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Leopard, A Week Later

As any Mac user worth his salts will know that the latest version of OSX was released on October 26th October.
Due to a bit of a mess up with a new hard drive I did not get round to installing Leopard until the following Friday. Since then I have had a little over a week to try out some of the claimed 300 new features and give it a bit of an airing.
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So The Big Cat Is Coming

If you are a Mac user you will no doubt know that the new OS 10.5 is on the way. In fact Leopard is due for release on the 26th October; only a few days away.
So far I’ve always upgraded to the latest version but recently I’ve lost the way with Apple. Despite other bloggers detailing a few reasons why they would upgrade, if I was asked a month ago if I would the answer would be ‘not straight away’
I’m not loosing my love of Apple, I am just not in a position to keep upgrading and take advantage of the new technology. We all know that you can not stand in the way of progress but every time I purchase a new piece of Apple hardware before I’ve finished reading the manual it has been super-seeded!
My current setup is a dual G5 PowerMac as my main machine, a G4 iBook for traveling and an old G4 iMac for looking good in the living room! The new version of Leopard feels that it is all about Intel Mac’s, built in iSights, FrontRow and basically stuff that will push my resources to the limit.
Yes everything looks completely sick; Spaces and Time Machine for instance, but what in that complete package will really benefit my current usage, not much I’m afraid.

But I did say if you asked me a month ago.
Ask me now and I will be the first in the line to try and get a copy. My new Mac at work is the reason for the change and the main point for me is the iTunes style Finder sidebar.
Working in a Windows network I am for ever ‘connect to server’ and trying to find resources on the network. By the looks of it every machine in the local workgroup will appear in that sidebar, making everything so much easier. Well thats what I think Apple want me to believe.
I’m all for it, plus my new work iMac is an Intel Mac with a built in iSight and FrontRow. I guess I’m just the right candidate, either that or I just need to find the right excuse reason to upgrade.

MacWorld - 10.1.06

I guess I better post the manitory post about MacWorld and the new products to hit the Apple store, it does seem only right.
So yesterday Steve took the stage and every one waited to see what shiny gadgets he would reveal; most people expected a Intel powered machine, more likely an iBook or a Mini. Rumours of Shuffle being updated or even dropped, new software in the form of iLife06 (that was just about certain if you follow trends) iWork and a new addition iWeb (also 99% certain after a iWeb web page was leaked last week). On the more extreme end of the rumour express was thoughts of a Apple branded plasma screen, or extreme iPlasma; bit like a iMac I guess.
Instead of following the herd I sat at home and watched read the event unfold via MacRumoursLive and when all the smoke had cleared I was left a little bit dazed and confused.
First off we have a new gadget for iPod’s; a FM tuner, could be fun I guess.
Second the software; iLife06 including iWeb, iLife to me is always a sound package but I can’t see me spending out the upgrade just for these newer versions and iWeb does not really float my boat. I don’t use enough of my .Mac account as it is.
Now the juicy stuff the hardware! First off a brief intro from Intel bunny, now the first Intel powered Mac; the new iMac. hmmmmm… Ok yes the iMac is a great machine, still use my old G4 but surely the iMac went through an upgrade not so long ago, recieving an iSight camera and a cool remote to control FrontRow (also new). Enough of this the next machine is up; MacBook Pro. You what? MacBook Pro. Interesting name and I’m sure it will eventually catch on but what about the machine. Once again dual Intel cores and all the usual extras found on Apple portables; iSight, remote, wireless, bluetooth.
Of course this is just my quick run down of the event and your best off watching the keynote to find the full details, also specifications for all the machines can be found at the Apple website.
Now my final thoughts. I’m a little bit disappointed by the lack of upgrade to the iBook and Mini. These are two very good machines, both of which being a great start for a ‘new’ Apple user or Windows switcher, they should get the Intel treatment and maybe help a couple more users switch. The new laptop, whilst being a thing of beauty and yes I do wish I had some spare cash just sitting around, but is this a replacement to the PowerBook? At present there is only one size MacBook Pro (just does not roll off the tongue) in two processor speeds, do they plan to release a 17inch MacBook Pro (feck this from now it will be MBP) if not why not? is this machine a testing ground for the Intel cores?
Apple I love your products and you do inspire but where are you taking us on this wild ride of gadgets? More importantly is a 1.67ghz Intel core a good thing, if we are now using Intel cores do we not measure clock speeds the same as PC users? Or are we still doomed to lose the ghz arguement with those Windows users that don’t understand risk processing?