Leopard News/Information Thread

[Spur]

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/10/04/apple_announcements_brewing_for_late_october.html

Apple Inc. has begun preparatory measures for significant announcements to take place during the last full week of October, AppleInsider has been told.

While sources have requested that we not go into detail regarding the specific measures being put into place, they say the announcements are likely to arrive any time between the 22nd and 27th of the month.

Obviously, such a timeframe would coincide with Apple's self-imposed release schedule for Mac OS X Leopard, which the company -- after having delayed the software once -- has promised for "October."

As of Wednesday evening, the source code to Leopard had not yet been frozen and a Gold Master had not yet been declared. However, the operating system in recent weeks has inched closer to this status with the last full builds including only one known issue.

Historically, Apple has tapped the final Friday of the month to roll out its major operating system overhauls. For instance, it launched Mac OS X Tiger on the eve of Friday, April 29, 2005.

Sources have yet to rule out the possibility that Leopard would be accompanied by additional announcements from the Cupertino-based company.

[Spur]

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/10/04/leopard.may.ship.oct.26th/

Apple may be gearing up to release Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) on October 26th according to information from sources at Apple Inc. AppleInsider reports that the announcements are likely to arrive any time between the 22nd and 27th of the month. Though the operating system has not yet achieved golden master status, recent builds have seen very short known issue lists. In fact, the latest build lists only one known issue, with Apple asking developers to test delivery of printer drivers through the Software Update mechanism. Apple has traditionally used the final Friday of the month to roll out major Mac OS X upgrades.

[cboom4250]

sweet. thanks for the updates, spur.

[horseshoefootball]

eh, I haven't seen anything too compelling about Leopard that would make me want to upgrade for the price...

but it's good to hear that it is finally coming out

[Spur]

http://www.macminute.com/2007/10/08/leopard-impact/

According to a story today on CNN Money, analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray has estimated the financial impact of Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" release. "In a note to clients issued this morning, Munster observes that OS X Tiger, Leopard's predecessor, was also released at the end of the first month of a fiscal quarter (April 29, 2005 vs. Oct. 26, 2007). At that time, the OS X installed base was 12 million and Tiger sales added US$125 million to the quarter. The Mac OS X installed base is now approximately 23 million, so we expect Leopard to add approximately $240 million to the Dec. 2007 quarter.

[Spur]

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/10/09/sources_leopard_finalized_10_4_11_inching_closer.h tml

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard

A source tells AppleInsider that Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is now "finalized" and that Apple has begun to provide Leopard-related support training materials to its support staff.

Among these initial training materials were self-paced training modules on some of the operating system's most popular features and components, such as installation methods, Mail and BootCamp.

The last full pre-release of Leopard arrived on September 21st, when Apple provided its vast developer community with Mac OS X Leopard build 9A559 in what was then assumed to be a release candidate.

A week later the company released a small automatic software update for build 9A559 but did not increase or otherwise change the Leopard build number as it had done in previous cases. Therefore, build 9A559 was the last known candidate to be declared Gold Master and released to manufacturing.

All signs have pointed to a public release of Leopard during the business week of Oct 22nd, with sources specifically singling out Oct 26 for the official launch.

[CockyBlock]

what exactly is the leopard?

[cboom4250]

it's Apple's operating system. The last major release was 10.4, which is codenamed Tiger. Leopard is the newest operating system.

[CockyBlock]

o ok i gotcha.....thanks for the info

[Spur]

http://macslash.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/16/1011207

Apple has set a date for those who are willing to risk updating to a .0 version of a new OS. Leopard will be available on October 26 according to Apple's website, which is also taking pre-orders for the OS. It's safe to assume that MacOS X 10.5 Leopard Server will be available at that point or shortly afterwards, as well.

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, consider buying it through these affilliate links to support MacSlash: The one-license copy of Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or the 5-license Leopard Family Pack.

[Spur]

http://macslash.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/17/116253

Amazon Knocks $20 Off Leopard Price

Amazon has dropped the price of MacOS X 10.5 Leopard from $129 to $109, making it $20 cheaper than buying through the online Apple store or from a retail Apple store when it becomes available. Apple announced yesterday that Leopard will be released October 26. Oddly, the discount for the more expensive 5-license family pack is only $10.

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, consider buying it through these amazon affiliate links to support MacSlash and save $20: The one-license copy of Apple Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or the 5-license Leopard Family Pack.

[cboom4250]

wow...that's even cheaper than the educational discount price for students and faculty members.
def. going with amazon on this one. thanks for the updates, spur.

[Spur]

Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard education price is $69

For students, Apple's Mac OS X Leopard "will still be available for a deeper discount at school bookstores (usually around $69)," Scott McNulty reports for TUAW.

But, not online at the Apple Store, where the price will be US$116.

"The most obvious reason for this move is that Apple has no real way of knowing if you are, in fact, associated with an educational institution when you order online," McNulty reports. "Most school bookstores require you to produce a school ID in order to make purchases of academically priced software, so Apple can be assured that you are, in fact, a poor student and not just cheap."
http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/apples_mac_os_x_leopard_education_price_is_69/

[JAYBEZ]

This reminds me of the recent iProduct ad that was posted...

It is mac related and new with marginal upgrades... open up your wallets...

[Spur]

Most of the people who have been trying/using Leopard say it is a huge step forward as an OS so I am very excited.

For $69, I am set.

Seen the changes in iChat, Safari, and Mail including some others and am very excited.

[Spur]

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=370946

With Leopard's official announcement, Apple now details a list of 300+ new features that can be found in Mac OS X 10.5.

Sitening compiled a list (with descriptions) of 16 of what they felt were the coolest least known features coming in Leopard.

• TextEdit: OpenDocument and Word 2007 Formats
• Terminal: Workspaces
• .Mac Sync for System Preferences
• Guest Log-In Accounts
• Grammar Check
• Scroll Non-Active Windows
• Printer Drivers via Software Update
• PDF Manipulation in Preview
• Self-Tuning TCP
• Archive Mailbox
• SMS Forwarding
• Event Dropbox
• Font Auto-Activation
• Instant Screen Sharing from the Finder
• Wikipedia in Dictionary
• Synchronize with Yahoo! address book


Yesterday, we took a look at some of the under the hood improvements and system requirements as compared to Tiger.

Meanwhile, AppleInsider looks at iCal 3.0 and Safari 3.0, and Apple has updated their website, which shows off the major new features of Leopard.

[cboom4250]

hmm...i never realized that the bookstores sold operating systems. does anyone know if the RH bookstore, or even SC/Addam's, sells software?

[Spur]

http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/cnet_reviews_apples_mac_os_x_105_leopard_excellent/

"Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is Apple's first major operating system upgrade since Tiger more than two years ago. The changes include more than 300 new features which, while not earth-shattering, further streamline the experience of using a Mac," Elsa Wenzel reports for CNET Reviews.

"Should you pay for Leopard? If you're happy with the way Tiger works, then maybe not. If you need Bootcamp, however, then you must have Leopard. And if you're considering the purchase of a new computer, Leopard makes Macs more enticing than Tiger did. Plus, Leopard makes it far easier to find documents and applications than Windows Vista. Leopard's interface niceties made the daily mechanics of using the computer more pleasurable. Mundane chores, such as finding files and backing up data, become a visual treat," Wenzel reports.

"The grace of Leopard's interface enhancements makes productivity more pleasurable with a Mac, as more than 300 functional and fun features top off this update," Wenzel reports.

CNET Reviews give's Apple's Mac OS X Leopard a score of 8 out of 10, "Excellent."

[Spur]

Dallas Morning News: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is a leap forward

"After months of anticipation, Apple users can finally buy the Leopard OS 10 today. Here are some of its distinguishing characteristics – and areas where there's room for improvement," Jim Rossman reports for The Dallas Morning News.

Rossman takes a look at:
• The Desktop
• The Finder
• Back to My Mac
• Quick Look
• Spaces
• Parental Controls
• Boot Camp

Rossman reports, "Leopard is a nice improvement on the Mac environment. It's got enough stuff to almost make you feel as though you have a new computer."

Full review, "Apple's Leopard is a leap forward," here.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/jrossman/stories/DN-newp2techreview_26bus.ART.State.Edition1.35b792f.h tml

[gAmkok]

We have to get the daughter a computer and were waiting for Leopard before we did. I've got Parallels running WinXP on this one (for work access and database function), so I think she'll get the new one. I can't wait to check it out.

[Ga_Gamecock]

how do you check it out?

[Drunkeneskimofo]

^apple.com

[Spur]

Ordered it today....shipped today

Hope I recieve it soon

[impirius]

I went and stood in line to get this at launch yesterday. It's as good as advertised. Time Machine looks like it will be very useful, and the new Finder and Quick Look are both excellent.

[Spur]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2207556,00.asp

"After three intense days with Apple's Mac OS X Leopard Version 10.5, I have three main things to say about it. First: despite minor problems, it's by far the best operating system ever written for the vast majority of consumers, with dozens of new features that have real practical value—like truly automated backups, preview images in folders, and notes and to-do lists integrated into the mail program," Edward Mendelson reports for PC Magazine.

"I found Leopard to be startlingly fast, brilliantly streamlined, and packed with conveniences and innovations. Leopard's rich set of built-in software runs faster than I imagined possible," Mendelson reports.

"Leopard has its share of first-version glitches.. There aren't a huge number of them but you might want to wait until Apple releases its first update and more before third-party customization utilities become available," Mendelson reports.

"If you're in the market for a new machine, it's time to look seriously at a Mac, especially now that all Macs can run Windows along with OS X through the built-in Boot Camp feature that lets you install Windows and Leopard in separate partitions. Even better, third-party software from Parallels or Vmware make it possible to run a Windows program in a window on the OS X desktop. It's even possible to set up OS X so that Word documents automatically open in the Windows version of Microsoft Word," Mendelson reports.

"Leopard again raises the question of whether to switch from Windows to a Mac. I've found Vista to be a major disappointment that tends to look worse the more I use it. I still use Windows XP for getting serious work done. But OS X is easier to manage and maintain and I vastly prefer OS X to Windows for Web-browsing, mail, and especially for any task that involves graphics, music, or video. Leopard performs all such tasks even better than previous versions did—and Leopard is the only OS on the planet that works effortlessly and intuitively in today's world of networked computers and peripherals. Leopard is far from perfect, but it's better than any alternative, and it's getting harder and harder to find good reasons to use anything else," Mendelson reports.

[Spur]

http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/10/30/leopardsales/index.php?lsrc=mwrss

Apple on Tuesday announced that it has sold more than two million copies of Mac OS X v10.5 “Leopard” since it shipped on Friday, Oct. 26th.

That rate outpaces the first-weekend sales of Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger,” Leopard’s predecessor, which up until now has held the record for being the most successful OS release in Apple’s history.

Those figures include copies of Leopard sold at Apple retail stores, Apple authorized resellers, the online Apple Store, under maintenance agreements and those copies bundled with newly shipping Macs.

“Early indications are that Leopard will be a huge hit with customers. Leopard’s innovative features are getting great reviews and making more people than ever think about switching to the Mac,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a statement.

[Spur]

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9045689

"Given the timing of Mac OS X's release, the somewhat lukewarm response to Microsoft's Windows Vista by many IT shops, and even the similarity in the areas of concentration pursued by Apple and Microsoft -- a comparison between Leopard and Vista is inescapable. Both companies emphasized efforts to improve usability and add features to their bundled software," Scot Finnie reports for Computerworld.

"Throughout the four years of the Vista development process, I tested and evaluated at least 15 different alphas and betas of the operating system, spending hundreds of hours evaluating the late prereleases and the final editions. Likewise, I spent countless hours testing Leopard, both in prerelease form and the final version now available to the public. What I found after all that testing is that despite their similarities on paper, Leopard and Vista are nothing alike," Finnie reports.

"Vista has a cover-Microsoft's-butt, designed-by-corporate-committee feel, while Leopard tightly adheres to Apple's well-honed user-interface design principles. In numerous small ways, Apple has improved its OS, while Microsoft has, in a plethora of ways, changed Windows -- not always for the better," Finnie reports. "With OS X 10.5, Apple is clearly going head to head with Microsoft and Vista. With the smoke clearing, it's also apparent that Apple still has a lead on Microsoft when it comes to user interface and functionality."

"It's impossible to miss the refinement infused throughout Apple's new operating system, whereas there are compromises in Vista that impinge upon the user experience without giving something back in return. Apple is focused on the user experience, while Microsoft appears to be focused on antipiracy, overengineered security protections, and digital rights management aimed at serving its prospective third-party partners," Finnie reports. "There's really no contest. Tiger is a better OS than Vista, and there are no long-term downsides to Leopard. Vista doesn't measure up."

[Spur]

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/12/11/leopard.mac.sales/

Adding to the already swelling analyst enthusiasm over Apple's current and future financial prospects, ChangeWave is predicting that Leopard is making consumers more likely to buy Macs now and in the near future, leading to optimistic sales forecasts. "Apple computer sales continue to show strong consumer momentum. Not only is Apple maintaining the highest satisfaction levels among all manufacturers, but consumer purchases over the next 90 days look exceptionally robust." According to the company's survey data, nearly one-in-four respondents (24 percent) say that the release of Apple's new Leopard operating system makes them more likely to buy a Mac in the future.

The company says that on the corporate front, Macintosh purchases also appear set to reach new highs. "Over the next 90 days, Mac laptop and desktop sales to consumers will remain the biggest growth story in the PC industry -- driven in part by the new Leopard operating system. Moreover, Apple's corporate market share is increasing as well."

Research firm Goldman Sachs is also predicting strong holiday sales for Apple's iPods and Macs, and remains confident about the Cupertino-based company's forthcoming products in 2008. Goldman analyst David Bailey foresees the new iPhone arriving in the second half of 2008, with a smaller upgrade and more flash memory surfacing earlier in the year.

[ultimatetailgater]

:blah::blah::blah: So I guess MACs are going for the 4.5% market share again lol.

http://www.systemshootouts.org/mac_sales.html

[Spur]

They are on the rise and doing incredibly well up

Laugh now and watch as they play catch up in five years to right around the HP and Dell's of the world

The latest ChangeWave consumer poll found that 29% of likely notebook and desktop PC buyers in the next 90 days are planning to get a Mac. That's higher than consumer purchase intent for HP laptops (21%), HP desktops (24%) and Dell laptops (28%). But Dell had higher demand for its desktops (31%).

The trend line is clearly up for Apple. Two years ago, 16% of likely notebook PC buyers and 11% of desktop PC buyers planned to buy Macs. Demand for Macs has risen steadily ever since. Analysts credit the "halo effect" from the company's popular iPod portable music players and iPhone smart phones. People that buy and like iPods and iPhones are inclined to try Macs.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/IBD-0001-21528092.htm

[SC SWAMPFOX]

Macs are awesome.