Home Premium.

I don't think the price of SL will be impacted at all by W7 but more of how much of a change 10.6 will be from 10.5. If Apple doesn't change any of the GUI, add any major user features, I think they'll drop the price by half, 69$ for SL and that's a killer price for it. It doesn't matter how major the changes are in the kernel, majority of people don't understand it and they probably don't see any justification for the price.

 

[t0mat0]

Apple's price almost always been 129$. W7 will be probably the same price as it was for Vista, $200-300$ for Home Premium. So getting the upgrade OEM price, it might be 130-150$ for W7 Home Premium.

I don't think the price of SL will be impacted at all by W7 but more of how much of a change 10.6 will be from 10.5. If Apple doesn't change any of the GUI, add any major user features, I think they'll drop the price by half, 69$ for SL and that's a killer price for it. It doesn't matter how major the changes are in the kernel, majority of people don't understand it and they probably don't see any justification for the price.

Apple will make a healthy margin on each box of 10.6. There is a dcent article from Dilger (the myth series) about pricing.
Whilst ~$129 is possible - they could easily do a 10.6, iLife 09 and iWork 09 bundle.
If you have an up to date Mac - many improvements in the speed and power of Apples future software will be linked to the new OS.
Hypothetical egs:
imovie encodes 5x faster
Safari runs faster (js engine using OpenCL ??)
Iphoto running quicker
Whether they have a version of Safari, iLife and iWork etc that really uses Grand Central we shall see. Refactoring their code base to utilize Grand Cebtral Dispatch, OpenCL etc hasn't yet really been seen. Doesn't mean they haven't yet - bt it seems a likely would be a great case of eating their own dog food.

Safari is a biggy - it's a base for many things - I'd imagine it'll have something for iPhone when we see more betas.


Apple freezes Snow Leopard APIs as software nears final stretch

Katie Marsal's article says that the 10A354 build

altered the programming methods used to optimize code for multi-core Macs, telling developers they were the last programming-oriented changes planned ahead of the software's release.

Anyone care to speculate what other non-programming-oreintated changes we might see?

My money is on seeing the Apple programs suddenly start switching to GCD optimised, and for developers to see some sort of speed boost in these.

Apple is said to have informed recipients of 10A354 that

it has simplified the application programming interfaces (APIs) for working with Grand Central, a new architecture that makes it easier for developers to take advantage of Macs with multiple processing cores.

GCD works by chunking a taskinto bits, then dispatching (sending) those bits to the different processing cores. So a 3rd pearty developer doesn't need to do that. Apple can modify GCD as it feels fit now. The GCD methods were modified in build 10A354, with Apple reportedly telling developers that "no further API changes are planned for Snow Leopard."

A step closer to something more stable for a build at WWDC, where they can whip out a few more things hopefully, gearing up towards "stability and optimisation".

Clang
Clang - a new C front-end, which will also support C++ and Objective C that supports Blocks. llvm info here

I'd say we're going to see Clang implemented by WWDC - And maybe a fallback togcc if needed

- Apple's worked on the LLVM ARM backend.
- In the 2009 WWDC session notes, There's a section

Programming With Blocks and Grand Central Dispatch
Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) is a revolutionary system technology in Snow Leopard that allows your application to take full advantage of today's multi-core Macs. Learn about the new blocks feature for Objective-C, C, and C++ as well as the key concepts and APIs necessary to understand and use GCD. Learn to incorporate these new features into your modern, multi-core Mac OS X application.

- LLVM 2.3 was released on June 9th 2008 (start of WWDC)
- Blocks is a name for a feature in Clang. Blocks. Multi-core Apple products, iPhones. OS X GCD. OS X iPhone...
- http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2006/08/5024.ars LLVM JIIT optimisations with the new multi-threaded OpenGL stack yielded a doubling of framerate for WoW.

-

In addition to this release, there are a number of exciting projects that work with and build upon the LLVM 2.5 foundation, but are not included as an official part of the release. These include the new Clang C/ObjC front-end, the VMKit Java VM and .NET VM, the Pure functional programming language, the "LDC" LLVM D Compiler, Roadsend PHP compiler, and many others.

-

The Clang project is an effort to build a set of new 'LLVM native' front-end technologies for the LLVM optimizer and code generator. While Clang is not included in the LLVM 2.5 release, it is continuing to make major strides forward in all areas. Its C and Objective-C parsing and code generation support is now very solid. For example, it is capable of successfully building many real-world applications for X86-32 and X86-64, including the FreeBSD kernel and gcc 4.2. C++ is also making incredible progress

- Clang pros and cons

EDIT - Missed this whilst writing this section, oops - FreeBSD moving away from gcc, and towards LLVM/clang


http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2007/10/mac-os-x-10-5.ars/11

10A354
- Got Chinese handwriting recognition support (for Macs that include a multi-touch trackpad).
- Got a modified Languagee & Text Preference Pane to support bidirectional text (Arabic, Persian and Hebrew go Right to Left, also CHinese characters can be written in either direction).
- One of the touted features of Quicktime X came (in part/full) - 10A354 brought a new codec called MPEG-4 High Efficiency AAC (or HE-AAC), "an extension of the Low Complexity AAC (or AAC-LC) codec that's optimized for low-bitrate steaming of audio and podcasts".

With 10.5.7 imminent, it's time to start enjoying the increased pace of Apple centric rumors, till the keynote starts, where 10.5.7 will be shown to be passing a baton to 10.6.

XGrid
The simple solution for distributed computing - says Apple. Wiki info here

Xgrid clusters can range from a single rack of Xserve systems to a roomful of Mac Pro computers to a diverse collection of Mac systems dispersed across the Internet.

Xgrid client is pre-installed on all computers running Mac OS X 10.6. Your office Macs with a Snow Leopard make over and a graphics card boost just became a distributed computing service to behold. Maybe.

You can access Xgrid from the command line, or use the Xgrid GUI (Mac OS X Server & also available online as of March 2009 (originally it was reserved for just OS X Server)).

So with a non-server version, you could set up an Xgrid controller with xgridctl, xgrid command line tools then administer with the Xgrid Admin tool. Till 10.6, have a look at http://www.macresearch.org/openmacgrid

Flac support Apple. Wish you could include it.


WWDC
Apple info link.[/QUOTE]

Schiller to front the WWDC:

WWDC will offer in-depth sessions on both iPhone™ OS 3.0, the world's most advanced mobile operating system, and Mac OS® X Snow Leopard™, an even more powerful and refined version of the world's best desktop operating system and the foundation for future Mac® innovation.

"Last June, we gave developers an early look at the powerful new technologies that form the underpinnings of Mac OS X Snow Leopard," said Bertrand Serlet, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "At WWDC, we will be giving our developers a final Developer Preview release so they can see the incredible progress we've made on Snow Leopard and work with us as we move toward its final release."

Snow Leopard and Mac technical sessions will showcase hundreds of refinements to the operating system and dive deep into its new technologies including a 64-bit architecture, QuickTime® X, next-generation multicore and GPU processor support, and amazing new accessibility technologies. iPhone OS 3.0 technical sessions will cover introductory and advanced concepts to help developers get the most out of the iPhone OS 3.0 SDK and over 1,000 new APIs available for iPhone OS 3.0.

Attendees can expect a "final Developer Preview release" of the forthcoming OS

OpenCL - what card?
Interesting to see:

"Throughout the 40-year history of AMD, we have continually focused on technology firsts that deliver superior value to the customer," said AMD product group senior VP Rick Bergman, in a statement. "The 1GHz ATI Radeon HD 4890 continues that tradition by increasing the performance and compute power of our flagship single-GPU solution, ensuring a great experience whether our customers are playing the latest DirectX 10.1 game or running GPU accelerated applications built with OpenCL."

Anyone know any GPU accelerated apps built with OpenCL yet?

The Radeon HD 4890 uses GDDRS 5 memory and offers up 1.6 TeraFLOPS of computing power, pushing the realism of advanced physics and rendering to new levels. The card occupies a single PCI Express 2.0 ×16 slot and offers HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA output, and sports 800 stream processing units with support for up to 160 texture fetches per clock cycle and up to 128 textures per pixel, OpenGL support, and (of course) support for ATI's CrossFireX Multi-GPU technology so gamers can push their displays with up to four GPUs.


http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3539&p=12


Another Gizmodo Explains - Why GPGPU will ROCK YOUR WORLD. IF you're into that kind of thing.

Speaking of OpenCL -
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/42422/140/

Nvidia has said "it's submitted v1.0 drivers to support Apple’s OpenCL GPU acceleration spec to the Khronos OpenCL Working Group for certification."

Nvidia said that its OpenCL 1.0 drivers will support all GPU’s based on the CUDA architecture.

 

[t0mat0]

Accessories

Edit: Nevermind.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/604011/

If you are looking for a developer for an application then please note that this is against the forum rules. Partly copied below, emphasis added.

Advertising/soliciting. Using the forums for advertising or for commercial business deals and offers. See the MacRumors About page if you want to buy advertising at the site. Threads will be deleted if their purpose is to advertise, announce, or promote products, services, or organizations, build traffic at other websites, solicit donations, votes, or participants for surveys, contests, or product testing, carry out business activities including employment requests/offers, or other similar purposes that do not benefit our forum community. Memberships created solely for such purposes will be banned.

If you notice a thread of this nature then please report the thread using the report post button

Anyone in the made for iPod and works with iPhone group, who could PM me to chat outside of MR? At this stage, this isn't advertising or soliciting, as i'm curious about accessories for iPhones, and how this relates to Macs.

Nvidia and OpenCL
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/16036

This morning, we spoke to Nvidia CUDA General Manager (and former Ageia CEO) Manju Hegde to learn more about Nvidia's OpenCL plans and how those plans relate to CUDA. Apparently, Nvidia has updated its terminology somewhat: CUDA now refers solely to the architecture that lets Nvidia GPUs run general-purpose apps, and the programming language Nvidia has been pushing is now known as C for CUDA. Hegde made it clear that CUDA is meant to support many languages and APIs, from OpenCL and DirectX 11 Compute Shaders to Fortran.

Hegde also gave the impression that Nvidia doesn't see OpenCL as a competitor to C for CUDA, since the new API should pave the way for a greater number of GPGPU applications. The more GPGPU apps come out, the more chips Nvidia will sell—and that's the whole point, as far as the company is concerned. (Nvidia makes no secret of the link between Apple's spearheading of OpenCL and its decision to put GeForce GPUs in all of its new MacBooks, either.)

So, with that out of the way, when can we expect to run OpenCL software on our GeForces? Nvidia plans to introduce beta OpenCL support in the first quarter of next year, with a "full implementation" to follow in the second quarter. The company can't move any faster, Hegde explained, because the OpenCL working group "has not completed its conformance sets, which are essential to release an implementation, and they expect it will take a couple of months."

We went on to ask about some of the differences between C for CUDA and OpenCL. According to Hegde, OpenCL is designed to be "OpenGL-like" in that it gives developers complete hardware access and expects them to handle "all the tedious hardware housekeeping" like initializing devices, allocating buffers, and managing memory. By contrast, C for CUDA offers two styles of programming: a high-level style where "the abstraction level is at the same level as C," and a driver-level API that's on "the same level as OpenCL."

Hegde told us the vast majority of developers using C for CUDA favor the higher-level style. That applies particularly to developers writing scientific applications, since those folks may be experts in their fields and have a good grasp of C, but they might not necessarily care to learn the intricacies of the computing hardware.

Fallout from 10.5.7
Apart from the issues with installing the update, this looks interesting if true:

http://gizmodo.com/5253893/reports-os-x-1057-improves-hackintosh-netbook-battery-life

Atom based MSI's getting significant battery boost using the update...

[B]Augmented Reality[/B]

Coming to WWDC?
Kim?
Your iPhone will now be able to show a lot- you just need to print the page. The big hit? I think that you might be able to recognise those markers in js from what i've seen with the Firefox and HTML5 so far.

These presentations are by Nvidia. On a Tegra. nudge nudge. Interestingly they show multitasking. Maybe we will see CSS animations coming.
Demo on a iPhone here.
Can't wait for web3d 2009, And some more SIGGRAPH action.

http://www.mobile-augmented-reality.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9gj22M_aU
http://www.augmentedenvironments.org/lab/research/handheld-ar/arf-iphone/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGNgyGU-81E&NR=1

Video of Snow Leopard
Cult of Mac links to LeopardOctober on Youtube, who has video from build 10A286.

Like the change in comparison to spring loaded folder? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEGVFArP9yU
Scaling video whilst playing

I like the dynamic resizing - kinda bumping and squishing on this video
Quicktime- New audio and video recording options in Quicktime
Share - iTunes and MobileMe gallery
You see the trim scrubber etc that was something similar in OS 3.0 beta 50 seconds in.
Basically it's taken the concept of video editing from iMovie and brought it into Quicktime.
Dock and substitutions

So - What did you think of the videos, for those not using a 10.6 beta?

After looking at HardMac about the iPhone rumor (no new shape, just new innards and colors - Yay!)

10.5.7 might have modified things for management of multi-threaded tasks so that multi-core Macs, that are (by being on 10.5) not getting the 10.6 Grand Central benefits, at least don't get too much of a performance hit.

Windows 7 & multi-core
Maybe a bit me too, maybe the real deal: 7 and hyper-threading support.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217500139

Dock
The dock

serves as a convenient and elegant home base for charging, syncing, and more...you can keep just one Dock connected to your computer, stereo, or TV...and when your iPod or iPhone is in the Dock and connected to a stereo or TV, the included Apple Remote lets you experience songs, slideshows, and more from across the room. Just choose a playlist, slideshow, or video, then sit back and enjoy.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

So wait: Is that Nvidia article on C for CUDA stating that we'll have software support in Snow Leopard, but the hardware (let alone software programmers) won't even support it fully until mid-2010? Or is Apple special? Jeezus. Color me more disinterested in one of the coolest things Snow Leopard was bringing to the table. Well at least we still have 64-bit and Grand Central and the smaller footprint to bring significant updates to the OS.

 

[t0mat0]

So wait: Is that Nvidia article on C for CUDA stating that we'll have software support in Snow Leopard, but the hardware (let alone software programmers) won't even support it fully until mid-2010? Or is Apple special? Jeezus. Color me more disinterested in one of the coolest things Snow Leopard was bringing to the table. Well at least we still have 64-bit and Grand Central and the smaller footprint to bring significant updates to the OS.

Not how I read it. Nvidia's supporting OpenCL. Apple will push the verification of the drivers through, likely at the same speed as they got OpenCL set up (fast). Nvidia will be supporting it from the get go. Why would Apple go all Nvidia in the entire MacBook line, if Nvidia wasn't going to support OpenCL with all that hardware? One of Nvidia's VPs, as the article says, actually chairs the OpenCL working group. I think it's more smoke and mirrors till announcement & launch dates.

Nvidia makes no secret of the link between Apple's spearheading of OpenCL and its decision to put GeForce GPUs in all of its new MacBooks, either

Here's to the silent ones
Thread coming up to 100,000 reads, so say hello!

Some light debate - Apple's gonna up the ante, with an iPhone dock. Discuss. rock on... Because it'll soon be finally here. Maybe

PA Semi

So when will PWRficient™ Processors turn up in Apple products? Or is it just for the staff... What will be the time to market of Apple's move into low power chips? Apple's move from IBM to Intel was ostentaciously due to the performance per Watt metric which Intel had over IBM, and PA Semi also had (factor of ten) according to their info prior to being bought out. What does do?
http://news.cnet.com/Start-up-plans-new-energy-efficient-processor/2100-1006_3-5907281.html
Just like Nvidia - PA Semi integrated

both the memory controller, the so-called "Northbridge" chip in a chipset, and the Southbridge, a set of chips that lets the processor connect to networking cards and other peripherals

Which market to push it into, if any? Server?

Placeholder
CUPS
Renesas
Apple & ARM support. sgx543mp tablets
13th May 2009 Intel Visual Computing Institute at Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany opens
Altera

http://www.satine.org/archives/2008/11/06/coverflow-for-safari-on-iphone/
SproutCore
Coherent

Frontier Silicon - developed two new products, the Apollo chip and Kino chip, which allow mobile phones to receive and record television programmes on their mobile phones, electronic organisers or MP3 players.
http://digital-lifestyles.info/2005/03/01/frontier-silicon-raises-28m-for-dab-and-mobile-tv-

chip-tech/#ixzz0FkuUz5Rs&B


If you can use Apple's Interface Builder to create a Cappucino web app... nib2cib tool
http://ajaxian.com/archives/rumor-apple-sproutcore-and-coherent
They have taken control of Coherent where “it could become the Cocoa library for JavaScript and is made available under a similar license to Cocoa and Cocoa-Touch.” http://ajaxian.com/archives/rumor-apple-sproutcore-and-coherent

Can see Coherent's used in the iPod Engraving GAllery

Joyent’s Smart platform. http://ajaxian.com/archives/technical-details-behind-iworkcom

WATCH http://vimeo.com/3478275?pg=embed&sec=
http://280atlas.com/
http://ajaxian.com/archives/csssvg-w3c On Friday, the SVG and CSS working groups of the W3C published the first working drafts of

Apple's proposed graphics and styling extensions:
March 24 2009

Speculative loading, CSS Effects, CSS Canvas, Acid 3 compliance, Nitro js Engine, HTML Offine support

zflow - cover flow for iphone safari css-vfx project

XMOS - Future audio over ethernet - touting Ethernet AVB, XMOS rep in this video says they're "working with Apple and ARM to do that". XMOS has programmable (audio) silicon chips.
With Ethernet AVB, audio goes in, then streams over CAT5 (and uses some of FireWire's standards).
With USB 2 Audio - it's the same XMOS device, just different software
"In stores within the next 3-6 months". It's an open standard, so a number of silicon manufacturers will be coming out with kit.

Imagination Technologies
Their graphics IP cores ranging from SGX520 (world’s smallest OpenGL™ ES 2.0 mobile core) to SGX543MP16 for high-performance console and computing devices.

Samsung's Omnia HDi8910 smartphone - uses a TI OMAP3 with a POWERVR SGX ...

IMG have demonstrated Flash Lite on a POWERVR SGX GPU at MWC 2009.
They're partners on FLO, deal with Digital Radio...
Have several OpenCL job positions too e.g. Senior Design Engineer.

WWDC - A new iPhone dock
(Kind of something to break out to another forum section, but here for now.)
HD-Out from the iPhone is a-coming.

Erica Sadun confirmed that an updated MediaPlayer framework (using MPTVOutWindow) offered a working solution for exporting video out, live to a connected TV. An unpublished class, creating a live video feed sent out through the iPhone's connector port - with end-users needing to buy a video adapter or cable to use this funcitonality.

New cable eh? There's a rumor for that.
E.g. for UK - this would link iPlayer in HD, downloading through the iPhone, through the cable/dock, onto your HD.

With an unpublished API, and some hacking, Erica was able to use it with Moto Chaser after about 3 hours work from her and head developer from FreeVerse. They've got it to at least 15-20fps on the current hardware.

http://bit.ly/dUFTw TMZ and IMG.


An Apple tablet a day, keeps the medical profession happeh?
If Apple was going to make a tablet - you'd imagine it would want medical standard graphics & FDA etc approval


Who?

Whilst Toumaz is lots of things, it does have a strong medical side. Toumaz Technology "completed the timely delivery of the hardware, software and sensors that are being used to capture large-scale data in the first phase of DIAdvisor™'s clinical trial. DIAdvisor™ is a collaborative research project aiming to develop a personal blood glucose predictor and treatment advisor for diabetes patients."

A what?

DIAdvisorTM (www.diadvisor.eu) is a large-scale integrating project (IP) aiming at the development of a prediction-based tool which uses past and easily available information to optimise the therapy of type I and developed type II diabetes. DIAdvisor™ will allow patients to actively and accurately predict their short-term blood glucose outlook at any time by analysing data retrieved from glucose measurements, insulin delivery data and specific patient parameters.
The key data, captured by non-intrusive body-worn wireless monitors including those based on Toumaz Technology's breakthrough Sensium™ platform, will be used to create physiological mathematical modelling, control and prediction algorithms.

The resulting analysis and prediction information will be wirelessly transmitted to a healthcare provider advisory service, with
recommended action and treatment advice presented to the patient via a handheld mobile device such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

THe OS 3.0 event was with Lifescan (a Johnson & Johnson company). Pity Diadvisor is Windows only.

Sir Richard Sykes FRS was appointed Executive Chairman of Toumaz in 2009. He's got >30 years of senior executive expertise, "particularly from the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors; he was most notably chairman and chief executive of Glaxo plc which ultimately became GlaxoSmithKline plc from 1993 until 2002." Then Rector of Imperial College, London and is a FRS and FAMS amonst others.

He's currently chairman of the UK Stem Cell Foundation and chairs CATALYST, London's Council for the Advancement of Science and Industry. He is chair of the WHO International Advisory Board that oversees the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.

So TI has this Toumaz Tech subsidiary, that has Sensium sensors that do all kinds of stuff - they're

the leading provider of ultra-low power wireless infrastructure for body monitoring solutions...Toumaz's ultra low-power smart sensor interface and transceiver platform - the Sensium™ - enables non-intrusive, real-time wireless monitoring of multiple vital signs such as ECG, heart rate, body temperature, respiration and physical activity (via a 3-axis accelerometer) - and is currently being developed in both disposable and non-disposable body monitoring products.

They've already got ISO 13485:2003 certification for its QMS - the regulatory standard for the international medical industry and is closely related to ISO 9000. It forms the cornerstone for the CE certification of medical products in the EU.

When it'll cross over to Macintosh friendly we shall have to see.

Cardinal Health

http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/print.php?cid=3&id=2786

 

[t0mat0]

Annoying that Clive Nettles at 9to5Mac.com can't acknowledge in his recent piece, http://www.youtube.com/user/LeopardOctober and instead credits MacMagazine.br - unless i'm missing something here. (Mistake of just copying and pasting Google translate perhaps? Because it will show you both languages paragraph by paragraph if you don't edit?)

The clue is in the LeopardOctober@YouTube watermark in the screenshots!

That and the fact that there have already been screenshots from those videos here
Translation of MacMagazine.br page

Maybe they thought it someone else had gone first, so they could release with impunity from Apple lawyeres - that the pictures were enough in the wild?

Translation as per Google:
Since mid March, the user LeopardOctober has posted videos, screenshots and information about Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on YouTube, and the second gather, be the first to disclose in these mass valuable news about the next generation operating system from Apple.

Unfortunately most of the videos can not be incorporated here, but come on! ;-)

Finder

In the first two videos (1 and 2 - the second in HD - both recorded in the build 10A261 we find:

• Option "Put Back" in the Trash, deleted files that leads back to the place of origin. . We talked about it here and posted a screenshot here.
• Slider to resize the size of icons in windows, a la iPhoto.
• Scroll bar on the visualization of Stacks in "Grid" and navigation by folders. Veja mais sobre esta funcionalidade aqui . See more about this feature here.
• A greater attention to the Services menu in the Preferences window dedicated.
• New panel of Keyboard & Mouse preferences. Another that we had already shown.

Quick Look in the right icons. Also we knew. The law is that it works even in PDFs with multiple pages, which, as a note and who published the video, is great for touchscreens. Hum. ;-)

New standard name for screenshots with date and time when they were recorded.

But we have one more:

Here, he shows a preference of the new Finder that will allow users to set the default behavior of search by the Spotlight: get around the Mac, the folder that is opened or the way that the person left it last.

Leopard: Below, see a screenshot of the definition related to the types of smoothing (anti-aliasing) operating in the Snow Leopard Finder:

QuickTime X

This other video summarizes much of the news already covered on the QuickTime X MacMagazine in here. Now the build of Snow Leopard is the 10A286 See:

• New interface with black, more basic, like the full screen mode in the current player.
• About window shows version 10.0, build 14.2
• New Trim option in the Edit menu, accessible by the shortcut Command + T. Interestingly, visual process and are very similar to the same functionality found in the Voice Recorder application of iPhone OS 3.0.
  
  
  
  
  
  [Note the resemblance to the scrubber that iPhone might have/seen in OS 3.0 beta]
  
• Panoramic view mode in the View menu, accessible by the shortcut Command + 5.
• Share menu, with options for sharing iTunes and MobileMe Gallery.
  
  
  
• Options for exporting video pre-set to Desktop, Apple TV, iPhone and iPhone (Edge). The progress is displayed in a new window Share Progress.

Dock and substitutions

Even with the build 10A261

Here:

• Allows the user to designate their space applications via a contextual menu in the Dock, instead of having to go to System Preferences (System Preferences).
• New menu substitutions (Substitutions) in editing the text in Cocoa applications, easier copy & paste, smart quotes, dashes, and dashes, detection of links and data, exchange of texts, etc..

And Apple says that "freeze" new features in Mac OS X 10.6, huh? ;-) ;-)
Now I am even more anxious.
[Tip of the fabioped on a topic in our forum, thank you!]

Other articles on site e.g. here

In other news
The Microsoft executive in charge of Windows has urged some companies to dump Vista deployment plans and shift to Windows 7

"If they haven't started, certainly they should move right to Windows 7," said Silver today. "But the bigger question is what do those in the middle of planning do? Should they continue with Vista?"

The answer, Silver said, depends on where in the Vista planning and deployment process a company is. "If they started deployment, and are deploying Vista only on new machines as they buy them, then I'd continue. But if they aren't quite there yet, then we recommend switching to Windows 7." "

Is Safari bringing smart usage of multiple cores, to the browser?