Mac OS X v.10.4 - Tiger

So, the next version of Apple's operating system slated for release in the first 1/2 of 2005 has been previewed at the Worldwide Developer's Conference. OS X 10.4 Tiger will have a bevy of new features and will be optimized to enhance system performance (UNIX and 64-bit addressing enhancements) and improve system display (Core Image filters).

Here are some other highlights:

Spotlight: A system-wide search engine that will produce a results page as you type rather than waiting for the search engine to scan through pre-indexed results. It also seems to rely on a robust metadata system that developers can access via API's in order to customize the application. Very cool.

iChat: It will allow you to have video chats with up to three people at the same time (with an elegant user interface to manage the three streams) and to audio chat with up to nine people. In addition, it will rely on Quicktime's next video compression technology to improve video quality: H.264/AVC (Advanced Video Coding).

Dashboard: Hmmm, I wonder what Konfabulator thinks about this particular development. I had discussed Konfabulator's widgets in a previous post. It seems that Apple has decided to make a stable of widgets part of their OS. Like Konfabulator, Apple allows outside developers to create widgets for the OS: "Developers can build their own Widgets using the JavaScript language to take advantage of Core Image capabilities."

Safari RSS: Apple's Safari browser will include interfaces to view and organize RSS feeds within the browser itself. Many are used to third-party news aggregators (such as NetNewsWire) doing this or to websites (such as Bloglines) offering these services .

Oh, and let's not forget the new line of Apple Cinema Displays released today. Is it time to begin the debate asking whether there should be a dividing line between something being a computer monitor and something being a television?

2.0 Ghz Dual-Processor Apple G5

Following my unofficial policy of upgrading or getting a new computer every three years or so, I recently got a new dual-processor Apple G5. So far, so smooth, sleek and fast. It has been whisper quiet as promised -- the cats are confused. They like to sit next to the tower, staring at it as if it were the cryptic monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Since I am all excited about its arrival, I have been scouring the web for software and utilities for it. Since I tend to download many of these that then tend to accumulate digital dust, I have exercised some stricter judgment this time around. Here are some of the standouts so far:

Volume Logic by Octiv: This is a plug-in for iTunes that remasters the digital music on-the-fly as it plays. Apparently, tons of FM radio stations use this technology when broadcasting. The improvements are significant on my Creative Inspire speakers.

Konfabulator by Arlo Rose and Perry Clarke: This is a beautiful looking application that allows you to activate "widgets" on your screen that do tons of things depending on what developers build for it. Some examples include a weather indicator, retro clocks, news feeds, automatic CD cover art locators, etc. Take some time exploring the hundreds of widgets -- hours and hours of fun for the whole family.

Quicken 2004 for Mac by Intuit: This is a standout because this is the first time I will be doing banking, bill pay and stock portfolio management electronically. I am in the midst of migrating my funds away from a bank where notable discrepancies between my home-calculated balance and their own calculations happened every two months or so. Let's see if this helps figure things out.

Feel free to drop some comments letting me know about any cool and/or genuinely useful applications for the Mac.

By Eric, 01:00 PM in Apple, Design, Web/Tech

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