It's official: Leopard to go on sale October 26
(Credit: Apple)After much speculation, Apple has confirmed that the next version of its Mac OS X operating system, "Leopard," will hit stores on Friday, October 26, at 6 p.m.
The company has stated that Leopard, which was delayed this spring due to the high-profile iPhone, includes more than 300 new features in comparison to its predecessor, Tiger.
Among these are an improved "dock" interface for easy access to applications, more robust parental controls, the Time Machine automatic-backup service and a redesigned Finder interface.
The operating system is set to cost $129 for a single-user license and $199 for a five-user "Family Pack" license.
In addition, Apple also plans to launch the Leopard version of its Mac OS X Server in conjunction with the standard version of the operating system. Included in this release of the Unix-compliant server software are a host of new features, including Podcast Producer, for automatically publishing audio to iTunes or the Web; Wiki Server, for collaborative Web site work; and iCal Server, for enterprise calendar management. The new OS X Server is set to cost $499 for a 10-client edition and $999 for an unlimited-client edition.
Apple's home page has been updated with a Leopard countdown clock. The online store is now accepting preorders--and meanwhile, the next iteration of the legendary Apple rumor mill is already rolling.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
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Seriously, I'll be order a new iMac next week in the hopes that it will be pre-installed on the system.
Thank you Apple!
Break the Wedge!
Time will tell.
Apple delayed this product once already in favor of a consumer cell phone instead which shows where their priorities are focused on and it's not computers anymore. Computers and operating systems are now third string in the Apple lineup.
*iPod Touch screen defection issues
*iPod Touch lacking features customers wanted
*iPhone price drops
*iTunes issues
*Delayed Leopard
you would think they actually want to build goodwill with customers and fend off rivals at the same time. Instead, they raise the barrier for entry into their exclusive and pricey club by alienating those that are loyal to them or have just recently joined the cult.
Your probably thinking, "what is this guy's problem". When Microsoft released XP, and Vista, they (as well as their hundreds of partners) handed out vouchers for download of the new OS for every new PC sold/copy purchased of the old OS. Sure, they had to write off billions, but that is just good business in the end- making customers HAPPY. Hear that Apple, make us HAPPY. With your small but growing market share, it wouldn't cost you nearly that much to give newcomers a free copy of Leopard. Today you confirmed not only Leopards features, release date, and price. But you also confirmed that you are not the pro-consumer, somehow different than any other corporation, "Apple of our eye".
"This guy is going off his rocker" you must be thinking. "Companies exist to make money, not lose it". Sure! We all know Apple is all about making money by denying the fact that iPod Touch had issues, while raking in restock fees. The whole iPhone backstabbing (only a couple months after the hyped release) also helped to earn a little money, and a lot of ire. (at what cost?). And last but not least, the whole overpriced underwhelming .Mac, for what is it now? $79? Wow.
Apple is starting to share it's CEO's arrogance and I for one am not liking it. I was debating on upgrading to an iMac this weekend, my first Mac ever. I wanted to wait, to hear the news that Steve would be gracious enough to give us all his latest cat if we bought early. Instead, nope. "You can all pay us another $130". To be fair, Leopard is a great improvement, but not worth an additional $130 tacked on to our Apple contribution pile.
After all my ranting and raving, I hope you realize that Apple is actually worse than Microsoft. Worse than Creative. And most likely, not good for the entertainment business. With their, "it's my ball and I wont share" business tactics
(no development for iPod Touch, iPhone; not opening iTunes to others; Making us and developers pay more, again to buy new accessories for the new iPods; Not working WITH NBC-Universal to get us the content WE want; FairPlay non-licensing)
they drive away partners, customers and content providers. I am getting sick of Apple's arrogance, and greed. Come on Apple, show us I am wrong!
forward in time. Would save you a lot of work.
This is what people fail to comprehend...home builders, of which there are many, dont need apple's hand-holding.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/07/live-from-wwdc-2006-steve-jobs-keynote/
Where are these top secret features?
- More on Leopard's release
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by jerrymacGP
October 21, 2007 7:27 AM PDT
- One piece of good news for Canadian customers: the price for
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Reply to this comment
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See all 83 Comments >>Leopard will be the same as in the US -- C$129. With the
Canadian dollar now worth about US$1.03, many other retail
items are still priced much higher north of the 49th than in the
States; it's nice to see Apple isn't shafting us the way many other
companies are.
As to whether to upgrade to Leopard, I think most "ordinary
consumer" users would be wise to wait a couple of months to let
any early kinks get worked out; Leopard "10.5." would be the prudent choice, IMHO. If we were
in the market for a new machine, on the other hand, I wouldn't
see a problem with going ahead & getting one with Leopard
preinstalled.
Finally, as to the Win-Mac argument: my wife & I are both forced
to use Windows (XP) at work, and we use Tiger at home. Bottom
line: We love our Mac, and would never go back to Windows.