New Snow Leopard Features Continue to Emerge

[Michael73]

I applaud Apple's continuing improvement of their Accessibility options. This always seemed to be an afterthought IMHO for another unnamed Redmond-based business. Maybe not used by all, but certainly important for those that need it.

Heck, I never used the Speech functionality until my father who lives in NY started writing emails to my 5 year old. While my son is a good reader, it's still easier for him to highlight the email and have it read to him while he follows along.

 

[Quillz]

A lot these features are things that probably should have been added a long time ago, but it's good there finally here now. I think making lots of minor improvements to already existing features is much better than adding only a few major features, most of which are gimmicky and useless.

 

[sd2009]

So happy about the support for multi-touch gestures. It's a remarkable generous thing for Apple to do, wouldn't you agree?

Yes its an honor to be blessed with the opportunity to purchase their OS!

 

[Ed State]

Anyone know if FONT BOOK and font handling in general will be updated?

I still wrestle weekly w/ my many Helvetica versions

 

[Peace]

It appears that they are probably using a slightly more complex h.264 profile. Allowing for more bandwidth/space savings at the expense of more CPU/GPU usage.

It's more likely the way the stream is cut up into blocks of data differently.

 

[calsci]

does this mean my white 2009 macbook will finally get the multi-touch i never thought it could get. will i seriously have multi touch on my macbook.

 

[twoodcc]

nice little features there. looking forward to snow leopard!

 

[Sky Blue]

does this mean my white 2009 macbook will finally get the multi-touch i never thought it could get. will i seriously have multi touch on my macbook.

No.

 

[Eidorian]

It appears that they are probably using a slightly more complex h.264 profile. Allowing for more bandwidth/space savings at the expense of more CPU/GPU usage.

Anything to do with video chat is a battery killer. We'll probably see more disparity between the 9400M hardware and non.

 

[Quillz]

Oh, and one "new" feature: The infamous "open folder bug" in Leopard has been fixed in Snow Leopard!

 

[calsci]

well that stinks that i won't get multi touch. it would have been a pleasant surprise if i had gotten it.

 

[Tallest Skil]

How could it require one-third the bandwidth for video iChat? Have they really improved their compression that much? That's quite a change!

First, LOVE the new avatar. Will you update to a higher-res version once the real icon is available?

Second, (and to anyone) if you have a webcam capable of higher resolution video than a standard iSight, say 2048x1536, would that be possible to stream in an iChat videoconference?

 

[reallynotnick]

I must of been the only one to actually read about all the new features in Snow Leopard on Apple's site after the keynote because they have been up for a couple of days.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I must of been the only one to actually read about all the new features in Snow Leopard on Apple's site after the keynote because they have been up for a couple of days.

That's because books are like Kryptonite to many. Anything longer than a handful of paragraphs and they break out in a cold sweat.

 

[ziggyonice]

I think the Multitouch is just for the early 2008 MBPs is it not?

I can't imagine it'd work with my first gen MBP... if it did though... that'd be incredible.

 

[GenNovE]

So happy about the support for multi-touch gestures. It's a remarkable generous thing for Apple to do, wouldn't you agree?

I agree on the fact that it will be implemented.

But obviously something thats been there since the beginning to now be implmented is just wrong. The main selling point for models after the old macbooks was the ability for multi touch. This coming out now seems more like a lie and deciet.

Now we have to pay extra for something thats been there since the begining type of thing.

I know people will defend apple to death specially with the low price of 29 dollars. But overall snow leopard is a software update that is usally pushed for free.

But whatever people will defend it to death even if its wrong.

 

[FSMBP]

Yeah, I already read everything once Apple updated the page. But the MacRumors article claims that Snow Leopard will give all MacBooks 3 and 4 finger gestures so I second guessed myself.

Low and behold, MacRumors is wrong.

Edit: The article is updated to the right info now.

 

[tbobmccoy]

Apple follows accounting rules that says new features can't be added to old products without charging for them (with the exception of the iPhone and AppleTV, which Apple decided to account for differently than their other products).

They sold some Macs a few years ago with 802.11n not enabled. A few months later, Apple enabled it, but you had to buy the update for like $3 (because adding 802.11n counted as adding a new feature). People went nuts.

Yeah, I know. The late 2006 MacBooks were among the first that were shipped with a 802.11n Airport card in them that was advertised as a 802.11g, so I purchased the upgrade for 3 bucks. This would be different though, because Snow Leopard is where they're charging you for the upgraded features ($29 dollars for me since I have Leopard), but if they can't/won't, then I'll probably pass on Snow Leopard until I get a new MacBook Pro. Besides, OpenCL will suck on an Intel integrated gfx card anyway

 

[DELLsFan]

All this hype and still not shipping til September? Isn't Win 7 shipping sooner?

 

[Quillz]

All this hype and still not shipping til September? Isn't Win 7 shipping sooner?

Windows 7 ships on October 22, 2009.

 

[flopticalcube]

Besides, OpenCL will suck on an Intel integrated gfx card anyway

It'll do worse than suck, it won't work at all.

 

[DELLsFan]

Windows 7 ships on October 22, 2009.

Really? I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft was wanting to get the retail boxes on the shelves much earlier than this. 3 months earlier than this, to be precise.

 

[Quillz]

Really? I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft was wanting to get the retail boxes on the shelves much earlier than this. 3 months earlier than this, to be precise.

Don't know where you read this. The original RTM was supposed to be in 2010, and now it's coming out sooner, in time for the holiday shopping season.

What you probably read was that the RTM itself will be ready by July or August.

 

[flopticalcube]

Really? I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft was wanting to get the retail boxes on the shelves much earlier than this. 3 months earlier than this, to be precise.

Possible download date of August some time: http://blogs.computerworld.com/windows_7_ships_oct_22_says_microsoft_or_earlier

October 22 for the packaging.

 

[tgildred]

But whatever people will defend it to death even if its wrong.

And some people will criticize it even if it's right. That's just the way it goes. Then again, maybe it's a matter of opinion, and nobody's right or wrong.