Leopard
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Super Secret Apple Rumors Podcast 083 - 08.08.06
Ah, welcome to another addition of the Super Secret Apple Rumors Podcast, with your host Stevie J. Jobsie didn't have a ton of new gear to announce -- just the Mac Pro -- but it is, in fact, WWDC. Did we ever get a load of information about Leopard, though, the new version of OS X Apple's making us wait until next year to get. Next freaking year! Well, whatever, there's sure to be a lot more to come with 10.5, but in the mean time take it away, Steve. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). [RSS] Add the Engadget Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3). [MP3] Download the show (MP3). [AAC] Download the enhanced show (AAC). [OGG] Download the show (OGG). Host: Steve Jobs Producer: Trent Wolbe Format: 01:25:22, 39.1 MB, MP3 Program: 07:46 - Apple unveils dual Xeon-Based Mac Pro 32:06 - Time Machine backup 42:30 - Apple OS X 10.5 "Leopard" features LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com
Leopard: what we got and what we wanted
Chris Breen has written a nice follow up piece about Macworld's predictions for Leopard. The article lists the things that Apple delivered on, and the things they didn't. Granted the editors just listed things they wanted to see and not things that they were sure were going to see the light of day, but Apple did deliver on quite a few their wishes.So, dear TUAWers, what OS X wishes did the sneak peek of Leopard fulfill and what features did it still leave you craving?
Missing from WWDC 2006: The Finder - not a word
We've been hearing talk about a completely redesigned Finder in Leopard as far back as October of '05. Granted, all that stuff is just rumors and wishful thinking but it is probably the one feature throughout the majority of the Mac community that everyone nearly 100% agreed was outdated and in need of a major, major update, sometimes even a rewrite.So what happened to it? The keynote's up, and as I cruise through it to verify, the only time the word 'Finder' seems to be mentioned is when talking about something you can do with a different app. There wasn't a peep about a Finder update, or even a feature bump.The one saving grace that we're going to have to pin our hopes on is the Finder being one of those top secret features Steve said they couldn't even preview today. You can bet the bank if there is a Finder update coming, it isn't in the Leopard previews that are being handed out to developers today. Could we still see a Finder update? Well, let's just hope either that Apple schedules another flashy event before Leopard is released in Spring, or that Steve's Macworld Keynote has even more in store for this next installment of Mac OS X.
Quark 7 goes Universal
Despite some recent logo troubles and the move of design and ad agencies toward Adobe InDesign, Quark seems to be climbing out of the hole it dug itself with its disastrous transition to OS X. Today with version 7.1, QuarkXPress 7–first announced at MacWorld and released in May–became the first major page layout application to make the transition to Universal Binary for the Intel architecture. This move comes a full 6 months before the announced release time-frame for Adobe Creative Suite 3. With today's announcements of upcoming Leopard technologies, it will be interesting to see what Quark has in store for us with its next version. Perhaps designers will be able to use Time Machine to go back and fix that pesky mistake they made 3 days ago. For now at least, we'll all just have to sit on our hands and wait like good little boys and girls.
Widget Watch: Leopard server monitor
Steve didn't make any note of Leopard server in his Keynote, which is a little sad. I can imagine all the engineers who work on the server OS waiting, hoping that Steve would note all the cool new features. Sadly, they were out of luck but unlike Steve I will mention one of the new features, namely this cool widget (which is mentioned at the end of this video). That's right you can (well, will be able to) monitor all sorts of neat stuff about your Leopard server right in the Dashboard. You can monitor things like how many people are connected to the iChat server, or the processor usage in the past hour. This gives sysadmins a nice thumbnail view into the health of their servers.Kudos to the Leopard server team!
Apple OS X 10.5 "Leopard" officially debuts
We came for the Mac Pro, but we're staying for Leopard, Apple's long awaited followup to OS X 10.4, released April of last year. Apple is promising a spring '07 release, and with all of those playground-style put downs of Vista they've been throwing around at WWDC, we don't think a targeted similarity in launch times is out of the question.Leopard will feature the new and/or improved: 64-bit Cocoa and Carbon application support, right beside 32-bit apps, all native. Time Machine - Automatically backs up every version of your files to a hard drive or server. Includes snazzy 3D Time Machine view (pictured) to browse through older versions of folders. Boot Camp - "Even better." Ships with Leopard. Photo Booth - With expanded camera support. Spaces - Apple's term for virtual desktops. Allows you to group different applications together in their own environment for different tasks, and allows movement of windows between "spaces." Spotlight - Can search other machines over a network. Boolean operations, application launching, and recent items will also be added to the search tool. Core Animation - Developer architecture to create moving eye candy with little code. Universal Access - VoiceOver enhancements, Braille support, closed captioning and improved navigation. Mail - Stationary (templates), Notes (specially highlighted self-sent emails) and To-Do lists all built in. Dashboard - New Dashcode tool allows visual template-based Widget development. There's also a new Web Clip app that takes any part of a web page and turns it into a Widget. iChat - Allows multiple logins, invisible mode, animated buddy icons, video recording and tabbed chats (hooray.) There's also photo booth effects, iChat Theater (slideshows, Keynote presentations and videos displayed over video chat), and photo/video backdrops. Enhanced Parental Controls Xcode 3
Flickr Find: Seen at WWDC 2006 - "Introducing Vista 2.0" banner
If the WWDC 06 tension is becoming too much to bear, TUAW reader Gernot Poetsch probably isn't helping anything, as he sent a link to his Flickr account with a pic of some more banners in Moscone hall. If you check out his larger copy at Flickr, you can (almost) clearly see the banner at the top of the image says, and I quote: "Introducing Vista 2.0"; an attitude that clearly reflects just a slight bit of confidence on Apple's part in light of what is now four years of Vista setbacks. Another image in Gernot's photostream is titled Hasta la Vista. Vista, and while it isn't a clear shot of the banner, it doesn't sound far-fetched from all the other marketing previews we've been graced with so far.Here's hoping Apple previews a Mac OS X 10.5 on Monday that lives up to all the Vista jabs they've been taking. We'll post more of these goodies as we come upon them, but for now, you can resume your anxious pacing.
Supposed Leopard at PowerPage
PowerPage has somehow gotten their hands on the feature set of Leopard, which is to be announced in just a few short days. Now, as usual, this is unconfirmed and could be nothing more wishful thinking. With that said I am sure some of our readers would be interested in the list. Supposedly in Leopard we will get: Spotlight 2.0 Dashboard 2.0 Safari 3.0 iChat 4.0 Automator 2.0 QuickTime 7.2 Mail 3.0 iCal 3.0 Address Book 5.0 It seems like iChat integration is one of the big pushes, at least according to the features listed. Be sure to check out the original article because Jason has many more supposed details about each of these apps. Let's all remember that this might not be legitimate, but if it is it looks like Leopard will rock (but we already knew that, didn't we?).Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Leopard preview versions all but confirmed for WWDC attendees?
Sample code posted at the ADC could prove that preview versions of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard might be unleashed to WWDC attendees next week. The page has since been taken down, but DuggMirror retained a copy for our speculating eyes.The piece of sample code is QTNoStepsDemo, a meaningless chunk of code to us non-developers, but one aspect of the page (posted on Apple's site 8/01/2006) is what raised the flag: the code's build requirements specify "Leopard Preview". If this page is legit, it certainly isn't a blatant statement from Apple that Leopard will indeed be unleashed to our developer overlords, but it definitely is suspect. As with all other tidbits we've been uncovering over the past few weeks, we'll just have to stay tuned for Monday's events to see what Apple's engineers have up their sleeves.Thanks, Jesper.
WWDC 2006 banner revealed from within Moscone
Damn well, here we go again with the tea leaves. Someone snagged a picture of a massive banner over at the Moscone Center in San Francisco where WWDC is taking place next Monday. While it doesn't give us too much to work with, we can clearly see the usual set of Mac icons, what could maybe possibly be the aluminum nano (it's just not quite as white as the iMac beside it to these eyes) and two very out of place images: a "64-bit" logo, and what appears to be a PowerMac. Of course, the easy thing would be to conflate the two and say that a 64-bit Intel Mac Pro is set to be debuted, but we're hesitant -- though we know they wouldn't give the most prominent spot on that massive banner up to an old fuddy duddy G5 box. So maybe there will be a Mac Pro, but maybe it won't be as visually overhauled as everyone is hoping (then again maybe not), and maybe that 64-bit business is regarding their Xserve line. What's up with that shielded area over on the right though, the bit that's covering the MacBook Pro? How they love taunting us all. (Click on for bigger versions.)[Thanks, Ravi]Update: another banner image added from another angle! Doesn't help much though, very little yet-unseen detail. Thanks Benjamin!
Brent Simmons blogs Leopard UI predictions
Brent Simmons, developer of the most popular RSS reader on earth, has published some pre-WWDC predictions as to where he sees Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard's UI will evolve. He throws down the gauntlet on brushed metal, delves into customizable toolbars and even touches on what might happen to 'bubbly popup menus'.If you are at all interested in UI design, this is definitely a good read from a most prevalent Mac OS X developer. Keep in mind, however, that Brent - unlike the Scobleizer - doesn't have any insider info, so don't get your mouse cable tangled if next week proves his post to be way off the mark.
Fake Leopard screenshot winner
WWDC is mere weeks away and Mac geeks the world round can hardly wait to get a taste of that sweet, sweet Leopard. To hold you over I offer you the winners of PhillRyu.com's Fake Leopard screenshot contest. First place winner Eric Patterson (one of his screenshots can be seen above) wants to be able to preview lots more file types in the Finder, as well as banish Brushed Metal (something that I bet will be done in Leopard).Check out all the winners and the judge's commentary, you'll be glad you did.
AppleScript to view next unread message in Mail
If you've ever wished for the ability to go to the next unread message in Mail, instead of having to shuffle through all the unread ones, some enterprising AppleScript.net forum members have put together a script that might go well with your favorite app/script launcher, such as FastScripts.I tried this out with my preferred everything-launcher, Quicksilver, and it worked like a charm. I saved the script in Script Editor, then simply added it as a Trigger in Quicksilver with a keyboard shortcut. This has the fortunate side effect of being accessible from anywhere in the OS, so when I press my hotkey, Mail comes to the front and moves to the next unread message in the selected mailbox. Here's hoping Apple's Mail engineering team is listening and has something a little more integrated cooked up for Leopard's Mail.[via Hawk Wings]
Phill Ryu announces Fake Leopard Screenshot Contest
Its been a big week for Phill Ryu. The shareware developer who only began blogging at the beginning of the month has already been featured on these very pages, as well as Digg and Slashdot. To celebrate his success and stimulate the creativity of the Mac blogosphere, Phill has announced The Fake Leopard Screenshot Contest. The idea is as simple as it sounds; design and present a concept of what you think Leopard will (or should), look like. Three winners will be selected by a panel consisting of some of the top OS X shareware developers along with the staff of MacThemes. The three lucky winners will receive a software library that would otherwise cost over $900 bucks to amass. Each winner will also receive a trophy designed and engraved by Adam Betts of MacThemes, creator of the Adium duck we know and love. Entries are due at noon EST on the 22nd, and the winners will be announced 2 days later.This looks like a lot of fun, and will surely bring some fabulous ideas and designs out of the woodwork. It's great to see the shareware community working together like this on something that is fun for everyone, even those who don't enter.
Things I'd Like to See in Leopard
WWDC is rapidly approaching and along with it we'll get our first preview of the features in Leopard. And so I've started to think seriously about the things that I'd like to see in Leopard. In no particular order:A New FinderI've disliked Mac OS X's Finder since Mac OS X first shipped. It's not nearly as streamlined or versatile as it should be. It wasn't until Tiger that the Finder began to handle gracefully a disconnected server volume. I certainly don't miss the days when a disconnected server volume often meant restarting the computer. The Finder has gotten better by degrees, but it's still got a long way to go. For instance, why can't we have the Finder columns autosize itself to filenames so the full filename(s) is visible instead of having the user have to manually resize the column width? And if the Finder can remember window placement, why can't it remember a custom column width that I've manually set on a window? Also, why can't the green plus button be either a zoom/shrink button (as it is now) or a maximize button (a la Windows)? While I personally don't like full-screen window usage, I know that having such a UI element as an optional preference would greatly ease the switching process for Windows users. And why must we resize our windows only from the bottom right corner? Writing about the Finder just makes me angry, so I'll move on now.
Yet Another Leopard...wait, video?
Well, well. Those "Leopard" screen shots monopolizing the rumor sites sure are nice to look at, but how much could you possibly get from some images? Yeah, not much. Besides, they're basically all confirmed as fakes.Which is why I was incredibly interested to see this blog point to this video(!!), supposedly depicting an early version of the famed cat/OS -- particularly a new iTunes-themed Finder with tabs. There's nothing in it that strikes me as glaringly fake, but of course this could all be an elaborate hoax concocted by an OS X themer who lives with his mother, gets a high by fantasizing about using the latest unreleased Mac OS, and has way, way too much time on his hands.And of course I'm leaving it to you, dear readers, to point out all the things in this video that make it a fake. Ready? Go![via LeopardTracker]
Rumor: Apple Enterprise Products to use ZFS
In the last 12 months, the storage demand at my workplace (a university of 10,000 students) has risen exponentially. The 2.4TB NAS purchased last summer was outstripped by the end of our second semester just a few weeks ago. We'll recover a lot of that space by deep-sixing unused and stale accounts--which we can do every semester--but this does not address the growing problem of long-term storage and archival of data generated by our students, faculty, and staff. Eventually, we'll need to figure out a way to keep some--if not most--of this data indefinitely. The good news is that storage costs continue to decline--one terabyte of data storage is about $1500-$2000 right now. The bad news is that managing these massive amounts of data only continues to get more and more complex.Microsoft's answer to this problem is WinFS, a new filesystem and storage manager that was to be included in Vista. WinFS would be the solution to some of these storage problems by providing a scalable filesystem built on top of a relational database. WinFS would have allowed for metadata tagging, datastore consolidation and sophisticated backup/restore, notifications, and access rules (ACL's). It's exactly what the Enterprise market needs right now, a sophisticated and stable solution for this growing problem. The problem is that Microsoft has yanked WinFS from Vista and will only be using pieces of it in Vista's Server version. Vista will run on the increasing old and creaky NTFS.Some industry experts are suggesting that Apple may include the open source ZFS file system/content manager in their upcoming Leopard Server. ZFS was produced at Sun Microsystems about two years ago and was recently integrated into the most recent version of Solaris 10. An employee at Sun has posted to the Mac OS X Server mailing list that Apple may be interested in porting Mac OS X to run on ZFS.If it's true that Apple may build Leopard Server to run on top of ZFS (instead of HFS+), it would place them in a strong position in the Enterprise market. Apple's X-Serve, X-RAID, and X-SAN are already some of the most affordable enterprise-level storage products on the market. Having a new, fast, scalable, reliable file system and content management system combined with Apple's traditionally easy-to-use admin tools might give Apple a powerful push into the coveted Enterprise storage market.
Mockup of tagging in OS X
As WWDC draws near Mac geeks' thoughts turn to what new features will greet the Faithful in Leopard. Now, Mac users don't just stop at thinking about what they want to see, they create mockups. Matt Jalbert would like to see tagging implemented in the Finder and has created the mockup to the right. He would like to see tags auto-generated by the Finder and Spotlight integration (i.e. when you click on the tag 'bridge' it does a search of all other files tagged in the same way).Some people are already taking advantage of Spotlight to create tagging functionality, but it would be nice to see in the OS (if you're into tagging that is).
Jobs to preview Leopard during WWDC
WWDC (that's World Wide Developers' Conference) is coming up this August and the Mac web is all atwitter. Apple, in a move that should surprise no one, has announced that a team of execs, headed up by Jobs, will demo Leopard during the WWDC keynote on August 7th.This has become a feature of the WWDC but it is nice to have official confirmation. Until then let the rumors swirl about what tasty morsels will be included in Leopard. I'm hoping that Apple will do away with that pesky Dock and give us a Task Bar, like God intended all OSes to have.
More Leopard screenshots?
Several people have sent us this link purporting to show two screenshots of Apple's next update to OS X, Leopard (which will be OS X 10.5). Are they the real deal? Perhaps, but notice this post is listed under 'Rumors' and that's for a reason.However, let's assume for the moment that they are real and think about what we're seeing. The menu bar includes the Boot Camp logo, the 'About this Mac' shows that Windows is installed on this Mac, not to mention the fact that IE 7 appears to be running inside of OS X. Pretty neat, but the only way we'll know for certain what'll be in Leopard is to wait until Steve's WWDC keynote.Update: As we all suspected, they're fakes.
